Educational worksheet for identifying simple predicates in sentences.

To find the simple predicate in a sentence, you need to find the main action word (verb) that tells what the subject is doing or being. It does not include helping words like "will" or "must," and it doesn't include extra details about how, when, or where.

Here is the step-by-step breakdown for each sentence:

1. Sentence: The brown horse appeared at the starting line.
* Subject: The brown horse
* Action: What did the horse do? It *appeared*.
* Simple Predicate: appeared

2. Sentence: The student arrived late to class because he woke up late.
* Subject: The student
* Action: What did the student do? He *arrived*. (Note: "woke" is part of a different clause explaining why).
* Simple Predicate: arrived

3. Sentence: John looked out of the window to check the sky.
* Subject: John
* Action: What did John do? He *looked*.
* Simple Predicate: looked

4. Sentence: The big audience grew very restless waiting for the play to start.
* Subject: The big audience
* Action: What happened to the audience? They *grew* restless.
* Simple Predicate: grew

5. Sentence: The air in the classroom smelled fresh.
* Subject: The air
* Action: What did the air do? It *smelled*.
* Simple Predicate: smelled

6. Sentence: The blue dolphin swam freely in the ocean.
* Subject: The blue dolphin
* Action: What did the dolphin do? It *swam*.
* Simple Predicate: swam

7. Sentence: The wealthy owners grew flowers all around their house.
* Subject: The wealthy owners
* Action: What did the owners do? They *grew* flowers.
* Simple Predicate: grew

8. Sentence: The race track looks very wet because it has been in the rain many hours.
* Subject: The race track
* Action: What does the track do? It *looks* wet.
* Simple Predicate: looks

9. Sentence: The brown horse galloped around the track.
* Subject: The brown horse
* Action: What did the horse do? It *galloped*.
* Simple Predicate: galloped

10. Sentence: The blue birds love to eat peanuts.
* Subject: The blue birds
* Action: What do the birds do? They *love* to eat.
* Simple Predicate: love

11. Sentence: The basketball players warmed up before the game.
* Subject: The basketball players
* Action: What did the players do? They *warmed* up. ("Warmed up" is a phrasal verb acting as the main action).
* Simple Predicate: warmed up

12. Sentence: Bird watchers must always wait with patience.
* Subject: Bird watchers
* Action: What do they do? They *wait*. ("Must" is a helping verb, so we leave it out).
* Simple Predicate: wait

13. Sentence: The big company pays for its workers medical insurance.
* Subject: The big company
* Action: What does the company do? It *pays*.
* Simple Predicate: pays

14. Sentence: The bank will keep a record of your work.
* Subject: The bank
* Action: What will the bank do? It will *keep* a record. ("Will" is a helping verb, so we leave it out).
* Simple Predicate: keep

Final Answer:
1. appeared
2. arrived
3. looked
4. grew
5. smelled
6. swam
7. grew
8. looks
9. galloped
10. love
11. warmed up
12. wait
13. pays
14. keep