STRUCTURE OF PREDICATION

 The basic structure of structure of

predication is:
Subject + Predicate

 The subject and predicate can be either of the

following:
- a single word
- a word with accompanying function words
- a phrase, or
- one of the syntactic structures:
modification, complementation, or
coordination
 Specifically the subject can also be a structure
of predication which is defined as included
clause

 The predicate consists of a verb and a verb

phrase in key position
Examples:
- Money talks
- Courtesy always pays
- The sun sets in the west
 A predicate can be filled by a structure of
complementation, such as:
- The snow was cold
- The clerk sold me the shirt
- My neighbor painted his house green
 A predicate can also consist of a structure

of coordination, such as:

- We walked and talked
- People either like this place or hate it
 Sowe can temporarily conclude that:
predicate has verb component in it
either as a single verb (though
seldom) or a more or less complex
structure with the verb at its core or
the heart of the matter.
 Thus it needs to be clearly known that VERB
is classified into seven heads:
- person
- tense
- phase
- aspect
- mode
- voice, and
- status
Functions in the Verb Phrase (VP)

 Head: V
 Dependents:

◦ Pre-head modifier: AdvP

◦ Post-head modifier: AdvP/PP
◦ (Post-head) complement: NP/PP/AdvP/clause
 Adjuncts

I left very quickly. (AdvP)

I left.
Very quickly I left.

I saw John on Tuesday. (PP)

I saw John.
On Tuesday I saw John.

Mary left the following day. (NP)

Mary left.
The following day Mary left.

Multiple adjuncts
Sue slept very badly in the plane on Tuesday after
the meeting
Complements cannot be omitted (except in special
cases)

I behave very badly. (COMP:AdvP)

*I behave ___. (incomplete - opposite meaning)

I put John on the ground. (COMP:PP)

*I put John ___.

Mary left her bag. (COMP:NP)

*Mary left ____.

Santa depends on Rudolph. (COMP:PP)

*Santa depends ___.
Complements precede adjuncts
John read [the book] carefully/in the lounge
*John read carefully/in the lounge [the book].

Exception: 'Heavy' DO NP may follow an adjunct phrase

John examined (very) carefully [every single document in
the safe].