The predicate

phrasal verbs (e.g. to get up; to cut off; put on; to take off, etc.= a verb + post position), e.g.

• She is going out tonight.

• Jim never takes off his shoes when he comes home.

set expressions denoting short actions (e.g. to have a swim; to give a laugh, to make a move, to have a bite etc.), e.g.

• At the sight of the dog Sofia got frightened and gave a cry.

• The expert took a look at the picture and said that it was a fake.

phraseological set expressions (e.g. to lose sight of, to take care of, to make fun of, to take part in, to have change of heart etc), e.g.

• Bertha changed her mind about the trip to Liverpool.

• Look through your papers and get rid of all you don’t need.

Simple nominal predicates

Predicates of this kind are expressed by a noun, an adjective, an infinitive, a gerund or a participle. Sentences like this do not have a link verb and express an implied negation, e.g.

• I, a liar! (the predicate is expressed by a noun) – the implied meaning is ‘I am not a liar!’

• She, jealous! (the predicate is expressed by an adjective) - the implied meaning is ‘She can’t be jealous.’

• They, trying to help? (the predicate is expressed by a gerund) - the implied meaning is ‘It’s not typical of them to help other people’.

• Such an old man, to walk so much? (the predicate is expressed by an infinitive) - the implied meaning is ‘He can’t do/couldn’t have done it.’

Compound verbal modal predicates

Predicates of this kind consist of a modal verb and an infinitive (with or without the particle “to”),

modal verb + infinitive

e.g. Dave couldn’t look into his mother’s eyes.

They are to come at noon.

Compound verbal aspect predicates

Predicates of this kind consist of a verb denoting the beginning, duration, repetition or the end of the action plus an infinitive or a gerund,

an aspect verb + a gerund/an infinitive

• They started to talk again. (aspect verbs showing the beginning of the action: to begin; to start; to take off, to commence, etc.)

• Len went on reading. (aspect verbs showing the duration of the action: to go on; to keep; to continue; to proceed, etc.).

• The students stopped talking. Try to make your boyfriend give up smoking. (aspect verbs showing the end of the action: to stop; to end; to give up; to finish, etc.)

• My dad used to take me fishing.( aspect verbs showing the repetition of the action: used to, would to - with the past reference)