Subject vs. Agent — What's the Difference?
By Fiza Rafique & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 14, 2024
The subject performs the action in a sentence, while an agent does so specifically in passive constructions.
Difference Between Subject and Agent
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A subject in grammar is the person, place, thing, or idea that performs the action of the verb or is described by the verb. It's a broader term, applicable in both active and passive voice sentences. On the other hand, an agent is a specific term used primarily in passive voice constructions to denote the performer of the action, often introduced by the preposition "by."
In the sentence "The cat chased the mouse," "the cat" is the subject because it performs the action of chasing. Whereas, in the passive voice, "The mouse was chased by the cat," "the cat" is the agent, as it still performs the action, but the focus shifts to "the mouse," which now serves as the subject of the sentence.
Subjects are fundamental to sentence construction, indicating who or what the sentence is about. Agents, while similar, are more specific and are not always explicitly stated in passive sentences. For example, "The mouse was chased," leaves the agent implied but not mentioned.
The role of the subject is central in understanding sentence structure, as it usually appears at the beginning of a sentence in English. The agent, conversely, might not always be present and, when it is, typically appears at the end of the sentence or clause in passive constructions.
Identifying the subject helps in understanding the main action of the sentence and who or what is involved in that action. Understanding the agent, particularly in passive sentences, aids in recognizing who is performing the action without being the sentence's focus. This distinction is crucial in analyzing and constructing sentences with clear and intended meanings.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
The doer of the action or the one described by the verb
The performer of the action in passive voice sentences
Usage
Both active and passive sentences
Primarily passive sentences
Introduced by
N/A (positioned typically at the beginning of a sentence)
Often introduced by "by"
Explicit Presence
Always present in a sentence
Not always explicitly mentioned
Role in Sentence
Indicates who or what the sentence is about
Specifies who is performing the action in passive constructions
Compare with Definitions
Subject
Doer of the Action.
In The dog barks, the dog is the subject.
Agent
Introduced by 'by'.
The song was sung by the choir, where the choir is the agent.
Subject
Noun or Pronoun.
She runs fast, where She is the subject.
Agent
Not Always Necessary.
The book was read, leaving the reader (agent) unspecified.
Subject
Described Entity.
In The sky is blue, the sky is the subject.
Agent
May Be Omitted.
The letter was delivered, with the agent omitted.
Subject
Implied Subject (commands).
Run! implies You as the subject.
Agent
Performer in Passive.
In The ball was thrown by John, John is the agent.
Subject
Collective or Abstract.
Honesty is the best policy, where Honesty is the subject.
Agent
Focus on Action Receiver.
The city was destroyed by the earthquake, focusing on the city.
Subject
A person or thing that is being discussed, described, or dealt with
I've said all there is to be said on the subject
He's the subject of a major new biography
Agent
A person who acts on behalf of another person or group
In the event of illness, a durable power of attorney enabled her nephew to act as her agent
Subject
A branch of knowledge studied or taught in a school, college, or university
Maths is not my best subject
Agent
A person or thing that takes an active role or produces a specified effect
Universities are usually liberal communities that often view themselves as agents of social change
Subject
A member of a state other than its ruler, especially one owing allegiance to a monarch or other supreme ruler
The legislation is applicable only to British subjects
Agent
One that acts or has the power or authority to act.
Subject
A noun or noun phrase functioning as one of the main components of a clause, being the element about which the rest of the clause is predicated.
Agent
One empowered to act for or represent another
An author's agent.
An insurance agent.
Subject
A thinking or feeling entity; the conscious mind; the ego, especially as opposed to anything external to the mind.
Agent
A means by which something is done or caused; an instrument.
Subject
Likely or prone to be affected by (a particular condition or occurrence, typically an unwelcome or unpleasant one)
He was subject to bouts of manic depression
Agent
A force or substance that causes a change
A chemical agent.
An infectious agent.
Subject
Dependent or conditional upon
The proposed merger is subject to the approval of the shareholders
Agent
A representative or official of a government or administrative department of a government
An FBI agent.
