Clause structure

All clauses in English have at least two parts:
The children played.
All the people in the room were laughing.

These sentences have a noun phrase and a verb phrase.
Noun phrase + verb phrase
The children played
All the people in the room were laughing

Most clauses have more than two parts:
Noun phrase + verb phrase
Peter  wanted a new car
All the people in the room were laughing loudly at him
All her children speak French
The pizza tastes nice

The first noun phrase is the subject of the sentence:
Peter wanted a new car.
All her children speak French.

Clauses in English always have a subject.
All her children speak French. Their father was from France. He died last year. (NOT Died last year.)
Except for the imperative
Come in. Go away! (although the subject is understood)

In certain sentences we use ‘it’ and ‘there’ to become the subject:
It’s hot today.
It’s time to leave
There is going to be a heat wave soon.
There will be a lot of people at the party.

Lesson by Tristan, English teacher at EC Malta English school

Select the words that form the subject in the following:
(there are some sentences that do not have a subject

• 1. I felt rather tired.
  
  I
  felt
  rather
  tired
  no subject
  
  
• 2. It was too cold to go out last night.
  
  It
  too cold
  was
  to go
  no subject
  last night
  out
  
  
• 3. There is no point in trying to explain it to him.
  
  explain it to him
  There
  in trying to
  is no point
  no subject
  
  
• 4. Bargain hunters will wait for hours in front of shops during the sales.
  
  for hours
  in front of
  no subject
  during
  will wait
  shops
  the sales
  Bargain hunters
  
  
• 5. Put the suitcases on the top of the wardrobe in your room.
  
  no subject
  put
  the suitcases
  the wardrobe
  on the top of
  in your room
  
  
• 6. This is the first time I’ve seen snow.
  
  ’ve seen
  no subject
  This
  snow
  I
  is the first time
  
  
• 7. You and your friends can come to visit whenever you like.
  
  you
  no subject
  you and your friends
  can come and visit
  you like
  whenever
  
  
• 8. Don’t blame me for the weather.
  
  me
  the weather
  don’t blame
  no subject
  for