Linking Verb ‘Will’: Is It One?

Linking verbs are essential for connecting a subject to a subject complement, and they are different from action verbs. The verb “will,” particularly when discussing its role in future tense constructions, requires careful analysis to determine if “will” acts as a linking verb. A true linking verb, like forms of “to be”, serves to describe or identify the subject rather than to show action. Understanding the function of “will” helps to clarify sentence structure and meaning in English grammar.

Unveiling the Power of Linking Verbs

Have you ever thought about the unsung heroes of sentences? No, not the nouns dramatically naming everything, or the action verbs leaping off the page. We’re talking about linking verbs, those quiet connectors that play a crucial role in how we express ourselves.

So, what exactly are linking verbs? Well, think of them as linguistic matchmakers. Their main job is to connect the subject of a sentence to a word or phrase that describes or renames it. In other words, they don’t show action, but they link the subject to information about the subject. They “link” the beginning of the sentence to the end.

Now, you might be wondering, “Why should I care about these linking verbs?” Great question! Understanding them is like unlocking a secret level in grammar. It is essential for building grammatically sound sentences. Without a solid grasp of linking verbs, your sentences might sound a little…off. It’s like trying to bake a cake without flour – you might end up with a mess!

Let’s look at a quick example to get your brain humming: “The sky is blue.” Here, “is” is the linking verb. It connects “sky” (the subject) to “blue” (a word describing the sky). Simple, right?

And here’s why understanding these little connectors is so important: mistaking a linking verb for something else can drastically change the meaning of your sentence. Imagine writing, “He felt the fabric,” intending to describe him touching something. But if you write, “He felt sick,” suddenly, you’re describing his state of being. Big difference!

So buckle up, word nerds! We’re about to dive deep into the world of linking verbs and discover how they can transform your writing from “meh” to “magnificent.” Let’s get started!

“To Be” or Not “To Be,” That is the Linking Verb!

Alright, detectives, let’s grab our magnifying glasses and dive into the world of linking verbs! These grammatical gems might seem a bit elusive at first, but trust me, once you’ve got the hang of them, you’ll be spotting them everywhere. Our mission, should you choose to accept it, is to identify these sneaky verbs that act as connectors rather than action heroes. Think of them as the matchmakers of the sentence world, linking subjects to their descriptions.

The Usual Suspects: Forms of “To Be”

First up, let’s round up the usual suspects: the various forms of the verb “to be.” You’ve probably known them since grade school, but let’s refresh our memories. These include is, am, are, was, were, be, being, and been.

Now, here’s the trick: these forms function as linking verbs when they connect the subject to a word or phrase that describes or renames it. For instance:

• “The sky is blue.” (Is connects the sky to the adjective blue, which describes it.)
• “I am a writer.” (Am links “I” to the noun “writer,” which renames me.)
• “They were happy.” (Were connects “they” to the adjective happy, which describes them.)

See? No action here, just good old-fashioned linking.

Beyond “To Be”: The Other Connectors

But wait, there’s more! The world of linking verbs extends beyond the “to be” family. Several other verbs can also play this role, including seem, appear, become, feel, taste, smell, sound, and look.

These verbs act as linking verbs when they connect the subject to a word that describes a state or condition. For example:

• “The soup tastes delicious.” (Tastes connects “soup” to the adjective delicious, describing its flavor.)
• “He seems tired.” (Seems links “he” to the adjective tired, describing his appearance.)
• “The music sounds beautiful.” (Sounds connects “music” to the adjective beautiful, describing its auditory quality.)

A Memory Aid: The “Senses and States” Club

Here’s a handy trick to remember some of the most common linking verbs: think of the “Senses and States” club. This club includes verbs that relate to your senses (feel, taste, smell, sound, look) and verbs that describe a state of being (seem, appear, become).

So, next time you’re puzzling over a sentence, ask yourself: Is this verb connecting the subject to a description or renaming it? If the answer is yes, you’ve likely found yourself a linking verb! Keep practicing, and you’ll become a linking verb pro in no time!

Subject Complements: Giving Subjects a Makeover!

