 Hello everyone, it's Mr. P. In today's lesson we're going to delve into agreement of subjects and verbs. Since it's a complicated topic of grammar, I'll try to make a series on this topic. Therefore, in this lesson we're discussing how to find the subject of a clause. Before we begin, I'd like to remind you that it would be better if you review the following topics. Simple and compound subjects, prepositional phrase, direct and indirect object, complement, inverted clause, and dependent and independent clause. As a rule of thumb, the principle of subject-verb agreement seems simple. A singular subject requires a singular verb, and a plural subject, a plural verb. But errors in subject-verb agreement are the most common grammatical errors in writing. Most errors resolve from the writer's failure to locate the subject of the clause in which the verb appears. So before creating a video lesson with the rules of subject-verb agreement, we're going to master seven easy methods for finding the subject. Let's take a look at the first one then, which is prepositional phrases. Let me tell you that you will never find the subject of a clause within a prepositional phrase. That is, an object of a preposition never functions as a subject. Therefore, you need to disregard all prepositional phrases when you are seeking the subject. Notice that one is the simple subject of our sentence here. Of every three people in the workplace is the prepositional phrase. Notice how there is agreement between one and the verb lack. The noun insurance is the direct object of the transitive verb lacks. Now, do not worry about the direct objects yet. We will discuss them later in the lesson. The subject of a clause is not necessarily the most conspicuous noun or pronoun in the clause, such as in this example, a few of the employees of Google won last week's lottery. All but one of the most conspicuous nouns are functioning as objects of prepositions. The exception is the last week's lottery, which is functioning as a direct object of the transitive verb won. Next, let's discuss direct and indirect objects in a sentence. That is, direct and indirect objects of transitive verbs never function as subjects of clauses. Let's look at two examples here. The mayor gave his secretary a difficult task. Notice that mayor is the simple subject. Secretary is the indirect object and task is the indirect object in the sentence. Another example is they bought their son a beautiful bike. Being they the simple subject, their son the indirect object and bike the direct object. An easy way to identify the indirect object is by asking who and the direct object by asking what. So then, who did they buy a beautiful bike for? And what did they buy their son? Now, let's take a look at complement. Do not mistake a complement for a subject of a clause. In a clause with a linking verb, a subject is being equated with a complement. In the following example, we can see that another is the simple subject of the sentence. Then of her favorite jazz bands is a prepositional phrase and so is the complement. The following section deals with inverted clauses. In an inverted clause, the subject will follow the verb rather than precede. Inverted sentences often begin with one or more prepositional phrases. For example, across the river was a cabin. As we said before, the prepositional phrase cannot be the subject of a sentence. Therefore, cabin is the simple subject of the sentence. Now, let's discuss the expletive there. Many inverted clauses begin with the expletive there, which never functions as the subject of a clause. Like prepositional phrases, there never functions as a subject. So let's look at the following example. There were several letters in the mailbox. Letters here is the simple subject. And in the mailbox is the prepositional phrase. Now, let's focus on gerunds. Do not mistake the object of a gerund, a verbal noun ending in I-N-G, for the subject of a clause. Now, if we take a look at this example, the gerund cooking is serving as the simple subject. Cake is the object of the gerund cooking, and feet is the complement. Finally, an entire dependent clause can function as the subject of a clause. For example, what she wants is a fresh start in life. What she wants is the subject. Start is the object, and in life is a prepositional phrase. It may seem a lot, but if you do some practice, it will come naturally. Therefore, let's identify the subjects in the following sentences. Please pause the video to read and locate the subjects. Then play it back to find the answers. Now that you completed the exercise, let's check it, shall we? Four of my friends here is the subject of this sentence. A glossary of literary terms is the subject. The world's second largest continent is the subject. In this question, we can see that you is the subject. In number five, instead, the writer is the subject. In number six, one of our favorite sports is the subject. In number seven, what he organized for his birthday is the subject. That's it for today. I hope you enjoyed the lesson. Do not forget to subscribe to my channel to like the lesson and to finally share it with your friends. It all means the world to me. Thank you for watching. Until next time, take care. Bye-bye.