Finding Verbs in Sentences: The Subject-Verb Detective Strategy

Here’s the secret to identifying verbs: you can’t find the verb until you find the subject. They’re a package deal. Once you know who or what the sentence is about, finding the verb becomes way easier—you just ask questions about that subject. But here’s the twist: sometimes the subject doesn’t come first. Sometimes it’s hiding after the verb. Let’s master the art of finding verbs in any sentence, no matter where they’re hiding.

Step 1: Find the Subject First

Before you can identify the verb, you need to find the subject. The subject answers the question:

Who or what are we talking about?

Example:

The accident caused a traffic jam.

What are we talking about? → The accident.

Boom. Accident is your subject. Now you’re ready to find the verb.

Step 2: Ask Questions About the Subject

Once you’ve found the subject, ask a question about it to find the verb:

What action did the subject do?

Using our example:

The accident caused a traffic jam.

What action did the accident do? → It caused a traffic jam.

The verb is caused. Easy.

More Examples: The Two-Step Process

Let’s practice the two-step method:

Example 1:

My roommate watches reality TV every night.

Step 1: Who are we talking about? → My roommate.

Step 2: What does my roommate do? → Watches reality TV.

Example 2:

The coffee shop is closing early today.

Step 1: What are we talking about? → The coffee shop.

Step 2: What is the coffee shop doing? → Is closing early.

Notice the verb phrase is closing? Both words are part of the verb.

Plot Twist: When the Subject Comes After the Verb

Usually, the subject comes before the verb. But not always. In some sentences, the subject follows the verb—and this can mess people up if they’re not paying attention.

Example:

Enclosed are the recipes.

What are we talking about? → The recipes (subject) What about the recipes? → They are enclosed. (verb)

The subject (recipes) comes after the verb (are). This happens a lot in sentences that start with here or there.

Special Rule: Sentences Starting with “Here” or “There”

Whenever a sentence starts with here or there, the subject always comes after the verb. This is a common trick in standardized tests, so watch out for it.

Example 1:

Here is the problem.

What are we talking about? → The problem (subject) Verb: is

Example 2:

There were several options.

What are we talking about? → Several (subject—it’s an indefinite pronoun) Verb: were

Don’t let here or there fool you—they’re not the subject. The subject is the word that comes after the verb.

Quick Practice: Find the Subject and Verb

Identify the subject and verb in each sentence:

1. The professor canceled Friday’s class.
2. Here are the instructions.
3. My phone is charging on the desk.
4. There was a mistake in the email.

Answers: 1. Subject: professor; Verb: canceled | 2. Subject: instructions; Verb: are | 3. Subject: phone; Verb: is charging | 4. Subject: mistake; Verb: was

The Bottom Line

Finding verbs is all about finding the subject first. Once you know who or what the sentence is about, you can ask questions to identify the verb. And remember: in sentences starting with here or there, the subject always comes after the verb. Master this strategy, and you’ll never struggle to identify verbs again.

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