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September 10, 2013
Many non-action verbs are "to be" verbs and
often act as linking verbs.
The words that follow a linking verb
rename the subject or describe it.
Click the checkmark to see all of the "to be" verbs.
was, were, be
To "be" verbs
am, is, are
been, being
Legolas is an elf.
Legolas is swift.
Renames the subject:
Describes the subject:
predicate noun
predicate adjective
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September 10, 2013
Chapter 1: Lessons 8 Subject Complements
Subject Complements: A word or group of words
that follows a linking verb ; renames or describes
the subject
• Predicate Nouns (nominatives) PN defines or
renames a subject
o Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania.
o Philadelphia equals the largest city…
o The largest city in Pennsylvania is Philadelphia.
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September 10, 2013
1. New Orleans is a city in Louisiana.
2. It was the birthplace of Jazz.
3. Preservation Hall is famous for its jazz concerts.
4. The restaurants of New Orleans are another attraction.
5. The Cajun dishes taste spicy.
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September 10, 2013
Drag these words into
place to make sentences.
subject + linking verb + predicate noun
subject + linking verb + predicate adjective
Our refrigerator is very noisy
For the past five years Mr. Wallace has
been our family's accountant
new
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September 10, 2013
Example: My dog, Oreo, is affectionate and playful.
Write some sentences that have
predicate adjectives.
Subject + linking verb + predicate adjective
A predicate adjective
describes the
subject.
Click here
to
remember...
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September 10, 2013
1. In the late afternoon, Sarah is walking
our neighbor's dog.
2. The twins, Joe and Sam, are quite amusing.
3. This towering mountain range is the Himalayas.
4. He has been a champion for many years.
6. I am an enthusiastic fan of our city's football team.
5. For this school term I am running for school president.
Put a star by the sentences that have a
linking verb followed by a predicate noun
or a predicate adjective.
Otherwise, put an "x".
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September 10, 2013
The Rule of So What?
• Good writing in every genre answers the question SO WHAT?
Good writing has purpose, a point, a reason it was written.
• The good writer looks for and finds the meanings, the
significances, the implications in the subject he or she has
chosen.
• Sometimes the SO WHAT? is subtle and implicit. Sometimes it's
explicitly stated.
• Robert Frost wrote "No tears in the writer, no tears in the
reader." If you don't find the deep meaning in your life or your
characters' lives, your readers won't find meaning in their own.
• A good writer often discovers the SO WHAT? through the
thinking of the writing process. But even with hard thinking,
some topics may not have a SO WHAT? These pieces can be
abandoned or put on hold.
