which one is a properly constructed one?

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Believer  #336985  Thu, 08 Mar 07 11:29 AM

Hi,

 I have two sentences one is mine, which has been used to pose a question and the other one is Mr. M's. Which one is a predicate nominative?

Mine: His dog is great happiness in his life.

Mr. M's: This is real beauty (gazing at the Playboy centerfold).  

(Note: I don't look at Playboy anymore.)

  
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Mister Micawber  #337013  Thu, 08 Mar 07 01:25 PM

Both.  His dog is a happiness; this is beauty.

  
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'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'
Believer  #337375  Fri, 09 Mar 07 10:05 AM

Thank you, Mr. M.

That is as you said, I think.

As to the first one, I think like this.

His dog is a happiness.   (a kind of happiness his dog is.)

As to the second sentence, why no article here? I think it is because eventhough it is the same predicate nominative as the one above, it is different from the above one because it is NOT saying it is a kind of beauty but rather this is expressing his feeling. This is what I think. Please tell me why there is no need for 'a' here? Sorry if I ask too many questions on this subject.

This is (no 'a' why??) real beauty. 

    

  
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