I don't understand predicates. What are they and how do I figure out what is the predicate in a sentence?
The predicate is simply the main verb and all that modifies or describes it.
He raced home as fast as he could.
He = subject
raced = main verb
raced home as fast as he could = predicate
The three little old ladies went to tea.
ladies = subject
went = main verb
went to tea = predicate
Basically, if you draw a vertical line between the subject and the verb (usually right in front of the verb), you'll see the complete subject before the line and the complete predicate after the line.
Jack and Jill | went up the hill.
Jack | fell down and broke his crown.
Jill | came tumbling after.
He | raced home as fast as he could.
The three little old ladies | went to tea.
Let me know if you have further questions.
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Here's a really good webpage that has lots more explanation and examples:
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/objects.htm#predicate
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The "predicate" is the verb and everything that modifies or relates to the verb in a sentence. It is what the subject "acts" or "is".
The dog (bit the boy )
The dog (is a toy)
This site will give you lots of information on predicates.
http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammar/subjpred.html
This is a subject/predicate game that will help you practice.
http://www.quia.com/rr/36765.html
The predicate is the verb and the other words that go with it. Here are a couple of examples with the complete subject in italics and the complete predicate in boldface.
The girl in the red hat is my favorite cousin.
Do you see that yellow bird in the maple tree?
This site has more information.
http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammar/subjpred.html
The predicate of a sentence is made up of the verb and any other words or phrases that modify or complement the verb. To identify the predicate in a sentence, you can follow these steps:
1. Identify the main verb in the sentence. The main verb is the action or state of being in the sentence.
2. Look for any words or phrases that directly modify or describe the verb. These can include adverbs, adverbial phrases, or adverbial clauses.
3. Look for any objects or complements that are directly related to the verb. These can include direct objects, indirect objects, or object complements.
Once you have identified the main verb and all the related words or phrases, you have found the predicate of the sentence.
Here's an example:
"The cat chased the mouse under the table."
- The main verb is "chased."
- The words "the mouse" are the direct object of the verb.
- The prepositional phrase "under the table" describes where the chasing occurred.
Therefore, the predicate of this sentence is "chased the mouse under the table."
Remember that the subject of the sentence is typically located before the verb, and the predicate is located after the verb.
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any further questions.