A copula is “That part of a proposition which connects the subject and predicate; the present tense of the verb to be (with or without a negative) employed as a mere sign of predication.” It uses a linking verb to describe the subject, so is always either another noun or an adjective. Other verbs that can sometimes function as copulas include seem, appear, become, and remain, as well as the sense verbs look, sound, taste, smell, and feel.
Questions tagged [copular-verbs]
99 questions
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Sentence analysis (copula)
I am quite confused with this. Sentence is:
His dog is his best friend.
I would say that this is copula sentence, without object, and that HIS DOG is a subject.
My friend is trying to persuade me that it is quite different i.e. his dog=object, his…
guest
- 41
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2 answers
specifying use of 'be'
The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language (Page 266) defines the ascriptive and specifying uses of be as follows:
[45] i His daughter is very bright/a highly intelligent woman. [ascriptive]
ii The chief culprit was Kim. [specifying]
In the…
JK2
- 6,553
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Is "to be" in "to be or not to be" used as a linking verb with no nominal nor adjectival predicate?
Is "to be" in "to be or not to be" used as a linking verb with no nominal nor adjectival predicate?
Is it grammatically correct, and if so what rules govern that omission?
user438381
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1 answer
Who do you think is I/me/you in the picture?
Do you think it's correct to use the verb to be this way in these sentences?
1 Who do you think is me in the picture?
2 Who do you think is you in the picture?
3 How can I recognize who is you in this crowd?
I happen to hear natives' opinion that…
user1425
- 988
0
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Verb *leave* and an unusual copular construction?
A recent question on verb agreement left me one unresolved issue — can we add the verb leave to the list of verbs with copular uses?
The heat left me parched.
The shutdown left me out of a job.
The scandal left me boss.
The verb has a weak…
Phil Sweet
- 15,699
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How to use the verb "to be" with both singular and plural
I just wrote the following sentence:
Saying "Walkers cheese and chive crisps" is up there with thinking mushy peas were guacamole.
I am wondering whether I should or could have written:
Saying "Walkers cheese and chive crisps" is up there with…
Matthew Taylor
- 183