Sentence Diagramming

1
Sentence Diagramming

• Part 4
• Linking Verbs, Predicate Adjectives, and
  Predicate Nominatives

2
What is a Predicate Nominative?

• A Predicate Nominative
• Is a NOUN or PRONOUN
• That follows a LINKING VERB
• And that refers back to the SUBJECT of the
  sentence
• Is sometimes called a Predicate Noun

• Examples
• Jadier Molina is the catcher.
• The Cardinals are a team.

Linking verb
Predicate nominative(noun)
Linking verb
Predicate nominative(noun)
3
Diagramming Predicate Nominatives

• A PREDICATE NOMINATIVE (Predicate Noun) is just
  like a direct object, except
• It follows a LINKING VERB.
• It is diagrammed on the baseline with the subject
  and verb.
• A diagonal line separates the verb and the
  predicate nominative.

Example Jadier Molina is the catcher.
Jadier Molina
is
catcher
subject - noun
linking verb
predicate nominative
4
More Predicate Nominative Practice

• Tony LaRusa is the team manager.

is
Tony LaRusa
manager
subject
linking verb
Predicate nominative

• The Cardinals are the winners.

are
Cardinals
winners
subject
linking verb
Predicate nominative

• The outfielders were an embarrassment.

were
outfielders
embarrassment
subject
linking verb
Predicate nominative
5
What is a Predicate Adjective?

• A Predicate Adjective is
• An ADJECTIVE (describing word)
• That follows a LINKING VERB, and
• describes the SUBJECT of the sentence.

Example The umpire is terrible.
umpire
is
terrible
subject - noun
linking verb
predicate adjective
6
More Predicate Adjective Practice

• The crowd was fanatical.

was
crowd
fanatical
subject
linking verb
Predicate Adjective

• This game is exciting!

is
game
exciting
subject
linking verb
Predicate Adjective

• The new stadium will be awesome!

awesome
will be
stadium
subject
linking verb
Predicate Adjective
7
PA PN vs. Direct Objects?

• Predicate Nominatives (PN) and Predicate
  Adjectives (PA) are similar to direct objects
  (DO), except
• They follow a linking verb,
• They refer back to the subject (D.O. does not)
• They are diagrammed with a diagonal line.
• When determining a PA, PN, or DO, always
• LOOK AT THE VERB
• Linking Verb PA or PN
• Action Verb DO

8
PA, PN, DO Practice

• The third-base coach was flabbergasted!

was
flabbergasted
coach
subject
linking verb
Predicate Adjective

• The St. Louis Cardinals scored nine runs in the
  eighth inning.

scored
Cardinals
runs
subject
action verb
Direct Object

• Matt Morris should have been the pitcher.

pitcher
should have been
Matt Morris
subject
linking verb(Verb Phrase)
Predicate Nominative