What is a compound subject?

A compound subject is a grammatical term that refers to a sentence structure where two or more subjects are connected by a coordinating conjunction, such as "and," "or," or "but." In other words, it is a subject that consists of two or more nouns or pronouns that share the same verb and function as the subject of a sentence.

For example, in the sentence "John and Mary went to the park," the compound subject is "John and Mary." Both "John" and "Mary" are individual subjects that are connected by the coordinating conjunction "and." They both share the same verb "went" and together function as the subject of the sentence.

Compound subjects can also include more than two subjects. For instance, in the sentence "The dog, the cat, and the bird are playing in the garden," the compound subject is "The dog, the cat, and the bird." Here, three subjects are connected by the coordinating conjunction "and" and share the same verb "are playing."

It is important to note that each subject within a compound subject must agree with the verb in terms of number and person. This means that if the subjects are singular, the verb should be singular, and if the subjects are plural, the verb should be plural.

Understanding compound subjects is crucial in sentence construction and helps to ensure subject-verb agreement, clarity, and effective communication in writing and speaking.