The Linking Verb Patterns

Ed McCorduckEnglish 402--GrammarSUNY Cortland http://mccorduck.cortland.edu

Pattern IV

NP V-lnk ADJ(subj) (pred vb) (subj comp)

• “V-lnk” is linking verb• a linking verb states a relation between the subject and

the subject complement, i.e., it “links” the subj and the subj comp

slide 2: Pattern IV

English 402: Grammar

examples of linking verbs:

seem become remain

several verbs involving sensory impressions are linking verbs:

feel sound taste smell look

slide 3: examples of linking verbs

English 402: Grammar

exx

That | seems | silly.

The puppy | is looking | very sick.

The protestor | sounded | beside himself.

(Note: In the second example sentence above, the main verb is the linking verb looking, not is.)

slide 4: examples of Pattern IV sentences

English 402: Grammar

slide 5: Reed-Kellogg diagram of a Pattern IV sentence

English 402: Grammar

As with sentences of Pattern II, i.e., with be followed by an adjectival (ADJ) functioning as subject complement, diagrams of Pattern IV sentences with linking verbs have the (headword of the) ADJ subj comp on the main line after a slanted line. For example, here is the diagram of the sentence That seems silly:

Pattern V

NP1 V-lnk NP1

(subj) (pred vb) (subj comp)

As with sentences of Pattern III of the be patterns, the subj comp in Pattern V sentences is a noun phrase that refers to the same entity as the subject noun phrase, so both NPs are written with a 1 index.

slide 6: Pattern V

English 402: Grammar

Most linking verbs can appear in both Pattern IV and Pattern V sentences. For example,

Frederick | became | riled.Pattern IV (i.e., riled is an ADJ)

Frederick | became | a serial killer. NP1 NP1

Pattern V (i.e., a serial killer is an NP) The general | has remained | steadfast.

Pattern IV (i.e., steadfast is an ADJ)The general | has remained | the commander of the army. NP1 NP1

Pattern V (i.e., the commander of the army is an NP)

slide 7: linking verbs of both Pattern IV and Pattern V

English 402: Grammar

slide 8: Reed-Kellogg diagram of a Pattern V sentence

English 402: Grammar

As with sentences of Pattern III, i.e., with be followed by an NP functioning as subject complement, diagrams of Pattern V sentences with linking verbs have the (headword of the) NP subj comp on the main line after a slanted line. As an example, here is the diagram of the sentence Frederick became a serial killer: