Page 122 - English Grammar - 8

A predicate can be a complete verb phrase. For example:

We are smiling.
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Extension of the Predicate
Just as a subject can be qualified by an adjective or another word that serves as an adjective,
the verb in the predicate can also be extended or modified by an adverb or another word that
serves as an adverb. The word that modifies the verb in a predicate is called the extension
of the predicate. For example:
The soliders fought bravely.
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In the above sentence, fought is the verb and bravely is the extension of the predicate.
The extension of predicate can be an adverb, an adverb phrase, a participle or an infinitive.

Extension Sentence
Adverb Shweta sings sweetly.

Adverb phrase Rahul and John walked side by side.
Participle She went away smiling.

Infinitive He decided to go.

In the above sentences, all the highlighted words/phrases modify verbs in the predicates.

Object
An object is usually a noun that appears in the predicate. It refers to something or someone
related to the action of the verb. For example:

Linda threw the hammer.
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Rajni helped me.
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Structure of Sentences
In the above sentences, threw and helped are the verbs and hammer and me are the objects.

Attribute of the Object
A transitive verbs needs an object to make complete sense. Just like a subject, an object can
also be is qualified by an adjective or another word that serves as an attribute. For example:
She plucked red roses.
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In the above sentence, red is the attribute and roses is the object.
An object in a sentence may be direct or indirect.
A direct object answers the question what or whom after a verb. For example:

The school presented a trophy.
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In the above sentence, presented is the verb and trophy is the direct object. For example:
He repaired the car.
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In the above sentence, repaired is the verb and car is the direct object.
An indirect object answers the question to whom, for whom or for what. It cannot exist
without a direct object in the sentence. For example:

The school gave me the best education.
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