INTRODUCTION

RELEVANCE OF THE THEME

Understanding the Object Predicative and Verb-Nominal Predicate is essential for the correct construction of complex sentences in Portuguese. These are fundamental elements that contribute to the expressiveness and richness of meaning in sentences. The ability to identify and use these predicates promotes more sophisticated and precise writing, as well as being a differential in entrance exams and public contests.

CONTEXTUALIZATION

The Object Predicative and the Verb-Nominal Predicate fit within the structure of a broader concept: the Predicate. This, in turn, is part of the major blocks of the sentence - Subject and Predicate. The study of verb-nominal predicates and deepening the notion of object predicative are key to a deeper understanding of the functioning of the Portuguese language. This section of the studies is a bridge that allows the transition from more basic grammatical structures to more complex structures.

THEORETICAL DEVELOPMENT

COMPONENTS

• Object Predicative

  • Definition: The Object Predicative is a term that completes the meaning of the direct or indirect object, attributing a characteristic or state to it. It is always a characteristic or state of the object. If we remove the object predicative from the sentence, the meaning of the verb will not be altered, only the characteristic of the object.
  • Example: In "The students considered the task impossible", "impossible" is the object predicative, as it refers to the direct object "the task", completing its meaning and attributing a characteristic to it.

• Verb-Nominal Predicate

  • Definition: The Verb-Nominal Predicate is a type of predicate that has two nuclei: a linking verb (to be, to stay, to remain, to seem, to continue) and a predicative (of the subject or of the object). In addition, this predicate presents an expression that refers to the subject and another that refers to the object.
  • Example: In "Maria is an excellent singer", "is" is the linking verb, "singer" is the subject predicative and "excellent" is the object predicative. Therefore, we have a verb-nominal predicate.

KEY TERMS

• Direct Object: It is the term that complements the meaning of a direct transitive verb, without the need for a preposition. It can be replaced by the pronouns "o", "a", "os" or "as".
• Indirect Object: It is the term that, without being the agent or the subject, is linked to the direct or indirect transitive verb through a preposition. It can be replaced by the pronouns "lhe", "lhes", "a", "as".

EXAMPLES AND CASES

• Cases of Object Predicative:

  • "The artist considered the exhibition a resounding success." Here, "a resounding success" is the object predicative, expressing what the artist considered the exhibition.
  • "The players judged the game a waste of time." In this case, "a waste of time" is the object predicative, expressing the players' opinion about the game.

• Cases of Verb-Nominal Predicate:

  • "The cake turned out delicious and wet." In this sentence, "turned out" is the linking verb, "delicious" is the subject predicative and "wet" is the object predicative.
  • "She remains sad and worried." Here, "remains" is the linking verb, "sad" is the subject predicative and "worried" is the object predicative.

DETAILED SUMMARY

RELEVANT POINTS

• Identification of the Object Predicative:

  • It is a term that completes the meaning of the direct or indirect object, attributing a characteristic or state to it.
  • It always expresses a quality or state referring to the object, and not to the subject.
  • The presence or absence of the object predicative does not alter the meaning of the verb.

• Understanding of the Verb-Nominal Predicate:

  • It is a type of predicate that has two nuclei: a linking verb and a predicative (of the subject or of the object).
  • In addition, it presents an expression that refers to the subject and another that refers to the object.
  • The subject predicative refers to the subject, while the object predicative refers to the object, which is also a complement of the verb.

• Differentiation between Direct and Indirect Object:

  • The direct object is directly linked to the verb, while the indirect object requires a preposition to link to the verb.
  • The direct object can be replaced by the pronouns "o", "a", "os" or "as".
  • The indirect object can be replaced by the pronouns "lhe", "lhes", "a" or "as".

• Use of Linking Verbs:

  • These are the verbs that, in addition to indicating action, establish a link between the subject and the predicative (of the subject or of the object).
  • The main linking verbs are: to be, to stay, to remain, to seem, and to continue.

CONCLUSIONS

• The Object Predicative and the Verb-Nominal Predicate are crucial elements to enrich the expressiveness and meaning of sentences in Portuguese.
• Correct identification and use of these predicates contribute to more sophisticated and rigorous writing.
• The distinction between direct and indirect object, as well as the understanding of linking verbs, are fundamental for the correct application of the Object Predicative and the Verb-Nominal Predicate.

SUGGESTED EXERCISES

1. Identify the Object Predicative in the following sentences:

   • "He found the book very interesting."
   • "My mother considered the party a success."
   • "The guests judged the food delicious."

2. Transform the following simple predicates into verb-nominal predicates:

   • "Maria is tired."
   • "John seems sad."
   • "The flowers remain beautiful."

3. Given the verb and possible terms in the following sentences, indicate whether there is a formation of Verb-Nominal Predicate or Object Predicative:

   • "Maria found the cake delicious."
   • "The students considered the class boring."