Conditional sentences, commonly referred to as conditionals, are a unique type of complex sentence in which the subordinate clause presents a condition, while the main clause expresses the result or consequence of that condition. These sentences are often known as “if-sentences” because they frequently begin with the word “if.”

In English, there are four main types of conditional sentences:

1. Zero Conditional
2. First Conditional
3. Second Conditional
4. Third Conditional

Additionally, there are Mixed Conditionals that combine elements of the different types. Let’s delve into each type in more detail.

1. Zero Conditional

Purpose:
Zero Conditional sentences are used to describe general truths, scientific facts, or habitual actions that are always true. They refer to situations where the result is guaranteed as long as the condition is met.

Structure:
If + Present Simple, Present Simple

Example:

• If you heat water to 100°C, it boils.
  (This sentence illustrates a scientific fact that is always true.)

Usage:
Zero Conditional is typically employed to express situations that are universally accepted as true, such as laws of nature, habitual actions, and general rules.

2. First Conditional

Purpose:
First Conditional sentences are used to talk about real and possible situations that could happen in the present or future. These are scenarios where, if a certain condition is met, a specific result is likely to follow.

Structure:
If + Present Simple, Future Simple / can / may / must + infinitive

Examples:

• If it rains tomorrow, we will stay at home.
  (This sentence predicts a future action based on a possible condition.)
• If you study hard, you can pass the exam.
  (Here, passing the exam is a possible result of studying hard.)
• If you don’t hurry, you’ll miss the bus.
  (This warns of a likely consequence if the condition of hurrying isn’t met.)

Usage:
First Conditional is used to describe situations that are likely to happen in the future, provided that a specific action is taken or a particular event occurs.

3. Second Conditional

Purpose:
Second Conditional sentences discuss hypothetical or unlikely situations, either in the present or future. These scenarios are not real and are often used to talk about dreams, imaginary situations, or unlikely events.

Structure:
If + Past Simple, would / could / might + infinitive

Examples:

• If I were you, I would apologize.
  (This is advice based on an unreal scenario—being someone else.)
• If I won the lottery, I would travel the world.
  (This describes a hypothetical situation that is unlikely to happen.)

Special Note:
In Second Conditional sentences, the verb “were” is used for all subjects, even with “I” and “he/she/it,” to emphasize the hypothetical nature of the situation.

Usage:
Second Conditional is primarily used for discussing unreal or unlikely situations that aren’t expected to happen in reality. It’s often employed in advice-giving, expressing wishes, or contemplating hypothetical scenarios.

4. Third Conditional

Purpose:
Third Conditional sentences are used to talk about past situations that didn’t happen, but could have had different outcomes if the conditions had been different. These sentences often express regret or criticism about past events.

Structure:
If + Past Perfect, would / could / might + have + past participle (V3)

Examples:

• If they had left earlier, they would have caught the train.
  (This expresses regret for not leaving earlier, leading to missing the train.)
• If I had known about the meeting, I would have attended.
  (This indicates that the speaker would have attended if they had known.)

Usage:
Third Conditional is used for reflecting on past events and imagining how different actions could have changed the outcome. It’s particularly useful for expressing regret, explaining missed opportunities, or speculating about past events.

5. Mixed Conditionals

Purpose:
Mixed Conditionals combine elements of the Second and Third Conditionals to describe situations where the time of the condition and the time of the result are different. These sentences are used to express complex scenarios where a condition from the past affects the present or vice versa.

Type 1: Condition in the Past, Result in the Present

Structure:
If + Past Perfect, would + infinitive

Example:

• If she had studied harder, she would be more successful now.
  (This means her lack of effort in the past is affecting her current success.)

Type 2: General Condition, Result in the Past

Structure:
If + Past Simple, would + have + past participle (V3)

Example:

• If he were more careful, he wouldn’t have made that mistake yesterday.
  (This implies that his general carelessness led to a specific mistake in the past.)

Usage:
Mixed Conditionals are utilized for discussing situations where different timeframes interact—past conditions influencing the present or general conditions leading to specific past results.

Exceptions and Additional Nuances

Using “unless” instead of “if” in First Conditional:

In First Conditional sentences, you can use “unless” to replace “if not,” creating a negative condition.

Example:

• You won’t succeed unless you try.
  (This means you must try in order to succeed.)

The verb “were” in Second Conditional:

In Second Conditional sentences, the verb “were” is used for all subjects to highlight the unreality or improbability of the situation.

