Predicate Adjectives Lesson : Explanation and Examples

Lesson Overview

• What Is a Predicate Adjective?
• Identifying Predicate Adjectives
• Predicate Adjective Examples in a Sentence
• Where Do You Include a Predicate Adjective in a Sentence?
• Predicate Adjectives versus Predicate Nominatives

Predicate adjectives enrich language by adding descriptive details. They help create vivid images in the reader's mind, making writing more engaging. Understanding them improves reading comprehension and strengthens writing skills. They are essential tools for effective storytelling and informative writing.

What Is a Predicate Adjective?

A predicate adjective modifies the subject of a sentence and follows a linking verb. It describes a quality or state of being of the subject. Unlike descriptive adjectives, which precede the nouns they modify, predicate adjectives appear after a linking verb, such as is, am, are, was, were, seems, appears, becomes, or feels.

Example: The sunset is beautiful.

(Beautiful describes the sunset and follows the linking verb is.)

Identifying Predicate Adjectives

Identifying predicate adjectives requires understanding their relationship with the subject and the linking verb. Here's a breakdown of how to find them:  

1. Locate the Subject: Every sentence has a subject, which is the noun or pronoun the sentence is about. Ask yourself, "Who or what is doing something or being described?" 
   
   • Example: The flowers are blooming. (The flowers are the subject.)
     
     
2. Find the Linking Verb: Linking verbs connect the subject to a word or phrase that describes it. Common linking verbs include is, am, are, was, were, seems, appears, becomes, feels, tastes, smells, sounds, looks. 
   
   • Example: The flowers are blooming. (Are is the linking verb.)
     
     
3. Identify the Adjective After the Linking Verb: Look for an adjective that follows the linking verb and describes the subject. This adjective is the predicate adjective. 
   
   • Example: The flowers are beautiful. (Beautiful is the predicate adjective because it describes the flowers and follows the linking verb are.)
     
     
4. Confirm it Describes the Subject: Double-check that the adjective you've identified truly describes the subject. It should answer the question "What is the subject like?" or "What is the state of the subject?"
   
   • Example: The music is loud. (Loud describes the music.)
     
     
5. Distinguish from Descriptive Adjectives: Remember that descriptive adjectives come before the noun they modify, while predicate adjectives come after a linking verb.
   • Descriptive Adjective: The red car.
   • Predicate Adjective: The car is red.
     
     

Predicate Adjective Examples in a Sentence

Some specific predicate adjective examples in action, illustrating their function and usage in various sentence structures.

1. Basic Examples:

• The coffee is hot.
  Hot is the predicate adjective, describing coffee. Is is the linking verb.
• The flowers smell fragrant.
  Fragrant is the predicate adjective, describing flowers. Smell is the linking verb.  
• She seems tired.
  Tired is the predicate adjective, describing she. Seems is the linking verb.  
• The music sounds loud.
  Loud is the predicate adjective, describing music. Sounds is the linking verb.
• He is happy.
  Happy is the predicate adjective, describing he. Is is the linking verb.  
  

2. Using Different Linking Verbs:

• Forms of "to be":

The apples are ripe.
The sky was gray.
They were excited.

• Sense Verbs: 

The soup tastes delicious.
The fabric feels soft.
The perfume smells sweet.  

• Other Linking Verbs:
  He appears confident.
  The situation becomes clear.
  It seems likely.  
  

3. More Complex Sentences:

• Although the day was long, the experience was rewarding.
  Rewarding is the predicate adjective, describing experience.
  Was is the linking verb.
  Long is also a predicate adjective describing day. 
• The performance seemed flawless, and the audience was captivated.
  Flawless is the predicate adjective, describing performance.
  Seemed is the linking verb.
  Captivated is a predicate adjective describing audience. 
• Despite the challenges, she remained optimistic.
  Optimistic is the predicate adjective, describing she.
  Remained is the linking verb.
  

4. Compound Predicate Adjectives:

A single subject can be described by multiple predicate adjectives.

• The weather is warm and sunny.
  Warm and sunny are both predicate adjectives, describing weather.
• The children were excited and playful.
  Excited and playful are both predicate adjectives, describing children.
• The cake looks delicious and moist.
  Delicious and moist are both predicate adjectives, describing cake.
  

5. Distinguishing from Attributive Adjectives:

• Predicate: The cat is fluffy.
  (Fluffy describes cat and follows the linking verb is.)  
• Attributive: The fluffy cat slept.
  (Fluffy describes cat and comes before the noun.)
  

6. Emphasis and Nuance:

Predicate adjectives allow for more nuanced descriptions and can add emphasis.

• Instead of: The house is big.
• You could say: The house is enormous. (More emphasis)
• Or: The house seems spacious. (Slightly different nuance)
  
  

Where Do You Include a Predicate Adjective in a Sentence?

Understanding the placement of predicate adjectives is essential for constructing grammatically correct and meaningful sentences.

The Basic Structure:

The core structure involving a predicate adjective is:

• Subject + Linking Verb + Predicate Adjective

This structure is fundamental. The subject is what the sentence is about. The linking verb connects the subject to the predicate adjective, which describes a quality or state of the subject.

Placement After the Linking Verb:

The predicate adjective always appears after the linking verb. This is the defining characteristic that distinguishes it from a descriptive adjective, which comes before the noun it modifies.

• Correct: The flowers are beautiful. (Predicate adjective beautiful follows the linking verb are.)
• Incorrect: The beautiful flowers are. (Descriptive adjective beautiful incorrectly precedes the noun flowers and disrupts the predicate adjective structure.)

Separation by Adverbs:

Occasionally, an adverb might come between the linking verb and the predicate adjective. This doesn't change the function of the predicate adjective.

• The performance was remarkably impressive.
  (Impressive is still the predicate adjective describing the performance, even with the adverb remarkably in between.)

Compound Predicate Adjectives:

A sentence can have multiple predicate adjectives describing the same subject. They will all follow the linking verb.

• The sunset was beautiful and breathtaking. (Beautiful and breathtaking are both predicate adjectives.)

Placement in Different Sentence Structures:

While the basic structure remains the same, predicate adjectives can appear in various sentence types:

• Declarative: The sky is blue.
• Interrogative: Is the sky blue? (The predicate adjective blue still follows the linking verb is.)
• Imperative (less common): Be prepared. (Prepared is a predicate adjective describing the implied subject "you".)

Emphasis on the Subject:

The placement of the predicate adjective after the linking verb emphasizes the description of the subject. It focuses on the quality or state of being of the subject.

Predicate Adjectives versus Predicate Nominatives

Understanding the difference between predicate adjectives and predicate nominatives is crucial. Both function as subject complements, meaning they describe or identify the subject of a sentence. However, they differ significantly, highlighted in the table below:  

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English Grammar- Predicate Adjectives Quiz