The predicate is the 2nd principal part of the sentence. It serves to assert something about the subject and has a definite grammatical structure.
It is characteristic of the English language that the predicate, even a nominal one, always comprises a verb in the finite form, denoting the categories of person, mood and tense by means of which predication is expressed: the forms of person connect the predicate with the subject; the mood forms show in what relation to reality the speaker places the action or state expressed by the predicate; the tense-forms refer it to a definite period of time.
With regard to its meaning the predicate expresses either a) a process developing in time or b) a qualitative characteristic of the subject. Accordingly there are two main types of the predicate: a) verbal and b) nominal.
- a) A cheerful fire was blazing on the hearth. (Dickens) Snow is still falling. (Gissing) Captain Musgrave entered the room swiftly. (Chesterton)
- b) It was a warm, still night.(Hitchens) He was a huge, strong fellow of six feet high(Dickens) The breeze me light from the south-east. (Galsworthy)
With regard to its structure the predicate may be simple and compound.
A simple predicate is such a predicate in which both the primary lexical meaning and the additional grammatical meanings (person, mood, tense, etc) are expressed in one word:
e.g. I saw her stop. (Galsworthy)
e.g. My mother was sitting by the fire. (Dickens)
e.g. No dew had fallen. (Galsworthy)
A compound predicate is such a predicate in which the primary lexical meaning is expressed in one word – a notional word, and the additional grammatical meanings are expressed in another word – a semi-auxiliary (служебное слово):
- "...my father «as a fisherman".(Dickens) She was to arrive by train at half past twelve(Galsworthy). After a while they began talking over their plans.(Gaskell)
The meaning of the predicate is closely connected with its form. The verbal predicate is primarily simple, but it may be also compound;
e.g. I cried myself to sleep. (Dickens) My mother immediately began to cry. (Dickens)
A nominal predicate is always compound: e.g. The Donsons were certainly a handsome family. (Eliot)
Verbal Predicate. The Simple verbal Predicate
The simple verbal predicate expresses an action performed (active voice) or suffered (passive voice) by the subject:
- A white mist bides the bay sometimes. (Maurier) In those days I travelled much. (Seton-Thompson) Someone had knocked at the door. (Hemingway) The door web thrown open. (Dickens) I was wired for. (Doyle)
If the verb denotes a state (to sleep, to lie, etc), the state, as far as it is expressed by a verb, is conceived as a process developing in time: e.g. She bad been sleeping for six hours. (Eliot)
A simple verbal predicate may be expressed by a phraseological unit consisting of a verb with a vague meaning and a noun which usually expresses an action (a group-verb). In this combination both elements are so closely connected as to form one sense unit and may be regarded as an intransitive verb (to have a swim - "to swim"; to have a smoke - "to smoke"; to take place - "to happen/to occur"
to pay a visit - "to visit"):
e.g. Burton gave a kindly little chackle. (Maugham) I made him a bow. (Dickens)
I took leave of Prawle. (Galsworthy) Clare gave him a swift lock. (Galsworthy)
Tom caught sight of something in rapid movement in the water. (Eliot)
Good-bye, my boy; take care of yourself. (Galsworthy) Of all that Johnny took no notice (London)
He went to the servicemen's hostel and bad a bath and a sleep(Cusack)
The Compound verbal Predicate
The compound verbal predicate consists of two parts: notional and semi-auxiliary
The notional part is expressed by an infinitive or gerund (rarely a participle) denotes the action
performed or suffered by the subject.
The semi-auxiliary part comprises a finite verb which besides expressing the grammatical categories
of person, mood, tense, etc. imparts by its lexical meaning a modal or aspective character to the
action denoted by the infinitive or gerund.
Accordingly there are two types of compound verbal predicates: modal and aspective.
The Modal Compound Verbal Predicate
The modal compound verbal predicate consists of an infinitive or gerund combined with a verb in the finite form which expresses that the action denoted by the infinitive or gerund is considered as obligatory, desirable, doubtful, etc. There are the following types of modal compound verbal predicates:
1. A modal (defective) verb or a modal verb equivalent (to have; to be) combined with the infinitive
(a subjective infinitive):
e.g. He could hear two persons talking in the pantry. (Joyce) He knew, he must go. (Lawrence)
I was to arrive by train at half past twelve. (Galsworthy) Also with phraseological units (group-verbs): e.g. And if you like you shall have another «walk with me after breakfast. (Meredith)
2. One of the following verbs which do not denote but express various modal meanings (intentions, determination, attempt, desire, hope, etc) combined with the infinitive (a subjective infinitive): to intend, to resolve, to decide, to plan, to mean, to desire, to attempt, to try, to endeavour, to fail, to strive, to seek, to hope, to long, to expect, to wish, to want, etc.
