In most sentences the subject comes before the verb (Simple Subject and Verb). Four kinds of sentences hide it.
| Kind | Example | Turn it around | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| question | Did the bus leave? | The bus did leave. | bus |
| there or here | There are three apples in the bowl. | Three apples are in the bowl. | apples |
| command | Close the door. | (You) close the door. | you, understood |
| turned around | Under the bridge lived a troll. | A troll lived under the bridge. | troll |
Key idea
Put the sentence back in the usual order: subject, then verb. There and here are almost never the subject, and a command’s subject is you, understood.
Why it works
English moves words around to ask, to point and to command. The subject is still there, and the verb still has to agree with it: “There are three apples” because apples is plural.
Worked example: A command with a name
What is the subject of “Leo, feed the cat”?
- The sentence tells someone to do something: it is a command.
- A command’s subject is you, understood.
- Leo is the person spoken to, set off by a comma: a noun of direct address, not the subject.
Answer: (you)
Worked example: There
What is the subject of “There goes the bus”?
- Turn it around: “The bus goes there.”
- What goes? The bus.
Answer: bus
Common mistake
Calling there or here the subject, and saying a command like “Sit down” has no subject. Turn the sentence around; for a command, put you in front.