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A predicate is the part of a sentence that shows the action. A predicate can be a single verb or a group of words that includes a verb.
A subject complements the predicate when writing a sentence. The subject represents the ‘who or what.’ Then, the predicate offers a description of the actions the subject is doing.
Get tips on how to form sentences with predicates in our complete guide.
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A predicate always has a verb because it always expresses the action or state of a subject.
In many cases, the predicate is an action verb, but it can also be a stative verb (a verb that expresses a state, perception, cognition, or emotion).
Example:
A predicate always has a verb, whether active or stative, no matter what tense it is (past, present, or future).
For a sentence to be complete, it needs to express a complete thought and have a subject and a predicate.
Not sure where the predicate is in a sentence? Then, first, look for the subject and the verb.
You can identify the subject of a sentence by looking for the ‘who’ or ‘what.’ Then, the verb is the part of speech expressing the action.
Examples (the subject is italicized and the verb is bold):
The predicate always includes a verb. It may also include other words that provide more information about what the subject is doing. The verb and all the words attached to it are called a complete predicate.
Example (the subject is italicized and the predicate is bold):
In the simplest of sentences, the predicate is one word — the verb — this is a simple predicate.
Example (the simple predicate is bold):
When more than one action is happening, and both verbs relate to the same subject, this is called a compound predicate.
Example (the subject is italicized and the predicate is bold):
Note that for it to be a compound predicate, both verbs must describe one subject. If there are two subjects, that means there are two predicates. For instance: “The cat played, and the dog slept.” has two distinct subjects and two distinct simple predicates.
Knowing what a predicate is can help you avoid common grammar errors.
Without a predicate, you don’t have a sentence. Knowing a predicate is missing helps you spot a sentence fragment.
Examples of sentence fragments:
These are all subjects without predicates, and because the action of the sentence isn’t present, they are dependent clauses or fragments.
However, when a predicate is added, they become complete thoughts and, therefore, sentences:
Examples (the predicate is bold):
Comma splices can result in several grammatical issues including run-on sentences.
You can spot a comma splice by looking for two complete sentences or independent clauses that only have a comma connecting them. However, correct grammar dictates that two sentences need a conjunction (and, but, or, so, etc.) and a comma.
So, when you see a subject and a predicate connected to another subject and predicate with only a comma, this is a comma splice. And it’s fixed by adding a conjunction:
Example:
Predicates are integral to every sentence you write: they bring the action to the page or describe the subject's state of being. They provide essential information. Without them, complete sentences can’t exist. Knowing how to identify them can help you notice common grammatical errors in your writing.
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Then, discover grammar best practices in our top resources:
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