compound subjects and compound predicates. a compound subject consists of two or more simple...

Compound subjects and compound predicates


• A compound subject consists of two or more simple subjects that have the same predicate. The subjects may be joined by and, or, both…and, either…or, or neither…nor.

• Charlotte Bronte and Emily Bronte were sisters.


• When the two simple subjects are joined by and or by both…and the compound subject is plural. Use the plural form of the verb to agree with the plural compound subject.

• When simple subjects are joined together by or, either…or, or neither…nor, the verb must agree with the nearer simple subject.


• Neither Charlotte nor Emily is my favorite author.

Emily is the nearer subject, so the singular form of the verb is used.


• Neither her sisters nor Charlotte was outgoing.

Charlotte is the nearer subject, so the singular form of the verb is used here too.


• Neither Charlotte nor her sisters were outgoing.

• Sisters is the nearer subject, so the plural form of the verb is used.


• A compound predicate consists of two or more simple predicates, or verbs, that have the same subject. The verbs may be connected by and, or, but, both…and, either…or, or neither…nor.

• Many students read and enjoy novels.

• Both verbs agree with the plural subject, students.

Identifying compound subjects and compound predicates

• Circle the correct form of the verb in parentheses. Then underline the compound subjects once and the compound predicates twice.

1. Rita Dove and Robert Frost (is, are) two famous American poets.

2. The hotel guests either (reads, read) or (naps, nap) in the afternoon.

3. Both owls and raccoons (hunts, hunt) at night.4. The chef or his assistants (bakes, bake) and

(decorates, decorate) the wedding cakes.


1. Rita Dove and Robert Frost (is, are) two famous American poets.

2. The hotel guests either (reads, read) or (naps, nap) in the afternoon.

3. Both owls and raccoons (hunts, hunt) at night.

4. The chef or his assistants (bakes, bake) and (decorates, decorate) the wedding cakes.


5. Althea (works, work) hard during the week but (relaxes, relax) on Saturday and Sunday.

6. The players or the coach (thanks, thank) the cheerleaders.

7. Some students neither (revises, revise) nor (proofreads, proofread) their compositions.

8. The brothers and sisters both (plays, play) and (sings, sing) together.

9. Either Ruth or Betty (feeds, feed) the children and (puts, put) them to bed.

10. Neither the three sisters nor their brother (weeds, weed) the garden or (mows, mow) the lawn.

Simple, compound, and run-on sentences

• A simple sentence has one subject and one predicate.

• Eudora Welty lived in Mississippi.


• A simple sentence may have a compound subject, a compound predicate, or both.

• Jeff and I read and enjoy stories.


• A compound sentence is a sentence that contains two or more simple sentences joined by a comma and a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or) or by a semicolon.

• Welty is a novelist; but she also writes essays.


• A run-on sentence is two or more sentences incorrectly written as one sentence. To correct a run-on, write separate sentences or combine the sentences.

• Run-ons• Welty wrote novels she wrote essays.• Welty wrote novels, she wrote essays.


• Correct

• Welty wrote novels. She wrote essays.

• Welty wrote novels, and she wrote essays.

• Welty wrote novels; she wrote essays.

Identifying Simple, Compound, and Run-On Sentences

• Write simple, compound, or run-on to identify each numbered item. If an item is a run-on, rewrite it correctly.

1. The school bus stops at the corner of my street.

2. LaToya missed the basket, but Laura caught the rebound.

3. We went to a movie then we stopped for a snack.

4. Ms. Martin’s class made the posters, and Mr. Rossi’s class sold tickets.


1. The school bus stops at the corner of my street. Simple

2. LaToya missed the basket, but Laura caught the rebound. Compound

3. We went to a movie then we stopped for a snack. Run-on

4. Ms. Martin’s class made the posters, and Mr. Rossi’s class sold tickets. Compound


5. Lawyers prepare their cases and defend their clients in court.

6. Cars and trucks steam across the bridge and disappear into the tunnel.

7. Did George Washington really chop down his father’s cherry tree, or is that story just a legend?

8. Dad washes dishes by hand Mom puts them in the dishwasher.

9. The wind howls, and the hikers huddle in their tents and drink hot soup.

10. The engine sputters and coughs, the car jerks forward and then stops.


5. Lawyers prepare their cases and defend their clients in court. Simple

6. Cars and trucks steam across the bridge and disappear into the tunnel. Simple

7. Did George Washington really chop down his father’s cherry tree, or is that story just a legend? Compound

8. Dad washes dishes by hand Mom puts them in the dishwasher. Run-on

9. The wind howls, and the hikers huddle in their tents and drink hot soup. Compound

10. The engine sputters and coughs, the car jerks forward and then stops. Run-on

compound subjects and compound predicates. a compound subject consists of two or more simple...

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