08 English

In this chapter, learn:

• to identify the subject and the predicate
• about the predicate and the elements that can occur in the predicate of a sentence
• about the subject word and its attributes

Introduction:

Understanding the subject and predicate is fundamental to mastering English grammar. The subject tells us who or what the sentence is about, while the predicate provides information about the subject, such as actions or descriptions. This chapter will guide you through identifying these key components, exploring the elements within the predicate, and understanding the subject word along with its attributes. Whether you’re a student, teacher, or language enthusiast, this knowledge will enhance your writing and communication skills. Dive in to build a strong grammatical foundation!

A sentence is a meaningful group of words that expresses a complete thought. Consider these examples:

• Murali likes to act in plays.
• Dona’s sister lives in Paris.
• My friend Saeed works for a fashion studio.
• Amanpreet is good at tennis.

The subject of a sentence refers to the person, thing, idea, or place that the sentence is about or that performs the action of the verb. The predicate, on the other hand, provides information about the subject, such as what it does or what describes it.

In the sentences above:

• The subjects are Murali, Dona’s sister, My friend Saeed, and Amanpreet.
• The predicates are likes to act in plays, lives in Paris, works for a fashion studio, and is good at tennis.

This distinction helps in analyzing and constructing clear, grammatically correct sentences.

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Subject Word and its Attributes

words. When the subject contains multiple words, they form the complete subject, with the most important word being the subject word.

Consider these sentences:

• The three sisters lived happily with their parents.
• My friend Nikhil is a TV journalist.
• Excessive exercise is not good for the heart.

In these examples:

• Sisters is the subject word in the first sentence.
• Nikhil is the subject word in the second sentence.
• Exercise is the subject word in the third sentence.

Notice that the subject word is always a noun, serving as the core of the complete subject. This distinction helps clarify the structure and meaning of sentences.

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The Subject Word Attribute

In a sentence, the subject word is frequently described or modified by an adjective (or adjective-like words). This descriptive element is known as its attribute.

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The Subject Word Attribute

An attribute can take various forms, including adjectives, participles, participial adjectives, infinitives, pronouns, articles, or even phrases. A single subject word may have multiple attributes modifying it. Observe these examples:

• The girl stopped at the door.
• Nelson Mandela, the first black president of South Africa, was awarded the Bharat Ratna.
• The speeding train made a lot of noise.
• Her willingness to help others made her popular.
• He himself sent the invitation.
• Fresh vegetable juice is good for skin.

In each sentence, the highlighted phrases function as attributes, providing additional details about the subject word.

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Subject	Subject Word	Attribute
The girl	girl	the – definite article
Nelson Mandela, the first black president of South Africa	Nelson Mandela	the first black president of South Africa – noun phrase
The speeding train	train	the – indefinite articlespeeding – participial adjective
Her willingness to help others	willingness	her – possessive adjectiveto help others – infinitive
He himself	he	himself – emphatic pronoun
Fresh vegetable juice	juice	fresh – adjectivevegetable – noun doing the work of an adjective

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Grammar Exercise: Subject Analysis

Underline the subject in each of these sentences. Then write the subject word and its attributes for each subject. Also, mention the type of the attribute.

1. The boy was thrilled to see the dragon.
2. His refusal to give up is the secret of his success.
3. The smiling baby looked very cute.
4. Boiled water is good for health.
5. His advice has been very useful for us.
6. Ms Nupur, the English teacher of Class VI, was felicitated by the principal.
7. Ms Hema herself called to enquire about the matter.

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Answers:

Sentence	Subject (Underlined)	Subject Word	Attribute(s)	Type of Attribute
1.	The boy was thrilled to see the dragon.	boy	“The”	definite article
2.	His refusal to give up is the secret of his success.	refusal	“His” (possessive adjective), “to give up” (infinitive phrase)	possessive adjective + infinitive
3.	The smiling baby looked very cute.	baby	“The” (article), “smiling” (present participle)	article + participial adjective
4.	Boiled water is good for health.	water	“Boiled” (past participle)	participial adjective
5.	His advice has been very useful for us.	advice	“His”	possessive adjective
6.	Ms Nupur, the English teacher of Class VI, was felicitated by the principal.	Ms Nupur	“the English teacher of Class VI” (appositive phrase)	noun phrase
7.	Ms Hema herself called to enquire about the matter.	Ms Hema	“herself” (emphatic pronoun)	emphatic pronoun

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Extra Practice Questions (with Answers):

Questions:

• The old library books were donated to charity.
• Her determination to win inspired everyone.
• The running athlete broke the world record.
• Cooked vegetables retain more nutrients.
• Mr. Sharma, our school principal, announced a holiday.
• The students themselves organized the event.

