Select The Words That Make Up The Complete Predicate.

Selecting the Words that Make Up the Complete Predicate: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding the complete predicate is crucial for mastering sentence structure and improving your writing clarity. This comprehensive guide will delve deep into identifying complete predicates, exploring various sentence structures and offering practical examples to solidify your understanding. We will also explore related grammatical concepts to provide a holistic understanding of sentence construction.

What is a Complete Predicate?

The complete predicate is the part of a sentence that tells us what the subject does or is. It includes the verb and all the words that modify or complete the meaning of the verb. Simply put, it's everything in the sentence except the subject. Think of it as the action or state of being, along with all the details surrounding that action or state.

Key Differences: Complete Predicate vs. Simple Predicate

It's important to differentiate between the complete predicate and the simple predicate.

Simple Predicate: This is just the verb (or verb phrase).
Complete Predicate: This encompasses the verb and all the words that modify or relate to the verb.

Let's illustrate with an example:

Sentence: The cat slept soundly on the warm rug.
Subject: The cat
Simple Predicate: slept
Complete Predicate: slept soundly on the warm rug

The complete predicate describes how and where the cat slept, providing a complete picture of the action.

Identifying the Complete Predicate: A Step-by-Step Approach

Identifying the complete predicate involves a systematic approach:

Locate the Subject: First, find the subject of the sentence – the noun or pronoun performing the action.
Find the Verb: Identify the main verb or verb phrase. This is the action word or state of being.
Include all Modifiers and Complements: Everything that modifies or completes the meaning of the verb forms the complete predicate. This includes adverbs, adverbial phrases, prepositional phrases, direct objects, indirect objects, and object complements.

Types of Complements and Their Role in the Complete Predicate

Understanding the various types of complements significantly aids in identifying the complete predicate accurately.

1. Direct Objects

A direct object receives the action of the transitive verb. To find it, ask "What?" or "Whom?" after the verb.

Example: She baked a delicious cake. ("What" did she bake? A delicious cake.) The complete predicate is "baked a delicious cake."

2. Indirect Objects

An indirect object receives the benefit or consequence of the action. To find it, ask "To whom?" or "For whom?" after the verb.

Example: He gave his sister a beautiful scarf. ("To whom" did he give a scarf? His sister.) The complete predicate is "gave his sister a beautiful scarf."

3. Object Complements

An object complement renames or describes the direct object.

Example: They elected her president. ("President" renames "her".) The complete predicate is "elected her president."

4. Subject Complements (Predicate Nominatives and Predicate Adjectives)

Subject complements complete the meaning of a linking verb (such as "is," "are," "was," "were," "become," "seem").

Predicate Nominative: Renames the subject. Example: He is a doctor. ("Doctor" renames "He".) The complete predicate is "is a doctor".
Predicate Adjective: Describes the subject. Example: The flowers are beautiful. ("Beautiful" describes "flowers".) The complete predicate is "are beautiful".

Practical Examples: Identifying Complete Predicates in Different Sentence Structures

Let's analyze various sentence structures to solidify our understanding of identifying complete predicates.

Example 1: Simple Sentence

Sentence: The birds sang sweetly.
Subject: The birds
Complete Predicate: sang sweetly

Example 2: Compound Sentence

Sentence: The sun shone brightly, and the flowers bloomed beautifully.
Subject (clause 1): The sun
Complete Predicate (clause 1): shone brightly
Subject (clause 2): The flowers
Complete Predicate (clause 2): bloomed beautifully

Example 3: Complex Sentence

Sentence: Because it rained heavily, the game was postponed.
Main Clause Subject: The game
Main Clause Complete Predicate: was postponed
Subordinate Clause Subject: it
Subordinate Clause Complete Predicate: rained heavily

Example 4: Sentence with Prepositional Phrases

Sentence: The dog slept soundly under the oak tree in the backyard.
Subject: The dog
Complete Predicate: slept soundly under the oak tree in the backyard. (The prepositional phrases modify the verb "slept".)

Example 5: Sentence with Multiple Modifiers

Sentence: The incredibly talented musician played the piano expertly and flawlessly in the grand concert hall.
Subject: The incredibly talented musician
Complete Predicate: played the piano expertly and flawlessly in the grand concert hall.

Advanced Considerations: Complex Sentence Structures

As sentences become more complex, identifying the complete predicate requires careful attention to subordinate clauses and various grammatical elements. Always remember to focus on the main verb and include all words that directly modify or complete its meaning within the main clause. Subordinate clauses will have their own subjects and predicates, but they don't form part of the main clause's complete predicate.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Confusing the simple predicate with the complete predicate: Remember, the simple predicate is only the verb. The complete predicate includes the verb and all related words.
Ignoring prepositional phrases: Prepositional phrases are often part of the complete predicate, adding crucial details to the verb's action.
Misidentifying complements: Ensure you correctly identify direct objects, indirect objects, object complements, and subject complements to include them in the complete predicate.
Overlooking adverbs and adverbial phrases: These modifiers often contribute significantly to the complete predicate, providing information about how, when, where, and to what extent the action occurred.

Conclusion: Mastering Complete Predicates for Improved Writing

Mastering the identification of complete predicates is a cornerstone of effective writing. By understanding the various components—verbs, complements, and modifiers—you can craft clear, concise, and impactful sentences. This understanding enhances your grammatical precision and allows you to express your ideas with greater clarity and nuance. Regular practice with identifying complete predicates in various sentence structures will solidify your understanding and significantly improve your overall writing skills. Remember to always break down the sentence methodically, starting with identifying the subject and then systematically identifying all elements contributing to the complete predicate. This approach will ensure accuracy and build your confidence in handling complex sentence structures.