the sentence pattern built on linking verbs lesson 4 joseph c. blumenthal

The Sentence The Sentence Pattern Built on Pattern Built on Linking VerbsLinking Verbs

The Sentence The Sentence Pattern Built on Pattern Built on Linking VerbsLinking Verbs

Lesson 4Lesson 4Joseph C. BlumenthalJoseph C. Blumenthal

The Sentence Pattern Built on Linking Verbs

• Suppose that you wish to point out that your friend Harry is happy. You would not be likely to say—

Happy HenryHappy Henry

Henry happyHenry happy

Is either of these pairs of words a sentence? (yes, No)


a.a.Happy HenryHappy Henry

b.b. Henry happyHenry happy

c.c.Henry is Henry is happy.happy.

Which one of these groups of words is a sentence?



b.b. HenryHenry isis happy happy

The adjective happy by itself cannot make a statement about Henry.

We can change a to a sentence by adding the verb ________.




The adjective happy by itself cannot make a statement about Henry.

We can change a to a sentence by adding the verb ___ isis ___.




The verb is helps to turn the adjective happy into a statement about the subject ________.




The verb is helps to turn the adjective happy into a statement about the subject __ HenryHenry _.


a.a.HenryHenry washedwashed the car. the car.


Which sentence does not contain an action verb?


a.a. Henry washed the car.Henry washed the car.


Which sentence does not contain an action verb? b


HenryHenry isis happy happy

The verb is does not show action like washed or fixed. What does it do?

The verb is ties up or links the adjective happy with the subject ________, which it describes.




The verb is ties up or links the adjective happy with the subject _ __HenryHenry __, which it describes.




The verb is ties up or links the adjective happy with the subject HenryHenry, which it describes.


Henry Henry waswas the the chairman. chairman.

In this sentence, the verb was ties up or links the noun ________ with the subject Henry, which it identifies.



In this sentence, the verb was ties up or links the noun chairman with the subject Henry, which it identifies.


Henry Henry isis happy.happy.


A verb like is or was is called a linking verb because it links a noun, pronoun, or adjective that follows it with the _________ of the sentence.


Henry Henry isis happy.happy.


A verb like is or was is called a linking verb because it links a noun, pronoun, or adjective that follows it with the __subject__ of the sentence.


BeBe is by far the most common is by far the most common linking verblinking verb. Be sure that you can . Be sure that you can recognize its various forms. recognize its various forms.

FORMS OF BE: is, am , are-was, were, being, been

The crops . . . good.

Which forms of be could be used to link good with crops in the above sentence?


BeBe is by far the most common is by far the most common linking verblinking verb. Be sure that you can . Be sure that you can recognize its various forms. recognize its various forms.

The crops . . . good.

Which forms of be could be used to link good with crops in the above sentence?

are, were, have been, or had been



I . . . the first speaker.

Which forms of be could be used to link speaker with I in the above sentence?



I . . . the first speaker.

Which forms of be could be used to link speaker with I in the above sentence?


am, was, or had been


We have seen that some We have seen that some action action verbsverbs make complete statements make complete statements about their subjects and that others about their subjects and that others do not.do not.

a.The engine started.

b.The engine uses . . .

In which sentence does the action verb make a complete statement?


We have seen that some We have seen that some action action verbsverbs make complete statements make complete statements about their subjects and that others about their subjects and that others do not.do not.

a.The engine started.

b. The engine uses . . .

In which sentence does the action verb make a complete statement? a


However, a linking verb However, a linking verb cannotcannot by by itself make a complete statement itself make a complete statement about its subject.about its subject.

Since the purpose of a link is to connect two things, a linking verb must be followed by a complement that it can link with the ______ of the sentence.


However, a linking verb cannot by However, a linking verb cannot by itself make a complete statement itself make a complete statement about its subject.about its subject.

Since the purpose of a link is to connect two things, a linking verb must be followed by a complement that it can link with the subject of the sentence.


The The paintpaint waswas . . . . . . (What?)(What?)

Was the paint wet, dry, or sticky?

Until we add a word that the linking verb was can connect with the subject, the meaning of the sentence is (complete, incomplete).


The The paintpaint waswas sticky.sticky.

The complement sticky describes the subject _________.


The The paintpaint waswas sticky.sticky.

The complement sticky describes the subject __ paintpaint ___.


Angela was…(What?)

Angela was the driver.

Now instead of using an adjective to complete our sentence, we shall use a noun as our complement.

The complement driver completes the meaning of the sentence and identifies the subject _________.


Angela was…(What?)

Angela was the driver.

Now instead of using an adjective to complete our sentence, we shall use a noun as our complement.

The complement driver completes the meaning of the sentence and identifies the subject __ Angela __.


A complement that follows a linking verb and describes or identifies the subject is sometimes call a predicate nominative, predicate adjective, or subject complement. In this text, we shall use the term subject complement. It is called a subject complement because it describes or identifies the __________.


A complement that follows a linking verb and describe or identifies the subject is sometimes call a predicate nominative, predicate adjective, or subject complement. In this text, we shall use the term subject complement. It is called a subject complement because it describes or identifies the _subject__.


The subject complement brings us to our third sentence pattern:

PATTERN III:

Subject—Linking Verb ← Subject complement

a.A forest ranger guards our forests.

b.A forest ranger’s life is rather lonely.Which sentence is an

example of Pattern III?


The subject complement brings us to our third sentence pattern:

PATTERN III:

Subject—Linking Verb ← Subject complementa. A forest ranger guards our forests.

b.A forest ranger’s life is rather lonely.

Which sentence is an example of Pattern III? b


Some cameras are very expensive.

