Grade by Grade
B. Foundations of Language · Foundations: Grammar, Sentences and Punctuation

Linking Verbs: Predicate Nouns and Predicate Adjectives

B3.2About 40 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can find a linking verb and the word after it that connects back to the subject.
  • I can tell a predicate noun (renames the subject) from a predicate adjective (describes the subject).
  • I can tell a predicate noun from a direct object.
  • I can tell when a verb like taste, feel or look is a linking verb or an action verb.

Words to know

linking verb
A verb that connects the subject to a word that renames or describes it. Forms of be (am, is, are, was, were, be, been) and verbs like become, seem, appear, feel, look, sound, taste, smell, grow, remain, stay and turn can be linking verbs.
predicate noun
A noun after a linking verb that renames the subject: My aunt is a paramedic. Also called a predicate nominative.
predicate adjective
An adjective after a linking verb that describes the subject: The soup tasted salty.
subject complement
The name for both predicate nouns and predicate adjectives: they complete the subject.

An equals sign in a sentence

My aunt is a paramedic.

The word is doesn't show any action. It works like an equals sign: my aunt = a paramedic. Verbs that link the subject to a word that renames or describes it are called linking verbs. The word that comes after them has a special name, and that's what this lesson is about.

Remember from Grade 6

You learned the difference between action verbs and linking verbs, and that we use an adjective (not an adverb) after a linking verb: I feel bad (not badly).

In Grade 7, you'll name the two kinds of words that can follow a linking verb:

  • A predicate noun renames the subject. My aunt is a paramedic. (aunt = paramedic)
  • A predicate adjective describes the subject. The soup tasted salty. (salty soup)

Both point back to the subject. That's why they're in the predicate (the verb part of the sentence) but are about the subject.

My auntisa paramedic.nounThe souptastedsalty.adjective
A linking verb (blue) connects the subject to a predicate noun (green) or a predicate adjective (yellow). The dotted lines show that both point back to the subject.
Worked example

Let's find predicate nouns and adjectives

Label the word after the linking verb: (a) The lake became calm. (b) Ms. Patel is our principal. (c) Those cookies smell delicious.

  1. (a) Linking verb became. Calm describes the lake → predicate adjective.
  2. (b) Linking verb is. Principal renames Ms. Patel (Ms. Patel = principal) → predicate noun.
  3. (c) Linking verb smell. Delicious describes the cookies → predicate adjective.

(a) predicate adjective, (b) predicate noun, (c) predicate adjective.

Predicate noun or direct object?

Both come after the verb. Ask: does it name the same person or thing as the subject?

  • My cousin became a pilot. → cousin = pilot → predicate noun (linking verb).
  • My cousin met a pilot. → cousin ≠ pilot → direct object (action verb).

Linking or action?

Some verbs can be either. Try replacing the verb with is or was. If the sentence still makes sense, it's linking.

  • The chef tasted the soup. → The chef was the soup? ✗ → action verb, soup is a direct object.
  • The soup tasted salty. → The soup was salty. ✓ → linking verb, salty is a predicate adjective.
  • She grew tomatoes. → action. She grew tired. → linking.
My cousin became a pilot.My cousin met a pilot.one person:cousin = pilotpilot = PREDICATE NOUN(linking verb became)cousinpilottwo people:cousin ≠ pilotpilot = DIRECT OBJECT(action verb met)
Ask: is it the same person? After the linking verb became, cousin and pilot are one person, so pilot is a predicate noun. After the action verb met, they are two people, so pilot is a direct object.

Formal pronouns after *be*

In very formal writing, a pronoun after a form of be uses the subject form: It was she who called. In everyday speech, most people say It was her or It's me, and that is fine in conversation. In a formal essay, you can often reword: She was the one who called.

Worked example

Let's improve a description with predicate adjectives

Make this sentence more precise: The hallway was bad after the field trip.

  1. Was is a linking verb and bad is a vague predicate adjective.
  2. Choose a precise adjective, or a pair: muddy, noisy, crowded.
  3. Try a more interesting linking verb: looked, seemed, became.

After the field trip, the hallway looked muddy and crowded. Precise predicate adjectives paint a clear picture.

Just for fun

A linking verb works like an equals sign, so My dog is a genius means dog = genius. Grammar can check the sentence, but it can't check whether the dog really is a genius!

Hands-on activity

Linking-verb taste test

You need: 3 or 4 safe foods from your kitchen (for example, a pickle, a cracker, an orange slice, a piece of cheese) and paper. Check with a grown-up about allergies first.

  1. Taste each food. Write two sentences for each one:
  • an action sentence: I tasted the pickle.
  • a linking sentence with a predicate adjective: The pickle tasted sour and crunchy.
  1. Write one sentence with a predicate noun about each food: An orange is a citrus fruit.
  2. Underline linking verbs, circle predicate adjectives and box predicate nouns.
  3. Try other senses: The cracker sounds crunchy. The cheese smells strong.

What to look for: in each linking sentence, the word after the verb describes or renames the food, and the is test works.

Your turn

1

Find the linking verb and the predicate noun: Winnipeg is the capital of Manitoba.

2

Find the linking verb and the predicate adjective: The trail seemed endless.

3

Predicate noun or predicate adjective? My brother became a lifeguard.

4

Predicate noun or direct object? My brother saved a swimmer.

5

Linking or action? The dog smelled the snow.

6

Linking or action? The gym smelled musty.

7

Choose: After the long hike, I felt (terrible / terribly).

More practice: warm-up

1

Name three linking verbs.

2

Find the predicate adjective: The sky turned grey.

3

Find the predicate noun: Ottawa is Canada's capital.

4

Does a predicate noun rename or describe the subject?

5

Does a predicate adjective rename or describe the subject?

More practice: on your own

1

Label each: The water felt icy, and the lake was a perfect mirror.

2

Linking or action? Explain: The crowd grew quiet.

3

Fix: The music sounds nicely.

4

Write a sentence with a compound predicate adjective (two adjectives).

5

Find the predicate noun: Tecumseh was a Shawnee leader who allied with the British in the War of 1812.

Challenge

1

Write two sentences with the verb looked: one where it's a linking verb and one where it's an action verb.

2

Explain the difference: (a) Our class elected Zoe. (b) Our new class president is Zoe.

3

Revise to use a stronger linking verb and precise predicate adjectives: The old cabin was not good.

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

Which sentence has a predicate noun?

2.

Which word is a predicate adjective? The pond remained frozen all week.

3.

In which sentence is felt a linking verb?

4.

What is goalie in Sam became our goalie?

5.

Which sentence is correct?

6.

What is map in We studied a map?

For parents and teachers

What this lesson is about: predicate nouns and predicate adjectives (subject complements), which follow linking verbs and rename or describe the subject. These are named in the Grade 7 curriculum.

How to help at home:

  • Use the equals sign idea: if subject = word after the verb makes sense, it's a predicate noun.
  • Use the "is" test for verbs like taste, feel, look, smell, sound, grow.

Common difficulties:

  • Confusing predicate nouns with direct objects. Ask whether both words name the same thing.
  • Using adverbs after linking verbs (smells nicely, feel badly).
  • Thinking that feel or taste is always a linking verb.