Subject
Under the authority of
Ministers are subject to the laws of the land
Agent
A spy.
Subject
Conditionally upon
Subject to the EC's agreement, we intend to set up an enterprise zone in the area
Agent
(Linguistics) The argument that expresses the means or cause of an action or event described by a phrase or clause. The noun John is the agent in the clause John threw the ball.
Subject
Cause or force someone or something to undergo (a particular experience or form of treatment, typically an unwelcome or unpleasant one)
He'd subjected her to a terrifying ordeal
Agent
To act as an agent or representative for
Who will agent your next book?.
Subject
Bring (a person or country) under one's control or jurisdiction, typically by using force
The city had been subjected to Macedonian rule
Agent
To act as an agent or representative.
Subject
Being in a position or in circumstances that place one under the power or authority of another or others
Subject to the law.
Agent
One who exerts power, or has the power to act
Subject
Prone; disposed
A child who is subject to colds.
Agent
One who acts for, or in the place of, another (the principal), by that person's authority; someone entrusted to do the business of another
Subject
Likely to incur or receive; exposed
A directive subject to misinterpretation.
Agent
A person who looks for work for another person
Subject
Contingent or dependent
A vacation subject to changing weather.
Agent
Someone who works for an intelligence agency
Subject
One who is under the rule of another or others, especially one who owes allegiance to a government or ruler.
Agent
An active power or cause or substance; something (e.g. biological, chemical, thermal, etc.) that has the power to produce an effect
Subject
One concerning which something is said or done; a person or thing being discussed or dealt with
A subject of gossip.
Agent
(computing) In the client-server model, the part of the system that performs information preparation and exchange on behalf of a client or server. Especially in the phrase “intelligent agent” it implies some kind of autonomous process which can communicate with other agents to perform some collective task on behalf of one or more humans.
Subject
Something that is treated or indicated in a work of art.
Agent
(grammar) The participant of a situation that carries out the action in this situation, e.g. "the boy" in the sentences "The boy kicked the ball" and "The ball was kicked by the boy".
Subject
(Music) A theme of a composition, especially a fugue.
Agent
(gambling) A cheat who is assisted by dishonest casino staff.
Subject
A course or area of study
Math is her best subject.
Agent
Acting; - opposed to patient, or sustaining, action.
Subject
A basis for action; a cause.
Agent
One who exerts power, or has the power to act; an actor.
Heaven made us agents, free to good or ill.
Subject
One that experiences or is subjected to something
The subject of ridicule.
Agent
One who acts for, or in the place of, another, by authority from him; one intrusted with the business of another; a substitute; a deputy; a factor.
Subject
A person or animal that is the object of medical or scientific study
The experiment involved 12 subjects.
Agent
An active power or cause; that which has the power to produce an effect, such as a physical, chemical, or medicinal agent; as, heat is a powerful agent.
Subject
A corpse intended for anatomical study and dissection.
Agent
A chemical substance having biological effects; a drug.
Subject
One who is under surveillance
The subject was observed leaving the scene of the murder.
Agent
An active and efficient cause; capable of producing a certain effect;
Their research uncovered new disease agents
Subject
(Grammar) The noun, noun phrase, or pronoun in a sentence or clause that denotes the doer of the action or what is described by the predicate.
Agent
A substance that exerts some force or effect
Subject
(Logic) The term of a proposition about which something is affirmed or denied.
Agent
A representative who acts on behalf of other persons or organizations
Subject
The mind or thinking part as distinguished from the object of thought.
Agent
A businessman who buys or sells for another in exchange for a commission
Subject
A being that undergoes personal conscious or unconscious experience of itself and of the world.
Agent
Any agent or representative of a federal agency or bureau
Subject
The essential nature or substance of something as distinguished from its attributes.
Agent
The semantic role of the animate entity that instigates or causes the hapening denoted by the verb in the clause
Subject
To cause to experience, undergo, or be acted upon
Suspects subjected to interrogation.
