A sentence where the infinitive is the subject. Subject. Participle as subject

Subject- this is the main member of the sentence, which denotes the subject of speech and answers the question of the nominative case (who? what?).

Pay attention to the meaning (a) and the form of the expression (b) of the subject:

a) the subject is what is being said in a sentence (subject of speech);

b) the main form of expression of the subject - nominative(question who? what?).

Note!

To the question what? answers not only the nominative, but also the accusative case of the noun; nominative and accusative forms can also coincide. To distinguish between these cases, you can substitute a noun of the 1st declension (for example - book): nominative - book; accusative - book.

Wed: On the table lies pencil (book) - nominative case; I see a pencil(book) - accusative case.

Let's compare two sentences:

1. I did not sleep; 2. I didn't sleep.

They mean roughly the same thing in meaning. However, in the first sentence I did not sleep) has a subject, because there is a pronoun in the nominative case ( I), in the second sentence ( I couldn't sleep) there is no subject, because there is no pronoun in the nominative case ( to me- dative).

Ways of expressing the subject

A) Subject - one word:

B) The subject is an integral, that is, syntactically indivisible phrase (main + dependent word):

Note!

1) You can always ask questions to the subject who? what? , even if it does not change case by case.

2) Nominative case- the only case with which the subject can be expressed.

Note. The subject can be expressed in the indirect case if it indicates the approximate number of someone or something. Wed: thirty ships went out to sea. About thirty ships went out to sea. Over thirty ships went out to sea.

Subject Parsing Plan

Specify how the subject is expressed:

1. Single word: noun, adjective, pronoun, numeral, participle in the nominative case; adverb or other invariable form in the meaning of a noun; infinitive.
2. Syntactically indivisible phrase (indicate the meaning and form of the main word).

Sample parsing

The lake seemed to be covered with ice(Prishvin).

Subject Lake expressed by a noun in the nominative case.

Around noon, a lot of round high clouds usually appear.(Turgenev).

Subject many clouds expressed by a syntactically indivisible (whole) phrase with a quantitative meaning; main word (noun) lots of) is in the nominative case.

In the dark, the bearded man stumbled on something(Sholokhov).

Subject bearded expressed by an adjective in the meaning of a noun in the nominative case.

But to pay for something, even the most necessary, suddenly two hundred, three hundred, five hundred rubles seemed to them almost suicide.(Goncharov).

Subject pay expressed in the infinitive.

It's been about an hour(Paustovsky).

Subject about an hour expressed by the indirect case of the noun hour with the preposition about and indicates the approximate amount of time.

The grammatical basis of the sentence. The concept of the main members of the proposal

The grammatical basis of a sentence consists of a subject and a predicate.

The grammatical basis expresses the grammatical meanings of the sentence. They are connected with the meanings of moods and tense of the verb-predicate.

Troops move to the front.

(The action is actually happening and takes place in the present tense).

Yesterday he came to us.

(The action actually happened, but in the past tense).

Would you talk to your mother, Ivan!

(The action is not realized in reality, but desired by the speaker).

The subject and predicate are called the main members of the sentence, because all the minor members in the sentence directly or indirectly extend them.

We show the dependence of the minor terms on the main ones in the following diagram:

The astonished Varenukha silently handed him an urgent telegram..

The subject as a member of the sentence. Subject forms

The subject is the main member of the sentence, which denotes the subject of speech and answers the questions of the nominative case who? or what?

The subject in Russian can be expressed in different ways, sometimes in "unusual" forms. The following table will help determine the correct subject.

The main ways of expressing the subject.

Predicate as a member of a sentence. Predicate types

The predicate is the main member of the sentence, which is associated with the subject of a special connection and has a meaning expressed in questions, what does the subject of speech do? what happens to him? what is he? what is he? who is he? and etc.

The predicate in Russian is simple and compound. A simple (simple verbal) predicate is expressed by one verb in the form of some mood.

Compound predicates are expressed in several words, one of them serves to connect with the subject, while the semantic load falls on the others. In other words, in compound predicates, lexical and grammatical meanings are expressed in different words.

