When can I omit the subject?

Question

Can I omit the subject if it has been mentioned in a preceding sentence? For example, is the phrase inside the parentheses necessary in the below?: >> The sculpture A exhibits degradation at a seemingly increased rate from 30 years ago. However, the surrounding environment is considered not to have changed at a significant level since (the sculpture was) carved.

Answer 1

No, you do not want to omit the subject of the clause "the sculpture was carved" because then "carved" would modify the subject of the sentence, "the surrounding environment," though of course that is not what you mean.

Answer 2

Look at your word order in your sentences, so you can make one sentence flow after the other. The subject is important here.

To do this, I would move the "since clause" and use a relative pronoun (it) to refer to sculpture:

The sculpture A exhibits degradation at a seemingly increased rate from 30 years ago.

However, since the time it (the sculpture) was carved, the surrounding environment is considered not to have changed at a significant level.

It often happens when the wording cannot be changed that a writer will fill in a gap with a word or words in parentheses to show or explain something that is missing. But I think recasting the sentence would help in this case.

Answer 3

This is a great question. In this case, you can omit the subject and replace the subject with the pronoun it. However, be aware of the frequency you are omitting the subject because if you remove it too much, it can lead to a lot of confusion. In this case your sentences can become:

The sculpture A exhibits degradation at a seemingly increased rate from 30 years ago. However, the surrounding environment is considered not to have changed at a significant level since it was carved.

A good rule of thumb to go by with your writing is: clearly announce or identify your subject in the first sentence before replacing the subject with a pronoun (such as it) in the following sentence. In the third sentence, re-identify the subject in a new way but not by replacing the word(s) with common pronouns or object pronouns.

For example, your third sentence could be something along the lines of: The combination of degradation and the surrounding environment places the sculpture in a unique setting of appreciation for the viewer.

By re-identifying your subject you're allowing the reader to easily follow what you are saying while also making sure you aren't becoming too repetitive.

I hope this was helpful! Good luck!

Answer 4

Hello! Sometimes you can omit the subject in this way and the sentence will be understood, but it's usually most effective when you are referring to the sentence's subject a second time, in a different clause, in the same sentence. Here is an example:

1. The dog's fur has been very soft since cut.

What you're really saying is: The dog's fur has been very soft since it was cut.

Your sentence doesn't work quite as well in that way because the subject of the second sentence is "environment." If you leave out "the sculpture," it sounds like you're saying something about the environment being carved. You need the to indicate that you're talking about the sculpture here.

In all cases, it's best to err on the side of clarity, so I recommend always including a clause's subject or using a pronoun to refer to it (if the noun to which the pronoun refers is clear).

Answer 5

You can use "it."