what follows a linking verb or a action verb. the simple tense of verbs. follows a preposition. sometimes called the simple predicate.

Linking verbs can be followed by predicate nouns or adjectives.

She is tall. (tall = predicate adjective)
The tall man is my brother. (brother = predicate noun)

Action verbs can be followed by direct objects if they are transitive verbs. You will know this whenever you look up words in the dictionary. Transitive verbs are indicated by v.t. after the word in the listing. (If it says v.i., then the verb is action but is intransitive and does not take a direct object.)

James ate his hamburger. (hamburger = direct object)
Jill hit the softball. (softball = direct object)

There is no simple tense of verbs. There are present, past, future, and different continuous and perfect verb tenses.

The noun or pronoun that follows a preposition (and sometimes there are adjectives in between) is called the object of a preposition.

The simple predicate is the main verb of the sentence. The complete predicate is the verb and all that goes with it, including adverbs and any adverbial clauses and phrases.

Here are some websites where you can learn more:

http://www.chompchomp.com/menu.htm

http://members.cox.net/teachro/

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/

This may help you as well:

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To understand what follows a linking verb or action verb, the simple tense of verbs, what follows a preposition, and what is sometimes called the simple predicate, let's break it down:

1. Following a Linking Verb: A linking verb is a verb that connects the subject of the sentence to a word or phrase that describes or renames it. It does not show action. Examples of linking verbs include "is," "are," "was," "were," "seem," "become," etc. What follows a linking verb is a subject complement, which can be a noun, pronoun, or adjective that describes or renames the subject. For example:
- "She is a teacher." Here, "is" is the linking verb, and "a teacher" is the subject complement.

2. Following an Action Verb in Simple Tense: Action verbs express physical or mental action. In the simple tense, action verbs can show actions in the present, past, or future. What follows an action verb in the simple tense is usually the direct object, which is the receiver of the action. For example:
- "He ate an apple." Here, "ate" is the action verb, and "an apple" is the direct object.

3. Following a Preposition: A preposition is a word that expresses a relationship between a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase and another element in the sentence. What follows a preposition is a prepositional phrase, which consists of the preposition and its object. For example:
- "She walked to the store." Here, "to" is the preposition, and "the store" is the prepositional phrase.

4. Sometimes Called the Simple Predicate: The simple predicate is the main verb or verb phrase in a sentence that conveys the action or state of being. It includes the verb and any helping verbs that may modify it. Sometimes, the simple predicate is referred to as the "verb phrase." For example:
- "He has been studying for hours." Here, "has been studying" is the simple predicate/verb phrase.

Remember, these are general explanations, and there may be exceptions or additional elements that can follow these verbs or structures depending on the specific context of a sentence.