Can adjectives be used as subject?

Can adjectives be used as subject to a verb in a sentence?
In standard English grammar, adjectives cannot be used as the simple subject of a sentence on their own. The simple subject must be a noun or a pronoun.
However, there are a few important exceptions and related constructions where an adjective-like word or phrase acts like a subject:
1. The Adjective as a Noun (Nominal Adjective)
An adjective can be used to refer to a group of people or things that share that quality. In this construction, the adjective is functioning as a noun (a nominal adjective) and can be the subject.
 * Example 1: "The poor are often forgotten."
   * Subject: "The poor" (meaning "poor people")
 * Example 2: "The brave deserve our respect."
   * Subject: "The brave" (meaning "brave people")
 * Example 3: "The unexpected happened."
   * Subject: "The unexpected" (meaning "the unexpected event/thing")
In these cases, the adjective usually follows the definite article "the" and refers to a plural class of people or an abstract concept.
2. Gerunds and Infinitives
While not adjectives, it's worth noting that gerunds (verb forms ending in -ing that function as nouns) and infinitives (to + verb, functioning as a noun) are often mistakenly viewed as adjectives by new learners because they look like verb forms. They can, and often do, serve as the subject.
 * Gerund: "Running is good exercise."
   * Subject: "Running"
 * Infinitive: "To err is human."
   * Subject: "To err"
3. Subject Complements (The Most Common Confusion)
It is very common for an adjective to follow the subject, especially with linking verbs (like to be, seem, become, etc.). In this case, the adjective is a subject complement (specifically, a predicate adjective), and it modifies the subject, but it is not the subject itself.
 * Sentence: "The dog is happy."
   * Subject: "The dog" (noun)
   * Subject Complement/Predicate Adjective: "happy" (adjective, describing the dog)

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