Basic Details
Word: Predicatively
Part of Speech: Adverb
Meaning: In grammar, used after a verb such as be, seem or become, rather than before a noun. In 'The baby is asleep', asleep is used predicatively.
Antonyms: attributively
How to Spell Predicatively
Syllables: pre - dic - a - tive - ly
Tricky part: The e of predicative stays before ly (predicativly is wrong). Between dic and tive there is a single a.
Watch out for: predicativly, predicatevely, predicitively, predicativelly
Memory tip: Find the cat in the middle: predi-CAT-ively. The cat sits after the verb, just as a predicative word does.
Usage Examples
Example 1: In 'The soup is hot', the adjective hot is used predicatively.
Example 2: Our English teacher asked us to write five sentences using adjectives predicatively.
Example 3: Some adjectives can be used both before a noun and predicatively.
Fun Fact
A few adjectives, such as afraid, alone and asleep, normally appear only after the verb: we say the child is afraid, not the afraid child.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
predicattively
a) a
b) v
c) i
d) t
Show answer
d) t. Predicate has a single t, and it stays single in predicatively.
Spell-o-Spell
Only one of these words is spelt correctly. Choose its meaning:
1. grammaticly 2. adverbaly 3. predicatively 4. attributivly
a) in the way an adverb works
b) in a way that follows the rules of grammar
c) in the position before a noun
d) in the position after a verb such as be
Show answer
d) in the position after a verb such as be. The other three have each lost a letter or two near the ending; predicatively keeps all of its letters.
Mingle-Mangle
The jumbled word in the sentence hides a real word. Choose it:
Some adjectives can only be used lpcvadetrieiy, after the verb.
a) predictably
b) predictively
c) productively
d) predicatively
Show answer
d) predicatively. Predictively lacks the a, predictably needs a b and productively a u and o; thirteen letters leave only predicatively.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. In which sentence is the adjective used predicatively?
a) The road was empty.
b) She flew a red kite.
c) An old man waved.
d) The empty road wound on.
Show answer
a) The road was empty.
2. Which adjective is used only before a noun and never predicatively?
a) tall
b) happy
c) main
d) cold
Show answer
c) main
