Copulative verb examples 30 examples of sentences

Concept of copulative verbs

The Concept of copulative verbs has an importance place in grammar. The copulative word derives from copulation, which in turn has its origin in the Latin word “copŭla” that refers to what creates a bond, linking or joining two things together. The sexual act, for example, is called intercourse. Copulative verb examples

The word copulative is used in Grammar to refer to certain verbs, which are par excellence, to be and to be, that function as copulation or union of the attribute sentences , which are also called copulatives; since they attribute to the subject a certain quality expressed in the predicate.

The verb to be is used when what is attributed is a noun , an infinitive verb or an adjective. Examples: “My brother is a doctor”, “the student is applied” and “the aim of the school is to learn”, respectively. The verb to be, is used to attribute a quality through an adjective: “the fruit is ripe” or “the child is sick.” As we can see, the copulative verb does not contribute semantically, that is, it does not give any meaning to the phrase, it only serves as an attributive link, in addition to being, syntactically, the core of the verbal predicate. If they were omitted, the sentence would make the same sense.

Another verb that works as a copulative is “seem,” although some consider it as a pseudo-copulative because it attributes some significance and not only serves as a link: “Your hair seems tame.” The verbs that give meaning to the sentence are called predicatives.

They can also be copulative, the conjunctions, when they add, adding or joining two elements: “The dog and the cat”, “Felipe and Irene” “did not call me or wine” “are you give it give it”. The resulting sentences are also called copulatives. Copulative verb examples

Copulative verbs are verbs used to connect the subject with an attribute . The attribute is a way of being or characteristic of the subject.

The attribute functions as a qualifying adjective, since it describes the subject; especially it connects a state or way of being (cold, tired, lazy, lively) or speaks of a characteristic (blue, bright, pleasant).

In Spanish the copulative verbs are to be, to be and to seem . In the copulative function, they do not have a meaning or express a complete action in the sentence, but are only a connection between the subject and his attribute: Copulative verb examples

• The sky is clear.
• My father is a mechanic.

The main difference between the verbs be and be as copulative verbs, is that the verb ser is used to talk about the attribute of a person or object, that exists, existed or will exist, but without expressing the idea of ​​a change or modification of the attribute in the moment in which it is spoken:

• My house is red.
• My motorcycle was fast.
• The store will be big.

Being is used to speak an attribute that can change, that changed or will change. In other words, it talks about attributes that can be modified or have changed over time:

• The street was desolate.
• The stadium will be full.
• My aunt is angry.

The verb seem to function as a copulative verb in the sense of being similar to someone to something, so when the attribute is missing, the sentence has no complete meaning:

• Your sister seems sad.
• Your computer seemed broken.
• Already repaired it will look new.

There are other active verbs, which can be used as copulative verbs in some sentences. These verbs are called pseudo copulatives . They are verbs that also serve to circumstantially connect the subject with an attribute. Sometimes they are accompanied by the auxiliary form of the verb ser se : Copulative verb examples

• Clothes feel loose.
• Juan is sleepy.
• I feel sick today.

With pseudo copulative verbs, sometimes there is doubt about whether the word they connect is an attribute or an adverb. To distinguish in these cases, we must observe whether connected word describes a state or characteristic of the subject (copulative verb and attribute) or describes the action of the verb (adverb):

• The car is slow (in this case, slow describes how the car is, that is, it describes the verb, so it is an adverb)
• The car is dirty (in this case, dirty describes the car, and the verb anda connects this attribute with the subject. Here is a connective verb with the attribute) Copulative verb examples

30 examples of sentences with copulative verbs:

1. When we finish the job, it will be excellent.
2. The beach is warm.
3. My clothes were wet.
4. Open soon, the car is fuming.
5. That horse is old.
6. I was also a soldier.
7. Estefanía looks like her cousin.
8. My cousin will come tired.
9. My armchair looks like a bed.
10. The road is slippery.
11. The car is broken.
12. Together with you I was a salaried worker.
13. The computer is damaged.
14. Your hearing aid is for deafness.
15. Your scale is calibrated.
16. My brother is unemployed.
17. Your mom is sick
18. My girlfriend will come angry.
19. The workers of this establishment are very young.
20. Maricela was very pretty as a child.
21. Emilio and Fernando are good friends.
22. My grandmother is very old.
23. Antonia was angry with Manuel.
24. The parody was very funny.
25. Rosa looks like a model.
26. The spotlights look like a rainbow.
27. English work seems easy.
28. His bread seemed tastier.
29. The villa is flooded.
30. The job is easy

The sentences with copulative verbs

The sentences with copulative verbs are the sentences whose core of the predicate is a verb of the copulative type . The copulative verbs in Spanish are three: to be, to be and to seem .

This kind of verbs are characterized mainly because they function as a link that links the subject of the sentence with an attribute. That is why they are called copulatives, which means something that unites or links two or more elements.

By themselves, the verbs be, be and seem not to express a complete or finished idea ; That is why they need an attribute that completes the idea: what or how something or someone is; what or how is something or someone; what or how something or someone looks like. Let’s see some examples:

• The child seems (copulative verb) scared (attribute) by the clown.

The copulative verb seems to function as a link between the subject The child and the frightened attribute .

• My friend’s sister is pregnant ( copulative verb) pregnant (attribute).

The copulative verb to be works as a link between the subject The sister of my friend and the pregnant attribute .

• You are (copulative verb) a frank person (attribute).

The copulative verb ser functions as a link between the pronoun You, which is the subject of the sentence, and the frightened attribute .

• Life is (copulative verb) a journey that we must enjoy (attribute).

The copulative verb ser works as a link between the subject Life  and the attribute a path that we must enjoy .

The attributes that link the copulative verb can be different kinds of words or phrases that inform us of some quality or state attributed to the subject of the sentence. Copulative verb examples

The attributes in the sentences with copulative verbs can be:

 

• An adverb or adverbial phrase . Examples: “Are you okay ?”; “The decision you made is very bad .”
• A noun phrase (whose core is a noun). Examples: “Falling in love is a very beautiful feeling”; “What you say is a contradiction .”
• A subordinate attribute sentence (which can start with: what, where, who or an infinitive verb). Examples: “They are where they should be “; “Generosity is sharing what you have to others .”
• A pronoun . Examples: “My room is this one “; “The culprits are them .”
• A prepositional phrase (whose core is a preposition). Examples: “The birthday cake will be chocolate”; “The cat is under the table .”