Linking verbs do not have the same role as typical verbs that show action. The function of this verb type is to link a subject to its subject complement.
What is a linking verb? What are all the linking verbs? My handy dandy guide will show you the meaning, functions, and list of all linking verbs in the English language. Then, you can answer the worksheet I provided to check your understanding.
What Are Linking Verbs?
A linking verb does not show action like dynamic verbs. Instead, it is a type of verb that expresses a subject’s state of being. This function sets them apart from intransitive verbs, phrasal verbs, and impersonal verbs. For example:
- Your dress feels silky.
In this sentence, feels establishes the state of being of the subject dress. It does not express the dress doing the act of feeling.
Some linking verb examples include is, feel, smell, and became. The most common linking verb is be in all its forms, such as is, was, am, and more. Here are more sentence examples.
- I am happy to see you.
- The book seems old.
- This room became messy.
Linking verbs are not part of action verb phrases. These sentence examples involve helping verbs instead of linking verbs.
- I am going to the mall.
- She is listening to her favorite song.
Linking Verb Functions
We all know that sentences always contain subjects and predicates. Consider this example.
- I saw her on television.
In this sentence, the subject is I, and the predicate is saw her on television. Saw is the action verb. It is an irregular verb which is the past verb form of see. Meanwhile, on television is a prepositional phrase.
- Whales are the most giant animal.
Linking verbs are always a part of the predicate. But what makes them different from normal verbs is that they do not describe the action.
When a sentence has a linking verb instead of an action verb, it means they are not a monotransitive verb or a ditransitive verb, as there is no direct object. Instead, there is a subjective complement.
There are two types of subject complement after a linking verb that will determine the proper verb usage. These are also known as special predicates.
Predicate Nominative or Predicate Noun
A linking verb is followed by a predicate noun or noun phrase when the word describing the object is a noun or noun phrase. For example:
- I became an accountant and a lawyer.
In this sentence, the predicate nouns accountant and lawyer describe the subject I. They are linked by the linking verb became, which is in the past form.
Predicate Adjective
A linking verb can link the subject to predicate adjectives when the word describing it includes adjectives or adjective phrases. For example:
- This solution is inefficient.
In this sentence, the subject complement inefficient describes the subject solution.
Adverb or Adverbial Phrase
Only the linking verb be can be described by an adverb, adverb phrase, or adverbial prepositional phrase of time or place. For example:
- Your phone is upstairs.
Upstairs may seem like an adjective, but it is an adverb indicating the phone’s location. It connects the predicate upstairs and the subject phone.
Here are more examples.
- The party will be tomorrow afternoon.
- The man is in his office.
Rules for Linking Verbs
Here are some rules for using linking verbs.
Do Not Use an Adverb for Your Subject Complement
You already know that the verb be can be followed by an adverb of time or phrase. But you should never use an adverb of manner to rename subjects. For example:
- Incorrect: Anthony seems happily.
- Correct: Anthony seems happy.
The first sentence is incorrect because adverbs modify verbs. Subject complements should rename and describe subjects. Therefore, it’s better to use an adjective that will describe Anthony, which is happy.
Linking Verbs Are Intransitive Verbs
Because linking verbs have subject complements instead of direct objects, then they are categorized as intransitive verbs. For example:
- Sarah is a writer
- You seem lonely.
- Jennifer feels joyful today.
Practice Subject-Verb Agreement
As with other sentences, the subject should always agree with the verb. So when the subject is singular, the verb should be singular. But when the subject is plural, the verb should be plural.
- Whales are the biggest animal in the sea.
- The principal is here.
- These fruits taste good.
“It Is I” or “It Is Me”
Since predicate nominatives are in the subjective case, we often wonder which personal pronouns to use. The grammatically correct statement is “it is I” instead of “it is me” because I is the nominative form.
But you can also say “It was me” in less formal contexts. In fact, this sentence is more common.
Use the Correct Verb Tense
All verbs, even linking verbs, show tense. For example, the simple present form of taste is taste/tastes. Its simple past form is tasted, and its simple future tense is will taste.
Remember that some linking verbs are irregular. For example, the simple present form of be is is or are, while its simple past form is was or were. However, the simple future tense of be is will be.
Common Linking Verb Words
Let’s take a look at the definitions of the most common linking verbs.
Be
The linking verb be means exist. For example:
- There are no easy answers.
- She is exhausted.
Become
The linking verb become means begin to be. For example:
- Tomorrow she will become a bride.
- Karen became a doctor last year.
Go
Go has the same meaning as become. For example:
- The rice went bad when my brother didn’t place it in the fridge.
- She goes dizzy every time she rides the car.
Keep
The linking verb keep means continue to be like this. But as an action verb, it has a common meaning of possession or ownership. For example:
- Please keep quiet when you’re inside the library.
- Keep calm and carry on.
Prove
Prove means to show a specific quality. But as an action verb, its meaning is to show with evidence. For example:
- The theory proved true after the study done by the researchers.
Fall
The linking verb fall talks about illness or silence. Here are some examples.
- The doctor told the parents that their son had fallen ill.
- Everyone in the hall fell silent.
Linking Verb List
This list shows the English linking verbs. Remember that some of them can function as action and non-action verbs.
Permanent Linking Verbs
These lists of verbs are always linking verbs and can never be dynamic. That means they fall under the non-action verb category.
- Be (is, are, am, was, were, being, been)
- Become
- Seem
Linking Verb Phrases
These linking verb phrases are different versions of be.
- Can be
- Could be
- Will be
- Would be
- Shall be
- Should be
- May be
- Might be
- Must be
- Has been
- Have been
- Had been
Sensory Verbs
Notice how some of these linking verbs are also common action verbs and stative verbs.
- Feel
- Smell
- Sound
- Appear
- Look
- Taste
Conditional Linking Verbs
- Act
- Come
- Fall
- Go
- Keep
- Remain
- Turn
- Constitute
- Equal
- Get
- Grow
- Prove
- Stay
How Many Linking Verbs Are There?
