#The subject. Ways of expressing the subject.
The subject denotes an agent, an instrument, a recipient, and other participants in an action.
It occurs with all types of verbs, is characteristically a noun phrase or a pronoun, a numeral, gerund, infinitive. The subject is reflected in a tag question by a pronoun form. May correspond to a by-phrase in passive structures.
Ways of expressing:
1. Simple – a single word: The fog is thinning.
2. Phrasal – phrase: One foot is better than two crutches.
3. Complex – predicative construction/complex:
a) For-to inf construction: It’s easy for you to say so.
b) A gerundial complex: Your knowing a thing is nothing.
4. Clausal – a subject clause:
What I need is a piece of advice.
It occurs with all types of verbs, is characteristically a noun phrase or a pronoun, a numeral, gerund, infinitive. The subject is reflected in a tag question by a pronoun form. May correspond to a by-phrase in passive structures.
Ways of expressing:
1. Simple – a single word: The fog is thinning.
2. Phrasal – phrase: One foot is better than two crutches.
3. Complex – predicative construction/complex:
a) For-to inf construction: It’s easy for you to say so.
b) A gerundial complex: Your knowing a thing is nothing.
4. Clausal – a subject clause:
What I need is a piece of advice.