Clause Pattern: Subject – Verb – Subject Predicative (SVP_s )

This pattern consists of a subject See the glossary definition , a copular verb See the glossary definition , and a subject predicative See the glossary definition .

Description of Subject

• The mimic octopussubject iscopular verb particularly cleversubject predicative. (Spencer and Papastamatiou 2022)      (info)The subject predicative is an adjective phrase.

• The atmospheresubject wascopular verb mostly nitrogen, carbon dioxide and no oxygensubject predicative. (Jordan 2019)      (info)The subject predicative is a noun phrase.

• Orangutanssubject arecopular verb very slow breederssubject predicative. (Meijaard, Voigt, and Wich 2018)      (info)The subject predicative is a noun phrase.

• The virussubject wascopular verb aggressive and lethalsubject predicative. (Roossinck 2020)     (info)The subject predicative is an adjective phrase.

Description of Change in Subject

• These wingssubject then gradually becamecopular verb more powerful and covered in featherssubject predicative and were eventually used to fly. (Wills 2020)      (info)The subject predicative is an adjective phrase.

• But as people used more and more paper, ragssubject grewcopular verb scarcesubject predicative. (Law 2021)      (info)The subject predicative is an adjective phrase.

• Inventors Francis and Freelan Stanley,subject twin brothers, becamecopular verb automaking pioneerssubject predicative after they improved photographic technology. (Stewart and Yohe 2022)     (info)The subject predicative is a noun phrase.

Definition and Identification

• Gelotophobiasubject iscopular verb an intense fear of being laughed atsubject predicative. (Barker 2017)      (info)Definition: subject predicative is a noun phrase.

• In the late 1700s, Englishman William Addissubject wascopular verb the first to sell toothbrushes on a large scalesubject predicative. (Jordan 2019)      (info)Identification: subject predicative is a noun phrase.

• The world’s largest nuclear power plantsubject iscopular verb the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Station in Japansubject predicative. (Wu 2021)      (info)Identification: subject predicative is a noun phrase.

• Energysubject iscopular verb the capacity for something to do worksubject predicative. (Baron 2021)     (info)Definition: subject predicative is a noun phrase.

Test your understanding of this Subject – Verb – Subject Predicative (SVP_s ) pattern Go to the (SVP_s) exercise page.