Here we have a phrase, in earnest, used in the predicate to modify the noun man, and connected with the subject by the copulative verb is.
412. So in the predicate with the copulative verbs—incomplete verbs which express state or condition—we may use a noun or an adjective or a phrase. A noun used as the predicate complement may have modifiers. It may be modified by one or more adjectives or adjective phrases. These adjectives in turn may be modified by adverbs. The complete predicate, then, is the copulative verb with its predicate complement and all its modifiers. For example:
- Grant was the most famous general of the Civil war.
In this sentence, Grant is the complete subject, was the most famous general of the Civil war is the complete predicate. Was is the copulative verb; general is the noun used as the predicate complement; the and famous are adjectives modifying general; most is an adverb modifying the adjective famous, and, of the Civil war is an adjective phrase modifying general, so our complete predicate is, was the most famous general of the Civil war.
When an adjective is used in the predicate complement it, too, may have modifiers and more than one adjective may be used. For example:
- The man is very brave and loyal to his class.
Here we have two adjectives used in the predicate complement, brave and loyal. Brave is modified by the adverb very, and loyal is modified by the adverb phrase, to his class. The complete predicate is, is very brave and loyal to his class.
When we use a phrase as a predicate complement, it, too, may have modifiers and more than one phrase may be used. For example:
- The man is in the fight and deeply in earnest.
In this sentence, two phrases are used in the predicate complement, in the fight and in earnest. The second phrase, in earnest is modified by the adverb deeply. The complete predicate is, is in the fight and deeply in earnest.