MTEL Communication Literacy Skills : Writing Practice Test

What does the term 'predicate' refer to in a sentence?

1. The subject of the sentence

2. The action or what is being said about the subject

3. The descriptive element of the sentence

4. The introductory phrase of the sentence

The correct answer is: The action or what is being said about the subject

The term 'predicate' in a sentence refers specifically to the action or what is being said about the subject. In grammatical terms, the predicate expresses something about the subject, typically including the verb and the rest of the sentence that provides additional information regarding what the subject is doing or is like. For example, in the sentence "The cat sleeps," "sleeps" is the predicate because it tells us what the cat (the subject) is doing. Understanding that the predicate encompasses not just the verb but also any objects, complements, or modifiers associated with the verb clarifies its role in conveying the main action or state of being within the sentence. This is foundational to sentence structure and helps in grasping more complex ideas in writing.