The Predicate: The Action and Its Description
* Definition: The predicate is the part of a sentence that tells us what the subject does or is. It contains the verb and any related information that describes the action or state of being.
* Structure: Typically, the predicate follows the subject.
* Key Components:
* Verb: The action word or state of being (e.g., "runs", "is", "thinks").
* Complements (Optional): Additional words that complete the meaning of the verb:
* Direct Object: Receives the action of the verb (e.g., "The dog chased *the ball*").
* Indirect Object: Indicates to whom or for whom the action is performed (e.g., "She gave *him* a present").
* Object Complement: Describes the direct object (e.g., "They elected *him* president").
* Subject Complement: Describes the subject (e.g., "She is *happy*").
* Adverbials: Provide information about how, when, where, or why the action occurs (e.g., "He walked *slowly*").
Example:
* Subject: The cat
* Predicate: slept soundly on the rug.
The Object: The Receiver of the Action
* Definition: The object is the noun or pronoun that receives the action of the verb. It's what the subject acts upon.
* Types:
* Direct Object: Receives the action directly (e.g., "He kicked *the ball*").
* Indirect Object: Receives the action indirectly, often indicating the recipient (e.g., "She gave *me* a book").
Example:
* Subject: She
* Predicate: gave *me* a book.
* Direct Object: a book
* Indirect Object: me
In a Nutshell
* Subject: The topic of the sentence.
* Predicate: Describes what the subject does or is.
* Object: The thing that is acted upon by the subject.
Think of it this way: The subject performs the action, and the object is what that action affects. The predicate is the entire statement about the action.