(Verb was colonel

(Verb started serves to connect with the subject, on the word work the semantic load of the predicate falls.)

Among compound predicates, there are compound verbal and compound nominal predicates.

Learn more about predicate types. Simple verb predicate

A simple verbal predicate is expressed by one verb in the form of some mood.

It can be expressed in the following forms of the verb:

We emphasize that in the case of you will be expected tomorrow, the simple verb predicate is expressed by the compound form of the future tense of the verb wait.

Compound verb predicate

A compound verbal predicate consists of two components - an auxiliary verb that serves to connect with the subject and expresses the grammatical meaning of the predicate, and an indefinite form of the verb that expresses its main lexical meaning and carries the main semantic load.

(Here it began - this is an auxiliary verb, and gnaw is an indefinite form of a verb that carries a semantic load.)

(Here I don’t want to - this is an auxiliary verb, and to offend is an indefinite form of a verb that carries a semantic load.)

The role of an auxiliary verb can be a combination of some short adjectives (should, glad, ready, obliged, etc.) and a linking service verb to be in the form of one of the moods (in the present tense, this link is omitted).

(here the linkage will be omitted).

So, let's imagine the structure of the compound verbal predicate by the formula:

Compound nominal predicate

A compound nominal predicate consists of two components: a linking verb that serves to connect with the subject and expresses the grammatical meaning of the predicate, and a nominal part that expresses its main lexical meaning and carries the main semantic load.

(Here the connective verb will become, and the nominal part is expressed by the adjective viscous.)

(Here the connective verb will be, and the nominal part of the predicate is expressed by the noun handball player.)

Let's represent the structure of the compound nominal predicate by the formula:

The nominal part of the compound nominal predicate is expressed by the following parts of speech: noun, adjective (full and short, different forms of degrees of comparison), participle (full and short), numeral, pronoun, adverb, word of the category of state, verb in indefinite form.

In Russian, at least four main types of one-component sentences can be distinguished.

The main types of two-part sentences

Knowing the main types of two-part sentences, it is easier to find grammatical foundations in them.

The main types of one-part sentences

Secondary members of the sentence: definition, addition, circumstance

All members of the sentence, except for the main ones, are called secondary.

Secondary members of the sentence are not included in the grammatical basis, but spread (explain) it. They can explain other secondary terms as well.

Let's demonstrate this with a diagram:

According to their meaning and role in the sentence, secondary members are divided into definition, addition and circumstance. These syntactic roles are identified by questions.

Valued (to what extent?) high- circumstance.

appreciated (what?) canvases- addition.

Canvases (whose?) his- definition.

Complement as a member of the proposal. Types of add-ons

The addition is a minor member of the sentence, which answers the questions of indirect cases (that is, all but the nominative) and designates the subject. The complement usually spreads the predicate, although it can also spread other members of the sentence.

I enjoy reading (what?) magazines. (Here the addition of the logs extends the predicate.)

Reading (what?) magazines is an exciting activity. (Here, the addition of logs propagates the subject.)

Supplements are most often expressed by nouns (or words in the function of nouns) and pronouns, but can also be represented by an indefinite form of the verb and phrases that are integral in meaning.

He shaved in the campaign (with what?) With a bayonet. (Here, the addition of a bayonet is expressed by a noun.)

This is understandable only to connoisseurs of (what?) Beauty. (Here the complement of the beautiful is expressed by the adjective as a noun.)

And I will ask you (about what?) to stay. (Here the object to remain is expressed in the indefinite form of the verb.)

He read (what?) many books. (Here, the addition of many books is expressed by a combination that is integral in meaning.)

Additions are either direct or indirect.

Direct objects are transitive verbs and denote the subject to which the action is directly directed. Direct objects are expressed in the accusative case without a preposition.

I don’t know when I will see my relatives now (v. p.).

These furnaces used to melt steel (vp).

All other additions are called indirect.

Play the piano (p. p.).

I put the bread on the table (c.p. with a pretext).

I was forbidden to worry (expressed in the indefinite form of the verb).