There are 23 linking verbs in the English language. Eight of these linking verbs are always linking verbs and never expressing actions. Some examples include seem, be, and become in their different verb forms.
What Is the Most Common Linking Verb?
The most commonly used linking verbs in English are:
- Is
- Are
- Am
- Was
- Were
- Can be
- Could be
- Will be
- Would be
- Shall be
Is From a Linking Verb?
The word from is not a linking verb that expresses a state of being. Instead, it is a preposition.
Linking Verb Summary
There are many types of verbs in English. Linking verbs are not like other common verbs that express actions. Instead, they connect the subject with different types of predicates.
This guide has shown you the definition, functions, and examples of linking verbs. Expand your knowledge of the English language by learning more about verbs.
Main Linking Verbs Takeaways:
- Here’s a Comprehensive Linking Verbs .pdf
- Unlike most verbs, a linking verb is not an action word.
- Instead, they connect the subject of a sentence with the rest of the sentence. They join a subject with its predicate noun or adjective.
- There are 12 main and 23 total linking verbs in the English language.
- These are always linking verbs: to seem, to become, and any form of the verbto be.
What is a Linking Verb in English Grammar?
According to traditional English grammar guides, a linking verb describes the subject by connecting it with the rest of a sentence. What’s more, they can be a single word or a group of words. Unlike other verbs, this type of verb does not convey action. Instead, they describe or identify a subject. Think of them as the glue that holds a sentence together.
There are several verbs that are always linking. These are:
- to seem
- to become
- any form of the verb to be
Here are some examples of linking verbs used in sentences:
What is the Difference Between a Linking Verb and an Action Verb?
Typically, verbs are action words. However, linking verbs don’t express action. Instead of acting, they describe and connect. Specifically, this type of verb describes a state of being. Moreover, it connects the subject of a sentence with the subject complements. Subject complements are predicate nouns or predicate adjectives. “To be,” “to become,” and “to seem” are always linking verbs. Words that can function as a linking or an actionverb include smell, appear, look, and sound.
Linking Verb Definition: a word or expression that joins the subject of a sentence with its predicate.
How Many Linking Verbs are There?
There are 23 total linking verbs in the English language. This total is made up of about eight verbs that are always linking. Examples include become, seem, and any form of the verb to be like am, is, are, was, were, and has been. Additionally, this total includes about 15 more verbs that can also be action or helping verbs.
What are the 23 Linking Verbs?
The 23 linking verbs are:
- am
- is
- was
- are
- were
- being
- been
- be
- have
- has
- had
- do
- does
- did
- shall
- will
- should
- would
- may
- might
- must
- can
- could
What is the Most Common Linking Verb?
There are 12 popular linking verbs (is, seems, be, am, becomes, been, are, feels, being, was, appears, were).
- is
- are
- am
- was
- were
- can be
- could be
- will be
- would be
- shall be
- should be
- may be
- might be
- must be
- has been
- have been
- had been
But, you can transform some of them into other forms, such ashelping verbs.
What Is the Difference Between a Linking Verb and a Helping Verb?
To start with, both linking verbs and helping verbs are not action verbs. However, there’s a big difference between their functions in a sentence. Linking verbs express a state of being or a condition. They connect the subject to the rest of the sentence. On the other hand, helping verbs or auxiliary verbs help the main action verb in a sentence. Consider the following examples:
Linking verbs used in sentences
Helping verbs used in sentence
Here is a list of common helping verbs. Bold verbs are also linking:
- is
- can
- be
- do
- may
- had
- should
- was
- has
- could
- are
- will
- been
- did
- might
- were
- does
- must
- have
- would
- am
- shall
- being
To further complicate things, sometimes “is” can be linking, action verb, or a helping verb depending on the sentence’s context.
In these sentences, “is” describes a state of being. The action referenced here is “to be.”
Download:Here’s a Comprehensive .pdf of Linking Verbs
How Do You Identify a Linking Verb?
Here’s are three quick tricks for identifying a linking verb. First, replace your verb with is or are. If the sentence still makes sense, then your verb is most likely a linking verb. This is because is and are can act as linking verbs, but they are also effective substitutes for others. Similarly, another trick is to replace the verb with an equals sign (=). If the sentence still make sense, the verb is almost certainly a linking verb. The final trick is to decide whether the verb describes a state of being or an action. If the verb describes the subject’s state of being, it’s probably a linking verb. However, if the verb describes an action, it’s probably not.
1. Replace the Verb With Is or Are
In the examples above, you can replace each verb in question with “is” or “are.” The sentences still make sense. Therefore, it’s confirmed that the each verb we replaced islinking.
However, in this example, the meaning of the sentence changes when we substitute the verb in question:
The verb dries is an action verb because itdescribes an action the subject takes and not a state of being.
2. Replace the Verb With =
One of my favorite short-hand tactics for taking notes in History class. Replacing the verb in question with an equal sign can also help you determine what kind of verb a word is.
How does Shayla feel? She’s annoyed, and we understand that after reading each example.
3. You Decide: State of Being or Action?
Action verbs express something a person or thing does. Linking verbs do not convey action. However, some are also action verbs.
The example above describes the subject, Daria. What’s more, the word smells connects Daria to the rest of the sentence. The linking category of verbs describes the subject and connects it to the rest of the sentence. Therefore, smells is linking here.
However, this example describes an action that the subject of the sentence took. In other words, this example describes something that Daria did.
What did Daria do? She smelled (the cake. We know you’re fresh as a daisy, Daria).
Therefore, smells is an action verb here.
Linking, Helping, Action, or All of the Above? Set a new High Quiz Score
Linking Verbs Question #1
Correct!
Wrong!
The answer is TRUE. Linking verbs connect the subject of a sentence with its predicate.
Linking Verb Question #2
A. Plays
B. Seems
C. Happy
D. Whenever
Correct!
