I have to identify if the verb is transitive or intransitive.
1.Eddie must be the fastest runner on the team.
2. We were the largest class in the history of the school.
1.must be=intransitive
2.were=intransitive
"must be" and "were" = linking verbs -- neither transitive or intransitive
Right!
I thought linking verbs were intransitive
Thanks Ms. Sue
From U of Ottawa's website:
http://www.arts.uottawa.ca/writcent/hypergrammar/link.html
Many linking verbs (with the significant exception of "be") can also be used as transitive or intransitive verbs. In the following pairs of sentences, the first sentence uses the highlighted verb as a linking verb and the second uses the same verb as either a transitive or an intransitive verb:
Linking
Griffin insists that the water in Winnipeg tastes terrible.
In this sentence, the adjective "terrible" is a subject complement that describes a quality of the water.
Transitive
I tasted the soup before adding more salt.
Here the noun phrase "the soup" identifies what "I tasted." "The soup" is the direct object of the verb "tasted."
Linking
My neighbour's singing voice sounds very squeaky despite several hours of daily practice.
In this example, the phrase "very squeaky" is a subject complement that describes or identities the nature of the "singing voice."
Transitive
Upon the approach of the enemy troops, the gate-keeper sounded his horn.
Here the verb "sounded" takes a direct object, the noun phrase "his horn."
Linking
Cynthia feels queasy whenever she listens to banjo music.
In this sentence, the adjective "queasy" is a subject complement that describes Cynthia.
Transitive
The customer carefully feels the fabric of the coat.
Here the noun phrase "the fabric of the coat" is the direct object of the verb "feels" and identifies what the customer feels.
To determine if a verb is transitive or intransitive, you need to consider whether the verb requires an object to complete its meaning or not.
1. "Eddie must be the fastest runner on the team."
In this sentence, the verb "be" is being used in a linking manner to connect the subject "Eddie" with the noun phrase "the fastest runner on the team." Since "be" is not taking an object directly, it is an intransitive verb.
2. "We were the largest class in the history of the school."
Similar to the first example, the verb "were" is used as a linking verb to connect the subject "we" with the noun phrase "the largest class in the history of the school." As it does not require a direct object, "were" is also considered an intransitive verb.
In conclusion, both verbs "be" and "were" in the given sentences are intransitive verbs.