Database Query Failed: right syntax to use near 'LIMIT 1'

Hey All.

I am a MySQL newb, and wasn't sure whether to put this in the newbie forum, however the question is from PHP, so I figured to be on the safe side, I would post in here.

Here's the drama in a nutshell. I am following the Lynda.com PHP & MySQL training (*ducks*) and have run into an error I can't seem to resolve myself. As I am a newb to PHP, MySQL I have tried troubleshooting this myself, but I think I need some help.

I am running:
Windows 7
Testing on XAMP 1.7.3


Issue is as follows: This particular line seems to be the culprit:

function get_subject_by_id($subject_id) {
global $connection;
$query = "SELECT * ";
$query .= "FROM subjects ";
$query .= "WHERE id=" . $subject_id ." ";
$query .= "LIMIT 1";
$result_set = mysql_query($query, $connection);
confirm_query($result_set);
// REMEMBER:
// if no rows are returned, fetch_array will return false
if ($subject = mysql_fetch_array($result_set)) {
return $subject;
} else {
return NULL;
}
}


Some explanation:
-$connection is a global reference to my connection to the MySQL server.
-this function is from an external function file that is included in the document.
-confirm_query is a function that tests the the mysql_query and echo's the error back to the browser if it fails. This is where I am getting my error messages from.

The error returned in the browser is: You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near 'LIMIT 1' at line 1

I have used my code and the instructors code (that works on the video *of course*) and get the same message on both of my machines. Some troubleshooting I have attempted:

-Instructor said the "LIMIT 1" line is optional... eliminated it and recieved this error message: You have an error in your SQL syntax; check the manual that corresponds to your MySQL server version for the right syntax to use near '' at line 1
-rebuilt the SQL query to "look" more normal:

function get_subject_by_id($subject_id) {
global $connection;
$query = "SELECT * FROM subjects WHERE id=" . $subject_id ." LIMIT 1";
$result_set = mysql_query($query, $connection);
confirm_query($result_set);
// REMEMBER:
// if no rows are returned, fetch_array will return false
if ($subject = mysql_fetch_array($result_set)) {
return $subject;
} else {
return NULL;
}
}
-again, eliminated LIMIT 1, issue persists
-put the subject ID inline:

function get_subject_by_id($subject_id) {
global $connection;
$query = "SELECT * FROM subjects WHERE id={$subject_id} LIMIT 1";
$result_set = mysql_query($query, $connection);
confirm_query($result_set);
// REMEMBER:
// if no rows are returned, fetch_array will return false
if ($subject = mysql_fetch_array($result_set)) {
return $subject;
} else {
return NULL;
}
}
-again eliminated LIMIT 1, issue persists.

If I can provide any more info, please let me know! And let me say, THANKS ahead of time for the help!

 

$query = "SELECT * FROM subjects WHERE id=\"$subject_id\" LIMIT 1";

 

$query .= "LIMIT 0,1";