Explain that complete sentences have two basic parts. The noun is the subject of the sentence and the predicate says something about it. The predicate can be an active verb, such as "jumps" or it can describe something, such as "seems jumpy." When the predicate is describing something, the verb is called a "linking" verb because it links two ideas instead of communicating an action. Test that your verb is functioning as a linking verb by substituting a "to be" verb, such as "is" or "are," since "to be" verbs always serve as linking verbs. Adjectives are descriptive words that work with the linking verb to complete your thought.
Adjectives help paint pictures with words. Have your students write a short paragraph describing something. Because this is a language exercise, it doesn't matter what the students describe and allowing a choice of subject often makes the exercise more fun. When the paragraphs are complete, instruct students to underline all of the verbs in red and adjectives in blue.
Use the student-created paragraphs to study verbs. Begin by having students write "active" or "linking" over each verb. As students described something, most of the verbs should be linking verbs. Ask them to rewrite sentences with linking verbs, so that all of the verbs are "to be" verbs to test that they have correctly identified the sentences. Have them rewrite the paragraph a final time so that none of the verbs are "to be" verbs to explore how this changes the feeling of their writing.
Encourage students who enjoy writing or need extra practice to try an activity that mimics Mad Libs word games. Have students work in pairs or small groups. Instruct them to erase their linking verbs and adjectives. Without reading the paragraph, each student's partner should provide verbs and adjectives for the author to fill in. This will result in silly stories that further illustrate the power of word choice.