Guide to English grammar

1 Linking verb + complement
A complement is an adjective phrase or a noun phrase. A complement relates to the subject: it describes the subject or identifies it (says who or what it is). Between the subject and complement is a linking verb, e.g. be.
The hotel was quiet. The thief seemed depressed.
The book has become a best-seller. It's getting dark.
A week in the Lake District would make a nice break.
These are the most common verbs in this pattern.
Appear, be, become, look, prove, remain, seem, sound, stay + adjective or noun phrase
Feel, get, go, grow, smell, taste, turn + adjective
Make + noun phrase
There are also some idiomatic expressions which are a linking “verb + complement”. burn low, come good, come true, fall asleep, fall ill, fall silent, ring true, run dry, run wild, wear thin.
We can use some linking verbs in other patterns.
Linking: Your garden looks nice.
Intransitive: We looked at the exhibition.

NOTE

1. 
   After seem, appear, look and sound, we use to be when the complement is a noun phrase identifying the subject. But we can leave out to be when the noun phrase gives other kinds of information.
   

The woman seemed to be Lord Millbury’s secretary. (NOT The woman seemed Lord Millbury’s secretary)
The woman seemed (to be) a real expert.

2. 
   There is a special pattern where a complement occurs with an action verb, not a linking verb. We use this pattern in a very small number of contexts. We can express the same meaning in two clauses.
   

We arrived exhausted. We were exhausted when we arrived.
He walked away a free man.
I came home really tired one evening.

For American usage, • 303(1).

A practical guide to English grammar 11
2 Linking verb + adverbial
An adverbial can be an adverb phrase, prepositional phrase or noun phrase. An adverbial after a linking verb relates to the subject. It often expresses place or time, but it can have other meanings.
The coat was here. The conference is every year.
The drawings lay on the table. I'm on a diet.
Joan Collins lives in style. The parcel went by air.
Linking verbs with adverbials are be, go, lie, live, sit, stand and stay.