State of being verb

[Jennifer Nevsky]

I have grown confused about the state of being verb. In the discussion on earlier posts from the experts, it seems that there is a controversy regarding the very existence of the use of to be as a state of being verb. is the distinction between the linking verb and state of being verb in the usage of to be widely accepted. I have taught it because the distinction is made in the grammar book which our school suggests we use. There seems some doubt whether to be should be distinguished as a state of being verb at all. Clarify this point. Please!!!!

 

[5jj]

What exactly does your grammar book say?

 

[Jennifer Nevsky]

My grammar book says that there are four major categories of verbs: state of being, linking verb, action verb, and helping verb. The state of being verb is the verb "to be" answering the question where and when. In the debate about a question I asked distinguishing the linking verb and state of being verb for Usingenglish.com, the experts suggested in some replies that there was only the linking verb, and there was no real usage of the state of being verb. It is all the linking verb. I grew confused about this disparity in judgment and categories. That is why I am askinbg the question.

 

[Raymott]

My grammar book says that there are four major categories of verbs: state of being, linking verb, action verb, and helping verb. The state of being verb is the verb "to be" answering the question where and when. In the debate about a question I asked distinguishing the linking verb and state of being verb for Usingenglish.com, the experts suggested in some replies that there was only the linking verb, and there was no real usage of the state of being verb. It is all the linking verb. I grew confused about this disparity in judgment and categories. That is why I am askinbg the question.

It might help if you could find the thread where these "experts" confused you, and we could clarify what they meant.

 

[Jennifer Nevsky]

My grammar book distinguishes between the usage of to be as a linking verb and a state of being verb. The state of being verb is distinguished by answering only the questions where or when in a sentence. This is not considered a usage of the linking verb. In my previous post entitled state of being verb, several respondents suggested that in English grammar worldwide there is only the linking and action verbs. The notion of the state of being verb is an American invention and popular in Ameria. Is this true?