The subject is expressed as a phrase, if one word is not enough to denote a predicatively defined object, or when it is necessary to express an additional. Shades of meaning. Subject meaning and grammatical independence are expressed by different word forms. The dominant member of the phrase in the form of the nominative case creates an independent form of the subject, but does not name the subject, this meaning is expressed by an independent infinitive. The lexical meaning of the dominant member of a phrase introduces into the semantics of the subject those elements that cannot be expressed by the subject-word.

The following phrases act as the subject:

1) phrases with quantitative meaning. The main component serves as a means of expressing grammatical dependence, and the dependent component expresses the objective meaning.

A) numeral in Im.p. + n. in R.p. (TWO FRIENDS walked; FOUR FRIENDS went camping, A FEW FRIENDS wanted to dance)

B) noun with quantitative value in Im.p. + n. in R.p. (MANY BIRDS are found in our forests; HUNDRED RIDERS galloped through the village)

B) noun with the value of measure, volume, aggregate in Im.p. + n. in R.p. (A PLOT of GUYS got into the boat, a GLASS OF WATER was drunk)

D) noun with a quantitative value or numbers. With prepositions (FROM, TO, ABOUT), indicating. On the approximateness of the account + noun in R.p. (on the shore there are FROM A TEN HOUSES; ABOUT TWO WEEKS have passed)

All phrases are a productive form of the nominative subject.

2) phrases with the meaning of selectivity. the main component is the numeral or pronoun in Im.p., and the dependent component is the noun or pronoun in R.p. with the preposition FROM (each of us, two of the students). The dominant member introduces shades of quantity, generalization, uncertainty, interrogativeness, etc. into the meaning of the subject-phrase. EXAMPLE: EACH OF THEM killed their time in their own way.

3) phrases with the meaning of compatibility. The main and dependent components are the names of entities. Ex. in Im.p. + noun in Tv.p. with the preposition C. The subject denotes two objects that jointly produce an action or have one attribute. This meaning is reinforced by the plural form of the predicate. If the predicate is singular, then the subject is only one noun in the nominative case. (BAZAROV AND ARKADIY left the next day)

4) phrases with a phase meaning. They are formed on the basis of the semantics of nouns. “beginning, middle, end” is the main component in Im.p. + noun in R.p., denotation. Segments of time (it was MID-APRIL)

5) phrases with a metaphorical meaning. These phrases have a peculiar semantic structure. The main component is characterized by a weakened nominativity, the dependent one has full nominativity. (A HAT of fair-haired CURLS swayed on his big head)

6) phrases with an indefinite meaning. They are built on the basis of an indefinite pronoun. Indefinite pronoun in Im.p. + adjective or participle in Im.p. (SOMETHING is heard NATIVE)

INFINITIVE SUBJECT

The infinitive as a subject does not acquire an objective meaning, but remains a verb form. When infin.sub. there can be no definition. With an infinitive subject, a compound nominal predicate is used. The infinitive cannot denote a doer, i.e. action producer. Does not enter into a relationship of homogeneity with the nominative subject.

The infinitive denotes an independent sign or potential action, the characteristic of which is contained in the predicate.

Structural varieties of the infinitive subject:

1) proper infinitive subject

2) compound subject (infinitive - nominal subject) (the infinitive of the auxiliary verb performs a formal function - it expresses the independence of the feature, which is indicated by the name).

Proper infinitive subject:

1) infinitive of a full-valued verb (here THINK means to rage)

2) the infinitive of the verbal phraseological unit (LAYING HANDS ON YOURSELF is a terrible sin)

3) infinitive descriptive-verbal nominal turnover (OGIO) (TO MAKE A DECISION is a great thing)

Compound subject

The infinitive indicates the independent nature of the subject of the predicatively defined feature and expresses the grammatically independent position of the subject in the sentence (BE STRONG is good, BE SMART is better twice)

A named component can be represented:

Noun in Tv.p

Adjectives in Tv.p.

Communion in Tv.p.

Pronoun in Tv.p.

TYPES AND FORMS OF PREDICIAL

PREDICT - the main member of a two-part sentence, grammatically dependent on the subject and denoting a sign, action, state, property, quality of the subject that expresses the subject. In the forms of the predicate, predicative categories find support: modularity, time, person.

The predicate is the predicative-defining member of the sentence.

The predicate is the support of the grammatical meaning of the sentence. The predicate expresses the predicative feature of the subject.

In the syntactic meaning of the predicate, two elements are distinguished:

grammatical meaning;

Lexical (real) meaning.

Real - content, semantics of the predicate. The specific name of the sign assigned to the subject.

Grammatical meaning is formally the grammatical aspect (modality, tense, person). An indicator of grammatical meaning is a verb in conjugated form or its significant absence (zero form).

EXAMPLE: A steamboat was approaching the pier. The dog pricked up its ears.

In speech, the relationship between signs is different. The relationship between an object and a feature can be established by the speaker. The predicative sign includes the means of modal-temporal characteristics of the relation of the sign to the subject.

Essential elements

The real meaning is specific, it is based on the lexical meaning of the corresponding word and depends on the form of the word.

The grammatical meaning includes several elements:

1) the relation of the attribute to the subject. The content of the attribute is expressed and perceived as a characteristic of the subject.

2) the value of time, which is formalized by indicating that the attribute is related to the moment of speech.

3) a complex of modal meanings (assessment of the relationship of the attribute to the subject as real and unreal, or assessment of the attribute by the subject of possibility / impossibility).

Grammar means:

Conjugated verb forms

Zero verb form

The types of the predicate must be contrasted according to the grammatical way of expressing the predicative feature.

Real and grammatical meaning can be expressed by one lexical unit, i.e. in one word, both real and grammatical meaning can be expressed, but this unit must have 2 properties:

1) semantically meaningful;

2) it must contain indicators of the conjugated form of the verb.

Real and grammatical meaning can be expressed separately.

There are two main structural types of the predicate - simple and difficult.

A SIMPLE predicate can ONLY be a verb, because only a conjugated full-valued verb (or a lexicalized combination of a verb component with another) contains both the name of the feature (action) and indicators of the grammatical meanings of the predicate.

A DIFFICULT predicate consists of two components, the functions of which are clearly distinguished: the main component expresses only a real meaning, the auxiliary one expresses only a grammatical one.

A difficult predicate is divided into:

Compound Verbal Predicate (CGS)

Compound nominal predicate (CIS)

Similar information.

Larisa Fominykh

Among verb forms, the infinitive occupies a special position - it can act as any member of the sentence. Very concise information about this is given in the educational complex of V.V. Babaitseva and L.D. Chesnokova.

The purpose of this note is to summarize information about the syntactic function of the infinitive and offer training material to consolidate this information.

The infinitive as the main members of the sentence

Infinitive as subject is known to students mainly due to the study of the rule for setting a dash between the subject and the predicate in the absence of a link. If both main members are verbs in the indefinite form or there is a combination "a noun in the nominative case plus an infinitive", a dash is placed between them.

However, when parsing a sentence, difficulties can arise. So, it is not always obvious which part of the sentence is the verb in the indefinite form. An independent infinitive that comes first in a sentence and is intonationally separated from the predicate is the subject. He names an independent, non-procedural action, the characteristic of which is contained in the predicate. At the same time, as a rule, it contains a defined concept, about which some kind of judgment is expressed: Live means to work. Play Hockey is his main passion. Create happiness is high work. Consider other people's income is a thankless task. Everything exaggerate was his passion.

But the infinitive-subject can also occupy a postposition if the second main member at the beginning of the sentence has an explicit evaluative meaning: The scariest part of our job is stay in your growth. His business was patronize junior and take care about the elders. Wasted labor - to fish without hook and to study without a book. My favorite thing was to read to her (mother) aloud "Rossiada" and receive from it there are different explanations for words and whole expressions that I do not understand. (Aksakov)

If one of the main members has a bunch of THIS, its presence indicates that we have a predicate in front of us, and the infinitive is the subject: It's against our law - commemorate old. This is the most accessible way to elevate yourself in your own eyes - another humiliate . What happiness is respect parents.

