catching fish (is)one of the oldest pastimes. The word(is) is ither a verb adverb preopstion or conjunction i cant tell which one?
The word "is" is the main verb of this sentence. It's a form of the verb "to be" and can be used as a linking verb (as in this sentence) or as an auxiliary verb.
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/to_be.htm
To determine whether the word "is" is a verb, adverb, preposition, or conjunction in your sentence, we need to analyze its function within the sentence.
In this particular case, "is" serves as a verb. The verb "is" is a form of the verb "to be," used as the linking verb indicating the state of being. Here, it is used to connect the subject "catching fish" to the noun phrase "one of the oldest pastimes."
So, to identify it as a verb, you can consider its role in the sentence and how it relates the subject to the predicate.