Greetings, my dear reader.
Have you ever heard the phrase “linking verb in English”? If not, then today I will tell you about something without which your English will not improve one ounce! We are waiting to talk about the connector to be, its forms and, so be it, we’ll also talk about the rest)).
It is probably difficult for a Russian speaker to understand how a verb can connect other words, but you will have to figure it out. This very connective does not describe the action, but connects the subject and the predicate (sometimes the complement). Well, nothing without him, to be honest! It's like glue that holds the cup and the handle together.
Let's look at examples:
She is a teacher. - She is a teacher.
They are a good team.- They are a good team.
I am an astronaut.- I'm an astronaut.
In these examples we see that we always use the verb to be (to be) in forms am, is or are . These forms are ligaments. They can be identified simply - they are not transferred to Russian and you can use an equal sign instead.
She is a teacher.- She = teacher.
As already mentioned, the phrase to be is not translated into Russian in any way in such cases, but is a mandatory part of the English version. Without it, everything will simply lose meaning.
In 2nd grade, children are explained how this verb is used using a fairy tale. Let's take a look at one of its options:
Well, does it become clearer to you? Just remember that in 90% of cases you will have to use just the forms to be.
What to do with the past tense? - you ask. To which I will answer you the following: also use to be, only in completely different forms. See:
Just remember that the translation of the sentence will change over time. If in the present tense we instead to be we can put an equal sign, then in the past tense was And were translated as " was, was, was, were».
To fully understand and sharpen this and other English grammar topics, purchase Online English grammar course for beginners from LinguaLeo without hesitation - the topic of copula verbs, articles, prepositions, basic tenses and phenomena are fully covered there. Everything is also reinforced with cool and interesting exercises. Try the first part of the course for free and you will see what I mean.
It turns out that in English there is not only a connector to be. Sometimes, already in the 3rd grade, schoolchildren are faced with the fact that, it turns out, the function of the phrase to be can also perform other words, for example, seem, become,feel and others.
Let's see examples:
It sounds cool.- Sounds great.
He got angry.- He got angry.
She looks upset.- She looks upset.
Of course, it is impossible to say that these are full-fledged linking words, but one cannot deny this either. These words connect parts of a sentence. Here is a table where you can see the most popular connectives in English:
Let's look at examples:
He became more handsome. - He has become more handsome.
She seems worried. - She seems excited.
She felt sick. - She didn't feel well.
He looks surprised.- He looks surprised.
It sounds good. - Sounds great.
The food tastes fresh. - The food tastes fresh.
It smells sweet. - It smells sweet.
To understand this better, just remember that you always need some kind of "to support" linking word in a sentence. It never stands on its own. Therefore, if you want to be understood, use them for their intended purpose and correctly!
Well, can you now explain to yourself what these incomprehensible connections are?
It seems you underestimate yourself...
In case you have any questions, ask them in the comments and I will answer them right away!
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I have prepared exercises for you on this topic -
And also an online test -
In the meantime, I say goodbye.
See you!
At the beginning of learning a foreign language, beginners encounter many basic terms, the meanings of which are difficult to grasp right away. Already in our first English lessons, we come across concepts such as auxiliary, modal, connecting and even irregular verbs! How to make sense of such diversity? There is only one way out - to consider each grammatical category in detail. This is what we will do in today’s lesson, getting acquainted with the topic: copula verb in English. Let's find out what is hidden behind this term and look at practical examples of its use in everyday speech.
In a well-structured sentence, the semantic connection of its constituent components should be clearly visible. In some languages it does not have to be expressed verbally. For example, in Russian we speak fluently: My brother is an athlete. The sky is bright blue today. The children are tired. The English language categorically does not accept such free construction of constructions and obliges the use of a verb in every sentence.
But what kind of verb form can we talk about if the sentence does not indicate any actions? For these cases, English grammar has a special category of words - linking verbs. They have a formal function, i.e. do not express actions, and sometimes are not even translated into Russian at all. Let's look at how the Russian examples given sound in English.
Learned? Yes, the most popular linking verb found in the English language is the well-known tobe. It is so important that it deserves a separate section.
If you have just started learning English, then the connective to be will be your main assistant for composing sentences. By using this verb you can tell a little about yourself, describe your surroundings and express your attitude. However, this verb is also used in complex grammatical constructions, but there it plays the role of an auxiliary word.
So, as a connecting link, to be in English is used in all tense forms. Let's look at examples of using this link using tables.