Sometimes the word order is decisive when determining the main terms: Become a sailor - his dream. His dream - become a sailor.

The infinitive-subject, like the infinitive-predicate, can include words dependent on it, if one verb does not convey the meaning of the statement. Often this is found in proverbs, aphorisms: Steal from a thief - only time to waste. Fool to teach - what to heal the dead. play a song - no field to yell. To do nothing - hard work. house to lead - don't shake your beard. To drink a tea - don't cut wood. About the decision to speak - only confuse.

Difficulty can arise when the infinitive is combined with words in -O: if the infinitive comes first in the sentence, and then the word in -O follows, we have a two-part sentence with the subject - the infinitive: Argue with him useless. Tell jokes with liberalismdangerously . Rearranging the infinitive to the second place after the -O word, which is a category of state, turns the sentence into an impersonal one: It's useless to argue with him. It wasn't easy to get to before work that day due to a snowstorm. It's dangerous to joke with liberalism. The presence in the infinitive of the words of the category of state must, necessary, necessary, impossible, possible, etc. suggests that this is a predicate of impersonal sentences, regardless of word order: you can get lost. Ask about it it was impossible. Need to find another solution.

Independent infinitive can act as predicate in one-part infinitive sentences (in school textbooks they are considered as a kind of impersonal constructions): Can't see more luck to you! Raise sail! Everyone get ready! be silent! Raise no objection commander! Whom be in love? To whom believe? Such constructions are most often ordered in nature, they are distinguished by categorical statements.

The most frequent is the use of the infinitive in a compound verbal predicate, which has two parts: auxiliary and main. The first conveys the grammatical meaning of mood, tense, person, number or gender, the second (infinitive) - the main lexical meaning.

An auxiliary verb can have a phase meaning (beginning, continuation, end of action ( began to gather, began to argue, continued to talk, stopped sawing) and is used with the imperfective infinitive only: At my sister's began to stick together eyes. Welcoming host started me treat. Other meanings are modal: possibilities/impossibility of action ( didn't dare to confess), obligations ( forced to endure, must go), expressions of will (desirability, determination, readiness) - changed my mind about buying; subjective-emotional character ( loved to eat); estimates of the degree of commonness of the action ( used to command).

In the presence of two verbs (conjugated and infinitive), both are part of the verbal predicate, if the actions refer to one person - the subject of the action: Ranks are given by people, and people may be deceived. (Griboyedov) If actions are performed by different persons, then the infinitive is not part of the compound verb predicate, but acts as a secondary member: Brother asked Pavel come no matter what. (N. Ostrovsky) I would strictly forbid these gentlemen to shoot drive up to the capitals. (Griboyedov)

Examples for the analysis of the infinitive in the role of main members

Task 1. Determine in which sentences the main members are correctly identified.

1. get there before work that day it was not easy.

2. In the evenings the doctor likes to meet and chat with buddies.

3.Peep mean, but retell gossip low, vile, vile.

4. Strong and evasive is not easy win in the ring.

5.Walking walk - to live a long time.

6.Be famous- ugly.

8. Hurry with an answer no need.

9. ride at this time - present pleasure.

10. Should have guarded weather and boating enjoy every calm.

Infinitive in the role of minor members of the sentence

The infinitive can function as an inconsistent definitions. He usually explains nouns with the modal meaning of possibility, necessity, desirability, will, etc.: the decision to refuse, the fear of making a mistake, the need to meet, the desire to help. Less commonly, the infinitive defines abstract nouns with a different meaning: manner of arguing, pleasure in hunting, thought of going, refusal to obey etc. For example: Only hope (what?) save supported her son. He was driven by the desire (what?) to find out truth. Grushenka took a promise from him (what?) come after her at twelve o'clock. Suddenly there was an opportunity (what?) to quickly leave from this city.