Example:

• If I were taller, I would play basketball.
  (This expresses a hypothetical scenario where being taller would lead to playing basketball.)

To test your knowledge, try the exercise: Conditional sentences in English in practice

Summary Table of Conditional Sentence Types and Usage Rules in English

Conclusion
Conditional sentences are an essential aspect of English grammar, allowing you to express conditions and their consequences across various timeframes. By mastering the rules and nuances of each type of conditional sentence, you can accurately and effectively communicate hypothetical situations, potential outcomes, and reflections on past events. With this understanding, you’ll be well-equipped to construct complex conditional sentences and convey your thoughts with clarity and precision.

When we communicate with other people, we often convey their words and thoughts. But how can we convey this information correctly? In English, there are two ways to do this: direct and indirect speech. If you know how to use these methods, you will be able to convey information clearly and correctly. Let’s look at the definitions of direct and indirect speech, their general rules and peculiarities, and provide useful tables and examples to help you understand these concepts better. So, direct and indirect speech are two ways of communicating someone else’s words or thoughts.

Direct speech is a way of transmitting other people’s words or our own statements, when we repeat the words that were spoken without any changes. In direct speech, quotation marks and punctuation marks are used to mark written statements.

Example:

• “I love chocolate,” said Emily
• “Do you want to come with me?” he asked
• “I will be there at 7 pm,” promised Sarah

Indirect or Reported Speech – conveys the general meaning of the statement, not its exact text. Usually used in written language or when talking about another person’s thoughts or words. In this case, conjunctions and prepositions are used to connect the sentences. Quotation marks are not used. Here are some examples:

Example:

• Emily said that she loved chocolate
• He asked if I wanted to come with him
• Sarah promised that she would be there at 7 pm

Agreement of tenses in direct and indirect speech

The tenses in direct speech and indirect speech vary depending on the type of sentence, how the tense of the verb correlates with the moment of speech, and whether the temporal characteristic of verbs is preserved when the sentence is transferred to indirect speech. Below is a table with tenses in direct and indirect speech with examples:

Changes of pronouns and adverbs

When moving from direct speech to indirect speech, some pronouns are adverbs of time and place and change. Note that indirect speech is usually used to convey more formal or official information. Consider the table with the most frequent changes that occur when moving from direct to indirect speech.

Requests and commands in direct and indirect English

In English, various expressions and constructions are used to express requests and orders. Let’s consider each of them separately.

1. Request in indirect speech:

To express a request in indirect speech, you can use the following constructions:

• Could you (please)…?
• Would you (mind)…?
• I was wondering if you could…
• Do you think you could…?

Example:

• Direct speech: “Can you help me with my homework, please?” Indirect speech: “Could you help me with my homework, please?”
• Direct speech: “Would you pass me the salt, please?” Indirect speech: “Could you pass me the salt, please?”
• Direct speech: “Can you lend me some money?” Indirect speech: “I was wondering if you could lend me some money.”

2. Orders in indirect speech:

The following constructions can be used to express orders in indirect speech:

• I’d like you to (do something).
• Could you (do something), please?
• Would you (do something), please?
• Can you (do something), please?
• It would be great if you could (do something).

Example:

• Direct speech:”Clean your room!” Indirect speech: “Could you please clean your room?”
• Direct speech: “Stop talking!” Indirect speech: “I’d like you to stop talking.”
• Direct speech: “Give me the report by Friday!” Indirect speech: “It would be great if you could give me the report by Friday.”

Objections in direct and indirect speech in English

Objections in direct speech in English are used to reject information spoken by the interlocutor. In indirect speech, negations are used to convey information that the other person was telling a lie or to express disagreement with the information that was said

The main words for expressing an objection in direct speech:

• No (example: No, I don’t agree.)
• Don’t (example: I don’t believe you.)
• Can’t (example: I can’t believe that’s true.)
• Won’t (example: I won’t accept that.)

The main words for expressing objection in indirect speech:

• He/she said that he/she didn’t agree
• He/she said that he/she didn’t believe me
• He/she said that he/she couldn’t believe it was true
• He/she said that he/she wouldn’t accept it

Note that indirect speech uses verbs in the past tense (said, told) and additionally the person speaking (he/she). Objections can also be expressed using words such as “deny” and “refuse”.

