What is a linking verb?
Q: What is a linking verb?
A: A linking verb is a verb that joins the subject of a sentence to the complement (the word or phrase needed to finish an idea).
Q: What are some examples of linking verbs?
A: Examples of linking verbs include 'is' and 'are', which connect the subject to the adjective or adjective phrase that describes it.
Q: What is the main linking verb in English?
A: The main linking verb in English is the verb "to be". This verb is used to show how or what something or someone is.
Q: Are there languages with two different verbs for this meaning?
A: Yes, some languages such as Portuguese and Spanish have two different verbs for this meaning.
Q: Are there languages without any linking verbs?
A: Yes, some languages such as Arabic and Russian do not have any linking verbs because they use inflections, or word endings, that show what part of the sentence words are.
Q: How can speakers of these languages join subjects to complements without extra words?
A: Speakers of these languages can join subjects to complements without extra words since they share the same kind of inflection. For example, in Russian one would say "I cat" (Я кошка) instead of "I am a cat" because both words are in the nominative case, showing that they are linked together.
