MTEL Communication Literacy Skills : Writing Practice Test

In grammar, what does the term 'predicate' refer to?

1. The subject of the sentence

2. The action performed

3. The part of a sentence that states something about the subject

4. The connecting word in compound sentences

The correct answer is: The part of a sentence that states something about the subject

The term 'predicate' refers to the part of a sentence that states something about the subject. It encompasses everything in a sentence that is not the subject and generally includes the verb and additional information about what the subject does or what happens to the subject. For example, in the sentence "The cat sleeps on the rug," the subject is "the cat," and the predicate is "sleeps on the rug," which provides information about what the cat is doing. This definition captures the essence of what a predicate does in conveying the action or state of being related to the subject. The other choices represent different grammatical components but do not accurately define the predicate. The subject of the sentence identifies who or what the sentence is about, while the action performed is a component of the predicate but does not encompass the entire definition. The last choice regarding connecting words in compound sentences pertains to conjunctions rather than predicates. Thus, the accurate description of a predicate as the part that states something about the subject highlights its critical role in sentence structure and meaning.