Wrong!
The answer is B. Seems connects the subject, John, with the rest of the sentence.
Verb «is» and «are» Question #3
Correct!
Wrong!
The answer is TRUE. You can identify a linking verb in a sentence by replacing it with “is” or “are.”
Linking Verb Question #4
A. Were
B. Appear
C. Feels
D. Work
Correct!
Wrong!
The answer is D. Work is an action verb.
Linking Verb Question #5
A. Helping verbs are the same as linking verbs.
B. Some linking verbs are also helping verbs.
C. Helping verbs convey time or meaning.
D. Helping verbs appear before a sentence’s main verb.
Correct!
Wrong!
The answer is A. Unlike linking verbs, helping verbs help the main verb in a sentence by extending its meaning.
Helping Verb Question #6
A. Shall
B. Seems
C. Might
D. Should
Correct!
Wrong!
The answer is B. Seems is a linking verb that connects the subject of a sentence with its predicate.
Read More: First, Second, and Third Person: Points of View in Writing
В английском языке есть такое понятие как глагол-связка. Почему мы решили затронуть эту тему? Потому что большинство студентов считают, что глагол-связка и вспомогательный глагол – это одно и то же, однако, это не так. Для начала заметим, что глагол-связка в разных источниках может на английском звучать по-разному: linking verbs, copulative verbs, state of being verbs или being verbs, но все эти термины обозначают одно и то же явление.
Auxiliary verbs
Что касается вспомогательного глагола, то на английском языке он звучит как auxiliary verb и необходим для образования вопросительных и отрицательных предложений. В каждом грамматическом времени живут свои вспомогательные глаголы, например, в продолженных временах – это формы глагола to be, в простых или неопределенных – do, а в совершенных – формы глагола have. Вспомогательные глаголы редко встречаются в утвердительных предложениях и на русский язык не переводятся – они как бы есть — и их как бы нет.
Что касается глагола-связки, он не выражает действие предмета, т.е. не отвечает на вопрос «что делать?» и не является смысловым глаголом. Такой тип глагола связывает подлежащее и определяющее или характеризующее его существительное, прилагательное или местоимение.
Linking verbs
Английский глагол to be – самый распространенный глагол-связка, и вероятно большинство студентов путают понятия глагол-связка и вспомогательный глагол именно потому, что он также является и вспомогательным. Вот примеры глагола-связки to be в разных временах.
- I am hungry.
- She is a good doctor.
- The flowers were beautiful.
- That was a nice film.
- That man might have been a robber.
На втором месте по популярности находятся глаголы-связки seem и become. Что касается seem, то данный глагол всегда является связкой, а become — обычно, но не всегда.
- Your sister seems clever. (глагол-связка: соединяет слова sister и clever)
- When she returns home she becomes a good mother and wife. (глагол-связка: соединяет she и mother and wife)
В качестве смыслового глагола become означает “подходить, хорошо смотреться”:
- That dress certainly becomes her. – это платье определенно ей подходит.
Get — еще один популярный глагол, который может выполнять функцию смыслового глагола и глагола-связки:
- I get to my office by bus. (смысловой)
- She got pale when she heard the news. (связка)
Десять английских глаголов, которые могут быть как смысловыми, так и связующими глаголами, являются: appear, turn, feel, prove, grow, sound, look, taste, smell, remain:
- The apples appear ripe. (связка)
- He suddenly appeared from behind the tree. (смысловой)
- I feel sick because of the nausea. (связка)
- Feel the difference by tasting this sauce! (смысловой)
- Poor Emma grew old. (связка)
- We grow white roses in our garden. (смысловой)
- Mother looked tired after working in the garden. (связка)
- Jane looked under the bed but didn’t find her slips. (смысловой)
- Her opinion proved right. (связка)
- I proved my theory in a modern way. (смысловой)
- Our relations remain neutral. (связка)
- Little of my patience remained. (смысловой)
- The cake smells delicious. (связка)
- I smelled something rotten. (смысловой)
- That music sounded strange to my ears. (связка)
- The crew member sounded the alarm when it wasn’t necessary. (смысловой)
- The meat tastes good. (связка)
- I couldn’t taste pepper in the meat balls. (смысловой)
- She suddenly turned pale. (связка)
- I turned right when reached the corner. (смысловой)
Как определить, чем является в предложении тот или иной глагол?
Если вы не уверены, который глагол является связкой, который — смысловым, попробуйте следующее:
1. Замените глагол формой глагола “to be”, как в предложении «The cake smells delicious = the cake is delicious». Несмотря на то, что мы заменили smells на is, смысл остался прежним, что говорит о том, что smells в данном случае – это глагол-связка. Если же в результате подобной манипуляции предложение приобретет новое значение или же предложение станет бессмысленным, значит это смысловой глагол.
2. Измените порядок слов в предложении по следующему образцу: The cake smells delicious = delicious smells the cake. Звучит немного странно, учитывая то, что delicious – это прилагательное, но первоначальная мысль остается, а значит smells – глагол-связка.
Углубившись в английский язык, вы научитесь отличать глагол-связку от смыслового, отмечая связь между подлежащим и глаголом. Глагол-связка образует мост между подлежащим и словом, которое его определяет или описывает. Смысловые глаголы вовлекают подлежащее в действие, заставляя его в этом случае что-то делать.
Linking verb definition: Linking verbs are a type of verb that connect the subject to a predicate adjective or predicate nominative. Linking verbs express a state of being.
Linking verbs “link” a subject to the predicate of the sentence. Linking verbs are not action verbs. Linking verbs express a state of being.
Linking Verb Examples:
- David seems
- That girl is my classmate.
In each of the sentences, the linking verb is underlined. These verbs do not express an action that the subject can do but rather express a state of being.
Linking Verbs List
Here is a list of linking verbs. It is not exhaustive, but these are some of the most common ones.