The infinitive is addition if the conjugated verb has a full lexical meaning, and the actions of the verbs refer to different persons: I ask you (about what?) talk on the merits of the case. My father taught me (what?) walk on a boat with a pole. The king deigned to order (what?) We take you to him call. (P. Ershov) In these examples, the actions of the verbs refer to different people (I ask, and the interlocutor will speak; the father taught, and the son will walk on the boat; the king ordered, and his subjects came to call).

Much less often there are cases when the infinitive-complement denotes the action of the same subject: Yesterday we agreed (on what?) go to the cottage In a week he learned (what?) ride on skates. Sister quickly got used to (what?) look after for a sick mother.

The infinitive can be purpose circumstance. At the same time, the actions of verbs also refer to different persons: In summer and autumn we go for Kama (for what purpose?) collect mushrooms. Travelers settled down by the stream (for what purpose?) relax And feed horses.

The syntactic role of the infinitive

Examples for the analysis of the infinitive as minor members

Task 2. Determine which minor members of the sentence are the infinitive.

1. The thought of not finding her in Pyatigorsk struck my heart like a hammer.

2. Well, I wish you good fun.

3. Captain Tushin sent one of the soldiers to look for a dressing station or a doctor.

4. And now we are going to look for Palitsyno.

5. Cannons are fired from the pier, the ship is ordered to land.

6. I have an innate passion to contradict.

7. The next year, Nevzorov went to study abroad.

8. The habit of finding only a changeable side in everything is the surest sign of a petty soul, for the funny always lies on the surface.

10. Logic is the art of making mistakes with the certainty of being right.

Training tasks

1. In which sentence is the infinitive the subject?

1. It was a pity to look at him.

2. What a great pleasure it is to wander in the forest!

3. Loving others is a heavy cross, and you are beautiful without convolutions.

4. To teach a scientist is just a matter of dragging.

2. In which sentences is the infinitive not the subject?

1. I hate to change the familiar to the unknown.

2. Fedor, don't let him out anywhere!

3. Giving advice is easy, but hard to follow.

4. It’s embarrassing to ask for a house somehow.

3. In what sentences is the infinitive part of the predicate?

1. Have you ever had a rainy winter day, in the late quiet light, to sit alone, without a candle in the office?

2. He is always ready to help both with advice and deed.

3. Losing a family is not a shame - it was not your fault.

4. Losing your head is a shame, but that's what war is for. (A.T.)

4. In which sentences is the infinitive not included in the predicate?

1. Ivan Ivanovich was a respectable man, of the most subtle manner, he could not stand rude or obscene words.

2. Nozdryov continued to laugh at the top of his lungs.

3. Auntie invited both families to visit her for two weeks.

4. Talking to her was easy.

5. Set the relationship between the highlighted word and its role in the sentence.

3. She said it quite loudly and probably with the intention of pricking me.

4. Petrushka was ordered to stay at home, look after the room and the suitcase.

9. Indicate the numbers of sentences in which the infinitive is not part of the predicate.

1. We arrived at the place, to the birch current, only in the evening and, as usual, immediately began to prepare for the night. 2. Even before the arrival of birds (grouse flock to the current at sunset), you need to chop firewood, make a bed from the branches. 3. Here, at the hunting fire, I planned to spend more than one night. 4. In the evening, having prepared a lodging for the night, we split up. 5. The satellite went to look for neighboring currents, and I was left alone. 6. After seeing off a friend, I trampled on the fire, took a gun and slowly headed into the current. 7. Under an old birch, I chose a high hummock and, lighting a pipe, prepared to listen and observe. 8. I have never seen such an extraordinary number of capercaillie at the currents. 9. I sat spellbound, not moving, afraid to move.
(according to I. Sokolov-Mikitov)

10. Indicate the numbers of sentences in which there is an infinitive that performs the function of a definition.

1. The Belaya River began to overflow its banks and flood the meadow side. 2. My father claimed that it was difficult to drive through those places that were flooded with spring water. 3. But to me all such obstacles seemed completely unworthy of attention. 4. The desire to move to Sergeevka as soon as possible became in me a painful striving of all my thoughts and feelings towards one subject; 5. I could no longer do anything, I was bored and picky. 6. It was possible to foresee and had to take measures to tame this passion in me, this ability to be carried away to self-forgetfulness and fall into extremes.
(according to S. Aksakov)

Keys:

Task 1. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6. 8, 9, 10.

