I feel stupid for not knowing these but I can't figure it out! So in the sentence we have "underline the verb be (and its various forms) and decide how it's used. Circle the verb its helping or linking to and Write linking verb or helping verb on the line" so here is an example...

Question

In ancient times, no one was using money

So I would circle 'using', underline 'was' and its a helping verb

bur these are the sentences i can't figure out.

"These objects were anything from anything from animal skins to shells" I understand that 'were' is the helping/linking verb but what is it helping/ linking to? That's my problem with all these other problems too

"These objects were valuable to everyone"

"Some of the objects were metal"

"One of the first coin-makers was an ancient Roman"

"The first paper money was Chinese"

"The paper is worthless by itself"

And "Many of the coins in the colonies were Spanish"

Answer 1

These objects were anything >> "were" is a linking verb, connecting the subject "objects" with the predicate nominative, "anything."

The rest of the verbs are also linking. Can you figure out the subject and the predicate adjectives or nominatives they are connecting?