Okay, so we’ve established that linking verbs are like those connection bridges in your brain. But what exactly do they link? Enter the subject complement, our star player in completing the sentence! Think of it as the fancy hat, snazzy sunglasses, or maybe a whole new wardrobe that redefines or describes the subject.

Subject complements always come after a linking verb and their whole job is to tell us more about the subject. Without them, the sentence feels incomplete, like a superhero without their cape.

Predicate Nominatives/Nouns: The Subject’s New Name

First up, we have predicate nominatives, also known as predicate nouns. These are nouns or pronouns that rename the subject. It’s like giving your subject a cool nickname or revealing their secret identity.

• Example: “Superman is Clark Kent.” Here, “Clark Kent” is a predicate nominative because it’s renaming the subject, “Superman.” They’re the same person!
• Another Example: “The winner was she.” In this case, the pronoun “she” renames the subject “winner.”

• More Examples:

  • My favorite food is pizza.
  • Those guys are my teammates.
  • The president is a leader.

Predicate Adjectives: Describing the Subject’s Vibe

Next, we have predicate adjectives. Instead of renaming, these adjectives describe the subject. They tell us what the subject is like, their qualities, or their state of being.

• Example: “The sky is blue.” “Blue” is a predicate adjective because it describes the sky.
• Another Example: “I feel happy.” “Happy” describes how “I” am feeling.

• More Examples:

  • The puppy is cute.
  • Her voice sounds soothing.
  • The soup tastes delicious.

Subject Complements in Action: A Linking Verb Lineup

Let’s see how these subject complements play with different linking verbs:

• “She seems nice” (Nice is a predicate adjective, describing “she” using the linking verb “seems.”)
• “The movie became a classic.” (Classic is a predicate nominative, renaming “movie” after the linking verb “became.”)
• “The music sounds beautiful” (Beautiful is a predicate adjective, describing “music” using the linking verb “sounds.”)

The Subject Complement Club: Adverbs Need Not Apply!

Now, here’s a crucial rule: only certain words can join the Subject Complement Club. You’ll notice that adverbs are never subject complements. Adverbs describe verbs, not subjects!

• Correct: “She is happy.” (Happy, an adjective, describes the subject “she.”)
• Incorrect: “She is happily.” (Happily, an adverb, cannot describe the subject “she.”)

Think of it this way: a subject complement has to provide more information about the subject, and adverbs just aren’t built for that. They’re like party crashers at a subject-only event. You need adjectives or nouns that tell you what the subject is or is like.

Cracking the Code: Linking Verbs vs. Action Verbs

Alright, folks, let’s get down to brass tacks! You’ve learned about linking verbs and their subject complements, but how do you tell them apart from their action-packed cousins, the action verbs? It’s like trying to tell the difference between a chill Sunday brunch and a wild Friday night—the vibes are totally different!

The fundamental difference lies in what the verb actually does. Action verbs show something happening. Think of a dog running, a bird flying, or you devouring a pizza (we’ve all been there). Linking verbs, on the other hand, are all about connection. They don’t describe an action; they describe a state of being or a quality. They’re like bridges, linking the subject to more information about it.

Now, here’s where it gets a little tricky. Some verbs are linguistic chameleons, capable of being both linking and action verbs depending on their role in the sentence.

Consider the verb “look.”

• If you say, “He looked happy,” “looked” is a linking verb connecting “He” to the adjective “happy.” It’s describing his state of being.
• But, if you say, “He looked for his keys,” “looked” is an action verb, describing the action of searching.

See the difference? It’s all about what the verb is doing. Is it connecting, or is it describing an activity?

Are You a Linking Verb Detective? Time to Test Your Skills!

Ready for a little test? Below are a few sentences, and your mission (should you choose to accept it) is to identify the linking verb in each one. Don’t worry, it’s not graded (unless you’re grading yourself, in which case, be kind!).

1. The soup tastes delicious.
2. She became a doctor.
3. The music sounds beautiful.
4. He is tired.
5. The flowers smell fragrant.

(Answers below – No peeking!)

So, to recap:

• Action verbs show action.
• Linking verbs show a state of being and connect the subject to more information.

