Can you give me some ways of detecting the predicate of a sentence?

Question

Some examples like:
It is usually after the subject.
It describes the subject.
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Haha. Please tell me if my examples are wrong.
Appreciate it.

Answer 1

Your examples are generally right:
the predicate is usually after the subject, although in questions, it's often reversed.
The predicate describes what the subject is doing.

Easiest way to find it is to get rid of all prepositional phrases, then find the subject. Everything after that will be the complete predicate

For example:
The Indians of North America are trying to regain their tribal lands for monetary gain.

prep. phrases: OF North America, FOR monetary gain
subject: Indians (only thing left before the verb)
complete predicate: are trying to regain their tribal lands for monetary gain.
simple predicate: are trying (what the Indians are doing)

Answer 2

I think generally the predicate of a sentence tells you what the subject of the sentence is doing. There are some good examples on the link below
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predicate_(grammar)#Predicate_in_traditional_grammar

"The predicate is the part of the sentence that contains a verb or verb phrase and its complements."
http://www.scientificpsychic.com/grammar/enggram6.html

The predicate of a sentence is the word or group of words that tells what the subject is doing or being.
http://www.rhlschool.com/eng2n17.htm

Answer 3

It doesn't describe the subject, but what the subject does or is.
It usually starts with a verb.