What is a compound subject?

A compound subject is a grammatical structure in which two or more subjects are joined together and share the same verb. These subjects are usually connected by a coordinating conjunction (like and, or, nor) or sometimes a semicolon or comma.

Here's a breakdown of key aspects:

• Structure: The basic structure is Subject 1 + Conjunction + Subject 2 + Verb. Examples include:

  • John and Mary went to the store. (Conjunction: and)
  • The cat or the dog will eat the leftover food. (Conjunction: or)
  • Neither the teacher nor the students understood the assignment. (Conjunction: nor)
  • My sister; my brother; and I are going on a trip. (Semicolons and conjunction)

• Verb Agreement: The verb in a compound subject must agree in number with the subject. This means:

  • With and: The verb is usually plural. "John and Mary are going."
  • With or or nor: The verb agrees with the subject closest to it. "Neither the students nor the teacher is responsible." "The teacher or the students are responsible."
  • With compound subjects joined by a comma or semicolon: The verb usually agrees with the nearest subject. "My sister; my brother; and I are going on a trip," but "My brother and sister are going; I am staying home."
  • Collective nouns: If the compound subject acts as a single unit, the verb is singular. “The faculty and staff is attending a conference.” However, if the emphasis is on the individual parts, the verb can be plural: "The faculty and staff are expressing their opinions individually.”

• Exceptions and Special Cases: Some compound subjects require careful consideration. Phrases like "along with," "as well as," "in addition to," and "together with" do not create a compound subject. The verb agrees with the first noun in the sentence: "The teacher, along with her students, is going on a field trip."

• Clarity and Conciseness: Using compound subjects can sometimes make a sentence lengthy or unclear. In these cases, it may be better to restructure the sentence for better readability.

Understanding compound subjects helps ensure grammatical accuracy and improves the clarity of your writing.