Task 2. 1 - def., 2 - additional, 3 - circumstance, 4 - circumstance, 5 - additional, 6 - def., 7 - circumstance, 8 - def., 9 - additional, 10 - def.

Training tasks: 1) 2, 3, 4 2) 1, 2 3) 1, 2 4) 3, 4 5) 1d, 2c, 3b, 4a 6) 2, 4 7) 2, 3 8) 1, 2 9 ) 5, 7, 9 10) 4, 6.

Literature

Babaitseva V.V., Chesnokova L.D. Russian language: Theory: Proc. for 5-9 cells. general education textbook institutions / V.V. Babaitseva, L.D. Chesnokova. - M., Education, 1993.

Modern Russian language. Theory. Analysis of language units: for students of higher education textbook establishments. At 2 pm Part 2. Morphology. Syntax / V.V. Babaitseva, N.A. Nikolina, L.D. Chesnokova and others; ed. E.I. Dibrova. - M., 2008.

Fedorov A.K. Difficult questions of syntax / A.K. Fedorov. - M., 1972.

WAYS OF EXPRESSING THE SUBJECT

Expressing the subject with different parts of speech

The most common way to express the subject is nominative form of a noun. This is explained by the fact that the noun, as a part of speech, has a generalized meaning of objectivity, and the form of the nominative case, as the original, independent case, is most adapted to expressing the subject of thought. In principle, a noun of any lexical category can be the subject, but there are still some restrictions in this regard. Usually used as subjects nouns with concrete real meaning or abstract but objectified. Nouns that contain an evaluative, essentially predicative value, as a rule, do not act as a subject. Such, for example, nouns as a mischievous person, a scoundrel, a hoarder, a fool, a clever man, a liar, etc., are limited in use as a subject. In sentences like The mischievous man was sitting at his desk; Fool appeared only in the morning the unusual use of nouns in the role of subjects is clearly felt, which is explained by the secondary nature of their function and can only be justified by the conditions of a special context: previously these words were already used as a predicate, the functional quality of which fully corresponds to the semantics of these nouns.

In addition to nouns, the role of the subject is used noun pronouns:

personal: I met her at my friend's (Sol.); There was only one light bulb in the hotel. She flared up when the phone rang caustically (Past.);

indefinite: All someone walks, does not sleep (Past.); And, it seems, in that solitude someone unearthly hid (P.);

negative: Nothing will bring us closer together (L.);

interrogative-relative: Who did not curse the stationmasters (P.); I don’t understand what happened to me (P.).

Pronouns of other categories are used as subjects if they are in the meaning of a noun:

index: It is true that the rooster no longer crows (Kr.); It was in the seventies (L.T.);

defining: So anyone can sing (Ch.);

possessive: Let mine disappear (Ya.T.).

The subject can be any part of speech that can be substantiated or used in the meaning of a noun.

The role of the subject can be numeral:

quantitative: Fifteen divided by three,

collective: Both were busy, it seems, with a serious conversation (L.);

ordinal: One walks, the other drives, the third sings a song (riddle).

Much less frequently used as a subject invariable parts of speech, which in this case functionally replace nouns, - conjunctions, particles, adverbs, interjections, for example: This “if”, referred by him to the past, came true (T.); ... And again you hear "boo-boo-boo" (Ch.); And this “so” is a sharp knife for me (Letter).

In special cases, the subjects can be used forms of words (for example, verbs) intended for other functions: Our most innocent “hello” and “farewell” would have no meaning if time were not permeated with the unity of life events (Past.); Tsvetaevsky's "I know" is poetically more competent than "I see" (S. Wyman). Such unusual forms require reinforcement of their position by defining members.

The subject can be infinitive, which does not receive an objective meaning, retains the meaning of the action, is not substantivized. And therefore, unlike other “substitutes” for a noun in the role of a subject infinitive cannot be defined: To love is happiness!