It is even easier to form related combinations in the past tense, since only two forms of this verb can be used there.
And in the future tense, one form is used, common to all persons of pronouns and nouns. Let us present separately its affirmative and negative versions.
In addition to denials and affirmations, to be can independently form clarifying questions. To do this, just move it to the beginning of the sentence.
Due to its simplicity and versatility, the verb to be is widely popular and is used in most statements. But there are also more individual linking verbs. Let's look at them in more detail.
Don't be put off by the name, because in reality these are, of course, ordinary verbs, but their application and definition require a higher level of understanding of the language.
Over a dozen verbs perform the functions of connectives in English. They all have one of the general meanings:
Some of these words are used exclusively as a linking verb, combining the components of a sentence in English. And the second part acts as both a connecting link and an independent verb. Let's look at both groups.
Along with to be, verbs are constant connectives of the English language seem And become. The meaning of the first is to appear, and the second is to become. But remember that during translation the meaning of the connecting link is rarely expressed.
It is worth mentioning that we rarely see the use of become as an independent verb with the meaning “be appropriate, fit, look good.”
Most verbs belong to this group. Depending on the context of the sentence, they either express their own meaning or contribute to the connection of disparate components.
It is customary to distinguish several groups:
Note that the first group occurs in speech more often than others. Let's give practical examples.
For beginners, it's useful to know a couple of easy ways to determine the role of a verb in a sentence.
If you are in doubt about the reason for using a given verb, try replacing it with the corresponding subject form to be. If the connective is replaced, you will not notice any changes in the meaning of the sentence. If, as a result of the replacement, the semantic context is lost, then in this case the verb used was used as an independent word.
Another way to understand the function of a verb is to find out its purpose. Connectives describe the state of the subject, or express the qualities and characteristics of the character. Independent verbs are designed to express actions or events, therefore, their role is to show that the main person performs the specified actions. This law can also be traced in the example of the above sentences: it is clear that the first statement denotes a state, and the second - an action.
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In English there is such a thing as a linking verb. Why did we decide to touch on this topic? Because most students think that a linking verb and an auxiliary verb are the same thing, however, this is not the case. To begin with, we note that the linking verb in different sources may sound differently in English: linking verbs, copulative verbs, state of being verbs or being verbs, but all these terms mean the same phenomenon.
As for the auxiliary verb, in English it sounds like an auxiliary verb and is necessary for the formation of interrogative and negative sentences. Each grammatical tense has its own auxiliary verbs, for example, in continuous tenses these are forms of the verb to be, in simple or indefinite tenses - do, and in perfect tenses - forms of the verb have. Auxiliary verbs are rarely found in affirmative sentences and are not translated into Russian - they seem to be there and they are not.
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As for the linking verb, it does not express the action of the subject, i.e. does not answer the question “what to do?” and is not a semantic verb. This type of verb connects the subject and the noun, adjective or pronoun that defines or characterizes it.
English is the most common linking verb, and probably most students confuse the concepts of linking verb and auxiliary verb precisely because it is also an auxiliary. Here are examples of the linking verb to be in different tenses.
Linking verbs are in second place in popularity. seem And become. Concerning seem, then this verb is always a copula, and become- usually, but not always.
As a semantic verb become means “ fit, look good”:
is another popular verb that can serve as a semantic verb and a linking verb:
Ten English verbs that can be either semantic or linking verbs are: appear, turn, feel, prove, grow, sound, look, taste, smell, remain:
How to determine what a particular verb is in a sentence?
If you're not sure which verb is a linking verb and which is a semantic verb, try this:
1. Replace the verb with a form of the verb “to be”, as in the sentence “The cake smells delicious = the cake is delicious.” Despite the fact that we replaced smells with is, the meaning remained the same, which suggests that smells in this case is a linking verb. If, as a result of such manipulation, the sentence acquires a new meaning or the sentence becomes meaningless, then it is a semantic verb.
2. Change the word order in the sentence according to the following pattern: The cake smells delicious = delicious smells the cake. It sounds a little strange, given that delicious is an adjective, but the original idea remains, which means smells is a linking verb.
As you delve deeper into the English language, you will learn to distinguish a linking verb from a semantic one, noting the connection between the subject and the verb. A linking verb forms a bridge between the subject and the word that defines or describes it. Semantic verbs involve the subject in action, forcing him in this case to do something.