The verb to intend and to try may also be combined with the gerund.
The combination cannot (can't) help + gerund also form a compound verbal predicate:
e.g. I was trying to learn German. (Maugham) He longed to recall to her those moments. (Joyce)
I couldn't help smiling. (Maugham) Also with phraseological units (group-verbs): e.g. "So you intend to have another ride today?" (Meredith)
3. Combinations of a link-verb with a predicative (adjective or participle) which have no independent lexical meaning and do not give the subject any qualitative characteristic but only impart various modal meanings (obligation, readiness, ability, etc) to the action expressed by the infinitive with which they are associated: to be obliged, to be compelled, to be inclined, to be eager, to be anxious
to be ready, to be glad (= ready), to be able, to be unable, etc.:
e.g. Every minute or so he was compelled to rest. (London). The apples are ready to fall. (Galsworthy) And children were always willing to play cricket with him. (Galsworthy)
4. The expression to be going + infinitive which has often modal force (to intend to do something): e.g. I'm not going to stand this sort of things any longer. (Dickens)
At breakfast the next morning he asked her what she was going to do that day. (Coppard)
5. The following phraseological units; had better; had best; would rather; would sooner; would have
combined with the infinitive (a subjective infinitive):
e.g. There's a storm coming on. We'd better go home.(Galsworthy)
The Aspective Compound Verbal Predicate
The aspective compound verbal predicate comprises an infinitive or gerund (rarely participle) combined with the finite form of a verb which indicates the beginning, duration or end of the action denoted by the infinitive or gerund, such as: to begin, to continue, to keep, to go on, to stop, etc. Also the combinations: would + infinitive, used to + infinitive which expresses repeated, habitual actions in the past, e.g. The rain began to descend heavily. (Dickens) His eyes kept questioning her face. (Galsworthy)
Bessie had now finished dusting and tidying the room. (Bronte) In some cases the verbal predicate may be both modal and aspective; e.g. You must begin to study properly.
The Nominal Predicate
The nominal predicate denotes a certain state or quality of the subject, it is a qualifying predicate: e.g. The spring was late that year.(Greene) She was a brilliant and original teacher.(Cronin)
The nominal predicate is always compound in its structure, it consists of a predicative and a link-verb. The significant part of the compound predicate is the predicative expressed by a noun (or a noun equivalent) or by an adjective. The predicative serves to characterize the subject. The link-verb has no independent meaning, its function is to connect the subject with the predicative and to express all the grammatical categories of the finite verb, that is: person, number, mood, aspect, tense and voice.
When a verb is used as a link-verb, it loses its primary lexical meaning and acquires the abstract meaning of being in a certain state (He is a student), of passing into a new state (He became a teacher) or of remaining in a certain state (He regained silent).
Accordingly, there are three kinds of compound nominal predicates: compound nominal predicates of being, becoming, and remaining. Sometimes the link-verb has modal force, it shows the attitude of the speaker to the predication: e.g. You seen tired (= it seems to me that you are tired)
When he saw me, he appeared surprised. (= it seemed to me that he was surprised) In this case we speak of a fourth type of a compound predicate - the compound nominal predicate of
The most typical link-verb is the verb to be which is practically devoid of meaning and only serves to connect thе predicative with the subject. All the other link-verbs are not entirely devoid of mean ing. Compare the following:
The milk was sour. He was pale. He remained pale.
The milk turned sour. He looked pale. He seemed pale.
The milk tasted sour. He became pale.
a) The nominal predicate of being. The most typical link-verb of that type is the verb to be, but there are also some other verbs of this kind: to feel, to lock, to smell, to taste, etc.:
e.g. The sky «в blue to the very horizon. (Galsworthy) His tone sounded sorrowful. (Dickens)
b) The nominal predicate of beaming. The verb to become is the most typical link-verb of this kind.
Some other are also used as link-verbs of becoming: to grow, to get, to turn;
e.g. The sleet has become snow. (Galsworthy) Outside it was getting dark. (Hemingway) The night had gone colder. (Snow) The snow turned into cold rain. (London) Over the gloomy sea the sky grew red. (Lawrence)
c) The nominal predicate of remaining. The most typical link-verb of this kind is the verb to remain.
