Level: A2-B1

Noun as the Subject of a Sentence — Practice

Find the noun that tells who or what a sentence is about. Includes the simple “who / what?” test, sentences where the subject hides after an introductory phrase, and sentences where the same noun appears as both subject and object. With click-to-hear audio.

📝 Nouns unit · lesson 2 of 14 ⏱ about 15 minutes 🔊 every example has audio

Builds on Nouns — the guide Next in unit Subject Complement →

Spotting the subject — quick guide

The subject of a sentence is the noun (or pronoun) that tells who or what the sentence is about. The subject usually performs the action of the verb, or is the thing being described.

Tom runs every morning. (Tom = the one doing the running)
Flowers bloom in spring.
Math is a difficult subject. (Math = the thing being described)

🎯 The “who / what?” test

Find the verb, then ask Who? or What? in front of it. The answer is the subject.

The lonely wolf howled at the moon. → Who howled? The wolf.
Pencils always break before a test. → What breaks? Pencils.

Watch out for introductory phrases. The subject is often near the beginning, but a phrase like at the park, every morning, or in the dark forest can come first. Skip that phrase and keep looking:

At the park, children played happily.
Every morning, birds sing outside my window.

Don’t confuse with the direct object. The subject DOES the action; the direct object RECEIVES it. The same noun (e.g., cars) can be the subject in one sentence and the direct object in another.

📖 Want the full explanation with all 7 noun functions and how subjects connect to verbs? See English Nouns → Noun as the subject of a sentence on the main grammar page.

Subject at the start of the sentence
The lonely wolf howled at the moon.
Grammar is a difficult subject.
Pencils often break during exams.
The teacher explained the new lesson.
Tom baked a chocolate cake.
Sally rides her bike to school.
Ideas grow when people talk together.
Mike likes to draw in his notebook.
The storm destroyed the old barn.
Parents care for their children.
Nancy sings in the choir every Sunday.
Subject AFTER an introductory phrase
At the end of the street, children played in the yard.
Every morning, birds sing outside my window.
In the dark forest, owls hooted softly.
Behind the fence, dogs barked loudly.
In the corner of the room, toys were scattered.
On the hill, trees sway in the wind.
Every afternoon, buses stop in front of the park.
Under the bridge, cars waited in a line.
At the edge of the field, workers rested in the shade.
Same noun — sometimes subject, sometimes not
At night, the teacher writes lesson plans.
Students thanked their teacher after class.
In the distance, cars raced along the road.
We washed the cars before the trip.
Tom fixed the broken chair.
Anna met Tom at the bus stop.
On the mountain, trees grew close together.
They cut down several trees for firewood.
Ideas spread quickly in a small town.
The teacher shared her ideas with the group.
Across the river, dogs barked at strangers.
We fed the dogs after dinner.
Mike opened the window to let in fresh air.
The teacher called Mike to the front.
In the afternoon, birds flew over the lake.
I watched the birds from my porch.
Grammar helps people write better.
She studies grammar every evening.
A wolf lives in the forest.
I saw a wolf near the village.
By the old bridge, buses stopped for passengers.
We waited for the buses in the rain.
Nancy painted a picture of the garden.
We asked Nancy for directions to the store.
In the early morning, firefighters rushed to the scene.
The city thanked the firefighters for their service.
At the end of the road, workers built a new shop.
The manager spoke to the workers before lunch.
Parents guide children with love and care.
The school invited parents to a meeting.
Through the valley, rivers run toward the sea.
He crossed two rivers on his way home.
California leads in clean energy projects.
We visited California last summer.
Behind the barn, horses grazed peacefully.
The farmer brushed the horses before sunset.
My brother helps me with my homework.
I asked my brother for advice.
On the roof, cats slept in the sun.
We carried food for the cats.
Sally runs at six.
The coach cheered for Sally at the race.
Near the village, hurricanes form during summer.
We watched news about hurricanes last night.
The table stands near the window.
He cleaned the table after dinner.
At dawn, students lined up for the trip.
The teacher greeted the students at the gate.
The ball rolled under the car.
He threw the ball across the yard.
In spring, flowers bloom everywhere.
She picked flowers from the garden.
The driver honked at the crossing.
The officer helped the driver with directions.
At night, the storm shook the windows.
We heard news about the storm on the radio.

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