= Predicate
{disambiguate=grammar}
In a traditional subject-predicate analysis, a <predicate (grammar)> is the portion of a <clause (grammar)> that says something about its <subject (grammar)>. It can include a <verb> together with other material, rather than being identical to a single verb form.<Predicate in the SIL Glossary of Linguistic Terms>[Definition and example]{ref}
For `The sample changed color`, the <subject (grammar)> is `the sample` and the <predicate (grammar)> is `changed color`. In `The sample is red`, `is red` expresses the predication, although the central property is contributed by the <adjective> `red`. The examples show why “predicate” and “action word” are not interchangeable classifications.
An explicit model can distinguish the grammatical expression from its interpretation. A <formal semantics> might represent the property red by a <set> and ask whether the sample belongs to it, while the <syntax> describes how `is red` combines with the subject. The linguistic unit and the mathematical representation are related analytical choices.
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