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In English grammar, every complete sentence consists of two primary parts: a **subject** and a **predicate**. While the subject tells us *who* or *what* the sentence is about, the predicate provides information about that subject, describing what it is doing or its state of being.
Table of Contents
Definition of a Predicate
A predicate is the part of a sentence or clause that contains a verb and states something about the subject. It is the “action” or “description” side of the sentence. Without a predicate, a group of words is merely a sentence fragment because it lacks the necessary information to convey a complete thought.
In this sentence, “The cat” is the subject, and “slept on the sofa” is the predicate.
Simple vs. Complete Predicates
To understand how sentences are built, it is helpful to distinguish between the simple predicate and the complete predicate.
1. Simple Predicate
The simple predicate is strictly the verb or verb phrase that expresses the action or state of being. It does not include any modifiers or objects.
2. Complete Predicate
The complete predicate consists of the verb plus all the words that modify that verb and complete its meaning (such as adverbs, prepositional phrases, and direct objects).
| Sentence | Simple Predicate (Verb) | Complete Predicate |
|---|---|---|
| The tall trees swayed in the wind. | swayed | swayed in the wind |
| My brother is visiting from Chicago. | is visiting | is visiting from Chicago |
| The pizza smells delicious. | smells | smells delicious |
Compound Predicates
A compound predicate occurs when a single subject performs two or more actions. These actions are usually joined by a conjunction such as “and,” “or,” or “but.”
Here, the subject (Sarah) is linked to two different actions: “finished” and “watched.”
Predicate Adjectives and Nouns
Not all predicates describe an action. When a sentence uses a linking verb (like is, am, are, was, were, seems, or becomes), the predicate describes the subject’s state or identity.
- Predicate Adjective: An adjective that follows a linking verb and describes the subject. (e.g., The sky is blue.)
- Predicate Nominative (Noun): A noun that follows a linking verb and renames the subject. (e.g., Mr. Smith is a teacher.)
Examples in Context
Let’s look at how predicates function in different sentence structures:
- Short Sentence: Birds fly. (Simple predicate only)
- Long Sentence: The exhausted marathon runner collapsed across the finish line after hours of racing. (Complete predicate)
- Question: Did you eat lunch yet? (In questions, the predicate is often split by the subject).
Practice Exercises
Identify the complete predicate in the following sentences:
- The bright sun rose over the horizon.
- My favorite aunt sent me a birthday card.
- The old clock on the wall stopped ticking.
- We should go to the park this afternoon.
Answers:
- rose over the horizon
- sent me a birthday card
- stopped ticking
- should go to the park this afternoon
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a predicate be just one word?
Yes. In a simple sentence like “Jesus wept” or “I ran,” the verb itself serves as the entire predicate.
What is the difference between a predicate and a verb?
A verb is a part of speech (an action or state). A predicate is a functional part of a sentence. While the verb is the core of the predicate, the predicate often includes other words that provide more detail about the action.
