What is Predicate Nominative? | Predicate Nominative Examples and Definition

What Is a Predicate Nominative?

A predicate nominative is a subject complement, a word or group of words that follows a linking verb or verb phrase such as is, are, was, has been, and can be. It renames, identifies, or defines the subject or subjects. A predicate nominative always takes the form of a noun or pronoun and helps provide information by categorizing the subject in some way. Read below for further explanation and some practical examples.

Predicate Nominative Examples:

What is Predicate Nominative?

(What are stallions? They are horses. Horses is the predicate nominative; it identifies stallions.)

Predicate Nominative Example: Sean Connery has been an actor for many years.

(What has Sean Connery been? He has been an actor. Actor is the predicate nominative; it identifies Sean Connery.)

Predicate Nominative Example: The Turn of the Screw is a famous Henry James novel.

(What is The Turn of the Screw? It is a novel. Novel is the predicate nominative; it identifies The Turn of the Screw.)

Predicate Nominative Example: Art Deco is a style of design that was popular in the 1920s and 1930s.

(What is Art Deco? It is a style. Style is the predicate nominative; it identifies Art Deco.)

Predicate Nominative Example: Marie Curie was a chemist and physicist who won two Nobel Prizes.

(Who was Marie Curie? She was a chemist and physicist. Chemist and physicist are each a predicate nominative; they identify Marie Curie.)

Predicate Nominative Example: Seychelles is a country consisting of over 100 islands.

(What is Seychelles? It is a country. Country is the predicate nominative; it identifies Seychelles.)

Predicate Nominative Example: Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were dancers who appeared in many films together.

(Who were Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers? They were dancers. Dancers is the predicate nominative; it identifies Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.)

Predicate Nominative Examples

(Who is Bill Gates? He is a businessman and philanthropist. Businessman and philanthropist each is a predicate nominative; they identify Bill Gates.)

Predicate Nominative Example: Penicillin has been a treatment for infections since the 1940s.

(What is penicillin? It is a treatment. Treatment is the predicate nominative; it identifies penicillin.)

Predicate Nominative Example: Ivy is a plant that commonly grows along buildings.

(What is ivy? It is a plant. Plant is the predicate nominative; it identifies ivy.)

Predicate Nominative Example: The Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos were the teams that played in the Super Bowl in 2014.

(What are the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos? They are teams. Teams is the predicate nominative; it identifies Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos.)

Predicate Nominative Example: Elena and Troy are students at the university.

(What are Elena and Troy? They are students. Students is the predicate nominative; it identifies Elena and Troy.)

Why is a Predicate Nominative Important?

The predicate nominative provides critical information to the reader by helping to explain exactly what a subject is.