🏆Intro to English Grammar Unit 10 – Grammatical Functions: Subject & Object

What's This All About?

• Grammatical functions refer to the roles words play in a sentence and how they relate to each other
• Two main grammatical functions in English are subjects and objects
• Subjects typically perform the action of the verb while objects receive the action
• Understanding subjects and objects is crucial for constructing grammatically correct sentences
• Identifying subjects and objects helps analyze the structure and meaning of sentences
• Subjects and objects can be nouns, pronouns, or noun phrases
• The relationship between subjects and objects is a fundamental concept in English grammar

The Basics of Subjects

• The subject is the person, place, thing, or idea that performs the action of the verb in a sentence
• Subjects are typically nouns (dog, Sarah, happiness) or pronouns (he, they, it)
• The subject usually comes before the verb in a declarative sentence (The cat chased the mouse)
• Subjects can be singular (The student studies) or plural (The students study)
• In imperative sentences, the subject "you" is often implied (Go to bed early tonight)
• Subjects can be simple, consisting of a single noun or pronoun (Birds fly), or compound, consisting of two or more nouns or pronouns connected by a coordinating conjunction (John and Mary are going to the party)
• The subject determines the number and person of the verb in a sentence (I am, he is, they are)

Objects: The Other Half of the Equation

• Objects are the recipients of the action performed by the subject and verb in a sentence
• There are two types of objects: direct objects and indirect objects
• Direct objects directly receive the action of the verb (I bought a car)
  • They answer the question "what?" or "whom?" in relation to the verb
• Indirect objects indicate to or for whom/what the action is performed (I gave her the book)
  • They come before the direct object and answer the question "to/for what?" or "to/for whom?"
• Objects can be nouns (I love pizza), pronouns (She helped them), or noun phrases (They visited the new museum downtown)
• Some verbs, called transitive verbs, require an object to complete their meaning (He threw the ball), while intransitive verbs do not take an object (The baby sleeps)

How Subjects and Objects Work Together

• Subjects and objects are essential components of a complete sentence
• The subject performs the action, and the object receives it, creating a clear relationship
• In active voice sentences, the subject comes before the verb, and the object follows (The dog chased the cat)
• In passive voice sentences, the object becomes the subject, and the original subject may be omitted or expressed in a prepositional phrase (The cat was chased by the dog)
• Some sentences may have a subject and a verb but no object, such as those with intransitive verbs (The sun shines)
• Proper subject-verb agreement is necessary for grammatical accuracy (The boy runs, The boys run)
• The position and relationship of subjects and objects can affect the meaning and emphasis of a sentence (I love her vs. She loves me)

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

• One common mistake is using an object pronoun (me, him, her) instead of a subject pronoun (I, he, she) or vice versa
  • Correct: She and I went to the store
  • Incorrect: Her and me went to the store
• Another mistake is using a plural verb with a singular subject or a singular verb with a plural subject
  • Correct: The dog barks loudly
  • Incorrect: The dog bark loudly
• Misplacing the object can also lead to confusion
  • Clear: I gave the book to John
  • Confusing: I gave John the book (this is correct but may be less clear)
• To avoid mistakes, pay attention to pronoun case, subject-verb agreement, and word order
• When in doubt, simplify the sentence or refer to grammar resources for guidance

Real-World Examples

• In the news headline "Massive earthquake strikes city," the subject is "massive earthquake," and the object is "city"
• In the sentence "The teacher gave the students a challenging assignment," the subject is "the teacher," the indirect object is "the students," and the direct object is "a challenging assignment"
• The famous quote "I came, I saw, I conquered" by Julius Caesar features the implied subject "I" and the objects "came," "saw," and "conquered"
• In the song lyric "I will always love you," the subject is "I," and the object is "you"
• The movie title "The Lion King" contains the subject "the lion" and the object "king"
• In the proverb "Actions speak louder than words," the subject is "actions," and the object is "words"
• The classic children's book "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" has the subject "the very hungry caterpillar" and various food items as objects throughout the story

Practice Makes Perfect

• To master subjects and objects, practice identifying them in various sentences
• Start with simple sentences and gradually move on to more complex ones
• Pay attention to the relationship between the subject, verb, and object in each sentence
• Create your own sentences and analyze their structure, focusing on subjects and objects
• Engage in writing exercises that emphasize using different types of subjects and objects
• Read extensively and observe how professional writers use subjects and objects effectively
• Seek feedback from teachers, tutors, or peers on your understanding and application of subjects and objects
• Use online resources, such as grammar quizzes and worksheets, to reinforce your knowledge

Beyond the Basics: Advanced Concepts

• Subjects and objects can take the form of clauses, which are groups of words containing a subject and a verb (What he said shocked me)
  • In this example, "what he said" is a noun clause acting as the subject
• Some verbs, called linking verbs, connect the subject to a subject complement, which describes or renames the subject (She is a doctor, The food tastes delicious)
• Objects can also be object complements, which describe or rename the direct object (We elected him president, I find the movie fascinating)
• In some cases, the subject or object may be implied or understood from the context (Stop!)
• Gerunds, which are verb forms ending in -ing and functioning as nouns, can act as subjects or objects (Swimming is my favorite hobby, I enjoy reading)
• Infinitives, which are verb forms preceded by "to," can also function as subjects or objects (To err is human, She wants to travel the world)
• In questions and some subordinate clauses, the subject may come after the verb or between parts of the verb phrase (Where are you going?, I wonder what he bought)