“They’re just sentences, do we really need to have complicated words like subjects and predicates to understand them?” If you’re teaching subjects and predicates and anything like this sounds familiar, you’re in the right place! I’ve got a few ideas up my sleeve to make this basic grammar lesson a little more engaging.
If you’re a 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade ELA teacher, this post is your go-to guide for bringing subjects and predicates to life in your classroom. Let’s ditch the drill-and-kill approach to teaching subjects and predicates and replace it with a little creativity! (and maybe even a little laughter)
What Are Subjects and Predicates Anyway?
Breaking It Down for Young Learners
Put simply: the subject tells us who or what the sentence is about. The predicate tells us what they’re doing. That’s it!
Here’s a quick example:
- The cat (subject) slept on the windowsill (predicate).
It’s the sentence’s dynamic duo—and your students are about to become pros at spotting them.
Why It Matters
Understanding sentence structure boosts comprehension, improves writing, and sets the stage for more complex grammar concepts. Think of it as the foundation of a language arts skyscraper. After all, you’re going to be asking your students to write well-thought-out and expertly-crafted essays on all sorts of topics this year. You want them to know that it takes both of these components to make a complete sentence. Not only that, they need to have these two primary pillar pieces in place as they start writing more compound and complex sentences to make their writing more interesting…As the sun dropped below the horizon, the lazy tuxedo cat slept contentedly on the windowsill as a cool breeze wafted through the room.
Double-Your-Fun Ideas for Teaching Subjects and Predicates
Anchor Chart Challenge
Create bold, colorful anchor charts together. Include examples, visuals, and space to add student sentences throughout the week. Even better? Let students “own” the chart by creating their own sentence anchor charts. One simple idea I love for using anchor charts to engage students is this:
Step 1: Make a basic, boring, just-the-facts anchor chart for teaching subjects and predicates to the whole group
Step 2: Tell students that your anchor chart is boring, but they are not! Challenge them to work with a partner or small group to create a more eye-catching and creative anchor chart that does a better job of teaching subjects and predicates than yours did.
Step 3: Let student groups take turns sharing. Not only will they be excited to show off what they created, just think of all the reteaching and review students will get for subjects and predicates by the time your sharing session is over!
Sentence Sorting Games
Grab one of those boring worksheets for teaching subjects and predicates, and get ready to make student engagement magic with it. Using the sentences from the worksheet, write (or cut and paste) each subject and each predicate on an individual card. Mix the cards well and then have students race to pair them into complete, and often hilarious, mad-lib style sentences.
This works great as and ELA station activity. Just leave the stack of cards at the station along with a timer and challenge students to complete the task as fast as possible. You can even leave a small whiteboard at the station where the class can keep the top five times. Each time students do this activity, the resulting sentences will be different, so they’ll have fun repeating the practice activity, trying to break into the top 5.
Interactive Notebooks
Use foldables for teaching subjects and predicates where students sort, label, and create their own examples. This hands-on strategy supports visual and kinesthetic learners—and doubles as a great review tool. You either love them or hate them…if interactive notebooks are your thing, here’s a freebie subjects and predicates notebook activity for you!
Whole-Class Movement Activities
Here’s an idea for teaching subjects and predicates that is perfect for getting a few wiggles out while still learning. As you read sentences or sentence parts (straight out of that boring grammar textbook), have students stand when you read a subject, sit when it’s a predicate, and freeze when it’s a complete sentence. Instant engagement! This activity also works great as an emergency time filler when you need just a little something to keep students engaged before they leave the classroom for lunch, end of the day, specials, etc.
Partner & Group Fun
See which sentence gets the biggest laugh! Working in pairs, have one student brainstorm a list of several subjects while the other student brainstorms several predicates. Next, have mix and match subjects and predicates to create wacky, grammatically correct sentences. Bonus points for the funniest combination!
Small But Mighty: Daily Practice Matters
We all know skills stick best with regular review—and grammar is no different. That’s where a spiraled approach like Daily Language Reviews shines.
These bite-sized daily activities include ongoing practice with identifying and using subjects and predicates (along with 30+ other ELA skills)—without overwhelming your schedule. They come in options for 3rd grade, 4th grade, or 5th grade.
👉 Explore the Daily Language Review Products
They’re quick. They’re targeted. They get results. And they’re designed to fit right into your busy classroom routine.
Try It for Free! 🎉
Curious to see it in action? Grab a FREE sample of our Daily Language Reviews and try it out with your class. It’s the perfect way to test the waters and see how easy it is to work meaningful grammar practice into your week.
👉 Snag Your Free DLR Sample Here
A Few More Tips for Making Grammar Stick
- Let students create their own silly sentences—they’ll remember them way better!
- Highlight great examples during read-alouds. (“Who can find the subject in this sentence?”)
- Keep your activities fresh—rotate games and visuals regularly.
Subjects and predicates are simple, but they can still be fun. With a little movement and creativity, your students might actually look forward to grammar time.
Whether you’re building understanding from the ground up or reinforcing skills they’ve already met, these strategies will help your students become confident sentence-builders—and give you tools you’ll actually enjoy using.
And remember, with resources like the Daily Language Review, you’re not just teaching a skill—you’re laying the foundation for a lifetime of strong writing and clear thinking.
Happy teaching, and happy sentence-making!