Interrogative sentences in direct and indirect English

In interrogative sentences in English, the word order usually changes to indicate interrogative intonation. The general structure of an interrogative sentence in English is as follows:

• Question word (if used) + Auxiliary verb + Subject + Main verb + Object + Other elements

Basic elements in interrogative sentences in English:

• Question word: This is the word that starts the question (who, what, where, when, why, how).
• Auxiliary verb: An auxiliary verb used to form a question. Auxiliary verbs are usually used: do, does, did, is, am, are, was, were, have, has, had, can, could, should, would, will, must.
• Subject: The subject of the question
• Main verb: The main verb in the sentence
• Object: An object that directly relates to an action
• Other elements: Other sentence elements, which may include prepositions, adverbs, time phrases, etc.

For example, consider an interrogative sentence with the question word “what“:

• Direct speech: “What did you do yesterday?”
• Indirect speech: She asked me what I had done the day before

Example:

• Do you like coffee?
• Where is the nearest gas station?

In indirect speech, the word order does not change, but interrogative pronouns and prepositions such as who, what, where, when, why, how are used.

Example:

• She asked me if I liked coffee
• He wanted to know where the nearest gas station was

Also, special questions can be used in indirect speech to ask about certain aspects of information, for example:

• Can you tell me what time it is?
• Do you know where I can find a good restaurant?

In these cases, the word order remains the same, but special words are used to ask about specific details.

Direct and indirect speech in English when congratulating, greeting, saying goodbye

When greeting, greeting and saying goodbye in English, different expressions and formulas are used in direct and indirect speech.

Direct speech uses the exact words and phrases that the interlocutor said:

In indirect speech, other phrases and constructions are used to convey the same meaning, but in a more formal form. Usually, in indirect speech, the verbs “say” or “tell” are used in certain tenses, but not always. This is followed by a pronoun or noun that indicates the person speaking, and then there is a transition to a question/congratulation/farewell.

Example:

• Direct speech: “Congratulations on your promotion, John! You deserve it!”
• Indirect speech: He congratulated John on his promotion, saying he deserved it.

Greetings and farewells may also use standard expressions used in more informal situations. Example:

Video – REPORTED SPEECH: Verb Tense Changes | Direct and Indirect Speech in English

Knowing the correct word order is important for learning English because it helps you create smart and logical sentences. In this topic, we will consider the basic rules for placing words in an English sentence and give examples that will help you understand these rules in practice.

How to correctly place words in an English sentence: tips and examples

1. Basic word order

The main word order in English is Subject-Verb-Object (SVO). This means that the subject (the person, animal, or object that performs the action) appears at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the verb, and then the object (the person, animal, or object to which the action is directed). For example: “John eats an apple”.

2. Word order in negative and interrogative sentences

У заперечних реченнях, до дієслова додається допоміжне слово “do” або “does” (для Present Simple), “did” (для Past Simple) та частка “not“. При цьому порядок слів залишається незмінним. Наприклад: “John does not eat an apple” (Джон не їсть яблуко).

In negative sentences, the auxiliary word “do” or “does” (for Present Simple), “did” (for Past Simple) and the particle “not” are added to the verb. At the same time, the word order remains unchanged. For example: “John does not eat an apple”.

3. Word order in complex sentences

In complex sentences that contain two or more simple clauses, the word order can change depending on what type of conjunction is used between the clauses. Example:

• The connection “and“: in this case, the word order remains unchanged, since both sentences are equal. For example: “John ate an apple and Mary drank some water”
• Conjunction “but“: in this case, the second sentence indicates the opposite of the first. Usually, “but” is followed by a negation or a word with the opposite meaning. For example: “John ate an apple, but he did not like it”
• Connection “or“: in this case, depending on the situation, the order of words changes. If both sentences have the same subject, the word order remains unchanged. For example: “John can eat an apple or a banana”. If the subjects are different, the word order changes. For example: “Mary will come to the party, or John will come instead”
• Connection “because“: in this case, the word order changes. First comes the cause (the second sentence), and then the effect (the first sentence). For example: “John ate an apple because he was hungry”

How to create logical sentences with the correct word order

If it is very simplified to consider how most sentences are formed in the English language, then the word order can be represented as in the table below.

Please note that this is just a basic chart and there may be exceptions to this order depending on the sentence structure, the type of sentence, and the emphasis that you want to put on certain words or phrases. However, this chart can serve as a useful guide to understanding the basic word order in English sentences.

