Page 25 - Just Enough English Grammar Illustrated Book
P. 25
The words hamburgers and hot dogs are the compound
subject in this sentence. A compound subject is composed of
two or more nouns used as subjects. These nouns can be either
singular or plural. They represent the things about which
something is being said.
In the next section, you will learn how nouns can express a
different concept when they are in the company of another noun.
1.10 When One Noun Is Not Enough:
Subject Complements
Example:
The hamburger is the winner.
The results:
The hamburger
is the winner!
Subject Subject
Complement
Fred found out what customers like best!
In this example, the noun hamburger is the subject.
The winner, another noun, is the complement that describes
or renames the hamburger. It is called a subject complement
because it gives more details about the subject hamburger.
A subject complement
describes or renames the subject.
Example:
The hamburger is the winner.
Noun used as Linking Noun used as
Subject Verb Subject Complement
The verb is links hamburger to winner. For that reason,
it is called a linking verb. Linking verbs help to make a
statement not by expressing an action, but by serving as
a link between the subject and the subject complement.
12

