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Can linking verbs be used instead of BE in passive voice?

English Language & Usage Asked by Jovanka Stojic on May 18, 2021

The window was broken.
The window got broken.
The window seemed broken.
The window ended up broken.

All these sentences look like passive voice examples to me.
But I have only found terms "passive" and "get-passive".
Can other linking verbs replace "be"?

One Answer

The second two examples have broken as an adjective. The get example has it as a past participle, and the be example is ambiguous.

The window was broken by the ball. [past participle]

The window was pretty broken. [adjective]

Try the same series with a verb that has a past participle which doesn't share a shape with an adjective.

The window was cleaned.

The window got cleaned.

*The window seemed cleaned.

*The window ended up cleaned.

The passive voice is made up of be or get and a past participle, whereas 'linking verbs' take a noun or adjective. Be can mark passive voice or serve as a 'linking verb' depending on context. Get can have a 'linking verb' interpretation, especially with comparatives.

The window got smaller.

Answered by DW256 on May 18, 2021

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