Compound Subject and Predicate
A compound subject and predicate are multiple simple
subjects or simple predicates performing the same job. Two or more nouns acting
as the subject would form a compound subject, and two or more verbs acting as
the predicate would form a compound predicate. Consider the following examples:
Bob and Joe ran two
miles yesterday.
You should exercise, eat,
and sleep.
In the first example, there are two subjects: Bob and Joe.
Together, they form a compound subject.
In the second example, there are three predicates: exercise,
eat, and sleep. Together, they form a compound predicate.
Compound subjects are usually joined by coordinating
conjunctions. In the above example, the nouns “Bob” and “Joe” are joined by the
coordinating conjunction “and”. However, compound subjects can also be joined
by a correlative conjunction pair.
For example:
When dropped from a tower, both
a bowling ball and a rock should hit the ground at
the same time.
Here, the noun in the compound subject “bowling ball” and
“rock” are joined by the correlative conjunction pair “both—and”.
Compound predicates are usually joined by the coordinating
conjunction “and”.