Let’s look at examples of word order in a sentence in English and start with the basic order presented above SVO [Subject] + [Verb] + [Object].

where:

• [Subject] – the subject, that is, the person, thing, or creature that is being discussed in the sentence
• [Verb] – a verb, that is, an action performed by the subject
• [Object] – an object, i.e. a thing or being, to which the action is directed

Here are some examples of sentences with this word order:

• She eats an apple every day. (Subject: She, Verb: eats, Object: an apple, Adverb of frequency: every day)
• John is running quickly in the park. (Subject: John, Verb: is running, Adverb of manner: quickly, Adverb of place: in the park)
• They have never been to Europe before. (Subject: They, Verb: have been, Adverb of frequency: never, Object: to Europe, Adverb of time: before)
• I will carefully read this book tomorrow. (Subject: I, Verb: will read, Adverb of manner: carefully, Object: this book, Adverb of time: tomorrow)
• He is quite tall for his age. (Subject: He, Verb: is, Adverb of degree: quite, Adjective: tall, Prepositional phrase: for his age)

However, this order can change depending on the type of sentence we want to make or the words we use. Here are some examples:

1. Objection:

[Subject] + do not/does not + [Verb] + [Object]

Example: She does not like coffee.

2. Question:

Do/Does + [Subject] + [Verb] + [Object] + ?

Example: Do you speak English?

3. Adjective before noun:

[Article] + [Adjective] + [Noun]

Example: The red car.

4. An adverb in the middle of a sentence:

[Subject] + [Verb] + [Adverb] + [Object]

Example: He sings beautifully.

5. Use of phrasal verbs:

[Subject] + [Phrasal Verb] + [Object]

Example: I look forward to seeing you.

6. A complex sentence:

[Independent Clause] + [Conjunction] + [Independent Clause]

Example: She went to the store, but she forgot her wallet.

With the help of these different constructions, you can create more complex sentences that convey a more precise content of information. These examples can help you better understand how to use word order in a sentence in English.

Order of adjectives in a sentence

The order of adjectives in a sentence is also important in the English language, as misplacing adjectives can cause confusion and misinterpretation of information.

In general, in English, the order of adjectives usually follows a certain sequence. For example, a noun is first preceded by an adjective that expresses its general characteristic (for example, “big“, “small“, “old“), and then – adjectives that express its specific features (for example, “red“, “round“, “wooden“).

So, in general, the order of adjectives can be as follows:

• Descriptive adjective (example, “big”, “small”, “old”)
• A descriptive adjective that expresses a general characteristic (example, “beautiful”, “ugly”, “useful”)
• An adjective indicating origin (example, “French”, “American”, “Asian”)
• An adjective that indicates a material (example, “wooden”, “metallic”, “plastic”)
• Adjective that indicates purpose (example, “cooking”, “swimming”, “reading”)
• A descriptive adjective that expresses a feeling or mood  (example, “happy”, “sad”, “angry”)

Of course, these are not hard and fast rules, and there are cases where the order of adjectives can be changed depending on the context and the tone of meaning the author wants to convey. For example, “a small, green plant” and “a green, small plant” are both correct expressions, but may have slightly different shades of meaning.

Examples

Negative sentences and positive sentences in English have different forms. Here are some example sentences with different forms to demonstrate the difference between them:

Positive sentence:

• I like to read books. (Subject: I, Verb: like, Infinitive phrase: to read books)

Negative sentence:

• I do not like to read books. (Subject: I, Auxiliary verb: do, Negation: not, Verb: like, Infinitive phrase: to read books)

Positive sentence:

• She eats fish for dinner. (Subject: She, Verb: eats, Object: fish, Prepositional phrase: for dinner)

Negative sentence:

• She does not eat fish for dinner. (Subject: She, Auxiliary verb: does, Negation: not, Verb: eat, Object: fish, Prepositional phrase: for dinner)

Positive sentence:

• We are going to the movies tonight. (Subject: We, Verb: are going, Infinitive phrase: to the movies tonight)

Negative sentence:

• We are not going to the movies tonight. (Subject: We, Verb: are not going, Infinitive phrase: to the movies tonight)

As you can see from these examples, negative sentences use auxiliary verbs such as “do” or “does” and put the word “not” after them, before the main verb. The examples can help you better understand how to use these forms in positive and negative sentences in English.

