linking verb

3.2

A verb that connects the main person or thing in a sentence to a word that gives information about it

noun
/ˈlɪŋkɪŋ vɜrb/

Specialized

: verbo copulativo

An example of a linking verb is be, as it links the subject to the predicate in sentences like "They are happy."

So the complement is the word on the other side of a linking verb, such as to be.

Examples

So the complement is the word on the other side of a linking verb, such as to be.

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As a linking verb, the verb to be works differently from other verbs.

Blog text (31)
In the sentence "She is a doctor," the word is functions as a linking verb connecting the subject to its complement.
Understanding how a linking verb works is crucial for identifying the relationship between the subject and its complement, as in the sentence "He became tired."

Synonyms

copula

vslinking verb

Specialized

1 8.8

A verb that links the subject to a phrase showing its state or identity

typically identifies or describes the subject rather than stressing its state

copulative

vslinking verb

Specialized

9.4

A verb that connects the subject to a word or phrase that gives information about it

is the same concept but presented under an alternative term

Surface Forms

linking verb singular

linking verbs plural

Morphology

link + verb

The term is directly compositional: 'linking' means connecting and 'verb' is a word class, so a learner can infer it denotes a verb that connects subject and complement. This follows a straightforward English modifier+noun pattern that a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily understand.

Etymology

Linking verb comes from the image of a bridge: the linking part means it joins two things and verb shows it is a word that does the joining. Words like 'be' and 'become' act like that bridge, joining the sentence's subject to a description, so the name explains why they don't show action but 'connect' the subject to more information.