Differentiating between Predicate Adjectives and Predicate ... - Free Printable

Of course! Let's solve Question 9 step by step using the method provided in the worksheet.

The key rule is:
> Ask: “Is the subject complement a name (noun or pronoun)?”
> - If YES → it’s a Predicate Nominative (PN)
> - If NO → it’s a Predicate Adjective (PA)

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Let’s go through each sentence:

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9.1. The company director is a lazy man.

- Subject: *The company director*
- Linking verb: *is*
- Subject complement: *a lazy man*
- Is “a lazy man” a name (noun or pronoun)? → Yes, “man” is a noun.
✔ Answer: PN

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9.2. The rose smells sweet.

- Subject: *The rose*
- Linking verb: *smells* (sense verb acting as linking verb)
- Subject complement: *sweet*
- Is “sweet” a name? → No, it’s an adjective describing how the rose smells.
✔ Answer: PA

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9.3. In 2020, the Game of the Year was The Last of Us Part Two.

- Subject: *the Game of the Year*
- Linking verb: *was*
- Subject complement: *The Last of Us Part Two*
- Is this a name? → Yes, it’s the title/name of a video game (proper noun).
✔ Answer: PN

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9.4. The new teacher is he.

- Subject: *The new teacher*
- Linking verb: *is*
- Subject complement: *he*
- Is “he” a name? → Yes, it’s a pronoun (personal pronoun referring to a person).
✔ Answer: PN

*(Note: Grammatically, “he” is correct here as a predicate nominative — though in informal speech people often say “it’s him,” formally after a linking verb we use the subject form “he.”)*

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9.5. One of the most famous buildings is the Burj Khalifa.

- Subject: *One of the most famous buildings*
- Linking verb: *is*
- Subject complement: *the Burj Khalifa*
- Is this a name? → Yes, it’s the proper name of a building.
✔ Answer: PN

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9.6. Did Amer seem worried before the quiz?

- This is a question, but the structure is still: *Amer seemed worried...*
- Subject: *Amer*
- Linking verb: *seemed*
- Subject complement: *worried*
- Is “worried” a name? → No, it’s an adjective describing Amer’s state.
✔ Answer: PA

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9.7. The line outside the canteen was short.

- Subject: *The line outside the canteen*
- Linking verb: *was*
- Subject complement: *short*
- Is “short” a name? → No, it’s an adjective describing the length of the line.
✔ Answer: PA

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9.8. The first Arab astronaut was a UAE citizen.

- Subject: *The first Arab astronaut*
- Linking verb: *was*
- Subject complement: *a UAE citizen*
- Is “a UAE citizen” a name? → Yes, it’s a noun phrase identifying a person’s role/status (like “a doctor,” “a student” — these are nouns).
✔ Answer: PN

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9.9. Everyone was energetic after a day at the pool.

- Subject: *Everyone*
- Linking verb: *was*
- Subject complement: *energetic*
- Is “energetic” a name? → No, it’s an adjective describing everyone’s state.
✔ Answer: PA

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9.10. The bus was late.

- Subject: *The bus*
- Linking verb: *was*
- Subject complement: *late*
- Is “late” a name? → No, it’s an adjective describing the bus’s punctuality.
✔ Answer: PA

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✔ Final Answers:

| Question | Answer |
|----------|--------|
| 9.1 | PN |
| 9.2 | PA |
| 9.3 | PN |
| 9.4 | PN |
| 9.5 | PN |
| 9.6 | PA |
| 9.7 | PA |
| 9.8 | PN |
| 9.9 | PA |
| 9.10 | PA |

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💡 Summary:

- Predicate Nominatives (PN) rename or identify the subject — they are nouns or pronouns.
- Predicate Adjectives (PA) describe the subject — they are adjectives.

You’re now ready to confidently distinguish between them!