2.3. Principal Parts of the Sentence

2.3.1 The Subject

7. Point out the subject in the following sentences and say what part of speech it is expressed by:

1. The night was stormy.

2. It is cold today.

3. It is necessary to go there now.

4. There was a storm last night.

5. Twice two is four.

6. Everything was full of the freshness of spring.

7. To bathe in the sea is pleasant.

8. Going to bed was out of the question.

9. One is always pleased to meet old friends.

10. It is impossible to copy it all by hand.

11. The old are apt to catch cold.

12. To be lost in a fog is not a pleasant experience.

13. I t is getting late.

14. English is spoken here.

15.What is grown here?

16.The first was missing.

17. It is my brother.

18.This is my place.

19.“At” is a preposition.

20.Blue suits you best.

21.Mine is a difficult task.

22. They were all great friends.

23.There is somebody at the door.

24. The dusting of the room took two hours.

8. Point out the complex subject in the following sentences and say what construction it is expressed by:

1. It was quite unexpected his putting me that question.

2. The children were seen playing football.

3. They are expected to be back by the end of the month.

4. Your leaving us so soon was a great disappointment.

5. The picture is considered masterpiece.

6. They were requested to be ready by 7 o’clock.

7. You weren’t meant to translate it.

8. She seems to know the subject thoroughly.

9. The door was found locked.

10. The problem is considered settled.

11. The girl was often heard singing that tune.

12. Her being ill will spoil everything.

9. Define the kinds of the sentences depending on the character of the subject and state the nature of the pronoun “it”:

1. A strong wind blew from the sea.

2. Reading books is useful.

3. It was difficult to translate this article.

4. They say the film is interesting.

5. One must do one’s duty.

6. We must not allow our children to do what they please.

7. If you stand with your back to the source of the river, the right bank will be to your right.

8. It was a bright, sunny day.

9. It is a pen. It is on the desk.

10. It was about five o’clock.

11. It is only two miles to the airport.

12. It was she whom I met yesterday.

13. It was quite unexpected his leaving so early.

14. It was three years ago that we first met.

10. Use the anticipatory or impersonal “it” or the anticipatory “there”:

1. _ were many people present in the room; _ was very stuffy.

2. _ is you who is wrong.

3. _ was here that the fire broke.

4. _ came a sudden clap of thunder.

5. _ is very well for you to talk like that.

6. _ is our school that we see over there.

7. _ was a good thing that he came back so soon.

8. _ seems that you are mistaken.

9. _ was a violent storm last night.

10. I believe _ is a rule for it, but I can’t remember it.

11. _ is high time to begin our work.

12. _ occurred to me that _ was no time to lose.

13. _ was very little to do.

14. _ was still very early and _ were very few people in the street.

15. At that moment _ appeared in the doorway a man of middle height.

16. _ lived an old woman in that house.