What Is a Predicate? Meaning, Types, & Examples

• Aug 31, 2024
• 6 min read

• Tags: English as a Second Language / ESL, Grammar, Language

Want to learn how to talk about the subject better? This is where the predicate helps! In this article, we’ll define predicates and explain all the rules about the predicate. 

We’ve also included the types of predicates and how to use a predicate in a sentence. To simplify it further, we’ve also given useful predicate examples. 

Let’s first understand what a predicate means! 

What is a predicate in a sentence? 

The predicate of a sentence tells us what the subject is doing or talks more about the subject. It has at least a single verb that gives more information about the subject of a sentence. 

Here are some examples to understand what does predicate mean: 

He cleaned his room. (cleaned- verb, cleaned his room- predicate) 

They drank tea. (drank- verb, drank tea- predicate) 

We gave a gift. (gave- verb, gave a gift- predicate) 

In the above examples, the words room, tea, and bird directly receive the actions. Hence, they are the direct objects in these sentences. 

A predicate can also have an indirect object (another noun or phrase that is involved in the action.) Let’s see an example of this. 

She gave her brother a new book. (brother- indirect object, book- direct object, gave her brother a new book- predicate) 

After understanding what is a predicate, let’s see its types! 

Types of predicates 

1. Simple predicate 

A simple predicate is the main verb in a sentence. It doesn’t have modifiers to provide additional information. It expresses the action, emotions, or the condition of the subject.  

The following examples explain what is a simple predicate: 

John laughed. 

Lisa smiled 

He’s happy. 

After seeing these simple predicate examples, let’s understand compound predicate in detail! 

2. Compound predicate 

A predicate that consists of two or more verbs or verb phrases that are linked using a conjunction (e.g. and, but, or) is known as a compound predicate. Both the linked verbs or verb phrases talk about the same subject. 

Browse through the following examples to understand what is a compound predicate! 

The bird chirped and flew away. (chirped and flew away- Predicate) 

He wondered whether he should choose apples or oranges. (wondered whether he should choose apples or oranges- (Predicate) 

John was smart but arrogant. (was smart but arrogant- Predicate) 

After seeing compound predicate examples, let’s understand what are complete predicates! 

3. Complete predicate 

A complete predicate includes the verb and all the words that provide additional information about the subject. 

Here are some complete predicate adjectives to explain this: 

The young girl sang beautifully on the stage. 

She decided to quit smoking. 

They told him the truth. 

After understanding what is a complete predicate, let’s explore predicate adjectives! 

4. Predicate Adjective 

An adjective that follows the linking verb and describes the noun is known as the predicate adjective in the sentence. 

The following examples accurately explain what is a predicative adjective: 

The dog remained a loyal friend. (loyal- Predicative adjective) 

He was a famous actor. (famous- Predicative adjective) 

She was an expert dancer. (expert- Predicative adjective) 

Now that we’ve seen predicative adjective examples, let’s understand predicate nominatives! 

5. Predicate Nominative 

A predicate nominative is a noun or pronoun that follows a linking verb and renames or identifies the subject of the sentence. They are also known as predicate nouns. 

Here are some predicate nominative examples: 

My brother is a doctor. (linking verb- is, predicate- is a doctor) 

Aliza’s son is the CEO of a startup. (linking verb- is, predicate- is the CEO of a startup) 

James’s best friend was a talented musician. 

The above examples demonstrate what is a predicate nominative. Now let’s see how to use predicates correctly! 

How do you use a predicate in a sentence? 

Follow the 3 simple steps given below to use the predicate in the sentence: 

• • • Identify the subject: Decide which person, place, animal, thing, or idea is the focus of the sentence. 
    • Select the verb: Choose the verb that conveys the required action or state of the person. 
    • Ensure subject-verb agreement: This means if there is one subject, the verb should also have a singular form. However, if there are many subjects, use the verb’s plural form. For example: 

There is a box. (is- Singular verb, box- Singular noun) 

There are two boxes (are- Plural Verb, boxes- Plural noun) 

• • • Choose the type of predicate and add other parts of speech like adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, pronouns, conjunctions, interjections, etc. 

How do you identify the predicate of a sentence? 

To identify the predicate of a sentence, perform the following steps: 

• • • Locate the verb: Find the word or words that express an action, event, or state, or condition of the person (e.g. shocked
    • Identify auxiliary verbs: Check for any auxiliary or helping verbs that accompany the main verb, such as “is,” “was,” “has,” “have,” “had,” “will,” “would,” “shall,” “should,” “can,” “could,” “may,” “might,” “must.”
    • Determine the predicate type: To do this, you need to analyze the following:

1. If the predicate consists of just the main verb, it is a simple predicate.

2. If the predicate has two or more main verbs connected by a conjunction (and, or, but), it is a compound predicate.

3. If the predicate includes the main verb along with its modifiers or complements, it is a complete predicate.

• • • • Identify modifiers and complements: Look for any words, phrases, or clauses that modify or complete the meaning of the verb. These can include adverbs, adjectives, prepositions, direct objects, indirect objects, or subject complements.

This concludes our guide about the predicate of a sentence! After understanding the predicate meaning, you can also create a list of predicates for each type. 

Other than predicate, writers could also find other grammar concepts like tenses, phrases, clauses, etc., confusing. If grammar is not your strength, you can consider selecting PaperTrue’s professional editing and proofreading services! At PaperTrue, we eliminate all errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, word choice, capitalization, and formatting. 

Here are some other useful resources for you: 

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Priya

Priya has a talent for academic research and enjoys simplifying complex topics. When she's not helping students improve their writing, she can be seen reading poetry, playing the harmonium, or learning classical dance.