Rocks subjected to intense pressure.
Subject
To subjugate; subdue.
Subject
To submit to the authority of
Peoples that subjected themselves to the emperor.
Subject
Likely to be affected by or to experience something.
A country subject to extreme heat
Menu listings and prices are subject to change.
He's subject to sneezing fits.
Subject
Conditional upon something; used with to.
The local board sets local policy, subject to approval from the State Board.
Subject
Placed or situated under; lying below, or in a lower situation.
Subject
Placed under the power of another; owing allegiance to a particular sovereign or state.
Subject
(grammar) In a clause: the word or word group (usually a noun phrase) about whom the statement is made. In active clauses with verbs denoting an action, the subject and the actor are usually the same.
In the sentence ‘The cat ate the mouse’, ‘the cat’ is the subject, ‘the mouse’ being the object.
Subject
An actor; one who takes action.
The subjects and objects of power.
Subject
The main topic of a paper, work of art, discussion, field of study, etc.
Subject
A particular area of study.
Her favorite subject is physics.
Subject
A citizen in a monarchy.
I am a British subject.
Subject
A person ruled over by another, especially a monarch or state authority.
Subject
(music) The main theme or melody, especially in a fugue.
Subject
A human, animal or an inanimate object that is being examined, treated, analysed, etc.
Subject
(philosophy) A being that has subjective experiences, subjective consciousness, or a relationship with another entity.
Subject
(logic) That of which something is stated.
Subject
(math) The variable in terms of which an expression is defined.
0, we have x
Subject
To cause (someone or something) to undergo a particular experience, especially one that is unpleasant or unwanted.
I came here to buy souvenirs, not to be subjected to a tirade of abuse!
Subject
(transitive) To make subordinate or subservient; to subdue or enslave.
Subject
Placed or situated under; lying below, or in a lower situation.
Subject
Placed under the power of another; specifically (International Law), owing allegiance to a particular sovereign or state; as, Jamaica is subject to Great Britain.
Esau was never subject to Jacob.
Subject
Exposed; liable; prone; disposed; as, a country subject to extreme heat; men subject to temptation.
All human things are subject to decay.
Subject
Obedient; submissive.
Put them in mind to be subject to principalities.
Subject
That which is placed under the authority, dominion, control, or influence of something else.
Subject
Specifically: One who is under the authority of a ruler and is governed by his laws; one who owes allegiance to a sovereign or a sovereign state; as, a subject of Queen Victoria; a British subject; a subject of the United States.
Was never subject longed to be a king,As I do long and wish to be a subject.
The subject must obey his prince, because God commands it, human laws require it.
Subject
That which is subjected, or submitted to, any physical operation or process; specifically (Anat.), a dead body used for the purpose of dissection.
Subject
That which is brought under thought or examination; that which is taken up for discussion, or concerning which anything is said or done.
Make choice of a subject, beautiful and noble, which . . . shall afford an ample field of matter wherein to expatiate.
The unhappy subject of these quarrels.
Subject
The person who is treated of; the hero of a piece; the chief character.
Writers of particular lives . . . are apt to be prejudiced in favor of their subject.
Subject
That of which anything is affirmed or predicated; the theme of a proposition or discourse; that which is spoken of; as, the nominative case is the subject of the verb.
The subject of a proposition is that concerning which anything is affirmed or denied.
Subject
That in which any quality, attribute, or relation, whether spiritual or material, inheres, or to which any of these appertain; substance; substratum.
That which manifests its qualities - in other words, that in which the appearing causes inhere, that to which they belong - is called their subject or substance, or substratum.
Subject
The principal theme, or leading thought or phrase, on which a composition or a movement is based.
The earliest known form of subject is the ecclesiastical cantus firmus, or plain song.
Subject
The incident, scene, figure, group, etc., which it is the aim of the artist to represent.
Subject
To bring under control, power, or dominion; to make subject; to subordinate; to subdue.
Firmness of mind that subjects every gratification of sense to the rule of right reason.
