* Formal: "The current CEO is attempting to improve upon the strategies implemented by her predecessor."
* Simple: "My predecessor left me a mess of paperwork to deal with."
* Comparative: "Unlike its predecessor, this model boasts improved fuel efficiency."
* Historical: "The Roman Empire's predecessor was the Roman Republic."
The key is to use "predecessor" to refer to someone or something that came before something else in a sequence, often in a position of authority or in a line of development.