About This Worksheet
This Grade 7 Language Arts worksheet helps students identify linking verbs and determine whether the words that follow are predicate adjectives or predicate nominatives. A predicate adjective describes the subject, while a predicate nominative renames it. For example, in “The sky was bright,” bright is a predicate adjective. In “Jordan became class president,” class president is a predicate nominative because it renames Jordan.
Learning Goals
The main goal is to help students understand what appears after a linking verb and how that information connects back to the subject. Students should already recognize common linking verbs such as is, was, became, seemed, felt, grew, and sensory verbs. This activity moves them toward distinguishing descriptions from renaming words. It supports CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.1 through sentence analysis and accurate understanding of verb complements.
Student Tasks
On this worksheet, students will read fifteen sentences and underline the linking verb in each one. They will then circle the word or phrase that follows the verb and label it PA for predicate adjective or PN for predicate nominative. The examples describe weather, food, people, animals, buildings, movies, jobs, flowers, and hallway conditions. Students must decide whether the complement describes the subject or gives it another name.
Common Challenges
Some students may mistake a linking verb for an action verb because words such as smell, taste, feel, and grow can perform either job. Others may correctly locate the complement but confuse a description with a noun that renames the subject. Encourage students to ask, “Does this word tell what the subject is like, or does it tell what the subject is?”
Teaching Suggestions
A teacher can place two sentence frames on the board: “The subject is ___” and “The subject is a/an ___.” Adjectives usually fit the first pattern, while predicate nominatives often fit the second. At home, a parent can ask the child to replace the linking verb with a form of be. If the sentence keeps a similar meaning, the verb is probably linking.
Worksheet Features
The worksheet offers fifteen varied examples using several different linking verbs. The two-part task requires students to identify both the verb and the complement that follows it. A simple PA or PN label keeps the classification organized while still demanding careful thought. This page works well for linking-verb lessons, predicate review, homework, or assessment.