In one short view subjected to our eye,Gods, emperors, heroes, sages, beauties, lie.
He is the most subjected, the most nslaved, who is so in his understanding.
Subject
To expose; to make obnoxious or liable; as, credulity subjects a person to impositions.
Subject
To submit; to make accountable.
God is not bound to subject his ways of operation to the scrutiny of our thoughts.
Subject
To make subservient.
Subjected to his service angel wings.
Subject
To cause to undergo; as, to subject a substance to a white heat; to subject a person to a rigid test.
Subject
The subject matter of a conversation or discussion;
He didn't want to discuss that subject
It was a very sensitive topic
His letters were always on the theme of love
Subject
Some situation or event that is thought about;
He kept drifting off the topic
He had been thinking about the subject for several years
It is a matter for the police
Subject
A branch of knowledge;
In what discipline is his doctorate?
Teachers should be well trained in their subject
Anthropology is the study of human beings
Subject
Something (a person or object or scene) selected by an artist or photographer for graphic representation;
A moving picture of a train is more dramatic than a still picture of the same subject
Subject
A person who is subjected to experimental or other observational procedures; someone who is an object of investigation;
The subjects for this investigation were selected randomly
The cases that we studied were drawn from two different communities
Subject
A person who owes allegiance to that nation;
A monarch has a duty to his subjects
Subject
(grammar) one of the two main constituents of a sentence; the grammatical constituent about which something is predicated
Subject
(logic) the first term of a proposition
Subject
Cause to experience or suffer or make liable or vulnerable to;
He subjected me to his awful poetry
The sergeant subjected the new recruits to many drills
People in Chernobyl were subjected to radiation
Subject
Make accountable for;
He did not want to subject himself to the judgments of his superiors
Subject
Make subservient; force to submit or subdue
Subject
Refer for judgment or consideration;
She submitted a proposal to the agency
Subject
Not exempt from tax;
The gift will be subject to taxation
Subject
Possibly accepting or permitting;
A passage capable of misinterpretation
Open to interpretation
An issue open to question
The time is fixed by the director and players and therefore subject to much variation
Subject
Being under the power or sovereignty of another or others;
Subject peoples
A dependent prince
Common Curiosities
Can a sentence have both a subject and an agent?
Yes, in passive sentences, the receiver of the action becomes the subject, and the doer of the action is the agent.
How do you identify the agent in a sentence?
In passive constructions, the agent is typically introduced by "by" and performs the action.
What is a subject in grammar?
The subject is the part of the sentence that performs the action of the verb or is described by it.
Why use passive voice and agents?
Passive voice and agents are used to emphasize the action or the receiver of the action rather than the doer.
Can the subject and agent be the same?
In terms of identity, yes, but their roles differ depending on the sentence construction (active vs. passive).
What role does context play in determining the subject or agent?
Context helps determine who or what is performing or receiving the action, especially when the agent is omitted.
How do you identify the subject?
The subject usually precedes the verb and performs the action or is described by the verb.
What is the difference between active and passive sentences?
Active sentences focus on the subject performing an action, while passive sentences focus on the action or the receiver of the action.
How does changing from active to passive voice affect a sentence?
It shifts the focus from the doer of the action (subject) to the receiver of the action (new subject) and possibly introduces an agent.
Why is the subject important?
The subject is crucial for understanding who or what the sentence focuses on and its main action.
Can there be more than one subject or agent in a sentence?
Yes, sentences can have compound subjects or agents, indicating multiple entities performing or receiving actions.
What is an agent in grammar?
An agent is the entity that performs the action in passive voice sentences, often introduced by "by."
Can a sentence lack a subject or an agent?
Sentences must have a subject, but in passive constructions, the agent can be omitted.
How do implied subjects work in commands?
Commands imply the subject "you," even when it's not explicitly stated, focusing on the action to be performed.
Is the agent always a person?
No, the agent can be any entity that performs the action, including animals, natural forces, or machines.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
