The predicate in English is an integral part of both oral and written speech. Those who are at least a little familiar with the grammatical structure of this language are well aware that it is impossible to build a correct English sentence without a predicate. Along with the subject, it forms the grammatical basis of the sentence. Even when using the imperative mood - this is the only case when the subject in English can be omitted - the predicate remains and acts as a "framework" for the whole idea that the speaker or writer is trying to convey.
As in Russian, the predicate in English can be nominal or verbal, simple or compound. To understand the intricacies of using each of these types, you need to look at each of them separately.
Simple verb predicate
This is the first predicate in the English language that anyone who begins to study English grammar encounters. It is thanks to him that it is possible to createsuch a large number of species-temporal forms and structures. With its help, you can express almost any simple thought or idea, talk about some event that has already happened, is happening or will happen in the future.
For a simple verbal predicate, tenses in English vary, defining the components included in this very predicate. So, for the tenses of the category Simple, when forming a predicate, only the main verb, modified in accordance with the rules, is sufficient. In more complex constructions, as well as in questions and negations, a simple verbal predicate in English may include one or more auxiliary verbs and the particle not.
Examples of a simple verb predicate
As mentioned earlier, it can only consist of the main verb:
- It happened yesterday - It happened yesterday.
- She reads interesting books - She reads interesting books.
From the main and auxiliary verb:
- Will you marry me? - Will you marry me?
- This boy is playing - This boy is playing.
From one main and several auxiliary verbs:
They will be watching TV all evening tomorrow - Tomorrow they will watch TV all evening
Will you have finished this work till next Monday? - Will you have finished this work by next Monday?
From the main andauxiliary verbs and particle not:
- I am not working at the moment - I am not working at the moment.
- She has not met him yet - She has not met him yet.
For a simple verbal predicate, the voice of the verb in English does not matter. It can be either active, as in all the examples given, or passive:
This house was build four years ago - This house was built four years ago
Compound verb predicate
A compound predicate in English, in addition to the main verb, includes an additional member of the sentence, which introduces an additional semantic load and changes the meaning of what was said. A compound verbal predicate always contains a main verb and a verb object, which most often serves to clarify. In addition, it can include one or more auxiliary verbs and the particle not.
It is important to distinguish the compound verb predicate in English from the complex forms of the simple verb predicate. In a simple predicate, only one verb, the main verb, has a real semantic load. There are at least two of them in a complex predicate.
Examples of compound verb predicate
The simplest example of this predicate in English is sentences like this:
- I like to read. - I love to read.
- She wants to travel all over the world. - She wants to travel all over the world.
You can complicate them by choosing a more complex view-temporal form:
- She has never proposed to spend time together before. - She's never offered to spend time together before.
- Are you planning to move somewhere? - Are you planning to move somewhere?
Or using more verbs dependent on the main one and sequentially from each other:
We decided not to refuse to start to work at this project - We decided not to refuse to start working on this project
True, such constructions look and sound overloaded. They are very rarely used in spoken language and are recommended to be avoided in writing.
Compound nominal predicate
This type of predicate in English consists of a nominal part and a linking verb. The nominal part conveys the main meaning, while the linking verb is necessary in most cases only to maintain the correct grammatical structure.
The most commonly used verb as a link is to be, translated into Russian - to be. Of course, it changes according to the species-temporal form used. In addition to to be, the following verbs can act as an auxiliary verb:
- to become - "to become";
- to remain - "remain";
- to seem - "to seem";
- to look - "look".
It is not difficult to distinguish the nominal part of a predicate from a simple object. Take the following two sentences as an example:
- He was here some years ago. - He was here a few years ago.
- He was tired. - He was tired.
In the first case, a simple verbal predicate is used. The main semantic load is carried by the verb was - "was". In the second case, the important thing is not that he "was", but the fact that he was "tired". Without a nominal part, the sentence completely loses its meaning. Therefore, this is a compound nominal predicate.
Examples of compound nominal predicate
In English, examples of this kind of predicate can be found no less than in Russian. Here are the simplest of them, suitable for understanding the general principle of their compilation:
We are professionals. - We are professionals
- She became a doctor. - She became a doctor.
- Let's remain friends forever. - Let's be friends forever.
- You seem tired. You didn't sleep enough this night, did you? - You seem tired. You didn't get enough sleep tonight, did you?
- I don't want to look silly! - I don't want to look stupid!
Like the two previous types of predicate, the compound nominal predicate can be diversified by complicating the nominal part or using a complex aspect-temporal form of the linking verb.
He is a very interesting man - He is a very interesting man. (The passage "a very interesting person" can be considered a nominal part. At the same time, it will not be a mistake to name only the word "man" as a nominal part, and consider the rest, respectively, as an adverb of measure and degree and a definition)
Summing up
Types of predicates in English are not as important a topic as, for example, formulas of aspect-temporal forms, infinitives or gerunds. Without knowing it, you can still build correct sentences and communicate in English without blushing in front of native speakers. Nevertheless, for those who want to not only use the English language, but also understand its structure, predicate types can be an indispensable tool for analyzing sentences and identifying complex grammatical structures.
