The sound is a familiar one.
The impression the region gives is still a rural one.
If the subject is plural, you can use the adjective followed by ones.
My memories of a London childhood are happy ones.
One can also be followed by a prepositional phrase or a relative clause.
Their story was indeed one of passion.
The problem is one that always faces a society when it finds itself threatened.
size, age, colour, shape
3.141 If you want to make a statement about the size, age, colour, or shape of something, you can use a noun phrase based on size, age, colour, or shape after the linking verbs mentioned in the previous paragraph. The noun phrase begins with a determiner and has an adjective in front of the noun or the preposition of after it.
It’s just the right shape.
The opposing force would be about the same size.
The walls are a delicate pale cream colour.
His body was the colour of bronze.
It is only the size of a mouse.
types of people and things
3.142 You can use noun phrases beginning with a or an, or plural noun phrases without a determiner, after be, become, remain, comprise, and form, to say what type of person or thing someone or something is.
He is a geologist.
I’m not an unreasonable person.
He is now a teenager.
The air moved a little faster and became a light wind.
They became farmers.
Promises by MPs remained just promises.
These arches formed a barrier to the tide.
talking about identity
3.143 You can use names or noun phrases referring to a particular person or thing after be, become, remain, constitute, represent, comprise, and form to talk about exactly who or what someone or something is.
This is Desiree, my father’s second wife.
He’s now the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
The winner of the competition was Ross Lambert of Forest Hill Primary School.
The downstairs television room became my room for receiving visitors.
…the four young men who comprised the TV crew.
3.144 When you use a noun indicating a unique job or position within an organization, you do not have to put a determiner in front of the noun.
At one time you wanted to be President.
He went on to become head of one of the company’s largest divisions.
pronouns after linking verbs
3.145 Personal pronouns are sometimes used after linking verbs to indicate identity. Note that the object pronouns are used, except in very formal speech or writing.
It’s me again.
Possessive pronouns are also used after linking verbs, to indicate identity or to describe something.
This one is yours.
This place is mine.
Indefinite pronouns are sometimes used to describe something, usually with a qualifying structure after them.
It’s nothing serious.
You’re someone who does what she wants.
When pronouns are used after linking verbs, the linking verb is usually be.
other structures that follow linking verbs
3.146 The use of noun phrases containing measurement nouns after be and other verbs is explained in paragraphs 2.252 to 2.254.
combinations of verbs and prepositions
3.147 Some verbs function as linking verbs when they are followed by a particular preposition.
The object of the preposition describes or classifies the subject of the verb.
His fear turned into unreasoning panic.
Taylor’s fascination with bees developed into an obsession.
An autobiography really amounts to a whole explanation of yourself.
Here is a list of verb and preposition combinations that function as linking verbs:
amount to
change into
change to
develop into
grow into
morph into
turn into
turn to
These all have the same basic meaning as become, except for amount to, which has a similar meaning to constitute.
The phrasal verb make up also functions as a linking verb.
Wood made up 65% of the Congo’s exports.
Commenting
3.148 There are several ways in which a to-infinitive can be used to comment on someone or something in relation to an action.
commenting on behaviour: You’re crazy to do that
3.149 If you want to say that someone shows a particular quality when they do something, you can use the structure: subject + linking verb + adjective or noun phrase + to-infinitive.
Most people think I am brave to do this.
I think my father was a brave man to do what he did.
commenting on suitability: She’s the right person to do the job
3.150 You can use a similar structure to say that someone or something would do a particular task better than anyone or anything else.
He was absolutely the right man to go to Paris and negotiate.
She may be an ideal person to look after the children.
He is just the man to calm everyone down.
You cannot use adjectives alone in constructions of this kind. You use a noun phrase containing an adjective such as right, ideal, or best, or just the followed by the noun person, man, or woman. For example, you can say He was the ideal person to lead the expedition, but you cannot say He was ideal to lead the expedition.