Answers:

Sentence	Subject (Underlined)	Subject Word	Attribute(s)	Type of Attribute
8.	The old library books were donated to charity.	books	“The” (article), “old” (adjective), “library” (noun as adjective)	article + adjective + noun modifier
9.	Her determination to win inspired everyone.	determination	“Her” (possessive adjective), “to win” (infinitive)	possessive adjective + infinitive
10.	The running athlete broke the world record.	athlete	“The” (article), “running” (present participle)	article + participial adjective
11.	Cooked vegetables retain more nutrients.	vegetables	“Cooked” (past participle)	participial adjective

12.

Mr. Sharma, our school principal, announced a holiday.

Mr. Sharma

“our school principal” (appositive phrase)

noun phrase

13.

The students themselves organized the event.

students

“The” (article), “themselves” (emphatic pronoun)

article + emphatic pronoun

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Understanding Predicates and Adverbial Qualifications

A predicate can range from a single word to multiple words that complete the meaning of a sentence. For example:

• Tulika paints. (predicate with one word)
• The leopard chases the deer. (predicate with three words)

Within the predicate, verbs may be modified by adverbs or adverb-equivalent constructions, known as adverbial qualifications. Consider these examples:

1. The children ran upstairs. (adverb modifying the verb)
2. Aneesh came home. (noun functioning as an adverb of place)
3. He jogs to keep himself fit. (infinitive phrase acting as an adverb of purpose)
4. The birds chirped in the garden. (prepositional phrase serving as an adverbial modifier)

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Grammar Exercise: Identifying Sentence Components

Read each of the sentences given below and identify:
a. The subject word and its attributes.
b. The verb and its adverbial qualification.

1. The young professor spoke eloquently.
2. The carefree birds were playing in the water.
3. My friends are going to the beach.
4. The new actors acted very well.
5. The old lady returned home.
6. The wrinkled old man smiled faintly.
7. The migrant workers struggled to survive.
8. The last train to Kalka comes mostly on time.

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Answers:

Sentence	Subject Word	Attributes	Verb	Adverbial Qualification
1. The young professor spoke eloquently.	professor	“The” (article), “young” (adjective)	spoke	“eloquently” (adverb of manner)
2. The carefree birds were playing in the water.	birds	“The” (article), “carefree” (adjective)	were playing	“in the water” (prepositional phrase, adverb of place)
3. My friends are going to the beach.	friends	“My” (possessive adjective)	are going	“to the beach” (prepositional phrase, adverb of place)
4. The new actors acted very well.	actors	“The” (article), “new” (adjective)	acted	“very well” (adverb phrase of manner)
5. The old lady returned home.	lady	“The” (article), “old” (adjective)	returned	“home” (noun as adverb of place)
6. The wrinkled old man smiled faintly.	man	“The” (article), “wrinkled” (adjective), “old” (adjective)	smiled	“faintly” (adverb of manner)
7. The migrant workers struggled to survive.	workers	“The” (article), “migrant” (adjective)	struggled	“to survive” (infinitive phrase, adverb of purpose)
8. The last train to Kalka comes mostly on time.	train	“The” (article), “last” (adjective), “to Kalka” (prepositional phrase)	comes	“mostly on time” (adverb phrase of frequency)

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Extra Practice Questions (with Answers):

Questions:

• The excited children ran quickly to the park.
• Her younger brother studies diligently every night.
• The exhausted soldiers marched through the desert.
• Our neighbor’s dog barks loudly at strangers.
• The famous singer performed beautifully on stage.

Answers:

Sentence	Subject Word	Attributes	Verb	Adverbial Qualification
9. The excited children ran quickly to the park.	children	“The” (article), “excited” (adjective)	ran	“quickly” (adverb of manner), “to the park” (prepositional phrase, adverb of place)

10. Her younger brother studies diligently every night.

brother

“Her” (possessive adjective), “younger” (adjective)

studies

“diligently” (adverb of manner), “every night” (adverb phrase of frequency)

11. The exhausted soldiers marched through the desert.	soldiers	“The” (article), “exhausted” (adjective)	marched	“through the desert” (prepositional phrase, adverb of place)
12. Our neighbor’s dog barks loudly at strangers.	dog	“Our neighbor’s” (possessive noun phrase)	barks	“loudly” (adverb of manner), “at strangers” (prepositional phrase, adverb of target)
13. The famous singer performed beautifully on stage.	singer	“The” (article), “famous” (adjective)	performed	“beautifully” (adverb of manner), “on stage” (prepositional phrase, adverb of place)

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Master Determiners

Determiners are a fundamental part of English grammar, especially for Class 8 ICSE students diving into the nuances of language structure. These small but mighty words introduce nouns or noun phrases, specifying their reference, quantity, or distribution. Whether you’re preparing for exams or aiming to strengthen your grammar foundation, this comprehensive guide to determiners, based on Chapter 1 of Viva Publication’s Class 8 ICSE English Grammar, will help you master the topic with ease.

What Are Determiners?

Definition and Role

A determiner is a word placed at the beginning of a noun or noun phrase to indicate what it refers to. Think of determiners as pointers that clarify whether you’re talking about a specific or general item, a singular or plural noun, or a certain quantity.

