Linking Verbs and Action Verbs

Linking Verbs and Action Verbs Linking Verbs and Action Verbs Linking Verbs and Action Verbs By Mark Nichol Verbs are divided into two functional categories: copular verbs and action verbs. This post discusses their differences. Copular, or linking, verbs, which express a situation or a state rather than an action or a process (and thus are among the class of verbs called stative verbs), consist of several types of verbs. The basic ones are forms of the verb phrase â€Å"to be†: am, are, be, being, is, was, were, and been. However, become, get, grow, turn, and similar terms, and their tense forms (for example, became and â€Å"will become†), also perform this function, as do those in two other small groups. First, there are the words such as appears and seems, and second, there are what are called the sensory verbs, referring to impressions based on the five senses: feels, looks, smells, sounds, and tastes. (These, of course, also have their tense forms, such as appeared and â€Å"will feel.†) The default for use of copular verbs is that each clause has only one, as in â€Å"I am here, and you are there.† Some languages allow a zero copula omission of a copular verb but in American English, this is an informal usage recommended only in colloquial dialogue, as when one character drops the copular verb when asking another character something such as â€Å"Where you going?† The double copula (for example, â€Å"What it is, is a disaster†) is also common in casual speech but is also discouraged in most writing; such constructions are organized that way for emphasis, but in formal prose, the sentiment is easily expressed more concisely: â€Å"It is a disaster.† A variation of the copular verb is the copular prepositional verb, which includes a verb and a preposition, as in â€Å"feels like† and â€Å"gets into.† Action verbs, by contrast, are the ones that actually describe an accomplishment, achievement, or activity. Accomplishment verbs describe the result of an effort, as in â€Å"He solved the problem just in time.† Achievement verbs describe an instantaneous action, as in â€Å"I saw the dog.† (Although one can continue to see a dog, the initial occurrence the transition from not seeing the dog to seeing it takes place in an instant.) An activity can be definite in duration (â€Å"I walked while I waited for him to get ready†) or indefinite (â€Å"I walked along the road.†) One significant difference in sentence constructions that feature a copular verb and those that include an action verb is the part of speech that might follow the verb. If an action verb is modified, the modifier is an adverb (â€Å"She sifted carefully through the pile of documents†), while a copular verb is followed by an adjective (â€Å"I was careful as I sifted through the pile of documents†). Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar 101 category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:7 English Grammar Rules You Should KnowList of 50 Great Word Games for Kids and AdultsPeople vs. Persons

Montague-Capulet Feud in Romeo and Juliet

Montague-Capulet Feud in Romeo and Juliet In Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet, two noble families are at war with each other, a state of affairs which ultimately dooms the young lovers. Romeo is of House Montague and Juliet is a Capulet. We never learn the origin of the feud between the two families, but it pervades the play from the very first scene when servants from each house get into a fight. All of the major events in Romeo and Juliet are driven by the Montague-Capulet dispute. But after the tragic death of their children at the end of the play, both families agree to bury their grievances and acknowledge their losses. Via their tragic deaths, Romeo and Juliet resolve the long-standing conflict between their respective families, but unfortunately, do not live to enjoy the peace. But who’s who in the Montague-Capulet feud? The following list divides the play’s characters by family: House of Montague The House of Montague includes these key players: Montague.  Father to Romeo and married to Lady Montague, he’s concerned about his son at the start of the play and asks Benvolio to help him figure out what’s bothering Romeo.Lady Montague.  Romeo’s mother is less of a presence in the play than Juliet’s mother, but in the few scenes we see her, she appears to love her son deeply. When Romeo is banished, she dies of grief.Romeo. The son, and heir of the Montague house, Romeo is 16 years old and falls in and out of â€Å"love† easily, until meeting Juliet. He kills Tybalt after Tybalt kills Romeo’s friend Mercutio.Benvolio. He is  Montague’s nephew and Romeo’s cousin. Benvolio tries to be a good influence on Romeo, persuading him to forget about the erstwhile Rosaline. He mainly acts as a peacemaker and friend to Romeo.Balthasar.  Romeo’s serving man unintentionally tells Romeo of Juliet’s â€Å"death† (In fact, she’s taken poison to appear dead ). House of Capulet Lord Capulet. Juliet’s father is the family patriarch and tries to control his daughter by arranging a marriage to Paris. When she refuses, he calls her terrible names and threatens to throw her out: Hang thee, young baggage! disobedient wretch!I tell thee what: get thee to church o Thursday,Or never after look me in the faceAnd you be mine, Ill give you to my friend;And you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets! Lady Capulet. Juliet’s mother, while more understanding of her daughter is almost as angered by Juliet’s refusal to marry Paris as Lord Capulet is. She dismisses Juliet outright: Talk not to me, for Ill not speak a word; do as thou wilt, for I am done with thee.Juliet Capulet. At age 13, Juliet is about to be married to Paris and is deeply unhappy about it. But everything changes when she meets Romeo, despite his being from the rival Montague family. The two fall in love and are secretly married, but end up killing themselves when each believes the other to be dead.Juliet’s Nurse. She is more of a mother figure to Juliet than Lady Capulet and knows the young woman better than anyone else in her family. The Nurse’s sense of humor lends some much-needed levity to the play. She’s the only one who helps Juliet in her quest to be with Romeo, even though she doesn’t fully understand the intensity of Juliet’s feelings.Tybalt. Lady Capuletâ₠¬â„¢s nephew and Juliet’s cousin is the main antagonist of Romeo and Juliet, owing to his deep hatred of the Montagues. Short-tempered and vindictive, Tybalt is quick to draw his sword in anger. His killing is a pivotal moment in the play.