Meaning & use
predicate
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Meanings
nouncountable
The part of a sentence or clause that says something about the subject, always containing the verb and often objects, complements, or modifiers.
Grammar: Has a plural, predicates; the rest of the sentence after the subject: in 'The cat sleeps,' sleeps is the whole predicate.
Patterns
- subject and predicate
- the predicate of a sentence/clause
In 'The children played outside all afternoon,' the predicate is 'played outside all afternoon.'
Underline the subject once and the predicate twice.
The predicate must agree with the subject in number.
verbtransitiveformal
To base an idea, plan, or action on a stated fact, condition, or assumption.
Grammar: Takes an object and is almost always used in the passive: be predicated on something.
Patterns
- predicate something on something
- be predicated on/upon something
The theory is predicated on the idea that markets behave rationally.
Her training plan predicates success on years of steady practice.
The policy was predicated on economic growth continuing.
nouncountablespecialist
In logic, the part of a statement that affirms or denies something about the subject.
Grammar: Has a plural, predicates; studied in philosophy and logic classes.
Patterns
- the predicate of a proposition
In 'All humans are mortal,' 'mortal' is the predicate.
The philosopher analyzed the subject and predicate of each statement.
Word forms
| plural | predicates |
|---|
Common combinations
- subject and predicate
- Every full sentence can be divided into a subject and a predicate.
- be predicated on
- The argument is predicated on outdated figures.
- predicate nominative
- In 'She is a doctor,' 'a doctor' is a predicate nominative.
Synonyms and how they differ
Opposites
Word family
- predication noun
- The act of stating or asserting something about a subject.
- predicative adjective
- Describing an adjective or noun used after a linking verb.
Commonly confused: predicate or predict?
predicate vs predict
Predict means to say what will happen in the future; the two words look and sound similar but are unrelated in meaning.
Practice
In the sentence 'My sister plays tennis every weekend,' which part is the predicate?
Choose one answer.
The predicate is everything said about the subject, including the verb and its objects and modifiers. 'My sister' is the subject, while 'tennis' and 'every weekend' are only parts inside the predicate.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “predicate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.