Survey of English Grammar Wiki: Predicate: Difference between revisions

From English Grammar
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Line 4: Line 4:
Every clause contains a predicate. The predicate is the highest VP (or AuxP) in a clause.
Every clause contains a predicate. The predicate is the highest VP (or AuxP) in a clause.
In English, clauses always have a VP predicate, however, this VP can also contain a semantically vacuous verb, such as the copula <code>be</code>, and an AP, NP, or PP (i.e. a predicative complement).
In English, clauses always have a VP predicate, however, this VP can also contain a semantically vacuous verb, such as the copula <code>be</code>, and an AP, NP, or PP (i.e. a predicative complement).
Example: with a VP predicate (a), and an AuxP predicate (b)
     
(a)      _S_            (b)      _S_
        /  \                  /    \
        /    pred              /    pred
      /      \              /        \
    NP    ____VP___        NP  ______AuxP____
    /__\  /_________\      /__\ /______________\
    Pat  read a book.    Pat  will read a book.

Revision as of 19:28, 26 May 2018

The Predicate

Every clause contains a predicate. The predicate is the highest VP (or AuxP) in a clause. In English, clauses always have a VP predicate, however, this VP can also contain a semantically vacuous verb, such as the copula be, and an AP, NP, or PP (i.e. a predicative complement).

Retrieved from "https://www.english-linguistics.de/grammarparadise/wiki/index.php?title=Survey_of_English_Grammar_Wiki:_Predicate&oldid=2305"