- to be
- to seem
- to become
- to feel
- to taste
- to appear
- to smell
- to turn
- sound
- to grow
Individual Questions
Is was a linking verb?
Yes, was is always a linking verb.
Is have a linking verb?
Have, itself, is not. But, when used with other verbs like have been, it can function as one.
Is has a linking verb?
Has is similar to have. See above.
Is had a linking verb?
Had is similar to have. See above.
Is will a linking verb?
Will, itself, is not. But, when used with other verbs like will be, it can function as one.
Is can a linking verb?
Can, itself, is not. But, when used with other verbs like can be, it can function as one.
Is is a linking verb?
Yes, is is always a linking verb.
Is are a linking verb?
Yes, are is always a linking verb.
Is were a linking verb?
Yes, were is always a linking verb.
Is became a linking verb?
Yes, became is always a linking verb.
Linking Verbs Re-identify, Describe the Subject
What is the function of a linking verb? Linking verbs serve two purposes. While they explain a state of being, that state of being can be two things.
- Linking verbs serve to help rename or re-identify the subject.
When linking verbs help to rename or re-identify the subject when they are used with a predicate nominative. A predicate nominative is a noun (or nouns) that follows a linking verb that renames a subject.
- They are my friends.
- He is a baseball player.
In each of these examples, the words after the linking verb are nouns and they rename or re-identify the subject.
- Linking verbs serve to help describe the subject.
When linking verbs help to describe the subject when they are used with a predicate adjective. A predicate adjective is adjective (or adjectives) that follows a linking verb that renames a subject.
- Sara seems
- We are
In each of these examples, the words after the linking verb are adjectives and they describe the subject.
Linking Verb vs. Action Verb
Action and linking verbs differ in the information that they convey.
A linking verb is a verb that expresses a state of being. The subject does not “do” the verb.
An action verb is a verb that expresses an action that the subject is doing. Explain the difference between these two. Give examples.
Some action verbs can be linking verbs. Their use determines if they are an action verb or a linking verb.
To determine if a verb is used as a linking verb or an action verb, decide if the subject is “doing” the action or if the action is expressing a state of being.
For example:
- Verb: to smell
- Action: He smelled the flowers.
- Linking: He smells bad.
In the “action” sentence, the subject is “doing” the smelling. In the linking sentence, the subject is not doing anything. Rather, “smells” is a linking verb that helps to describe him.
Linking Verbs in Passive Voice, Progressive Tense
The verb to be is used in English to form the passive voice and the progressive tense. Here is how linking verbs interact with both of these constructions in English.
Passive voice
Linking verbs can be used in the passive voice to express a state of being.
- The house was built.
- It was painted.
In each example, the subject is not “doing’ the action. These sentences are written in the passive voice through the linking verb, “to be.” “Built” and “painted” serve as adjectives to link the subject to the predicate adjective.
Progressive tense
Linking verbs can be used in the progressive tenses to express a state of being.
- She is annoying.
- They seem confusing.
In each example, the subject is not “doing’ the action. These sentences are written in the present progressive tense. “Annoying” and “confusing” serve as adjectives to link the subject to the predicate adjective.
How to Find a Linking Verb
If you are ever unsure whether a verb is a linking or action verb, here is a helpful trick.
If you can substitute a form of the verb “be” into your sentence and it still makes sense, you have a linking verb.
For example,
- The cake smells wonderful.
Now, let’s substitute the verb “to be” with the verb “smells.”
- The cake is wonderful.
As you can see, the sentence still makes perfect sense because the cake is not actually “doing” the smelling. “Smells” is acting as a linking verb, linking the subject cake to a descriptor “wonderful.”
Summary: What are Linking Verbs?
Define linking verb: the definition of a linking verb is a verb that connects a subject to the complement; they connect the subject of the verb to additional information about the subject.
To summarize, linking verbs:
- expresses a state of being, not an action
- links the subject to the predicate nominative (noun) or predicate adjective
- helps to rename/re-identify or describe the subject
Contents
- 1 What is a Linking Verb?
- 2 Linking Verbs List
- 3 Individual Questions
- 4 Linking Verbs Re-identify, Describe the Subject
- 5 Linking Verb vs. Action Verb
- 6 Linking Verbs in Passive Voice, Progressive Tense
- 7 How to Find a Linking Verb
- 8 Summary: What are Linking Verbs?
In this post, we learn what linking verbs are, and what they do in a sentence.
What are linking verbs in English?
Linking verb definition: A linking verb is a type of a main verb that links the subject of a sentence to its complement (a word or a group of words that identifies the subject and either renames it or modifies it).
A word or a group of words that comes after a linking verb and identifies is called a subject complement. It tells what the subject is or how it is.
Here’s a complete list of linking verbs in English
| TO BE | TO BE: is, am, are, was, were, may be, might be, should be, would be, can be, could be, must be, will be, shall be, BEING: is being, am being, are being, was being, were being BEEN: has been, have been, had been, may have been, must have been, could have, should have been, |
| TO SEEM | seem, seems, seemed |
| TO LOOK | look, looks, looked |
| TO FEEL | feel, feels, felt |
| TO SOUND | sound, sounds, sounded |
| TO TASTE | taste, tastes, tasted |
| TO SMELL | smell, smells, smelt |
| TO STAY | stay, stays, stayed |
| TO BECOME | become, becomes, became |
| TO GO | go, goes, went, gone |
| TO REMAIN | remain, remains, remained |
| TO TURN | turn, turns, turned |
| TO GET | get, gets, got |
| TO APPEAR | appear, appears, appeared |
Linking verb examples
- You are a wonderful singer. (The linking verb ‘are‘ is linking the subject ‘you’ to its complement a wonderful singer, which is giving the subject a name. You = a wonderful singer)
- Jon was sad last night. (The linking verb ‘was’ is connecting the subject ‘Jon’ with the subject complement ‘sad’. Jon = sad)
A linking verb is either followed by a noun (predicate nominative) or an adjective (predicate adjective).