In the structure of such sentences, word order and the way the predicate is expressed play an important role. Usually the infinitive subject precedes the predicate expressed both by the impersonal predicative word and by the noun. With a predicate expressed by an impersonal predicative word, such an order is the only possible one. The subject is separated from the predicate by a pause, dividing the sentence into two parts: It was scary to approach my brother (M. G.)- the pause before the predicate was scary. This word order is an infinitive subject (one or together with explanatory words), then a predicate after a pause is a sign of a two-part sentence. With a different word order, the sentence easily becomes impersonal, since the infinitive placed after the predicate expressed by the impersonal predicative word falls into a dependent position: It was scary to approach my brother.

If the predicate is expressed by a noun, then the infinitive subject can also be placed in position after a pause, but this word order is felt as inverted, for example: It is a great pleasure to live on earth (M. G.), cf .: Living on earth is a great pleasure (direct word order).

There are also special, contextually determined ways of expressing the subject. They are unusual in the sense that they designate a character or object through its signs or signs, for example: At his call, a small, limping, covered in black tights, with a knife tucked into a leather belt, ran out into the hallway, red-haired, with a yellow fang, with a thorn in his left eye (Bulg.).

The subject expressed by the phrase

Can be used as a subject syntactically non-free phrases. The peculiarity of these phrases is that the main word form in them is lexically indefinite or empty, and the dependent contains a real value ( a pinch of tea, a kilo of sugar). In addition, the phrase can express some aggregates ( grandfather and grandmother, we are with you).

Among the subjects expressed by the phrase, the following stand out:

noun of quantitative meaning combined with a noun in the genitive form: In the yard, near the porch, there was a pair of horses (Shol.); close in meaning to this variety is the subject, which has as the main noun words with the meaning of a group, aggregate: Finally, a crowd of people in gray overcoats fell out into the canopy (M. G.); On the slopes ... bunches of yellow fluffy feather grass (Shol) creep;

numeral, pronoun, adjective in combination with a noun (or parts of speech that replace it) in the form of the genitive plural with a preposition: Each of us dreamed of becoming a geologist; One of the boys returned late in the evening (Ch.);

noun or pronoun combined with the instrumental form of the noun or pronoun: Bazarov and Arkady left the next day (T.); Chuk and Gek looked at each other (Guide.); You and I, as you say, are young, we are good people (T.);

combination of a collective noun (majority, minority, multitude, etc.) with a noun in the genitive case form: Most of the students have already arrived for the session.

The subject is often defined-quantitative combinations, indefinite-quantitative and combinations with an approximate value: four chairs, several students, many books, few nuts, few flowers, about ten schoolchildren, about a dozen notebooks.

Feature of subjects expressing an approximate amount with the help of words about, over, more, less, etc., is the absence of the nominative case form: More than a hundred kilometers were still ahead; About a dozen books read in one gulp.

In addition to syntactically non-free phrases, the role of the subject is also used other inseparable combinations:

geographical names: Cape of Good Hope, Gulf of St. Lawrence, Main Caucasian Range, East European Plain, Military Ossetian Highway, Mineralnye Vody, Bolshoy Kamenny Bridge;

names of institutions, organizations, enterprises: United Nations, State Historical Museum,

names of historical eras and events: Roman Empire, Renaissance;

names of significant dates, holidays: Victory Day, New Year.

Subjects, expressed stable combinations of terminological nature(red currant, geometric figure, verb form), as well as winged expressions such as: Augean stables, Ariadne's thread, Hercules pillars, Aesopian language, Archimedes' lever.

Other combinations of words can also act as the subject, in particular, those that reveal semantic inseparability: It was evident from everything that something was wrong with Shchukar (Shol.).

Along with this, the position of the subject can be occupied by whole predicative units. Being part of a simple sentence as its member, they lose the signs of a separate sentence and acquire the ability to spread in the usual way for the subject, i.e. attach to itself the defining members of the sentence, for example: ... A loud "Thank you, Father Alexei Stepanych!" announced the clearing (Ax.).