The subject complement that follows the linking verb in this sentence is ________.


Some cameras are very expensive.

The subject complement that follows the linking verb in this sentence is expensive.


FORMS OF BE: am, is, are—was, were, beenAlthough a form of be can be used by

itself as a linking verb, it is often used as a helper with the main verb.

a.The leaves are green.

b.The leaves are falling.

In which sentence is are used as a helper?


FORMS OF BE: am, is, are—was, were, beenAlthough a form of be can be used by

itself as a linking verb, it is often used as a helper with the main verb.

a. The leaves are green.


In which sentence is are used as a helper? b


a.The leaves are green.


Which sentence contains a subject complement?


a.The leaves are green.b. The leaves are falling.

Which sentence contains a subject complement?


a.The fans were cheering.

b.The fans were enthusiastic.

One of the italicized words is part of an action verb; the other is a subject complement.

The subject complement is the word ________.


a.The fans were cheering.

b.The fans were enthusiastic.

One of the italicized words is part of an action verb; the other is a subject complement.

The subject complement is the word enthusiastic.


Be is not the only linking verb. Among other verbs that can serve as linking verbs are seem, become, appear, look, feel, and get (when it means become).

The linking verb in this sentence is ________.

The candidate appeared cheerful.


Be is not the only linking verb. Among other verbs that can serve as linking verbs are seem, become, appear, look, feel, and get (when it means become).

The linking verb in this sentence is appeared.

The candidate appeared cheerful.


feel like look avoid

Underline the two words that can be used as linking verbs in the above sentence.

The animals . . . cold.


In which sentence can you substitute is for feels?

You can be sure that a verb is a linking verb if you can put some form of be (is, am, are-was, were, been) in its place.

a. The customer feels the material.

b. The weather feels muggy.


In which sentence can you substitute is for feels?

You can be sure that a verb is a linking verb if you can put some form of be (is, am, are-was, were, been) in its place.


b. The weather b. The weather feelsfeels muggy. muggy.


In which sentence is it used as a linking verb?

In one sentence feels is used as an action verb; in the other it is used as a linking verb.


b. The weather feels muggy.


In which sentence is it used as a linking verb?

In one sentence feels is used as an action verb; in the other it is used as a linking verb.


b. The weather b. The weather feelsfeels muggy. muggy.


In which sentence can you substitute was for looked?

a.The restaurant looked crowded.

b.The speaker looked at his watch.


In which sentence can you substitute was for looked?

a.a.The restaurant The restaurant lookedlooked crowded. crowded.



In which sentence is looked used as a linking verb and followed by a subject

complement?

a.The restaurant looked crowded.


In one sentence, looked is used as an action verb; in the other, as a linking verb for which we could substitute was.


In which sentence is looked used as a linking verb and followed by a subject

complement? a

a.a.The restaurant The restaurant lookedlooked crowdedcrowded. .


In one sentence, looked is used as an action verb; in the other, as a linking verb for which we could substitute was.


A subject complement always follows a _________ verb.

A direct object can follow only an action verb.

We have now studied two kinds of complements: direct objects and subject complements. With a little reasoning, we can avoid confusing the two.


A subject complement always follows a linking verb.

A direct object can follow only an action verb.

We have now studied two kinds of complements: direct objects and subject complements. With a little reasoning, we can avoid confusing the two.


The action passes from downpour to __________.

The heavy downpour flooded many basements.

Usually, the subject and direct object are two different things, and the action passes from one to the other.

1--------------------------> 2


The action passes from downpour to basements.

The heavy downpour flooded many basements.

Usually the subject and direct object are two different things, and the action passes from one to the other.

1--------------------------> 2


The noun lawyer is a subject complement in sentence (a, b).

a. Mrs. Ford hired a lawyer

A subject complement, however, always means the same thing as the subject or describes the subject. We are dealing with one thing—not two.

1--------------> 2

b. Mrs. Ford is a lawyer. 1<------------1


In which sentence is the noun cook a subject complement because it means

the same person as the subject? _________

a.The owner of the restaurant hired a new cook.

b.The owner of the restaurant is the cook.


Because the adjective energetic describes the subject owner and is not something apart from it, energetic is a

(subject complement, direct object)

The owner of the restaurant is energetic.


In both sentences, the noun animals is a subject complement that identifies the subject Otters. In sentence b, we added the adjective playful to describe the noun animals.

a.Otters are animals.

b.Otters are playful animals.

In sentence b, the subject complement is

(playful, animals)


Do not mistake an adjective that describes the subject complement for the subject complement of the sentence.

Otters are playful animals.

The subject complement in this sentence is

(the noun animals, the adjective playful)


S = SubjectLV = Linking VerbSC = Subject complement

In the following frames write the answers on your own sheet of paper


1. This shallow lake often gets extremely rough.

Fill in the missing words:S = lakeLV = _______SC = _______


2. Hera was the powerful queen of the old Greek

gods. Fill in the missing words:

S = HeraLV = _______SC = _______


3. An officer should feel responsible for those in his

unit.Fill in the missing words:

S = _______LV = should feelSC = _______


4. The drunken driver is the greatest danger on our

highways today.Fill in the missing words:

S = driverLV = _______SC = _______


5. The young children in the back seat were becoming very

restless.Fill in the missing words:

S = _______LV = _______SC = _______


6. The coach of the other team was looking worried.

Fill in the missing words:S = _______LV = _______SC = _______

You are done!!!You are done!!!

Please turn in your Please turn in your answers for points.answers for points.

the sentence pattern built on linking verbs lesson 4 joseph c. blumenthal

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