So, here are some examples of interrogative sentences in English:

• Do you like pizza? (Subject: You, Auxiliary verb: do, Verb: like, Object: pizza)
• What time is the meeting? (Interrogative word: What, Verb: is, Subject: the meeting)
• Have you seen that movie before? (Auxiliary verb: Have, Subject: You, Verb: seen, Object: that movie before)
• Where is the nearest gas station? (Interrogative word: Where, Verb: is, Subject: the nearest gas station)
• Why did you leave the party early? (Interrogative word: Why, Auxiliary verb: did, Subject: You, Verb: leave, Object: the party early)

As you can see, interrogative words (which are usually placed at the beginning of the sentence) or auxiliary verbs, which are placed at the beginning of the sentence, before the subject, are used in interrogative sentences. In addition, interrogative sentences often change the word order so that auxiliary verbs are placed before the subject and not after it, as in ordinary affirmative and negative sentences.

Video – Word Order / Sentence Structure – English Grammar Lesson (Part 1)

Secondary Parts of the Sentence in English express additional information and explain or expand the information conveyed by the subject and predicate, as well as other members of the sentence. These clauses are not necessary to form a sentence, but they help express more detailed information about the action, object, or subject in the sentence.

The most common types of subordinate clauses in English are Object, Attribute, and Adverbial Modifier (Complement). Each of them performs its function in the sentence and has its own peculiarities in formation and use.

Object

Object in English is used to express to whom or what the action of the main predicate is directed to. In most cases, the adverb comes after the main verb. Example:

• She bought a new car. In this example, “a new car” is the object and “bought” is the main verb.

Types of Objects

There are different types of object in English, including:

1. Direct Object – indicates who or what is performing the action expressed by the predicate. The direct object usually comes after a predicate and can be a noun or a pronoun.

Examples:

• She ate an apple
• They bought a new car
• He loves his dog

2. Indirect Object – indicates to whom or why the action expressed by the predicate is addressed. The indirect object usually precedes the direct object and can be a noun or a pronoun.

Examples:

• She gave her brother a book
• They sent me a postcard
• He told us a funny story

3. Cognate Object – is a special kind of object that is used with intransitive verbs and is cognate with or similar in meaning to the verb on which the predicate depends.

Examples:

• She slept soundly
• He walked slowly
• They danced happily

4. Complex Object – is a special construction consisting of two components, one of which is a noun in the nominative or possessive case or a pronoun in the possessive case or another. The second component is the predicate part and is expressed by the infinitive of the verb, participle, gerund, or less often by a noun, an adjective. Such constructions are indivisible, therefore in a sentence they act as one separate member of the sentence.

Examples:

• She considers her husband a great cook
• We saw the man running away
• I heard the children singing in the park
• The teacher assigned us the task of reading a book

Attribute

Attribute is a clause member that provides additional information about the subject or object in the sentence.

Features of the attribute:

• They usually begin with a linking word such as who, whom, whose, which, that or where
• They perform the function of defining the noun to which they refer.
• They can be mandatory for understanding the meaning of the sentence.

Types of Attribute

There are two types of Attribute:

1. Attribute that begins with a Relative Pronoun (which, which, which, which, who, what, whose, where, when, etc.)
   • The book that I read yesterday was very interesting
   • The woman who lives next door is a doctor
2. Attribute that begins with a Relative Adverb (where, when, why, how, how much, etc.)
   • I remember the day when we met
   • The reason why she left is still a mystery

Attribute can be inserted between the subject and the predicate, or at the end of the sentence:

• My brother, who lives in London, is a musician
• The movie, which I saw last night, was very good
• The man is a great scientist, whose discoveries have changed the world

It is important to remember that the definition cannot be an independent sentence, it must be part of a compound sentence. Attribute can be different in meaning and function in a sentence.

Attribute types by function in a sentence

Depending on the Attribute function in the sentence, the following types of Attribute are distinguished:

1. Adjectival or Relative Clause is a subordinate clause that indicates some feature or definition of a noun in a sentence. It is introduced by the conjunctions who, whom, whose, which, that.

Example: The girl who is standing near the window is my friend

2. Noun Clause is an Attribute that is expressed by a subordinate clause and acts as a noun in the main clause. This Attribute can be introduced by the conjunctions that, whether..

Example: I don’t know if he will come to the party

3. Non-defining or Non-restrictive Clause is an Attribute that indicates additional information about a noun in a sentence, but is not necessary to understand the meaning of the sentence. It can be separated by commas. It is introduced by the conjunction who, whom, whose, which, that.

Example: My sister, who lives in Paris, is coming to visit us next month

Using the correct Attributes can be difficult for English learners, so it is important to improve your skills and know the specifics of each type of Attribute.

The Adverbial Modifier

The Adverbial Modifier is a secondary member of a sentence that indicates the time, place, manner, or degree of an action in which it occurs, or provides additional information about the action. Circumstances can be expressed by adverbial words, phrases, or adverbial constructions acting as circumstances.

