Compound predicate masterclass

This lesson helps us understand everything about the compound predicate in English. A video lesson is attached at the end on ‘Compound Predicate’. You can directly scroll down to it if you want to.

What is a Compound Predicate in English?

As the name suggests, a compound predicate is a combination of two or more predicates joined together. It is a combination of two or more main verbs or phrases that give information about the same subject; it says two or more things about the subject of the sentence. The number of information (predicates) it provides about the subject is joined with a coordinating conjunction.

Let’s study some examples to understand compound predicates.

We have two separate sentences above. Both sentences are giving some information about the same person Monica: the subject of both sentences. Loves working out and has a gym in Pune are predicates of the sentences. This is where the job of a compound predicate kicks in to eliminate the redundancy (repeating the subject). Let’s combine these into one sentence that has two predicates: giving two pieces of information about the subject.

We have transformed the above two sentences into a single sentence that has a compound predicate: loves working out and has a gym in Pune. It has two predicates joined by the conjunction ‘and’. The predicates joined are complete predicates. These include the main verb/verb phrase and the other parts of the sentence that give information about the verb.

A complete predicate of a sentence is everything except its subject. On the other hand, a simple predicate only includes the main verb or the verb phrase, whichever is present.

Examples of compound predicates in a sentence

1. They asked us to wait and went outside.

The compound predicate gives us two details/information about the subject. It tells us about the two actions that the subject performed: 1) asked us to wait, 2) went outside. Both predicates (information) are joined with a conjunction (and). Notice both predicates are complete in nature. Asked and went are their simple predicates.

2. Alex likes the girl but does not want to date her.

The sentence adds two predicates (underlined) using the conjunction ‘but’.

3. We have decided to leave the company and start our own business.

The compound predicate gives two pieces of information in terms of the action the subject (we) performs. The subject performed two actions here, and both the actions (predicates) are joined with the conjunction ‘and’.

4. Some students did exceptionally well in the tournament and received a lot of praise.

In this sentence too, the compound predicate shows two complete pieces of information about the subject.

5. I went home, had food, and slept right away.

Notice that the compound predicate here has three pieces of information (predicates) about the subject. All three predicates are separated using commas, and a conjunction is used before the last predicate.

Compound Predicate with Simple Predicates

A simple predicate is the main verb or the verb phrase of a sentence/clause. Let’s study some examples of compound predicates using simple predicates in them.

1. He came and left.
2. All of us sang and danced.
3. The team sits and laughs.
4. The lady cooks and teaches.

Notice that the compound predicates of these sentences have simple predicates in them: the main verb. Adding more information about the verb (simple predicate) would make it a complete predicate. Sentences that have compound predicates in them and have simple predicates in the compound predicate provide very less information and are hardly used. 

Why use a compound predicate in a sentence?

To explain the importance and need for a compound predicate, let’s look at the following two examples:

What is the difference between the two sentences? It’s not hard to find that out: The first one is a compound sentence that has two clauses. Both clauses share the same subject. The second one has a compound predicate in it. The difference between the two is that the second sentence saves the redundancy the first one has. It does not repeat the subject as both clauses share the same subject. Saving one word might not seem like a big achievement to you now, but imagine if the sentence had more clauses added to it with the same subject. Would it not make it look very redundant or wordy? It would, right? Let’s see that ourselves.

See how much better the second one is. In the first one, we had to use two different sentences to give information about the same subject, which makes the sentence redundant. When there’s more than one piece of information about the same subject, use a compound predicate to make the sentence precise.

More examples

Redundant: We called him, and we told him why we couldn’t come.
Precise: We called and told him why we couldn’t come.

Redundant: Max loves to go out, but he can’t come this time.
Precise: Max loves to go out but can’t come this time.

Redundant: His brother came to my house yesterday, and he asked me to help him with some money.
Precise: His brother came to my house yesterday and asked me to help him with some money.

Redundant: She never listened to anyone, and she kept making mistakes.
Precise: She never listened to anyone and kept making mistakes.

Important points about a compound predicate

A) It has one subject

The first thing to note about a compound predicate is that it has one subject. All predicates it has in it refer to one subject.

Both the predicates (underlined) of the compound predicate refer to the same subject ‘Troy’. 

B) It has two or more predicates in it

A compound predicate has two or more simple or complete predicates in it. The predicates are added using a coordinating conjunction, usually ‘and’.

Examples:

• I went to the market and bought all the items.
• She got up and left.
• She came close, looked into my eyes, and gave me a tight hug. 
• He wanted to help and give me something but couldn’t do it.

C) Don’t use a comma in a compound predicate if it has only two predicates in it

It’s a very common mistake to use a comma in a compound predicate before the conjunction. 

• I love talking to people, and helping them. ❌
• I love talking to people and helping them. ✅

• She left the class, and drove back home. ❌
• She left the class and drove back home. ✅

• Ashish would call you, and help with the questions. ❌
• Ashish would call you and help with the questions. ✅

Another way to make these sentences grammatical is to give separate subjects to both predicates and use a comma before the conjunction.

• Jon went home and slept right away. ✅
• Jon went home, and he slept right away. ✅

Compound sentence and compound predicate

Many English learners get confused between the two and use them interchangeably. Though, there is a significant difference between the two. 

Let’s understand them separately.

A compound sentence is a combination of two or more sentences (independent clauses) joined with a coordinating conjunction and a comma/s. The clauses in it may or may not have the same subject.

Examples:

• I am not guilty here, and you know it.
• Jon loves me, and he can do anything for me.
• He wanted to join us, but his parents asked him not to go out.
• Max is partly blind, but he doesn’t care about it.
• You are my friend, and I will do everything to help you.

These are compound sentences. All of them have two independent clauses in them added using a comma and a coordinating conjunction.

Whereas, a compound predicate, as we know by now, shares the same subject. You can’t have a compound predicate if the subjects of the predicates inside it are different. 

NOTE: the FAQs are taken from the internet. They might have grammatical mistakes in them. Please ignore the mistakes you come across in the questions.

FAQs