Question

compound subjects & predicates
a simple subject is the main word in the complete subject. a compound subject has two or more simple subjects with the same predicate.
leaves change color as part of their life cycle.
shorter days and cooler weather trigger the leaves to change color.
in the fall, leaves stop their food - making process.
during the growing season, leaves capture sunlight and turn carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and sugar.
a simple predicate is the main verb. a compound predicate contains two or more simple predicates that pair with same subject.
directions: identify whether the sentences below contain compound subjects (cs), compound predicates (cp), both (b), or neither (n).
ex: cp a chemical called chlorophyll absorbs light energy and creates food from sunlight for the tree in the spring and summer.

1. cs in the fall, trees and other plants stop their food - making processes.
2. cp chlorophyll breaks down in leaves and disappears from the leaves surfaces.
3. ___ this chemical is responsible for creating the green color in leaves.
4. ___ yellow and orange start to become visible in the leaves.
5. ___ yellow and orange have a different molecular structure than chlorophyll and take longer to break down.
6. ___ maples, sourwoods, and other trees start to create new colors - brilliant reds, purples, and oranges - with the beginning of autumn.
7. ___ temperature, light, and water supply can all impact this process.
8. ___ early frost weakens and dulls bright red colors.
9. ___ rainy weather and cloudy days tend to increase the intensity of these colors.
10. ___ late in autumn, cells in the leaves and the leaf stems weaken and break.
11. ___ pigments break down, and leaves dry up.
12. ___ oaks and other tree varieties sometimes keep their brown leaves all winter and never shed them entirely.
13. ___ however, the leaves of evergreen trees remain green all year and stay on their trees for two to four years.
14. ___ viewing this change in leaf color during the fall has become a popular pastime.
15. ___ many people travel every year and watch the changing of the leaves.

Explanation:

• Sentence 3: "This chemical" is a simple subject, "is responsible for creating the green color in leaves" is a simple predicate. So it's \(N\).
• Sentence 4: "Yellow and orange" is a compound subject (two simple subjects "yellow" and "orange"), "start to become visible in the leaves" is a simple predicate. So it's \(CS\).
• Sentence 5: "Yellow and orange" is a compound subject (two simple subjects "yellow" and "orange"), "have a different molecular structure than chlorophyll and take longer to break down" is a compound predicate (two simple predicates "have a different molecular structure than chlorophyll" and "take longer to break down"). So it's \(B\).
• Sentence 6: "Maples, sourwoods, and other trees" is a compound subject (three simple subjects "maples", "sourwoods", "other trees"), "start to create new colors - brilliant reds, purples, and oranges - with the beginning of autumn" is a simple predicate. So it's \(CS\).
• Sentence 7: "Temperature, light, and water supply" is a compound subject (three simple subjects "temperature", "light", "water supply"), "can all impact this process" is a simple predicate. So it's \(CS\).
• Sentence 8: "Early frost" is a simple subject, "weakens and dulls bright red colors" is a compound predicate (two simple predicates "weakens bright red colors" and "dulls bright red colors"). So it's \(CP\).
• Sentence 9: "Rainy weather and cloudy days" is a compound subject (two simple subjects "rainy weather" and "cloudy days"), "tend to increase the intensity of these colors" is a simple predicate. So it's \(CS\).
• Sentence 10: "Cells in the leaves and the leaf stems" is a compound subject (two simple subjects "cells in the leaves" and "the leaf stems"), "weaken and break" is a compound predicate (two simple predicates "weaken" and "break"). So it's \(B\).
• Sentence 11: "Pigments" is a simple subject, "break down" is a simple predicate; "leaves" is a simple subject, "dry up" is a simple predicate. It's two independent clauses. So it's \(N\).
• Sentence 12: "Oaks and other tree varieties" is a compound subject (two simple subjects "oaks" and "other tree varieties"), "sometimes keep their brown leaves all winter and never shed them entirely" is a compound predicate (two simple predicates "sometimes keep their brown leaves all winter" and "never shed them entirely"). So it's \(B\).
• Sentence 13: "the leaves of evergreen trees" is a simple subject, "remain green all year and stay on their trees for two to four years" is a compound predicate (two simple predicates "remain green all year" and "stay on their trees for two to four years"). So it's \(CP\).
• Sentence 14: "Viewing this change in leaf color during the fall" is a gerund - phrase subject (considered a simple subject in this context), "has become a popular pastime" is a simple predicate. So it's \(N\).
• Sentence 15: "Many people" is a simple subject, "travel every year and watch the changing of the leaves" is a compound predicate (two simple predicates "travel every year" and "watch the changing of the leaves"). So it's \(CP\).

Answer:

1. \(N\)
2. \(CS\)
3. \(B\)
4. \(CS\)
5. \(CS\)
6. \(CP\)
7. \(CS\)
8. \(B\)
9. \(N\)
10. \(B\)
11. \(CP\)
12. \(N\)
13. \(CP\)