Predicate Adjective - Examples, How to use, PDF - Free Printable

Let’s go step by step to solve each sentence.

We are looking for the predicate adjective — that’s an adjective that comes after a linking verb and describes the subject.

Linking verbs include: *be, feel, look, smell, taste, sound, seem, appear, become, grow, turn, remain, stay*.

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1. The air feels warm today.
→ Linking verb: *feels*
→ What does it describe? The air → *warm* is describing the air.
✔ Predicate adjective: warm

2. The flowers smell unusually sweet.
→ Linking verb: *smell*
→ Describes the flowers → *sweet* (note: “unusually” is an adverb modifying “sweet”)
✔ Predicate adjective: sweet

3. High in the sky is the sun.
→ This one is tricky. “Is” is the linking verb. But what’s being described? “The sun” is the subject. Is there an adjective describing it? “High” is actually part of the prepositional phrase “in the sky”, not directly describing the sun as an adjective after the verb. Wait — let’s re-read: “High in the sky is the sun.” Actually, this is inverted. The real structure is: “The sun is high in the sky.” So “high” is describing the sun.
✔ Predicate adjective: high

4. The horses look peaceful in the meadow.
→ Linking verb: *look*
→ Describes the horses → *peaceful*
✔ Predicate adjective: peaceful

5. Sharon feels happy outside.
→ Linking verb: *feels*
→ Describes Sharon → *happy* (“outside” is where she is, not describing her)
✔ Predicate adjective: happy

6. She is eager for a ride on her horse.
→ Linking verb: *is*
→ Describes “she” → *eager*
✔ Predicate adjective: eager

7. Her horse appears ready to go.
→ Linking verb: *appears*
→ Describes the horse → *ready*
✔ Predicate adjective: ready

8. How beautiful is the day!
→ Inverted sentence. Normal order: “The day is how beautiful!” → “beautiful” describes “the day”
✔ Predicate adjective: beautiful

9. The surgeon was skillful in the operating room.
→ Linking verb: *was*
→ Describes the surgeon → *skillful*
✔ Predicate adjective: skillful

10. The mango tastes bitter, but I will eat it anyway.
→ Linking verb: *tastes*
→ Describes the mango → *bitter*
✔ Predicate adjective: bitter

11. That horse at the far end of the meadow is fast.
→ Linking verb: *is*
→ Describes the horse → *fast*
✔ Predicate adjective: fast

12. Its coat appears gray in the shade.
→ Linking verb: *appears*
→ Describes the coat → *gray*
✔ Predicate adjective: gray

13. However, it becomes silver in the bright sun.
→ Linking verb: *becomes*
→ Describes “it” → *silver*
✔ Predicate adjective: silver

14. Horses like that are unusual.
→ Linking verb: *are*
→ Describes “horses like that” → *unusual*
✔ Predicate adjective: unusual

15. They are usually well-trained.
→ Linking verb: *are*
→ Describes “they” → *well-trained* (this is a compound adjective)
✔ Predicate adjective: well-trained

16. Rin Tin Tin and Lassie seem brave in their movies.
→ Linking verb: *seem*
→ Describes both dogs → *brave*
✔ Predicate adjective: brave

17. When audiences watched, they felt good.
→ Linking verb: *felt*
→ Describes “they” (audiences) → *good*
✔ Predicate adjective: good

18. Rin Tin Tin looked fearless.
→ Linking verb: *looked*
→ Describes Rin Tin Tin → *fearless*
✔ Predicate adjective: fearless

Now for sentences 19 and 20 — we need to write our own sentences using the given linking verbs with a predicate adjective.

19. feel → Example: I feel tired after running.
But since we’re just writing the sentence, we can pick any simple one.

20. taste → Example: The soup tastes salty.

Wait — the directions say: “Use the linking verb to write a sentence containing a predicate adjective.” So we make up a sentence for each.

Let’s keep them simple:

19. She feels proud of her test score. → predicate adjective: proud
But we don’t have to identify it — just write the sentence.

Actually, rereading: “Write the predicate adjective from each sentence. Then write the word it modifies.” — that’s for 1–18.

For 19 and 20: “Use the linking verb to write a sentence containing a predicate adjective.”

So we just write a full sentence using “feel” or “taste” as a linking verb with a predicate adjective.

Examples:

19. He feels nervous before the game.
20. The cake tastes delicious.

Perfect.

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Final Answer:

1. warm – air
2. sweet – flowers
3. high – sun
4. peaceful – horses
5. happy – Sharon
6. eager – She
7. ready – horse
8. beautiful – day
9. skillful – surgeon
10. bitter – mango
11. fast – horse
12. gray – coat
13. silver – it
14. unusual – Horses like that
15. well-trained – They
16. brave – Rin Tin Tin and Lassie
17. good – they
18. fearless – Rin Tin Tin

19. Example: I feel excited about the trip.
20. Example: The lemonade tastes sour.

*(Note: For 19 and 20, any correct sentence using the linking verb with a predicate adjective is acceptable. Above are sample answers.)*