In English, Adverbial Modifiers can appear in different places in sentences, depending on what information they provide. Most often, Adverbial Modifiers are placed before the predicate, but they can also be placed in other places of the sentence, in particular:

• at the start of the sentence: Yesterday, I went to the store
• in the middle of a sentence: I will go to the party if I finish my work on time
• at the end of the sentence: She sang beautifully, as always

Types of Adverbial Modifier

Adverbial Modifiers are divided into different types depending on their function in the sentence:

• Adverbial Modifiers of Place: I saw him there
• Adverbial Modifiers of time: I will meet you later
• Adverbial Modifiers of Manner: He spoke quickly
• Adverbial Modifiers of degree: She sings very well
• Adverbial Modifiers reasons: They stayed home because of the rain

Using an Adverbial Modifier in a sentence allows you to enrich its meaning and provide additional information about the action, which helps to understand the context. However, it is important not to overload the sentence with too many circumstances so as not to complicate it.

What you need to know about Secondary Parts of the Sentence

• All Secondary Parts of the Sentence in English are optional and may be absent from the sentence. They are used to provide additional information about the subject’s actions, circumstances, state, and characteristics.
• Secondary Parts of the Sentence include adjectival and adverbial circumstances located before or after the predicate of the main clause. Secondary Parts of the Sentence also include direct and indirect Object, Attribute, and Adverbial Modifier
• All Secondary Parts of the Sentence have their own characteristics, are used with certain types of verbs and depend on the context of the sentence. Knowing and being able to use different types of Secondary Parts of the Sentence in English will help improve the quality and accuracy of your speech.

Correct understanding of sentence structure is a necessary condition for learning English. Therefore, it is important to know that each sentence consists of certain parts (members) that help to understand its meaning and the information contained in it.

In general, a sentence can be divided into two main parts: the Subject and the Predicate. The subject is the part of the sentence that indicates the person or thing that is being talked about in the sentence, and the Predicate is the part of the sentence that contains the verb and indicates the action that occurs with the subject. For example, in the sentence “The cat is sleeping.”, “The cat” is the subject, and “is sleeping” is the predicate.

Also, a sentence can include secondary members: Object, Attribute and Adverbial Modifier. For example, in the sentence “She gave me a book yesterday.”, “a book” is an object, “yesterday” is a Adverbial Modifier, and “me” is an Attribute. Therefore, knowledge of the main and secondary members of the sentence is necessary for the correct understanding and construction of English sentences.

The Subject

In English grammar, the subject defines a person, object, or idea that performs an action or is in a certain state in a sentence. The subject can be expressed in different ways, depending on its type.

To find the subject in a sentence, you need to pay attention to the verb and ask yourself “what?” or “who?” performs an action Example:

• Tom plays football. Verb – plays. Question to the verb – “who?” The answer is Tom.
• The book is on the table. The The verb –  is. Question to the verb – “what?” The answer is – The

The main types of subjects in the English language

There are three types of subjects in the English language: Simple Subject, Compound Subject, and Full Subject.

A simple subject consists of one main word, such as a pronoun or a noun without an article, and answers the question What? (what?) or Who? (who?).

Example:

• She is beautiful
• Matthew forgot to call me
• Students often skip their classes

A compound subject consists of two or more simple subjects connected with a predicate.

Example:

• My friend and I go jogging every Sunday
• There were boys and girls playing together in the school yard
• Shakespeare’s sonnets and plays are well known all over the world

A Full subject consists of a simple or compound subject and other words related to them, such as articles, possessive pronouns, adjectives, etc.

Example:

• This jacket is not new
• There is a dog in our garden
• My silk polka-dot skirt and cotton blouse are dirty

Ways of expressing the subject

A subject can be expressed by a noun or a pronoun, but it can also be expressed by a verb form in various forms, examples of which are the participle, gerund, infinitive, numeral, or other parts of speech.

• John’s car is fast
• She loves it.
• To swim in the ocean is refreshing.
• Swimming in the ocean, he felt refreshed.
• The running water was soothing
• Twenty people showed up
• Never give up!

In some sentences of the English language, the subject may be omitted, and the sentence may consist only of the predicate part (predicate). This usually applies to sentences that express commands, prohibitions, requests, and other similar expressions, since the subject is obvious from the context.

• Silence!
• Bring me some water
• Take out the trash

The Predicate