Subject and Predicate (Part III)

Position of Subject

The Subject of a sentence usually comes first, but occasionally it is put after the Predicate:

Here comes the bus. (What comes? - the bus)
Sweet are the uses of adversity. (What are sweet? - the uses of adversity)
Under no circumstances, can I help you. (Subject - I)
Have you eaten breakfast? (Subject - you)

Dummy Subjects

English sentences which are not imperatives must have a subject.

Sometimes we need to use a ‘dummy’ or ‘empty’ or ‘artificial’ subject when there is no subject attached to the verb, or where the real subject is somewhere else in the clause. 

‘It’ and  ‘There’ are the two dummy subjects used in English

Examples:

It is hard. (real subject is missing)

It is always interesting to find out about your personality type. (We can rephrase the sentence to find the real subject)
To find out about your personality type is always interesting. (Real subject - To find out about your personality type)

There are five students in the class. (We can rephrase the sentence to find the real subject)
Five students are there in the class. (Real subject - Five students; Verb - are)

There is one student in the class. (We can rephrase the sentence to find the real subject)
One student is there in the class. (Real subject - One student; Verb - is)

Subject in Interrogative sentences

Find out the verb and ask: what + verb OR who + verb?

In an interrogative sentence, the subject is being asked about.

Are you coming to the party? (Subject - you)
When do kids want to go to bed? (Subject - kids)
Is the tree shedding its leaves? (Subject - the tree)
Have you eaten breakfast? (Subject - you)
Who is hiding behind the curtain? (Subject - Who)

Subject in Imperative sentences

In Imperative sentences, the hidden subject is always YOU.

Open the door.
Keep away from fire.
John, come here. (here John is not the subject. It is a noun in vocative case and not subjective case.)

Subject in Exclamatory sentences

Find out the verb and ask: what + verb OR who + verb?

What an intelligent boy he is! (Subject - he)
How vast the desert is! (Subject - the desert)