Noun Phrases

Find the Complete Subject

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First locate the head noun phrase; then expand to every word that belongs to the subject.

The young officer leading the patrol reported the incident.

Head noun phrase: The young officer · Complete subject: The young officer leading the patrol

A series of unexpected events delayed the mission’s departure.

Head noun phrase: A series · Complete subject: A series of unexpected events

The soldiers’ children caught three fish.

Complete subject: The soldiers’ children · Head noun: children · possessive modifier: soldiers’

HEAD → MODIFIERS → COMPLETE SUBJECT

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Tips

Find the Complete Subject

  1. Encuentra primero el verbo conjugado; todo el grupo que funciona como sujeto puede extenderse hacia atrás desde allí.
  2. Distingue head noun phrase de complete subject: “The young officer” es el núcleo ampliado por “leading the patrol.”
  3. Una frase con of puede formar parte del sujeto sin cambiar su núcleo: “A series of events” sigue siendo singular.