Keep practicing, and you’ll become a pro at spotting the difference!

(Answers: 1. tastes, 2. became, 3. sounds, 4. is, 5. smell)

Auxiliary Verbs: The Supporting Cast

Alright, so we’ve grappled with linking verbs, those chill connectors that describe a state of being. Now, let’s bring in the supporting cast – auxiliary verbs, also known as helping verbs! Think of them as the stagehands of grammar; they’re not the stars, but they’re crucial to the performance. Auxiliary verbs add functional or grammatical meaning to the clause’s verb. Without them, the main verb would be pretty lonely and might not even make sense!

So, who are these helpful helpers? You’ve probably met them before. Some of the most common ones are do, does, did, has, have, had, is, are, was, were, being, been, and be. Notice any familiar faces? Yep, some of these also moonlight as linking verbs! This is where things get interesting.

Here’s the thing: a verb’s identity depends on its role in the sentence. While some verbs appear in both the linking and auxiliary roles, their function differs greatly. It’s all about context, baby!

Consider these two scenarios:

• “He is happy.” (Linking Verb)
• “He is running.” (Auxiliary Verb)

In the first sentence, “is” links “he” to the adjective “happy,” describing his state of being. It’s connecting, not doing. In the second sentence, “is” helps the main verb “running” to form the present continuous tense. It’s indicating the timing and continuity of the action. See the difference?

Another Example:

• “They were tired.” (Linking Verb)
• “They were warned.” (Auxiliary Verb)

In the first sentence, “were” links “they” to the adjective “tired”, telling us how they feel. In the second sentence, “were” helps the main verb “warned” to form the passive voice, indicating that they received the warning.

Don’t let this double life confuse you. Just remember to ask yourself: Is the verb connecting the subject to a description, or is it helping another verb to express time or voice? That’s your golden ticket to telling them apart!

Advanced Usage and Nuances of Linking Verbs

Alright, you’ve got the basics down! Now, let’s level up your linking verb game! Linking verbs aren’t just about saying “is” or “are.” They can be a little sneaky, especially when gerunds and infinitives get involved. It’s time to see how these grammatical elements can work together with linking verbs to create more complex and interesting sentences.

Gerunds, Infinitives, and the Linking Verb Tango

Let’s kick things off with gerunds and infinitives. Remember, a gerund is a verb acting like a noun (ending in “-ing”), and an infinitive is the “to + verb” form. Both can act as subject complements after a linking verb. For example:

• “My favorite activity is reading.” (Reading is a gerund acting as a subject complement.)
• “His goal was to win.” (To win is an infinitive phrase serving as a subject complement.)

See how the gerund and infinitive rename or further describe the subject? They’re not actions in these sentences, but rather identifying characteristics or explanations.

Sentence Variety and Style: Beyond the Basics

Using linking verbs with gerunds and infinitives can seriously boost your writing style. Instead of just saying “He is a teacher,” you can say, “His job is teaching,” which adds a slightly different flavor to the sentence. It’s all about adding layers and depth! Varying sentence structure keeps readers engaged and shows off your mastery of the English language.

• Example: Instead of: “The problem is that he procrastinates.”
• Try: “The problem is procrastinating.”

The second sentence is more concise and, dare I say, stylish?

Unexpected Use Cases: Linking Verbs in Disguise

Sometimes, linking verbs pop up where you least expect them. They’re not always obvious forms of “to be.” Verbs like “prove,” “remain,” or “stay” can also function as linking verbs in specific contexts.

• “The milk turned sour.” (Turned links the milk to the adjective sour.)
• “He remained silent.” (Remained links he to the adjective silent.)
• “She became a doctor.” (Became links she to the noun doctor.)

Keep an eye out for these less common linking verbs! They’re masters of disguise! Identifying these linking verbs correctly also helps avoid common grammatical errors in writing.

So, there you have it! Hopefully, you now have a clearer understanding of “will” and its role as a potential linking verb. While it’s not always a simple yes or no answer, paying attention to the sentence structure and the words around “will” should steer you in the right direction. Happy writing!