More linking verbs examples
- I am really excited for the party.
- Akshay was the best bowler of our team.
- The teacher is upset with all the students.
- My friends are the best.
- You were the love of my life.
- Sam is being extremely polite to me.
- All the interviewers were being very rude to me.
- This year has been terrible for most people.
- Knowing how many skillful workers the company has lost, the employers have been very positive about the future.
- Jon had been very helpful in those days.
- You will be the mother of my baby in some time.
- We shall be happy to contribute to this amazing cause.
- Tina may be upset with you.
- This trip might be a failure.
- You must be a fighter. You look like one.
- The team should be satisfied with their performance as it was quite a historical win.
- If he didn’t come on time, I would be dead.
- Because of you, the party could be exciting.
- Jennifer could have been the lead actress of this movie.
- Max should have been more careful with the money he won in the lottery.
- Your family must have been disappointed with your results.
- Everyone seemed clueless when he announced his retirement.
- This jacket looks perfect on you.
- You look beautiful without makeup.
- The task seems difficult to solve.
- My mom appears mad at me.
- The food smells delicious.
- I felt terrible when they stranded the dog.
- If you put in the work, dreams come true.
- Jimmy stayed calm and composed even after getting a death threat.
- You must try this. It tasted extremely good.
- The crowd went silent after Virat lost his wicket.
- Even after losing his dream job, Max remained positive.
- Sometimes, we get demotivated when things don’t go the way we want them to go.
- He remained faithful to the company.
- Your story never falls true.
Linking verbs vs action verbs
Some verbs act as both linking verbs and action verbs. Here’s the list of verbs that can be both linking verbs and action verbs:
- Appear
- Look
- Smell
- Go
- Taste
- Stay
- Fell
- Get
- Turn
How to identify if any of these verbs function as a linking verb or an action verb in a sentence?
If a verb functions as an action verb, it is followed by a noun (object) or an adverb or a prepositional phrase. None of these things will refer to the subject; they will be different from the subject.
But if a verb functions as a linking verb, it will be followed by a noun (predicate nominative) or an adjective (predicate adjective): subject complement. And both the things will identify the subject; the subject complement either renames the subject (noun) or modifies it (adjective).
Examples:-
- He appeared before the court yesterday. (Action verb)
- He appeared lost before the court. (Linking verb)
- She looked at me in a weird way. (Action verb)
- She looked beautiful in that dress. (Linking verb)
- He smells his food before eating it. (Action verb)
- He smells nice today. (Linking verb)
- We go to new places every now and then. (Action verb)
- We go crazy after having some drinks. (Linking verb)
- The chef tasted the food himself. (Action verb)
- The food tasted delicious. (Linking verb)
- We stayed at his place last night. (Action verb)
- We stayed motivated even after losing the match. (Linking verb)
- I felt the pain in his voice. (Action verb)
- I felt helpless when I got lost in the forest. (Linking verb)
- He got some bonus money. (Action verb)
- He got emotional after hearing his sad story. (Linking verb)
- He turned the chair towards me. (Action verb)
- He turned violent as soon as he got fired. (Linking verb)
Linking verbs vs helping verbs
All the ‘to be’ verbs can function as both linking verbs and helping verbs.
When ‘to be’ verbs function as helping verbs, they are followed by an action verb, and when they are followed by a noun or an adjective, they function as a linking verb.
Examples:
- I am a teacher. (am = linking verb, a teacher = subject complement)
- I am working on something. (am = helping verb, working = main verb)
- Ron has been very loyal to me. (has been =linking verb, very loyal = subject complement)
- Ron has been living here for years. (has been = helping verb, living = main verb)
- You might be right. (might be = linking verb, right = subject complement)
- You might be sleeping. (might be = helping verb, sleeping = main verb)
- She could have been the lead actor. (could have been = linking verb, the lead actor = subject complement)
- She could have been doing something at that time. (could have been = helping verb, doing = main verb)
Don’t use an adverb after a linking verb!
Don’t make the mistake of using an adverb after a linking verb.
- It tasted strongly. ❌
- It tasted strong. ✔️
- You smell nicely. ❌
- You smell nice. ✔️
NOTE: adverbs are not used right after linking verbs, but, sometimes, they can be used before linking verbs.
- You always look pretty.
- Jon never goes mad.
Using a pronoun after linking verbs
When a subject complement renames the subject, it’s usually a noun, but it can also be a pronoun. When a subject complement is a pronoun, some people use a subjective pronoun, and some use an objective pronoun.
- It was me who called her.
- It was I who called her.
A subject complement refers back to the subject, which can only be a noun or a subjective pronoun. So with this logic, we should use I. But people have been using an objective pronoun in this case for so long that it has almost become acceptable. So, there’s no loser; everyone wins.
Subjective pronoun: I, we, you, he, she, it, they
Objective pronoun: me, us, you, him, her, it, us
Hope you enjoyed the lesson! Feel free to share your question, doubt, or feedback in the comment section, and also, share the post with the people that need it.
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FAQs
How do you identify a linking verb?
A linking verb, unlike any other verb, is followed by a subject complement: a noun or an adjective. The subject complement refers back to the subject; it either gives it another name or modifies it with an adjective.
You are my friend. (you = my friend)
You are smart. (you = smart)
You are doing this well. (There is no subject complement here, and the verb ‘and’ is an auxiliary(helping) verb.)
If a verb is linking, it works like equal (=) sign. If it does not, it won’t work as equal sign.
What is the difference between helping and linking verbs?
A helping verb is followed by a main verb, and a linking is not; it is followed by the subject complement.
Jon is living here. (helping verb)
Jon is upset. (linking verb)
She has been fired from the job. (helping verb)
She has been supportive throughput the journey. (linking verb)
Notice when the verbs (underlined) function as helping verbs, above, they are followed by a main verb. But they function as linking verbs, they are not followed by a main verb; they are followed by a noun or an adjective: subject complement.
