copula

A verb that joins the subject of a sentence to a subject complement. Adjective: copular.

In English, the verb be is sometimes referred to as "the copula," but other verbs (identified in Observations, below) have a copular function as well.

See also:

• Ascriptive Sentence
• Linking Verb
• Stative Verb
• Zero Copula

Etymology:

Examples and Observations:

• "These two very old people are the father and mother of Mr. Bucket. Their names are Grandpa Joe and Grandma Josephine."
  (Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 1964)



• "We use a special kind of verb to join an adjective or noun complement to a subject. These verbs can be called 'copulas' or 'copular verbs.' Common copular verbs are: be, seem, appear, look, sound, smell, taste, feel, become, get.
  
  
  • The weather is horrible.
  • That car looks fast.
  • The stew smells good.
  • I do feel a fool.
  • She became a racehorse trainer.
  • It's getting late.
  "After copular verbs we use adjectives, not adverbs. Compare:
  
  
  • He spoke intelligently. (Intelligently is an adverb. It tells you about how the person spoke.)
  • He looks intelligent. (Intelligent is an adjective in a predicative position. It tells you about the person himself--rather like saying 'He is intelligent.' Look is a copular verb.)
  "Note that some of these verbs are also used with other meanings as ordinary non-copular verbs."
  (Michael Swan, Practical English Usage. Oxford Univ. Press, 1995)



• "A copular (or linking) verb is complemented by a subject predicative in sentence or clause structure. The most common copular verb is be; others include become (my friend), feel (tired), get (ready), seem (happy). A copular prepositional verb is a prepositional verb (combination of verb plus preposition) that is complemented by a subject predicative: sound like (you), turn into (a monster), serve as (mitigating circumstances)."
  (Sidney Greenbaum, Oxford English Grammar. Oxford Univ. Press, 1996)



• "A smile is a curve that sets everything straight."
  (attributed to Phyllis Diller)



• "If it looks good, you'll see it. If it sounds good, you'll hear it. If it's marketed right, you'll buy it. But if it's real, you'll feel it."
  (Kid Rock)



• "When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad, and that is my religion."
  (attributed to Abraham Lincoln)



• "Copular verbs fall into two broad groups:
  
  
  1. Describing some kind of state that the thing or person referred to by the subject is in; verbs of this sort include be, remain, seem and appear.
  2. Describing the result of some change affecting the thing or person referred to by the subject; verbs of this sort include become, turn, grow and get.
  Copular verbs can occur in both main and subordinate clauses."
  (James R. Hurford, Grammar: A Student's Guide. Cambridge Univ. Press, 1994)