Here's a breakdown:
* Subject: The person, place, thing, or idea that the sentence is about.
* Linking Verb: Connects the subject to the predicate nominative or predicate adjective.
* Predicate Nominative: A noun or pronoun that renames the subject.
* Predicate Adjective: An adjective that describes the subject.
Examples:
* Subject: The dog
* Linking Verb: is
* Predicate Nominative: a golden retriever (renames the subject)
* Sentence: The dog is a golden retriever.
* Subject: The sky
* Linking Verb: seems
* Predicate Adjective: cloudy (describes the subject)
* Sentence: The sky seems cloudy.
Common Linking Verbs:
* Forms of "be": am, is, are, was, were, been, being
* Other common linking verbs: appear, become, feel, grow, look, remain, seem, smell, sound, taste, turn
Key Point: Linking verbs do not express action. They simply connect the subject to information about it.