Welcome to the World of Subjects and Objects!
Have you ever wondered how a sentence actually works? Think of a sentence like a mini-story or a scene in a movie. In most stories, there is someone doing an action and something that the action happens to. In grammar, we call these the subject and the object.
Understanding these two parts will help you become a master at building strong sentences and will make you a pro at your Year 6 grammar tests!
1. What is the Subject?
The subject is the 'star' of the sentence. It is the person, place, or thing that is doing the action (the verb) or being described.
Imagine a sentence like a football game. The subject is the player who kicks the ball.
Example: The brave knight fought the dragon.
In this sentence, who is doing the fighting? The brave knight is! So, "The brave knight" is the subject.
How to find the Subject:
To find the subject, first find the verb (the action word). Then ask yourself: "Who or what is doing this?"
- The cat chased the mouse. (Verb: chased. Who chased? The cat.)
- A giant spaceship landed on the moon. (Verb: landed. What landed? A giant spaceship.)
Quick Tip: In most English sentences, the subject usually comes at the beginning, before the verb.
2. What is the Object?
The object is the part of the sentence that receives the action. It is the person or thing that the verb is "happening to."
Going back to our football game: if the subject is the player kicking, the object is the ball because it is the thing being kicked!
Example: The brave knight fought the dragon.
The knight is doing the action, but who is being fought? The dragon is receiving the action. So, "the dragon" is the object.
How to find the Object:
Find the verb and the subject first. Then ask: "The subject [verb] what/who?"
- The cat chased the mouse. (The cat chased... who? the mouse.)
- Sarah ate a shiny red apple. (Sarah ate... what? a shiny red apple.)
Did you know? Not every sentence has an object! Some verbs don't need one. For example: "The baby slept." (The baby is the subject, but there is no object because nothing is being 'slept'.)
3. Subject vs. Object: The Big Difference
It can be easy to mix them up, but just remember this simple pattern:
Subject (The Doer) → Verb (The Action) → Object (The Receiver)
Let's look at a "Subject and Object Sandwich":
"The baker made a cake."
Subject: The baker (The person doing the making)
Verb: made (The action)
Object: a cake (The thing that was made)
Quick Review:
Subject: Performs the action.
Object: Receives the action.
4. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't worry if this seems tricky! Even adults sometimes get confused. Here are two things to watch out for:
Mistake 1: Thinking the object is always at the end
Usually, the object is after the verb, but sometimes sentences are longer. Always use the "Who or what?" test to be sure!
Mistake 2: Mixing up Pronouns
Sometimes we use pronouns (words like he, she, it, they) as subjects or objects. (To learn more about these, check out chapter G1 Pronouns).
Some pronouns change their shape depending on if they are the subject or the object!
- Subject: I kicked the ball.
- Object: The ball kicked me! (You wouldn't say "The ball kicked I.")
5. Step-by-Step: Identifying Subject and Object
If you see a question in your test asking you to identify the subject or object, follow these steps:
- Underline the verb (the action word).
- Ask: "Who or what is doing this action?" That is your subject.
- Ask: "The subject is doing the action to who or what?" That is your object.
Try it with this sentence: "The hungry boy devoured the delicious pizza."
1. The verb is devoured.
2. Who devoured? The hungry boy (Subject).
3. He devoured what? the delicious pizza (Object).
Summary Key Takeaways
The Subject: The "doer" of the action. It usually comes before the verb.
The Object: The "receiver" of the action. It usually comes after the verb.
The Verb: The action that connects them both!
The Test: Use "Who did it?" for the subject and "Did it to what?" for the object.