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235
She paid little heed to what was going on in the world outside.
Are you taking part in the concert?
The simple nominal predicate
§ 49. The simple nominal predicate is expressed by a noun, or an adjective, or a verbal, ft does not contain a
link verb, as it shows the incompatibility of the idea expressed by the subject and that expressed by the
predicate; thus in the meaning of the simple nominal predicate there is an implied negation.
He a gentleman!
You a bother! Never.
Fred, a priest!
Rondal, jealous!
Nick, dishonest!
Such an old lady to come so far!
Ну какой же он джентльмен!
Ты - зануда! Ну, что ты!
Чтобы Фред был священником!
Рондел - ревнует! (Быть того не может!)
Ник - нечестный! Не может быть!
Чтобы такая пожилая дама пришла издалека!
Sentences with the simple nominal predicate are always exclamatory evidently owing to the implication of a
negation or of an evaluation.
The predicate is mostly commad off (separated by a comma), but a comma is not regarded as a strict rule.
These predicates are used in colloquial English, although not frequently.
The simple nominal predicate can be expressed by:
1. A noun.
My son a clergyman!
She, a nun!
Me, a liar!
2. An adjective.
My ideas obsolete!
Ronnie, good-looking!
You sad!
3. An infinitive or an infinitive phrase.
Hercule Poirot to sleep while murder is committed!
My boy insult a gentleman at my table!
4. Participle I or a participial phrase.
She spying!
Me trying to be funny!
The compound predicate
§ 50. The compound predicate consists of two parts: the notional and the structural. The structural part
comes first and is followed by the notional part.
The notional part may be expressed by a noun, an adjective, a stative, an adverb, a verbal, a phrase, a
predicative complex, or a clause.
The structural part is expressed by a finite verb - a phasal verb, a modal verb, a verb expressing attitude,
intention, planning, etc., or a link verb.
From the point of view of meaning the most important part of the compound predicate is the notional part as
it contains the information about the person or non-person expressed by the subject.
From the point of view of structure the most important part of the predicate is the first one, since it is