This book investigates the syntactic and semantic mechanisms underlying the interpretation of non-verbal predicates within copular sentences. Isabelle Roy provides a formal linguistic framework to account for the variation in how nominal, adjectival, and prepositional phrases function as predicates when linked by the verb 'be'. By examining the interface between structure and meaning, the author proposes a unified analysis that categorizes these predicates into three distinct types: defining, characterizing, and situation-descriptive.

Linguists and advanced students of syntax frequently cite this work for its rigorous formal approach to copular structures. Experts highlight the text as a specialized resource for those researching the intersection of predicate logic and grammatical theory.