Forming correct sentences in English can sometimes feel like a tricky task. It is necessary to make sure that each portion of the sentence is synchronized with each other and is clear in its execution.
There are mainly two parts of a sentence, including the subject and the predicate. The predicate contains a verb, but the two are different, creating confusion.
Key Takeaways
- A verb is a word that expresses an action or state of being, while a predicate is part of a sentence that contains the verb and describes the subject.
- A predicate can comprise more than one word, while a verb is always a single word.
- A sentence cannot exist without a verb, but it can exist without a predicate.
Verb vs Predicate
Verbs are words that express an action, occurrence or state of being, and can be transitive or intransitive depending on whether they take an object or not. A predicate is a part of a sentence that provides information about the subject, containing a verb and associated objects, complements or modifiers.
A verb is defined as a word that conveys an action, a mood, an occurrence, or a state of being for a subject in that particular sentence.
A verb is one of the eight parts of speech. There are mainly four types of verbs including intransitive, transitive, linking, and passive.
A predicate is one of the two parts of the sentence that tells us what the subject is or what the subject does. Everything that is not the subject in a sentence is the predicate of it.
There are three types of predicates, including the simple, the compound, and the complete predicate.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Verb | Predicate |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | An essential part of the predicate which conveys an action, mood, occurrence, etc. | The predicate of the sentence contains everything other than the subject. |
| Part of Speech | The verb is one of the 8 parts of speech. | The predicate is not a part of speech. |
| Interdependency | Verbs are independent. | Predicates depend on the verbs. |
| Sentence Dependency | Some sentences can be made without verbs. | No sentence can be made without predicates. |
| Types | Intransitive, transitive, linking, and passive. | Simple, compound, and complete predicate. |
What is Verb?
A verb is a word or a combination of words that tells us about an action or a state of being or condition. A verb is part of a sentence that shows us the action, mood, being, etc., of the subject.
In English, verbs are called the heart of sentences. Verbs are mainly of four types:
- Intransitive Verb: This type of verb does not have an object. For example, “The girl is crying.”. In this sentence, ‘crying’ is the intransitive verb, and the sentence formed is in an active voice.
- Transitive Verb: This type of verb is used with an object. For example, “We should love animals.”. In this sentence, ‘love’ is the transitive verb, and the sentence is in active voice.
- Linking Verb: This type of verb links the subject with its predicate. For example, ” My favourite chocolates are Bournville and Cadbury.” In this sentence, ‘are’ is the linking verb.
- Passive Verb: This type of verb is used in sentences that are in the passive voice of formation. For example, “The test was taken by the class.”. In this sentence, ‘was taken’ is the passive verb.
In sentence structure, the verb follows the subject and is followed by the predicate. Hence, verbs connect the subject and predicate to form a meaningful sentence.
What is Predicate?
A predicate is one of the two parts of the sentence that tells us what the subject is or what the subject does. In a sentence, everything except the subject is called the predicate. A predicate is not among the parts of speech.
Predicates cannot exist in a sentence without a verb. Verbs connect the subject and the predicate of a sentence; hence, verbs give predicates the ability to exist in the sentence meaningfully. Predicates are mainly of three types:
- Simple Predicate: This type of predicate is only the verb, not the modifiers that go with it. For example, “John was walking.”. In this sentence, ‘was walking’ is both the predicate and the verb.
- Compound Predicate: This type of predicate is joining two verbs with conjunction following the same subject. For example, “John was running and jumping over the boxes.”. In this sentence, ‘was running’ and ‘jumping’ are the two verbs following the same subject.
- Complete Predicate: This type of predicate contains the verb and all its modifiers. For example, ” John and his always race each other in the morning.”. In this sentence, ‘race’ is the verb, and the predicate is complete.
The predicate is always synchronized with its subject but independent of other parts of the sentence.
Main Differences Between Verb and Predicate
- A verb is a word that signifies the action or state of being of the subject. On the other hand, a predicate is a word clause that modifies the subject.
- The verb is independent of the predicate, whereas the predicate needs the verb to exist in the sentence.
- The verb comprises only one or two words in the sentence, whereas the predicate includes everything except the subject of the sentence.
- Verbs are one of the eight parts of speech, whereas predicates are not a part of speech but rather a statement.
- Some sentences can be formed without verbs, but no sentence can be formed without the predicate.
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/4178964
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=QY_cBQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=predicates&ots=UDU_fz72fm&sig=SxyRcOwAAkYBYbaB4jmKpvPT6aw
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
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