Some other verbs also serve as link-verbs of remaining: to continue, to keep, to stay;
e.g. The winter continued damp and wet. (Cronin) The weather kept obstinately hot and dry. (Wells)
d) The nominal predicate of seeming or appearing;
e.g. The landlady seemed a good rough woman. (Galsworthy)
He seemed so much older than his years as Dodo appeared younger than hers. (Benson)
The Predicative
The predicative is expressed by:
a) A noun in the common case. e.g. The kitchen was a white-washed room with rafters. (Galsworthy) It was a perfect morning. (Lawrence)
b) A pronoun. e.g. "Who's there?" - "It's me", she said.(Greene)
The house was no longer theirs. (Dickens)
- A numeral, e.g. We were only three at table. (Conrad) She was seventeen then. (Galsworthy)
- A noun or a pronoun with a preposition: e.g. A part of this door was of glass. (Dickens)
Mowers and haymakers were at work in the meads(Hardy)
e) An adjective or a participle, e.g. The spring was late that year. (Galsworthy)
I'm sorry to have been of so little assistance.(Shaw) The streets were deserted. (Snow)
- An infinitive. e.g. Our intention is to help you. To prolong doubt was to prolong hope. (Bronte)
- A gerund. e.g. Seeing is believing.
h) An adverb (such as in, out, up, over, so-so, etc.; also the interrogative adverb how): e.g. % guardian was out
e.g. The sun was off, dew falling. (Galsworthy) 'How is your mother?" (Galsworthy) An adverb used as a predicative loses its adverbial meaning and begins to indicate state. Compare: e.g. He speaks English so-so (an adverbial modifier of manner) How are you? - I am so-so (a predicative)
Note: The pronoun it and such and the adverb so are used to replace a preceding predicative: e.g.His niece looked just the same. So did Topper when he came. (Dickens)
He was a very learned man but he didn't lock it.(Maugham)
i) A whole syntactical word-ccmbinatlon. e.g. They were all above the average height. (Maugham)
She was thirty-one years old. (Lawrence)
j) A complex predicative. Sometimes the predicative is expressed by an infinitival or gerundial complex: e.g. That is for me to decide(Doyle)
The Modal and Aspective Nominal Predicate
Similar to the verbal predicate the nominal predicate may also be associated with verbs which impart to to the predicate a modal or aspective character. Accordingly the nominal predicate may be a) modal or b)aspectlve. ;
a) The modal nominal predicate:
e.g. "It must be getting late," he said, "what's the time?"(Gordon) "It must seem very funny to you."(Galsworthy) Surely I ought to have been acre of that simple fact. (Gissing)
b) The. aspective nominal predicate:
e.g. The apple-trees were stripped of fruit and their leaves beginning to go yellow and fall. (Galsworthy) It was just beginning to be daylight. (Hemingway) She began to grow impatient. (Hardy)
The Double Predicate
In the sentence The moon rose red we have on the one hand a verbal predicate expressed by the verb rose - a verb of full meaning which denotes a certain process performed by the subject; on the other hand we have the adjective red which qualifies the subject in the same way as a predicative qualifies the subject in a nominal predicate: The moon was red.
Thus in the sentence The moon rose red we have a special type of predicate which presents a crossing of two predicates - a verbal predicate and a nominal predicate: e.g. The moon rose red = The moon was red when it rose.
Such a predicate may be called the double predicate.
The verb rose performs here the role of a link-verb connecting the subject moon with the predicative red. Thus we see that the function of connecting with the predicative may be performed not only by a verb which has lost its lexical meaning but also by a verb of full meaning.
But performing the function of a link-verb, a verb of full meaning may easily undergo a weakening of its lexical meaning and may eventually become a mere link-verb. This weakening of meaning takes place when our attention is concentrated on the predicative which puts the verb "in the shade".
There are different gradations in the weakening of lexical meaning which verbs undergo when used as link-verbs. In some cases the verb has its full lexical meaning and our attention is equally divided between the verb and the predicative. In such a case we have a double predicate: e.g. She went аway quite a child; she returned a grown-up woman.
In other cases the verb weakens its meaning and we have an immediate instance between a double and nominal predicate: e.g. In that part of Africa the natives go naked all the year round. (we don't mean to say that the
natives permanently move about; and yet it is not by chance that the verb go is used here.) Compare with the Russian:
- сидел дома целый день. - We do not say: Я лежал дома, or Я стоял дома, we take the action which is most characteristic in the given situation)
And finally there are cases where the verb is a mere link-verb, entirely devoid of its primary meaning; in such cases, we have a compound nominal predicate: e.g. At this idea he went mad = he became mad.
