A Complete Guide to Predicate Nominative

Predicate nominatives are the nouns or pronouns that are used predicatively to rename, identify or characterize the subject in a sentence. In modern grammar, a predicate nominative is termed subject complement. 

Pronouns that are used in the predicate part of a sentence are in subjective or nominative case in formal English, whereas pronouns that appear in the predicate part are used in objective case in informal English.

Continue to read to master the chapter of predicate nominative in English grammar. This article deals with predicate nominative definition and examples in details.

This article covers:

• Predicate Nominative - Definition and Meaning 
• Predicate Nominative Examples
• How to Identify Predicate Nominative?
• Predicate Nominative Vs Predicate Adjective  
• FAQs - Predicate Nominative

  

Predicate Nominative - Definition and Meaning 

A predicate nominative is a noun or pronoun that is used predicatively to rename, identify or characterize the subject in a sentence. That is, a predicate nominative can tell us the name or post of the subject for example. 

Predicate nominatives are used after linking verbs, especially after forms of the verb "to be". Pronouns used as predicate nominatives are in nominative or subjective case in formal English, and they're in objective case in informal English.

According to the definition above, we can define predicate nominative in points as under:

1. A predicate nominative is a noun or pronoun.

2. A predicate nominative is used after a linking verb.

3. A predicate nominative renames the subject.

4. A predicate nominative is used predicatively.

5. A pronoun predicate nominative is in subjective case. 

Why is It Called Predicate Nominative?

Cambridge Dictionary states that, in grammar, nominative is "having or relating to the case (=form) of a noun, pronoun or adjective to show the word is the subject of a verb". 

According to the definition given by Cambridge Dictionary, nominative is a case or form of a noun or pronoun that shows that the noun or pronoun is the subject of a verb. So, we know that the nominative case is subjective case, and we use subject forms of pronouns in nominative case. As we use subject forms of pronouns in predicate nominative, we call it predicate nominative. 

However, you need to know that the pronouns used as predicate nominatives are not always in subjective or nominative case. There're basically the following two situations when we use pronouns in predicate nominative differently. 

1. Formal situation 
2. Informal situation 

In formal situations, we use subject pronouns such as he, she, we or I in predicate nominative in subjective or nominative case. 

For example: 

• A: Who's this? B: It's I.

And in informal situations, people use object pronouns such as him, her or me in the predicate part.

For example: 

•  A: Who's this? B: It's me.

More Examples of Predicate Nominative

Here are more examples of predicate nominative that contain both nouns and pronouns as predicate nominatives. The predicate nominatives are in bold. 

1. John is a teacher. 

2. My son is an engineer.

3. Abraham Lincoln was a great leader.

4. She is your boss.

5. It's I who topped the class.

6. It's she who wants to go with him.

7. It's we who neglected the issue.

8. It was he who started the fight.

9. It's they who lied to me.

10. It's we who went to the market.

How to Identify Predicate Nominative?

It's quite easy to identify predicate nominatives, because predicate nominatives are nouns or pronouns that come after linking verbs and rename the subjects of the sentences. Here are a few steps to identify predicate nominatives used in a sentence.

Step 1: Divide the sentence in three parts: 1. subject part 2. linking verb 3. predicate part as shown below.

• John is a great teacher.

John = subject 

is = linking verb

a great teacher = predicate

Step 2 :  Find out the grammatical categories of each word in the sentence as shown below.

• John is a great teacher.

John = noun 

is = linking verb

a = indefinite article 

great = adjective 

teacher = noun 

Step 3: Look for the noun or pronoun used in the predicate part. 

• John is a great teacher.

John = noun (subject)

is = linking verb

a = article 

great = adjective 

teacher = noun (predicate nominative)

After the analysis, the noun or pronoun used in the predicate part that you come to know is the predicate nominative. 

Predicate Nominative Vs Predicate Adjective 

The main difference between a predicate nominative and a predicate adjective is that a predicate nominative is noun or pronoun used predicatively, whereas a predicate adjective is an adjective used predicatively. (learn more about predicate adjective)

So, there're basically three more differences between predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives. They're given as under:

Difference 1. A predicate nominative is a noun or pronoun, whereas a predicate adjective is an adjective word.

For example: 

1. He is John.
2. He is kind.

Look at example 1 carefully. You can see the order: subject + link verb + noun. The noun "John" is, therefore, a predicate nominative. 

Also look at example 2. You can see that the order: subject + link verb + adjective. Hence, the adjective word "kind" is predicate adjective. 

  

Difference 2. A predicate nominative renames the subject, whereas a predicate adjective describes the subject. 

For example: 

1. She is Sofia.
2. Sofia is gorgeous.

The noun "Sofia" in example 1 renames the subject "she" and tells us that the "she" that we're talking about is "Sofia".  

But the adjective "gorgeous" in example 2 describes the subject "Sofia" by highlighting the good quality "beauty" of Sofia. 

Difference 3. A predicate nominative is mainly used with the verb "to be" (is, am, are, was, etc.), whereas a predicate adjective is used with all linking verbs.

For example:

1. He is Smith.
2. Smith looks handsome. 

The predicate nominative "Smith" in example 1 is used with one of the many forms of "to be" which is "is". If we're sure, we normally don't say "He seems Smith." 

But the predicate adjective "handsome" in example 2 can be used with other forms of linking verbs; as a result, we can say "Smith is/looks/grew/became handsome.".

FAQs - Predicate Nominative 

What is a predicate nominative?

A predicate nominative is a noun or pronoun used in the predicate part to rename the subject used in a sentence. The word "teacher" in "John is a teacher" and the pronoun "he" in "It's he who asked about it." are predicate nominatives.

What is a predicate nominative example?

A predicate nominative is a noun or pronoun used in  the predicate part of a sentence as in "Smith is our professor. It's I who will do it"

Predicate nominative in sentences 

1. Sofia is a good girl.

2. Ayesha is a doctor.

3. It's I who ordered you to do it.

4. She is your boss.

5. John is an engineer.

6. It's I who asked you to go.

7. It's you who ordered me to do it.