[Buddhaheart]

I know the feeling. Don’t be discouraged. We‘ve been there before. We’re also learning by talking to student like you.

You’re right. Depending on the sense use of the verb ‘felt’, you can indeed have a DO &/or even an IO in the predicate. If you say, “Carry felt bold,” ‘bold’ is a predicative adjective describing the subject ‘Carry’ and the verb ‘felt’ is a copula. If you say, “Carry felt boldly,” ‘boldly’ is just an adverb modifying the verb ‘felt’. If you say, “Carry felt emptiness,” ‘emptiness’ is a noun complement of ‘felt’.

Now if you say, “Carry felt (~experienced) it to be intimidating,” ‘it’ now functions as a DO and ‘to be intimidating’ is the complement. ‘Felt’ here is no longer a linking verb. In ‘Carry was feeling (~purposely touching to learn about) his shirt to see whether it’s appropriate for the occasion,” again ‘shirt’ is the DO. Note the progressive is possible and is used here as the verb is not functioning as a stative verb.