Bundle- This Part of speech, expressing additional syntactic relationships between the main members of the sentence. Examples of connectives: This(frozen form of the pronoun), There is(frozen form of the verb "be" in the present tense, 3rd person singular. and many more numbers), essence(frozen form of a noun), as well as conjugated forms of verbs “mean”, “signify”, “appear”, “be called”.
The best rest is a change of activity. I think - that means I live.
In Russian grammar bunch Also can act function verb "be" in different forms. This verb appears in the forms of the future and past tense. In the present tense, the ligament is omitted or the so-called zero link.
London - Capital of the UK.
In this sentence we see a deletion of the connective or a zero connective in place of the hyphen.
I will enter medical university. - verb form "to act" future tense.
I will doctor. - link-verb.
Vasilina was a cheerful girl. Vasilina - my sister.(In the first sentence the connective verb is in the past tense form, in the second there is a zero connective).
- pronominal or pronominal-adverbial meaning: like this, here (Active leisure - Here the best way to take a break from routine);
- union meaning: as if, exactly, exactly, as if, like(It was like a bolt from the blue. Every day is like a holiday);
- meaning of identification or identification: linking phrases this is nothing more than, this is the same as, this is what it is (Be happy it's nothing more than enjoy every minute you live);
- demonstrative meaning: like this, like this (Receiving a prize in a competition - this real surprise);
- interpretive meaning: this means, this means, this is called (Walking around the neighborhood before bed - it is called entertainment?);
- comparative meaning: it's the same as, it's the same as (Relax, lying on your back in the water - it's the same experience zero gravity).
Summarize. Bundle- this is a service form that is found in a certain, rather narrow, range of two-part sentences. A connective is that part of speech whose removal does not change either the meaning or the structure of the sentence.
Predicate, consisting of a nominal part and a linking verb is called a compound nominal predicate.
The linking verb to be is the most commonly used. The connective in the sentence can be omitted.
Compound nominal predicate, which is abbreviated as SIS, consists of two parts:
a) auxiliary part - the copula expresses grammatical meaning;
b) main part – the nominal part expresses the lexical meaning.
When parsing, the predicate is indicated by two horizontal lines.
The nominal part of a compound predicate is expressed:
adjective name.
Let's give an example: the road was bad;
noun.
Let's give an example: a dog is a faithful friend;
Comparative degree of an adjective.
Let's give an example: her hair is longer than her shoulders;
A short turn of the passive participle.
Let's give an example: food is eaten;
A short adjective.
Let's give an example: the morning is fresh;
Adverb.
Let's give an example: the error was obvious;
Numeral name.
Let's give an example: five five - twenty five;
Pronoun.
Let's give an example: this book is yours;
Syntactically integral phrase.
Let's give an example: she fell face down into the mud;
Type of connective by meaning:
Grammatical connective – expresses only grammatical meaning (tense, mood), has no lexical meaning.
Typical verbs:
Verbs to be, to appear. In the present tense, the copula be is usually in the zero form (“zero copula”): the absence of the copula indicates the present tense of the indicative mood.
Here are some examples:
She was a teacher.
She will be a teacher.
She is a teacher.
She was a waitress.
She will be a waitress.
She's a waitress.
She is a waitress.
Lyrics are the highest manifestation of art.
Type of connective by meaning:
The semi-nominal copula not only expresses the grammatical meaning, but also introduces additional shades into the lexical meaning of the predicate, but cannot be an independent predicate (in that meaning).
Typical verbs:
a) the emergence or development of a sign: to become, to become, to be done, to become;
b) preservation of the sign: stay;
c) manifestation, detection of a sign: to happen, to appear;
d) assessment of a sign from the point of view of reality: to appear, to seem, to introduce oneself, to be considered, to be reputed;
e) name of the attribute: to be called, to be called, to be revered.
Here are some examples:
He became sick.
He remained ill.
He was sick every autumn.
He turned out to be sick.
He was considered sick.
He seemed sick.
He is sick.
He was considered sick.
They were called sick.
Type of connective by meaning:
The nominative connective is a verb with a full lexical meaning (one can act as a predicate).
Typical verbs:
a) Verbs of position in space: sit, lie, stand;
b) verbs of motion: go, come, return, wander;
c) verbs of state: live, work, be born, die.
Here are some examples:
She sat tired.
He left angry.
He returned upset.
He lived as a hermit.
He was born happy.
He died a hero.
