A predicate nominative is a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that follows a linking verb and identifies or classifies the subject. It is also called a predicate noun.
Consider:
The new manager is Olivia.
Olivia is the predicate nominative because it identifies the person referred to by the subject, the new manager.
A predicate nominative can also be an entire noun phrase:
Daniel became a skilled carpenter.
Here, a skilled carpenter classifies Daniel by his occupation. The complete noun phrase functions as the predicate nominative, not just the word carpenter.
But a noun appearing after a verb isn’t automatically a predicate nominative. It might be a direct object, part of a prepositional phrase, or another kind of complement. The important question is how that noun relates to the subject.
How to Identify a Predicate Nominative
The key is to look at the relationship between the subject and the noun phrase after the verb. If the noun phrase tells us who or what the subject is, it may be a predicate nominative. If it names someone or something affected by an action, it has a different function.
Consider these two sentences:
The manager is Olivia.
The manager is in the office.
In the first sentence, Olivia identifies the manager, so it functions as a predicate nominative.
In the second, in the office tells us where the manager is. It is a prepositional phrase expressing location. The noun office is the object of the preposition in, not a predicate nominative.
Even after a linking verb such as is, a noun isn’t necessarily a predicate nominative. Its function depends on the larger grammatical phrase and its relationship to the subject.
Predicate Nominative vs. Simple and Complete Predicate
These terms sound similar, but they refer to different parts of a sentence.
Daniel is a carpenter.
| Grammatical term | Words in the sentence |
|---|---|
| Simple predicate | is |
| Complete predicate | is a carpenter |
| Predicate nominative | a carpenter |
The simple predicate is the verb is. The complete predicate includes the verb and its complement, while the predicate nominative is the noun phrase identifying Daniel.
Predicate Nominative vs. Other Sentence Elements
A noun or adjective appearing after a verb can serve several grammatical functions. These examples show the differences.
| Sentence | Relevant expression | Grammatical function |
|---|---|---|
| Nadia is a pilot. | a pilot | Predicate nominative |
| Nadia is experienced. | experienced | Predicate adjective |
| The airline hired Nadia. | Nadia | Direct object |
| The airline appointed Nadia captain. | captain | Object complement |
| Nadia is in the cockpit. | the cockpit | Object of the preposition in |
Predicate Nominative vs. Predicate Adjective
Both are subject complements, but a predicate nominative is a noun phrase that identifies or classifies the subject, while a predicate adjective describes it.
Compare:
The new apartment is a comfortable home.
The new apartment is comfortable.
In the first sentence, a comfortable home is a noun phrase functioning as a predicate nominative. In the second, comfortable is a predicate adjective.
The word comfortable appears in both sentences, but its grammatical role is different. In the first, it modifies the noun home; in the second, it functions as the subject complement.
Predicate Nominative vs. Direct Object and Object Complement
Compare:
Elena became a respected journalist.
Elena interviewed a respected journalist.
In the first sentence, a respected journalist identifies Elena, so it is a predicate nominative.
In the second, the same noun phrase refers to the person Elena interviewed. It functions as a direct object.
An object complement identifies or describes a direct object rather than the subject.
The judges named Daniel the winner.
Daniel is the direct object of named, while the winner is an object complement identifying Daniel.
Predicate Nominatives with Pronouns and Multiple Nouns
Predicate nominatives can also be pronouns or coordinated noun phrases.
Pronouns After Linking Verbs
Consider:
It was me.
Me identifies the person referred to by it.
Traditional formal grammar often prefers the subject form of a personal pronoun after be, giving us:
It was I.
However, It was me and It’s me are natural and widely accepted in everyday modern English. It was I is much more formal.
The traditional rule may still appear in school grammar exercises, but ordinary expressions such as It’s me should not be treated as universally incorrect.
Compound Predicate Nominatives
A subject can be identified by two or more coordinated noun phrases.
Rachel is a teacher and a published author.
A teacher and a published author both identify Rachel. Together, they form a compound predicate nominative.
Another example:
The committee’s main concerns were safety and accessibility.
Safety and accessibility are coordinated nouns identifying the concerns.
Unlike a compound predicate, which contains coordinated verbs or verb phrases, a compound predicate nominative contains coordinated noun complements following a linking verb.
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