Linking verbs and subject complements

Linking verbs connect the subject to a subject complement, a word or word group that completes the meaning of the subject by renaming or describing it.

When the simple subject complement renames the subject, it is a noun or noun equivalent (sometimes called a predicate noun), such as scam. When it describes the subject, it is an adjective or adjective equivalent (sometimes called a predicate adjective), such as mild.

Linking verbs are usually a form of be: be, am, is, are, was, were, being, been. Verbs such as appear, become, feel, grow, look, make, prove, remain, seem, smell, sound, and taste are linking when they are followed by a word group that names or describes the subject.

Exercise: Subject complements and direct objects

Exercise: All objects and complements

Exercise: Linking, transitive, and intransitive verbs

Related topics:

Adjectives after linking verbs

Adjectives

noun The name of a person, place, thing, or an idea.

adjective A word that modifies or describes a noun or pronoun: lame, old, rare, beautiful; also the articles a, an, the.