Inside the complete subject is one key word, the simple subject: the noun or pronoun the sentence is about. Inside the complete predicate is the simple predicate: the verb, with any helping verbs.
Key idea
To find the simple subject, cross out prepositional phrases first. The subject is never inside one.
Why it works
The verb must agree with the simple subject: “One of the dogs has,” not “have.” If you take dogs for the subject, you choose the wrong verb. The simple subject and the verb are also the skeleton you draw first in a sentence diagram.
Worked example: Cross out, then find
Find the simple subject and the verb: “The basket of ripe apples sits by the door.”
- Cross out of ripe apples and by the door.
- Left: “The basket sits.”
- The simple subject is basket; the verb is sits.
Answer: basket / sits
Worked example: A verb phrase
Find the simple predicate: “The tired hikers will be resting soon.”
- The main verb is resting.
- The helping verbs will be belong with it.
- Soon is an adverb, not part of the verb.
Answer: will be resting
Common mistake
Choosing a noun inside a prepositional phrase as the subject: in “One of the dogs barks,” the subject is One, not dogs. This one slip causes many agreement errors later (“One of the dogs bark”). Cross out the phrase first.