Understanding Predicate Adjectives: Rules and Examples

Predicate adjectives are used to give information about the subject of the sentence and can be placed at the end of this subject. Predicate adjectives are not comparable to other adjective that come before the noun as they follow linking verbs such as Is, Am and are. They assist in presenting the state or quality of the subject at hand making the description more accurate and detailed.

(In this sentence, delicious is a predicate adjective because it follows the linking verb tastes and describes the soup, giving us more information about its quality.)

How to Find Predicate Adjectives

• Locate the Linking Verb:

Begin by identifying a linking verb in the sentence. Common linking verbs include is, are, was, were, seem, become, feel, look, etc. These verbs connect the subject to an adjective that describes it.

• Find the Adjective After the Verb:

Look for an adjective that comes after the linking verb. This adjective will provide more information about the subject of the sentence.

• Verify the Adjective Describes the Subject:

Ensure the adjective is describing the subject, not something else. If it gives more information about the subject’s state or condition, it’s a predicate adjective.

The flowers smell fragrant.

• Linking Verb: smell
• Predicate Adjective: fragrant (describes the flowers)

He became angry.

• Linking Verb: became
• Predicate Adjective: angry (describes him)

The book seems interesting.

• Linking Verb: seems
• Predicate Adjective: interesting (describes the book)

Example Sentences

• The movie was exciting.
• She feels confident about her exam.
• The soup tastes delicious.
• His idea seems brilliant.
• The sky turned gray before the storm.
• They look tired after the long day.
• The room became quiet suddenly.
• Her smile is beautiful.
• The garden smells fresh after the rain.
• The cake appears perfect.

The Rules to Follow

When using predicate adjectives and predicate nominatives in sentences, there are some key rules to ensure clarity and grammatical accuracy.

Use a Linking Verb

Both predicate adjectives and predicate nominatives always follow a linking verb. A linking verb connects the subject to additional information, whether it describes (predicate adjective) or renames (predicate nominative) the subject.

• The food tastes fresh.
  (fresh describes the food.)
• She is a teacher.
  (teacher renames her.)

A Predicate Adjective Describes the Subject

A predicate adjective provides more information about the subject’s qualities or characteristics. It will always follow the linking verb and tell us something about the state or condition of the subject.

• The sky looks clear.
  (clear describes the sky.)

• The coffee smells strong.
  (strong describes the coffee.)

A Predicate Nominative Renames or Identifies the Subject

A predicate nominative is a noun or noun phrase that identifies, renames, or defines the subject. Like the predicate adjective, it follows a linking verb, but its role is to state what the subject is.

• My father is an engineer.
  (engineer renames the subject.)

• The winner was John.
  (John renames the winner.)

Avoid Using Too Many Predicate Adjectives or Nominatives

While it’s possible to use more than one adjective or nominative in a sentence, overloading your sentence with too many can make it confusing. Stick to one or two that provide the most essential information.

• The cake is sweet and delicious.
  (sweet and delicious describe the cake.)

• The guest is a doctor and a writer.
  (doctor and writer rename the guest.)

Predicate Adjectives and Nominatives Are Not Objects

Remember, neither predicate adjectives nor predicate nominatives are objects of the verb. They complete the subject by describing or renaming it rather than receiving the action.

• The room feels cold.
  (cold describes the room, not an object receiving action.)

• The artist was a painter.
  (painter renames the artist, not an object.)

Why Predicate Adjectives are Important

Reason 1: Use an Adjective When It Is Needed, Not an Adverb

Adjectives and adverbs serve different purposes in a sentence, and using one in place of the other can lead to grammatical errors and confusion.

• The flowers are beautiful.

Here, the adjective beautiful describes the noun flowers, providing specific information about their appearance.

• She runs quickly.

Here, the adverb quickly modifies the verb runs, describing how she performs the action.

Reason 2: Use the Correct Case When Speaking

Using the correct grammatical case is vital when speaking, as it significantly impacts clarity and understanding in communication.

Each case has a specific function in a sentence, indicating the role of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives, which can change the meaning of what you are trying to convey.

Difference Between Predicate and Nominative

A predicate adjective and a predicate nominative are both parts of sentences that follow a linking verb, but they serve different functions.

Predicate Adjective:

This is an adjective that follows a linking verb and describes or modifies the subject of the sentence. It gives more information about the subject’s qualities or state.

• The cat is happy and a pet.

In this sentence, happy is the predicate adjective because it describes the emotional state of the cat.

Predicate Nominative:

This is a noun or noun phrase that follows a linking verb and renames or identifies the subject of the sentence. It tells us what the subject is or what it becomes.

• My brother is a doctor.
  (doctor is the predicate nominative, renaming or identifying who my brother is.)

Key Difference:

• Predicate Adjective: Describes the subject’s qualities.
• Predicate Nominative: Renames or defines the subject

an find both the predicate adjective and predicate nominative in the same sentence.

Common Mistakes

When using predicate adjectives and predicate nominatives, people often make errors that can lead to confusion in sentence structure or meaning. Below are some of the most frequent mistakes:

Using an Adjective When an Adverb is Needed

A common mistake is using a predicate adjective in place of an adverb. Adjectives describe nouns, while adverbs modify verbs. Misusing these can lead to awkward or unclear sentences.

• Incorrect: She runs quick.
• Correct: She runs quickly.

In the correct sentence, quickly is an adverb describing how she runs.

Confusing Predicate Adjectives with Predicate Nominatives

Sometimes, people mistake predicate nominatives for predicate adjectives, especially when a noun is incorrectly used where an adjective is needed, or vice versa.

• Incorrect: The soup is a delicious.
• Correct: The soup is delicious.

In this case, delicious is an adjective describing the soup, not a noun.

Using Too Many Predicate Adjectives

Overloading a sentence with too many adjectives can confuse the reader and reduce clarity. It’s better to keep the description simple and impactful.

• Incorrect: The house is big, beautiful, and spacious.
• Correct: The house is spacious.

By using one strong adjective, the sentence becomes more direct and easier to understand.

Forgetting the Linking Verb

Another common error is omitting the linking verb, which connects the subject to the predicate adjective or nominative. This makes the sentence incomplete.

• Incorrect: The flowers beautiful.
• Correct: The flowers are beautiful.

Here, the linking verb are ensures the sentence is grammatically correct and complete.

Using the Wrong Form of “Be” Verb

Sometimes, people use the wrong tense or form of the “be” verb, making the sentence awkward or grammatically incorrect.

• Incorrect: She is a teacher, but yesterday she was tired.
• Correct: She was a teacher, but yesterday she was tired.

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