You will always find out a subject and predicate in an independent clause (sentence). The predicate is the verb that the subject does in the sentence. Compound means consisting of two or more separate parts. It means that a compound predicate, as the name implies, consists of two or more than two verbs. These separate verbs are joined together by a conjunction and make up a compound predicate.
For example,
1. The girls went to the market and bought five different dresses.
In the above example, ‘and’ is the conjunction that is used to connect two verb phrases ‘went to the market’ and ‘bought five different dress.’
Things to Remember About Compound Predicate
> Always remember that a single predicate is not enough to make up a compound predicate. For instance,
- The girls went to the market.
The above example sentence consists of only one verb phrase, ‘went to the market’, which is an example of a simple predicate. So, it is necessary to have two or more verbs for a compound predicate. For example,
- The girls went to the market and bought five dresses. (Correct)
> One thing more that you should remember about a compound predicate; it should have only one subject not more than it. The only subject will be doing all the actions (verbs). For example,
- My sister woke up early and then decided to go outside.
In the above example, the only subject is ‘sister’ who is performing the two actions ‘woke up early’ and ‘then decided to go outside.’
Compound Predicate = One Subject + Two or more Verb Phrases
Why Should a Writer use Compound Predicates?
A compound predicate is important to make writing productive, fruitful, and concise. If you will repeat the same subject twice or thrice, it will ruin your entire writing because that will be considered unessential. For example,
- My mother cooked delicious food. My mother arranged a grand dinner for me.
The above example sentence is not efficient. So, we should combine these sentences, by using the idea of a compound predicate, to make it more concise and productive.
- My mother cooked delicious food and arranged a grand dinner for me.
More Examples
1. The cat looked at the boy and sat quietly.
2. They were planning to go outside but decided to stay at home.
3. We baked and ate the whole cake.
4. I took classes, worked hard, and passed the exams.
5. The students prepared the project and presented it very well.
Compound Predicate vs. Compound Sentence
A common source of confusion in grammar is the difference between a compound predicate and a compound sentence. A compound predicate occurs when one subject performs multiple actions (verbs) connected by a conjunction, whereas a compound sentence consists of two independent clauses, each with its own subject and verb, joined by a conjunction.
- Compound Predicate: She cleaned the house and cooked dinner.
(One subject, “she,” performing two actions: “cleaned” and “cooked”) - Compound Sentence: She cleaned the house, and she cooked dinner.
(Two independent clauses, each with its own subject and verb: “she cleaned” and “she cooked”)
and,
- Compound Predicate: The dog barked loudly and chased the cat.
(One subject, “the dog,” with two actions: “barked” and “chased”) - Compound Sentence: The dog barked loudly, and the cat ran away.
(Two independent clauses, “the dog barked” and “the cat ran,” each with a separate subject)
Using compound predicates keeps writing concise by avoiding repetition of the subject.
Compound sentences, on the other hand, are useful when the subject or ideas are distinct but related, and it helps in maintaining a logical flow in writing.
Common Mistakes with Compound Predicates
When forming compound predicates, writers often make mistakes such as repeating the subject unnecessarily or failing to maintain parallel verb forms. This can disrupt the sentence flow and make the sentence sound awkward or redundant.
- Mistake: My sister woke up early and my sister went for a walk.
(The subject “my sister” is unnecessarily repeated.) - Correction: My sister woke up early and went for a walk.
(The subject is only used once, with two actions: “woke up” and “went.”)
and,
- Mistake: He enjoys swimming and to ride a bike.
(The verbs “swimming” (gerund) and “to ride” (infinitive) are not parallel.) - Correction: He enjoys swimming and riding a bike.
(Both verbs are in parallel form: gerunds “swimming” and “riding.”)
To avoid these mistakes, make sure to:
- Use the subject only once when forming a compound predicate.
- Ensure that the verbs in a compound predicate are in parallel form (e.g., both in the gerund, both in the infinitive, or both in the past tense). This helps create smoother, more readable sentences.
Check Out: What Are Compound Adjectives?
What Did You Learn?
Hence, compound predicates seem to be very important for writing to make it productive and concise. It is such a part of a sentence that consists of two or more verbs or verb phrases with only one subject. In this, the verbs or verb phrases are combined with a conjunction.