Examples:

• Khushi got several job offers after she became a CA. (Determiner: several, before job offers)
• Deciduous trees shed their leaves every autumn. (Determiners: their and every, before leaves and autumn)

Types of Determiners

Determiners come in various types, each serving a unique function. Let’s break them down.

Articles

Articles (a, an, the) specify whether a noun is general or specific.

• A, An: Used before singular countable nouns.
  • There used to be a cinema hall here.
  • We had an emergency situation yesterday.
• The: Refers to specific things.
  • The old man who lives upstairs is from Russia.
  • The car that was stolen last week has been found.

Demonstratives

Demonstratives (this, that, these, those) point to specific nouns based on proximity or number.

• Are you going there this Friday?
• Those buildings were built recently.

Possessives

Possessive determiners (my, your, his, her, its, our, their) indicate ownership.

• My school is close to our house.
• Their wedding is on 29 May.

Practice Exercise : Fill in the Blanks

Complete these sentences with suitable determiners :

1. We were meeting after ___ gap of three years. (Answer: a)
2. ___ news of ___ robbery spread like wildfire. (Answer: The, the)
3. Ernest Hemingway was ___ American writer. (Answer: an)
4. Where did you keep ___ flowers? (Answer: the)
5. My parents are celebrating ___ thirty-fifth anniversary ___ year. (Answer: their, this)

Quantifiers

Quantifiers indicate the quantity or amount of a noun, used with countable or uncountable nouns.

• Countable Nouns: many, a few, few, several
  • Many ideas were discussed in the meeting.
• Uncountable Nouns: much, a little, little
  • I need a little oil for cooking.
• Both: all, some, most, enough, no, any, a lot of
  • All the children enjoyed some ice cream.

Language Tip

Use many a with singular nouns: Many a tourist visits this place.

Practice Exercise :

Choose the correct quantifier :

1. Not ___ time is left for the flight. (many/much; Answer: much)
2. Can I have ___ sugar, please? (little/a little; Answer: a little)
3. ___ people seem to have patience nowadays. (few/a few; Answer: few)

Determiners of Number

Numbers act as determiners when placed before nouns.

• Cardinal Numbers (two, five, seventy): Indicate quantity.
  • India won by seventy runs.
• Ordinal Numbers (first, third): Show sequence.
  • The third seat in the first row is mine.

Distributive Determiners

Distributive determiners (either, neither, each, every) describe how items are distributed.

• Either: One of two options.
  • Either day – Monday or Tuesday – works for me.
• Neither: None of two options.
  • Neither candidate cleared the interview.
• Each/Every: Refer to individual or collective group members.
  • Each team member was rewarded.
  • Every citizen should vote.

Language Tip :

Use neither of with plural nouns/pronouns: Neither of the dresses fits me.

Practice Exercise : Distributive and Interrogative Determiners

Fill in the blanks :

1. No parking is allowed on ___ side of the road. (Answer: either)
2. ___ time do we have to come tomorrow? (Answer: What)
3. ___ child is special. (Answer: Every)

Interrogative Determiners

Interrogative determiners (what, which, whose) introduce questions.

• What (things): What plans do you have?
• Which (limited choices): Which book is your favorite?
• Whose (possession): Whose phone is under the stool?

Position of Determiners

Determiners appear in a specific order within a noun phrase: Predeterminers → Central Determiners → Postdeterminers.

Predeterminers

These specify quantity and come first.

• Multipliers : twice, ten times
  • They charged twice its price.
• Fractions : half, one-third
  • Half the cake was eaten.
• Words like all, both :
  • All my friends are invited.

Central Determiners

These include articles, possessives, and demonstratives.

• She drinks half a glass of milk.
• All their time was spent studying.

Postdeterminers

These include numbers and quantifiers.

• Cardinal/Ordinal Numbers: The first five students were rewarded.
• Quantifiers: Half the little food was shared.

Language Tip :

Adjectives follow all determiners: All the six delicious dishes.

Practice Exercise : Arrange Determiners

Rewrite with correct determiner order :

1. (the, all) people lived peacefully. (Answer: All the people lived peacefully.)
2. (little, his, all) money was used up. (Answer: All his little money was used up.)
3. (five, the, all) rounds were cleared. (Answer: All the five rounds were cleared.)

Fun Grammar Activities

Spot the Wrong Determiners

Work in pairs to identify incorrect determiners in given phrases. Circle the errors within 10 minutes for points!

Know Your Determiners

In groups of four, pick a card naming a determiner type (e.g., possessive, quantifier). Each member gives a unique example and sentence. Score points for creativity and accuracy!

Conclusion

Determiners are small words with a big impact, helping you specify and clarify nouns in sentences. By understanding articles, demonstratives, possessives, quantifiers, and more, Class 8 ICSE students can elevate their grammar skills. Practice with the exercises provided, and you’ll be ready to ace your English exams !

Ready to test your skills? Try the exercises above or revisit the examples to solidify your understanding of determiners. Happy learning!