What is difference between main and linking verb?
A linking verb is one of the main verbs we have in English. When we talk about the main verb, we often think of it as an action verb, which it usually is. But there are other types of main verbs too.
Types of main verbs in English
1. Action/dynamic verbs
2. Stative verbs
3. Linking verbs
An action verb indicates the action the subject performs, a stative verb shows the state the subject is in, and a linking verb links the subject to its complement.
1. Ashish teaches English. (action verb)
2. Ashish loves English. (stative verb)
3. Ashish is a teacher. (linking verb)
What comes after linking verb?
A linking verb is followed by the subject complement: noun, adjective, or prepositional phrase. It either renames the subject (noun) or modifies it (adjective or prepositional phrase).
Examples:
1. Jon is a cop. (noun phrase)
2. Jon is smart. (adjective)
3. Jon is in a lot of pain. (prepositional phrase)
What is another word for linking verb?
A linking verb is also known as a copula or copular verb.
Do linking verbs have objects?
No, a linking verb does not have an object. It has a complement. Verbs and prepositions have objects.
Can linking verbs be passive?
A linking verb is neither active nor passive. Sentences that have a dynamic verb can be in active or in passive voice. A verb can only be in the active voice or passive voice if it has an object, if it is an action or stative verb that is transitive in nature.
I understand everything. (active voice, stative verb)
I am not understood by most people. (passive voice, stative verb)
We offered him a job. (active voice, action verb)
He was offered a job. (passive voice, action verb)
I am a teacher. (no voice)
We were upset.(no voice)
A verb shows the power of action, and it also can connect ideas. And these verbs are called «Linking Verbs«, and if we want to call it vastly then we consider them as «a state of being verbs«.
To know more about linking verbs, we need to talk about action verbs. These verbs express some physical or mental action that a person, animal, object or even nature can do. Action verbs are words like drink dance, eat and swim. Action verbs are different from linking verbs, which we can think of as «states of being» verbs.
All forms of be verbs are linking verbs. For example: are, am, is, were, was etc. Besides, verbs that have to do with the five senses are linking verbs: feel, look, smell, sound and taste.
So we come to the point that linking verb is not an action verb. It tells about what the subject is not what it’s doing. For example: Sneha’s cat is tired, here shows the condition of Sneha’s cat, not what it’s doing. So here “is” is working as a linking verb.
Examples of linking verbs in sentences:
There are so many linking verbs. It depends on how we do the counting, but there are about a dozen and a half common linking verbs.
- The tomato smells rotten.
- The professor is absolutely sure.
- My brother gets mad when he’s hungry.
- Lean was tired until the caffeine kicked in.
- The company stays true to its founding principles.
The underlined words are linking verbs. They’re all examples of states of being. In fact, we could replace the verbs smell, gets and stays with the verb «is» and the meaning would remain the same.
- The tomato is rotten.
- My brother is mad when he’s hungry.
- The company is true to its founding principles.
Of course, there’s certainly a shade in meaning when we say that a tomato smells rotten instead of that it is rotten, but we get the idea.
But sometimes they’re not expressing themselves as linking verbs. When they’re transitive verbs, meaning that they take an object. Let’s consider the following examples:
- You should stop and smell the roses.
- Get me a roast beef sandwich, please.
- The judge stayed the execution.
In each case, the verb smell, get, and stay have a direct object (roses, sandwich and execution, respectively). There’s no state of being involved.
List of linking verbs:
We tried to bring up most of the linking verbs into this very list.
Forms of be:
|
Is |
Can be |
May be |
|
Are |
Could be |
Might be |
|
Am |
Will be |
Must be |
|
Was |
Would be |
Has been |
|
Were |
Shall be |
Have been |
|
Should be |
Had been |
The “Five Sense” verbs:
Feel: This sweater feels itchy.
Look: The sculpture looks strange.
Smell: The dinner smells wonderful.
Sound: That doorbell sounds broken.
Taste: This soup tastes delicious.
The “States of Being” verbs:
Act Grow Stay
Appear Prove Turn
Become Remain
Get Some
Now we need to know about the differences between linking and helping verbs to have a constructive idea of linking verb.
A linking verb doesn’t always act like a linking verb. Well, that’s because a word like “is” can also play an auxiliary or helping role in a sentence.
For example, in the sentence, Malcom is drawing a picture, the word “is” isn’t a linking verb. It’s a helping verb. It’s there to “help” the main verb in the sentence (drawing).
So, how do we tell whether a word on our list of linking verbs above is playing the part in a given sentence?
If it’s followed by a predicate adjective or predicate noun, then it’s a linking verb. But if it’s next to an “-ing” verb, then it’s a helping verb.
For example:
- My friends are dancing at Stella’s tonight.
Here, “-are” is a helping verb because the –ing verb follows it.
- The girls are happy because they’re eating all together.
Here “-are” is a linking verb because a predicate adjective follows it.
In linguistics, a verb is an element of a sentence that indicates the doer (agent) or receiver of the action. Linking verbs, also known as copular verbs or copulas, are verbs that serve to join the subject with its complement in a sentence.
A linking verb, also called a copula (from the Latin for ‘link’), is a verb that links the subject of a clause or sentence to a word or phrase (which may include a noun, adjective, adverb or pronoun) that describes or renames the subject.
What are linking verbs?
Linking verbs are a special class of verbs that do not describe action. Instead, they link the subject of the verb to its complement. The most common linking verb is the verb “to be.” Other linkage verbs include “become,” “seem,” “look,” “smell,” “taste” and “feel.” When these verbs are used to connect a subject to its complement, they are called linking verbs.
The different types of linking verbs
Linking verbs are of three types:
To Be Linking Verbs
These linking Verbs include is, am, are, was, were.
For example, He is a gentleman.
The State of Being Linking Verbs
These include seem, appear, become etc.
