Submodalities vs. Predicates in NLP: Key Differences and Real-Life Use
Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) is a powerful model of human communication, behavior, and change. At its core, NLP explores how we think, communicate, and influence outcomes in our lives. Two of the most often misunderstood concepts in NLP are predicates and submodalities. While both deal with how we represent and express experience, they serve very distinct purposes.
In this blog, we’ll explore these two foundational elements, what they are, how they differ, and how you can use each to enhance communication, build rapport, and facilitate personal change. By the end, you'll know how to identify and apply both tools in real-life interactions and coaching sessions.
What Are Predicates in NLP?
Predicates are the words and phrases people use to describe their internal experiences. These words give clues about the representational system a person is using in any given moment.
In NLP, the mind represents the world through five sensory channels:
Visual (V) – Sight
Auditory (A) – Hearing
Kinesthetic (K) – Feeling, touch, and movement
Olfactory (O) – Smell
Gustatory (G) – Taste
To make it more accessible, NLP commonly works with the VAK model (Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic), which reflects the primary ways people express and process information.
Examples of Predicates
When someone says:
"I see what you're saying." → They’re in a visual mode.
"That rings a bell." → They're processing auditorily.
"I feel stuck." → They're engaging with the kinesthetic sense.
These predicates act as indicators. They help NLP practitioners calibrate to another person’s mental state and build rapport by using matching sensory language.
Pro Tip: If someone is speaking in auditory terms and you respond in visual language, they might feel disconnected. Matching their predicate style enhances trust and understanding.
What Are Submodalities in NLP?
If predicates tell us how someone is thinking (through which sensory system), submodalities tell us the qualities of that internal representation.
Think of a submodality as a dimension of a sensory experience. For instance, if you’re visualizing an image in your mind, you might notice that it’s:
Bright or dim
In color or black & white
Near or far
Still or moving
These are visual submodalities. Likewise, auditory and kinesthetic experiences also have submodalities.
Examples of Submodalities:
Representational System
Submodality Examples
Visual
Bright/dark, color/B&W, size, distance
Auditory
Volume, pitch, tempo, location
Kinesthetic
Texture, pressure, temperature, movement
By changing submodalities, NLP allows people to alter their emotional response to a memory or thought. This is one of the core mechanisms behind many change techniques in NLP.
For example:
A traumatic memory might seem overwhelming when the image is large, bright, and close.
Shrinking it, dimming it, and pushing it farther away in the mind can dissociate the emotional charge.
This is known as a submodality shift, and it’s one of NLP’s most effective change tools.
The Core Differences Between Predicates and Submodalities
Though both relate to internal experience, predicates and submodalities function at different levels and serve different purposes.
Aspect
Predicates
Submodalities
Definition
Words that reflect sensory modality
Internal qualities of sensory experiences
Function
Reveal how a person is thinking (VAK)
Describe how a person structures their experience
Application
Used to build rapport and match language
Used to shift emotional/mental responses
Examples
“I hear you,” “I see what you mean,” “I feel it”
Bright/dark, loud/quiet, warm/cold, big/small
Type
Linguistic (spoken/written)
Sensory (internal mental structure)
Why Are Predicates Important in NLP?
Predicates serve as a bridge between external communication and internal processing. When you listen carefully to the types of words someone uses, you’re essentially tuning into how their brain is coding information.
Benefits of Using Predicates:
Improve communication and rapport instantly
Understand others’ thought processes
Tailor your language for more persuasive or empathetic conversation
Strengthen relationships by “speaking their language”
For coaches, therapists, and sales professionals, being able to identify and mirror predicates can dramatically improve client outcomes and client trust.
Why Are Submodalities Crucial in NLP?
Submodalities are the “control panel” for your mind. They determine how powerful, meaningful, or intense an experience feels. When you learn to shift submodalities, you can change your internal world—and with it, your emotional responses.
Common NLP Techniques That Use Submodalities:
Swish Pattern – Replaces an unwanted habit with a desired outcome
Visual-Kinesthetic Dissociation (VKD) – Helps reduce trauma and phobias
Mapping Across – Transfers structure of one experience to another
By learning how to recognize and change submodalities, you gain control over emotional states like fear, anxiety, procrastination, and low self-confidence.
Real-Life Example
Let’s say someone is afraid of public speaking. Their internal picture might be:
A large, bright, high-definition image of people staring at them
Close up and looming
With internal dialogue saying, “You’ll mess up!”
Using NLP:
You identify the predicates: “I see them looking at me... It sounds like they’re judging me.”
You match their language first to build rapport.
Then guide them through changing submodalities: shrink the image, blur the faces, add funny cartoon voices to the internal dialogue.
The fear weakens as the submodalities shift.
How to Use This in Everyday Life
Listening for Predicates
When someone talks to you, pay attention to sensory-based words:
Do they see, hear, or feel their experience?
Respond using the same representational system to stay in sync.
Shifting Submodalities
When stuck in a bad mood or negative memory:
Ask yourself: What do I see, hear, and feel inside?
Then experiment with changing the qualities (e.g., reduce volume, move the picture further away, or shift temperature in your imagination).
It’s surprisingly effective once you practice a few times.
Final Thoughts
Understanding the difference between predicates and submodalities in NLP is an incredible step in how you connect with others and rewire your own thinking. While predicates show us how someone communicates their experience, submodalities give us the tools to transform that experience.
Whether you're a coach, therapist, communicator, or simply someone who wants to take more control of your emotions and results, these tools are foundational.
Start listening more deeply. Tune into the words people use. And begin to play with the structure of your own thoughts. That’s where change begins.
Five Key Takeaways:
Predicates reveal the representational system a person is using (visual, auditory, kinesthetic).
Submodalities describe the fine details of an internal experience, like brightness, volume, or texture.
Use predicates to build rapport and improve communication.
Use submodalities to shift emotional states and internal beliefs.
Both tools are essential for personal change, coaching, and deep communication.
Want to Master NLP Faster?
Integrating these tools into your communication style can create immediate impact. Whether you're working on confidence, habit change, trauma healing, or simply being a better communicator, understanding and applying predicates and submodalities can move you miles ahead.
Stay curious. Stay aware. You already have the internal language for transformation—it’s time to use it.
Social Media Caption:
Ever wondered how to decode the language of the mind?
Predicates are words that reveal the speaker's preferred representational system - how they internally process and store experiences (visually, auditorily, kinesthetically, etc.). These verbal cues give insight into how someone constructs their reality. Submodalities, on the other hand, are the finer distinctions within each representational system (like brightness in visuals or volume in sounds) and are used to change or recode one's experience of that reality.
Master the real difference between the two and start using them in coaching, communication, and self-growth.
👉 Read now to learn how to build deeper rapport and create lasting inner change.
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