Here's a breakdown:
* Subject: The person, place, thing, or idea that the sentence is about.
* Linking Verb: Connects the subject to the predicate nominative. Common linking verbs include: *be* (is, am, are, was, were, been, being), *appear*, *become*, *feel*, *look*, *seem*, *smell*, *sound*, *taste*.
* Predicate Nominative: Renames the subject.
Examples:
* My sister is a doctor.
* Subject: My sister
* Linking Verb: is
* Predicate Nominative: doctor (renames "My sister")
* The winner of the competition is she.
* Subject: The winner of the competition
* Linking Verb: is
* Predicate Nominative: she (renames "The winner of the competition")
* He seems a kind person.
* Subject: He
* Linking Verb: seems
* Predicate Nominative: a kind person (renames "He")
Key Points:
* The predicate nominative will always be a noun or pronoun.
* It will always follow a linking verb.
* It will always rename or identify the subject.
Distinguishing Predicate Nominatives from Predicate Adjectives:
A predicate adjective also follows a linking verb, but it describes the subject instead of renaming it.
* Example: The cake tastes delicious.
* Subject: The cake
* Linking Verb: tastes
* Predicate Adjective: delicious (describes "The cake")
To identify a predicate nominative, ask yourself:
* Does the word after the linking verb rename the subject?
* If yes, then it's a predicate nominative.
* If it describes the subject, it's a predicate adjective.