For example, The flowers appear to be wilting.
Five Senses Linking Verbs
These include senses of touch, sound, feel, smell and look. See these examples.
- The pie smells delicious. (smell)
- Gina felt terrible after she caught the flu. (feel)
How to identify linking verbs in a sentence
Linking verbs are often followed by adjectives or nouns that describe or identify the subject. In the following examples, the linking verbs are in boldface type, and the adjectives and nouns that describe or identify the subjects are in italics:
- The pie smells delicious. (The verb smells links the subject pie to the adjective delicious.)
- I am feeling better today. (The verb am links the subject I to the adjective better.)
- The room looks small from here. (The verb looks links the subject room to the adjective small.)
A linking verb “to be” expresses existence or identity. For example, in the sentence “John is a teacher,” “is” expresses existence (identity) and links the subject, “John,” with the word that describes him, “teacher.”
You ca easily identify linking verbs in these examples.
- He became angry. (The subject, He, is linked to the adjective angry.)
- I am ready. (The subject, I, is linked to the adjective ready.)
- They seem happy. (The subject, They, is linked to the adjective happy.)
- We look tired. (The subject, We, is linked to the adjective tired.)
Some linking verbs that can also be used as action verbs
In addition to the most common linking verbs, many action verbs can also be used as linking verbs. For example, “He seems happy” and “He smells the coffee.” The linking verb in these sentences is bold.
These are some common verbs that can be used as linking verbs or action verbs, depending on how they are used in a sentence:
- appear
- become
- remain
The verb remain can be used as an action verb (“He remained there for hours”) or a linking verb (“That remains to be seen”).
The difference between linking verbs and action verbs
Linking verbs are verbs that do not express action but instead link the subject of a verb to a word that describes or identifies the subject. In other words, a linking verb is used to equalize the subject with the noun or adjective that follows it. The most common linking verb is the form of the verb “to be.” Other linking verbs include: appear, become, feel, growth, look, remain, smell, sound, taste, and turn.
Action verbs express specific physical or mental actions and are not equalizing like linking verbs. You can usually tell when a verb is an action verb because you can put an adverb before or after it and the meaning of the sentence will not change. For example, in the sentence “He swims quickly,” you can change “swims” to “is swimming” and the meaning of quickly will still make sense. You cannot do this with a linking verb. For example, in the sentence “He is happy,” you cannot say “He is happily.”
| To Be Linking Verbs | 5 Senses Linking Verbs | State of Being Linking Verbs |
|---|---|---|
| is am are was were been |
Look Feel Taste Smell Sound |
Appear become Grow Remain Stay Seem Turn |
Linking Verbs Examples
Linking verbs are one type of verb that can be used to connect a subject to a word or phrase that describes or identifies the subject. In other words, the linking verb helps to describe the state or condition of the subject.
- She looks gorgeous.
- I felt tired after the long journey.
- She appears happy but she is sad deep down.
- The Air Jordan shoes were very popular with young people.
- Lavender is a fragrant herb widely used for culinary purposes.
- The design of the new building was controversial among residents.
- She felt better.
- After the storm, the sky looked like a beautiful painting.
- He is excellent at soccer and baseball.
- Your shoes look good with your new shirt.
- Mr. Wilson has been working here since 2019.
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More to read
- Printable Verbs Chart
- 12 Verb Tenses with Examples
- Simple Tenses
- Continuous or Progressive Tenses
- Perfect Tenses
- Perfect Continuous Tenses
- What are Parts of Speech?
- 127 Examples of Parts of Speech
- 16 Tenses in English Grammar
Transcript
Linking verbs do not express action. Instead, linking verbs express a state of being. You have action verbs and linking verbs. Linking verbs are reserved for expressing a state of being.
Linking Verb Examples
An example is, John was a doctor.
“Was” here is linking verb, and it’s expressing a state of being, John being a doctor. Then, “The grapefruit is too sour.” “Is” is the linking verb here. Again, it’s expressing a state of being, because it’s describing grapefruit.
In addition to “was” and “is” some other linking verbs are “am,” “are,” “were,” “be,” “being,” and “been.” A noun or an adjective is going to follow a linking verb. When an adjective follows a linking verb, it describes the subject.
An example is: “This fruit is mushy.” We already know that “is” is a linking verb. We look at the word following the linking verb, and we know it has to be a noun or an adjective. We know that “mushy” is an adjective, and so it must be describing the subject.
Sure enough, “mushy” is describing the subject, which is fruit. When a noun follows a linking verb, it renames the subject. Here we have, “He is a doctor.” Again, the linking verb is “is,” and the word following it is doctor.
We know the doctor is a noun, so it must be renaming the subject. Sure enough it is because, “doctor” and “he” are interchangeable here because they are referring to the same person. Some sense related verbs can also act as linking verbs, such as “feel,” “look,” “smell,” “sound,” and “taste.”
Then there are some other verbs in general that can sometimes act as linking verbs, like “appear,” “become,” “grow,” and “seem.” We have some verbs that can be either an action verb, or linking verb depending on their meaning in a sentence.
Some examples are “appear,” “become,” “feel,” “grow,” “look,” “smell,” “sound,” and “taste.” Right here we’re using the verb “grew.” Here is an example of it as a linking verb: “Mary grew ill.” A linking verb is going to have a noun or an adjective following it.
Here we have ill, which is an adjective. Since it’s an adjective, it must be describing the subject. Sure enough, it is. It’s describing Mary, saying that Mary is ill. Here we have an action verb: “We grew tomatoes.”
It’s the same word, but this time is acting as an action verb. Pretend for a second that it is a linking verb. We look at the word tomatoes, and we see that it’s a noun, so it must be renaming the subject.
Well, “we” and “tomatoes” aren’t interchangeable because, “we” and “tomatoes” are not the same thing. We know that “grew” here must be an action verb. You just have to base it off the context of the sentence when you’re trying to decide whether a verb is acting as a linking verb, or an action verb.
