Predicate Nominative Examples: What They Are and How To Use Them

Do you know what a predicate nominative is? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on predicate nominatives, including the definition, usage, example sentences, and more!

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What is a predicate nominative?

According to Grammar Monster, a predicate nominative is a word or group of words that completes a linking verb and renames the subject, and is also called a predicate noun or predicate pronoun. Different from a predicate adjective, a compound predicate nominative renames the subject of a sentence that is the one performing the action verbs.

What are predicate nominative examples?

A predicate nominative can be used in many different contexts in the English language. Trying to use a word or literary technique in a sentence is one of the best ways to memorize what it is, but you can also try making flashcards or quizzes that test your knowledge. Try using this term of the day in a sentence today! Below are a couple of examples of predicate nominatives from Your Dictionary, Grammar Monster and Grammar Island that can help get you started incorporating this tool into your everyday use.  Try to use the term predicate nominative today or notice when someone else is using a predicate nominative.

  •  He is a real help to his mother.
  •  Many people’s favorite movie genre is action or drama.
  •  I would like to remain anonymous.
  •  She will be the fairy.
  •  Her new song sounds rather sad.
  •  A popular story for children was Alice in Wonderland.
  •  Susan used to be the tallest girl in her class until the new students Beth, Sarah, Alicia and Willie came along.
  •  The people in America were musicians until the mystery of their friendship got in the way.
  •  When I was younger, my favorite pastime was reading.
  •  My mouth was the shape of an oval when Luke won the contest at the concert.
  •  Dinner can be whatever you find in the refrigerator.
  •  “Today is a king in disguise.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
  •  I could have been a contender. I could have been somebody . (Actor Marlon Brando as Terry Malloy in the 1954 film “On the Waterfront”)
  •  BMWs and Mercedes are luxury cars.
  •  A dog is man’s best friend.
  •  JoSarahhn was a policeman.
  •  You seem upset at your close friends.
  •  Curt’s favorite toy is the Jack in the Box.
  •  Lewis Carroll is the author of Alice in Wonderland.
  •  For many of us on the team, the fans were an embarrassment.
  •  My homes have been a basement apartment, a trailer, and a house.
  •  The president after George Washington was John Adams.
  •  An honest man should have been the leader of the country.
  •  A U.S. senator for twelve years was Rufus King.
  •  Kathy has been my neighbor since I moved in.
  •  Mario Garcia has been councilman for five years.
  •  Before the competition, they were the favorites to win.
  •  Andrea was a wonderful tenor.
  •  Her new soup tastes horrific.
  •  The soup smells good to Mom.
  •  A teenager’s favorite birthday present must be hot dogs.
  •  Why does she appear so upset?
  •  “We are the world / We are the children / We are the ones who make a brighter day.” – “We Are the World” by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie
  •  J. K. Rowling may be one of the best writers ever.
  •  Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first astronauts to walk in the moon.
  •  “I am the king of the world!” – Jack Dawson, Titanic
  •  I am now acting president of the corporation.
  •  Wind turbines are a renewable source of power.
  •  At the end of the tournament, my daughter was the leader.

What are other grammar terms?

There are many different literary and grammatical techniques and devices that you might see when you are reading prose or poetry. It is important to recognize these terms because they are always used for some purpose. Knowing these devices can help readers understand the author’s deeper meaning and why they are using such a device. Take a look at the below list of grammatical devices from OED and see how many you know! Then try researching ones that are unfamiliar to you. 

  •  finite
  •  protasis
  •  case
  •  copular verb | copula
  •  noun (n.)
  •  locative
  •  antecedent
  •  present tense
  •  feminine
  •  number
  •  similative
  •  progressive
  •  participle | past participle | present participle
  •  complement
  •  quasi-
  •  person
  •  dative
  •  genitive
  •  determiner
  •  adverb (adv.)
  •  phrase (phr.)
  •  conditional
  •  non-finite
  •  abstract
  •  collocation | collocate
  •  subordinate clause
  •  pro-form
  •  first person
  •  zero
  •  passive
  •  common noun
  •  perfect
  •  positive
  •  indirect object
  •  plural
  •  ellipsis | elliptical
  •  relative
  •  demonstrative
  •  masculine
  •  gender
  •  object | direct object | indirect object
  •  element
  •  intransitive
  •  main verb
  •  apposition
  •  combining form (comb. form)
  •  attributive
  •  suffix
  •  combination
  •  indicative
  •  unmarked genitive
  •  passive infinitive
  •  auxiliary verb | auxiliary
  •  sentence adverb |sentence adverbial
  •  conjunction (conj.)
  •  second person
  •  filler
  •  participial adjective
  •  preposition (prep.)
  •  modify | modifier
  •  objective
  •  comparative
  •  cataphoric
  •  superlative
  •  phrasal verb
  •  interrogative
  •  singular
  •  to-infinitive
  •  predicative
  •  direct question
  •  compound | compounding
  •  double object
  •  that-clause
  •  declarative
  •  modal verb | modal auxiliary verb | modal auxiliary
  •  article
  •  appositive
  •  morpheme
  •  postmodify | postmodifier
  •  instrumental
  •  indirect question
  •  premodify | premodifier
  •  past tense
  •  third-person
  •  pronoun (pron.)
  •  construction
  •  possessive adjective
  •  causative
  •  prepositional passive
  •  agent noun
  •  non-referential
  •  pleonasm | pleonastic
  •  indirect passive
  •  head
  •  anaphoric
  •  verbal noun
  •  base form
  •  bare infinitive
  •  collective noun
  •  simple
  •  subjunctive
  •  definite article
  •  prefix
  •  interjection
  •  intensifier
  •  direct object
  •  cognate object
  •  complementary
  •  indirect speech
  •  mass noun
  •  proper noun | proper name
  •  transitive
  •  impersonal (impers.)
  •  suffix
  •  infinitive
  •  periphrasis | periphrastic
  •  stem
  •  vocative
  •  special use
  •  accusative
  •  indefinite
  •  direct speech
  •  nominative
  •  parenthetical | parenthetically
  •  past participle
  •  anticipatory
  •  subjective
  •  nominal relative | nominal relative clause
  •  tense
  •  clause
  •  dual
  •  apodosis and protasis
  •  personal pronoun
  •  main clause
  •  gerund
  •  prepositional phrase
  •  prepositional object
  •  verb (v.)
  •  imperative (imper.)
  •  mood
  •  possessive pronoun
  •  optative
  •  present participle
  •  part of speech
  •  noun phrase
  •  adjective
  •  parasynthetic
  •  absolute (absol.)
  •  construed (const., constr.)
  •  agree | agreement
  •  active
  •  count noun
  •  neuter
  •  concrete
  •  subject
  •  possessive
  •  adverbial | adverbially
  •  inflection | inflected | inflectional
  •  reflexive

Overall, a predicate nominative is a word or group of words that completes a linking verb and renames the subject.

Sources:

  1. Glossary of Grammatical Terms | OED
  2. Examples of Predicate Nouns in Sentences | Your Dictionary 
  3. Predicate Nominative | Grammar Island 
  4. Predicate Nominative | What Is a Predicate Nominative? | Grammar Monster 
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Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.

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