Does a simple predicate have to be just one word?

Question

Example:

Leadbelly has influenced many folk, country, and pop singers.


Would "influenced" be the simple predicate, or would "has influenced" be the simple predicate?

Answer 1

No, a simple predicate just encompasses the entire verb of the sentence, while disregarding the object of the sentence, which would be the rest of the sentence.

In your example:

- Leadbelly is the subject and also the simple subject
- has influenced many folk, country, and pop singers is the predicate
- has influenced is the simple predicate

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

has influenced