If a word or phrase is used predicatively, it follows a verb rather than being used before a noun.

Some adjectives, such as "asleep", can only be used predicatively. 有一些形容词，如“asleep”，只能做表语。

The adjective "old" can be used either predicatively or attributively. “old”这个形容词既可以用作表语也可以用作定语。