Compound Subject
A compound subject is one which consists of more than one
noun.
When the subject of a sentence is made up of two or more elements, it's called a compound subject. The individual elements in a compound subject are joined by words like and and or (called coordinating conjunctions) or pairings like either/or and neither/nor (called correlative conjunctions).
Examples:
 A clean
driving licence, sales experience and team spirit are essential.
A fool and his money are easily parted.
The pigeon
and the falcon fell from view.
My wife
and I cannot attend unfortunately. ("I" is a noun - a
pronoun.)
Interactive example:
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Neither the Army nor the Police had any
suitable vehicles. [show me the compound subject] |
Singular or Plural Verb?
When and is used to join the elements in a compound subject, the compound subject is treated as plural.
When using or, either/or or neither/nor, you have to consider whether the verb should be singular or plural. Here is a lesson on whether to use a singular or plural verb with or, either/or or neither/nor.
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It is possible to end a
compound subject with a comma to group it neatly for your readers. This is not a popular practice amongst grammarians.
However, if you think it
helps, do it.
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See also:
Using a singular or plural verb with or, either/or or neither/nor
Glossary of grammatical terms
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Your score:
Click on the one with a compound subject:
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