What is a Predicative Adjective?

S2-SA1-0223

Grade Level:

Class 3

NLP, Law, History, Social Sciences, Literature, Journalism, Communication

Definition

What is it?

A predicative adjective is an adjective that describes the subject of a sentence but comes after a linking verb (like 'is', 'am', 'are', 'was', 'were', 'seem', 'become', 'feel', 'look'). It doesn't appear directly before the noun it describes. Instead, it links back to the subject through the verb.

Simple Example

Quick Example

Imagine your cricket team just won a match. You might say, 'Our team is victorious!' Here, 'victorious' describes 'our team', but it comes after the linking verb 'is'. If you said 'Our victorious team', 'victorious' would be an attributive adjective.

Worked Example

Step-by-Step

Let's find the predicative adjective in the sentence: 'The chai tastes delicious.'
---Step 1: Identify the subject of the sentence. The subject is 'The chai'.
---Step 2: Identify the verb. The verb is 'tastes'. This is a linking verb because it connects the subject to a description.
---Step 3: Look for the word that describes the subject and comes after the linking verb. The word 'delicious' describes 'the chai'.
---Step 4: Confirm that 'delicious' is an adjective. Yes, it describes a quality of the chai.
---Answer: 'delicious' is the predicative adjective.

Why It Matters

Understanding predicative adjectives helps you write clearer and more precise sentences, which is crucial in subjects like Literature and Journalism. In fields like Law and Social Sciences, accurate language ensures your arguments are understood correctly. Good communication skills, built on strong grammar, are valued in almost every career, from a software engineer to a government officer.

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE: Confusing predicative adjectives with adverbs. Students might think 'The food smells deliciously' is correct. | CORRECTION: Predicative adjectives describe nouns (subjects), not verbs. 'The food smells delicious' is correct because 'delicious' describes 'the food', not how it smells.

MISTAKE: Using an attributive adjective when a predicative one is needed, or vice-versa. For example, saying 'The happy child is' instead of 'The child is happy.' | CORRECTION: Remember that predicative adjectives follow linking verbs and describe the subject. Attributive adjectives come directly before the noun.

MISTAKE: Not recognizing linking verbs correctly. Students might think 'ran' is a linking verb. | CORRECTION: Linking verbs connect the subject to a description (adjective) or another noun. Common linking verbs include forms of 'to be' (is, am, are, was, were) and verbs like 'seem', 'feel', 'look', 'taste', 'smell', 'become', 'appear'.

Practice Questions

Try It Yourself

QUESTION: Identify the predicative adjective in: 'The new phone looks expensive.' | ANSWER: expensive

QUESTION: Which word is the predicative adjective in the sentence: 'After the long journey, the passengers felt tired.' | ANSWER: tired

QUESTION: Complete the sentence with a suitable predicative adjective: 'The little puppy became very ____ after playing all day.' | ANSWER: sleepy (or tired, playful, etc., as long as it's an adjective)

MCQ

Quick Quiz

Which sentence contains a predicative adjective?

The fast car zoomed past.

She quickly ran to the shop.

The mangoes are sweet.

He bought a red pen.

The Correct Answer Is:

In option C, 'sweet' describes 'mangoes' (the subject) and comes after the linking verb 'are'. Options A and D have attributive adjectives ('fast', 'red') directly before nouns. Option B has an adverb ('quickly') describing a verb.

Real World Connection

In the Real World

When you read news headlines or social media posts, you often see predicative adjectives. For example, 'Petrol prices seem high' or 'The new movie was fantastic'. Journalists and content creators use them to convey information clearly and concisely. Even in app reviews, like for a food delivery app, you might read 'The delivery was quick' or 'The food tasted fresh', where 'quick' and 'fresh' are predicative adjectives.

Key Vocabulary

Key Terms

ADJECTIVE: A word that describes a noun or pronoun. | SUBJECT: The noun or pronoun that performs the action or is described in a sentence. | LINKING VERB: A verb that connects the subject to a word that describes or renames the subject. | ATTRIBUTIVE ADJECTIVE: An adjective that comes directly before the noun it describes.

What's Next

What to Learn Next

Great job understanding predicative adjectives! Next, you can explore 'Attributive Adjectives' to see how they differ and 'Adverbial Phrases' to further strengthen your understanding of how words modify each other in sentences. This will make your writing even more impactful!