Final answer:
Compound subjects and predicates can include multiple parts of speech like nouns, verbs, conjunctions, and sometimes modifiers, so Option 3 is correct. They require careful attention to ensure proper subject-verb agreement.
Step-by-step explanation:
When we refer to compound subjects and compound predicates, we are indeed talking about structures that can involve multiple parts of speech. In considering the provided options, Option 3 is the most accurate: Yes, they involve multiple parts of speech, including nouns, verbs, conjunctions, and sometimes other modifiers.
A compound subject is when two or more subjects are joined together, typically by a coordinating conjunction like 'and.' For instance, in the sentence 'Yoga and meditation are effective activities for relieving stress,' 'yoga' and 'meditation' form a compound subject that takes a plural verb 'are' because they are considered separately. However, when we say 'Macaroni and cheese is my favorite meal,' 'macaroni and cheese' forms a single unit of thought and thus takes a singular verb 'is.'
Compound predicates, on the other hand, involve verbs that share the same subject. For example, 'The dog barked and howled throughout the night,' where 'barked' and 'howled' are verbs that form the compound predicate connected by the conjunction 'and,' sharing the same subject 'the dog.'
To ensure subject-verb agreement, it is essential to identify the subject accurately, regardless of intervening phrases or its position in the sentence. For example, in 'There were three dogs in the yard, all barking at the same time,' it's clear that the subject 'three dogs' dictates the verb 'were,' which comes before the subject in this case.