Is the verb in this sentence considered transitive, or is it a linking verb?

The president of Israel functions as the head of state.

Question

Is the verb in this sentence considered transitive, or is it a linking verb?

The president of Israel functions as the head of state.

lgbasallote · Answer

you know which is the verb in the sentence right? a pretty good way to see if the verb is linking verb, try changing the verb into one of the familiar linking verbs (is, are, was, were, am)

so the verb in the sentence is functions...

The president of Israel functions as the head of state

change functions to is/was

The president of Israel IS as the head of state

does it make sense?

on the other hand, to know if a verb is transitive just as yourself, "the (insert subject here) (insert verb here) what?"

for example...

"The president of Israel functions what?"

if the answer is in the sentence then the verb is transitive...so..is the answer in the sentence?

anonymous · Answer

good igba

anonymous · Answer

I read this as an intransitive verb followed by an adverbial prepositional phrase. See the attached diagram.

I don't know whether there might be other legitimate ways of construing it. Constructions with "as" are notoriously tricky. Good question!

anonymous · Answer

to take is out and put was in

jessicap · Answer

I'm just getting back to this, but yes Redwood_Girl, I am leaning more towards intransitive; I think I meant to put that instead of linking.

lgbasallote · Answer

intransitive? intransitive is followed by an adverb...i see no adverb here..