Kaplan Nursing Entrance Practice Exam

What noun is the subject in the sentence, "It was a thorough examination that led the doctor to recommend surgery?"

1. Doctor

2. Examination

3. Surgery

4. Recommendation

The correct answer is: Examination

In the sentence, "It was a thorough examination that led the doctor to recommend surgery," the subject of the sentence is "examination." The subject is the noun that the sentence is primarily about and typically performs the action of the verb. Here, the phrase "It was a thorough examination" tells us that the examination is what is being identified or described. The action of leading the doctor to recommend surgery is performed by the examination, not the doctor. This means that "examination" is what is being referred to as the main focus of the sentence. It sets up the context for the rest of the clause, highlighting the significance of the examination in the decision-making process regarding surgery. Therefore, identifying "examination" as the subject reflects an understanding of how nouns function within a sentence structure.