When you come up to these words up here, these verbs are always going to be linking verbs. When you come to sense related verbs, as well as some other verbs, they can act as a linking or action verb.
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There are several different types of verbs, and each verb has a very different function in a sentence. For example, action verbs describe the action being done by the subject. Auxiliary verbs help other verbs by adding tense, mood, voice, or modality.
Linking verbs do not do either of these things; instead, they provide a connection or “link” between the subject of the sentence and a noun or adjective that describes or identifies that subject.
In this blog post, we will focus on learning how to recognize and use linking verbs, but you can learn more about the other types of verbs on Albert.
To better understand how linking verbs work, it can be helpful to picture a chain-link fence. Hundreds of steel wires connect together to make a solid barrier to keep something in or out. Just one of these wires on its own cannot protect much of anything, but once it is linked to another wire and another, it becomes something much stronger.
Similarly, when we use linking verbs to “link” or connect our subjects to other nouns or adjectives to help describe that subject, we make our subjects and overall sentences stronger.
Think about the following sentence:
- The girl walked down the street.
This sentence uses an action verb to describe what the subject is doing, but the reader does not know much else about this girl who is walking. We do not know what she looks like, how she is feeling, or what she likes to do in her free time. All we can do is imagine a figure moving down a road.
This is where linking verbs are essential. Linking verbs allow the writer to add descriptive details about the subject throughout the sentence. Here is the same sentence, but with linking verbs added:
- The girl walking down the street had blonde hair tucked under a wide-brimmed straw hat and was delighted to see that her favorite ice cream shop had just opened for the day.
Suddenly, an image of this girl begins to appear in our minds. We can see her smiling as she skips happily toward the ice cream shop. Linking verbs have the power to activate these images in readers’ minds by connecting descriptive nouns and adjectives to the subject.
When you’re ready, test yourself with a quiz and practice with our high-quality, standards-aligned questions here.
The Basics of Linking Verbs
What is a linking verb?
Linking verbs connect or “link” the subject of a sentence with a noun or an adjective that describes that subject.
For example:
- He felt tired after the weekend baseball tournament.
In this sentence, felt is a linking verb that connects the descriptive adjective, tired, to the subject, he.
How are linking verbs different from action verbs?
While linking verbs and action verbs are both able to connect the subject of the sentence to another noun in the sentence, their purpose is doing so is different.
For example:
- Lisa called her sister to reschedule their annual beach trip.
In this sentence, called is an action verb because it describes the action performed by the subject. Even though the noun, sister, follows this verb, this noun does not describe the subject, Lisa. Therefore, called cannot be a linking verb and must be an action verb.
Here is a different example:
- Stephanie was Lisa’s sister.
In this sentence, was is a linking verb because it connects the subject, Stephanie, to a noun that describes the subject.
How are linking verbs different from auxiliary verbs?
It is easy to confuse linking verbs with auxiliary verbs since many auxiliary verbs look exactly the same as linking verbs; however, there is a way to quickly analyze whether a verb is linking or auxiliary.
Auxiliary verbs cannot exist in a sentence without another verb, while linking verbs can stand on their own in a sentence.
For example, the word have can be an auxiliary verb or a linking verb depending on how it is used in a sentence.
- Have you ridden the new Flight of Passage ride at Animal Kingdom yet?
In this sentence, have is an auxiliary verb because it is paired with the action verb, ridden.
Now look at this sentence:
- I have a collection of 300 silly bands from elementary school.
In this sentence, have is a linking verb that describes the subject using another noun: collection.
What is the relationship between these three types of verbs?
- Action verbs and linking verbs are alike in that they can both stand alone in a sentence without the help of any other verbs.
- Action verbs and linking verbs are different in that action verbs show what action the subject is performing while linking verbs describe the noun by linking descriptors.
- Auxiliary verbs and linking verbs are alike in that many of the same words can be either auxiliary or linking verbs.
- Auxiliary verbs and linking verbs are different in that auxiliary verbs must connect to another verb in the sentence to make sense while linking verbs can stand on their own.
- Additionally, while auxiliary verbs help the verb show tense, mood, voice, or modality, linking verbs help describe the subject by connecting descriptive nouns or adjectives.
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3 Tips for Understanding Linking Verbs
Here are some important tips to help you understand linking verbs:
Tip #1. The most common linking verb is any form of the verb “to be”
- For example, if a writer wanted to say that “I am quick-witted” or that “he is good at math” or that “we are going to the movies later”, these are all examples of different members of the “to be” linking verb family.
Tip #2. Other common linking verbs are “sense” verbs
- For example, many verbs such as feel, seem, smell, taste, look, appear, or sound can act as linking verbs.
- However, writers must be very careful! These same verbs can be action verbs, so you must make sure to use these correctly.
- For example:
- The bald eagle in the zoo looked unamused with his current environment.
- In this sentence, looked is a linking verb that “links” the adjective, unamused, with the subject, the bald eagle.
- Here is a different example:
- The bald eagle looked across the cold, dark water for his next meal.
- In this sentence, looked is an action verb because it describes the action being performed by the subject.
Tip #3. Linking verbs are a useful descriptive tool for writers
- Especially when you are writing creatively, it can be difficult to develop your characters and settings while still moving along the plot.
- Linking verbs are a great tool for describing physical details about both characters and settings as well as emotional and psychological details about characters.
- For example, if the main character of a story was Miles Morales, the writer could say:
- Miles Morales was bitten by a radioactive spider.
- That sentence gives the reader a sense of the action of the story, but the reader still cannot picture Miles in their head or understand when and how he was bitten.
- Instead, if the writer chose to use linking verbs, the sentence could go more like this:
- Miles Morales was the son of a police officer, and Miles was an artist creating neon-colored murals beneath a bustling city when he was bitten by a radioactive spider.
- Now, thanks to the linking verb, was, the writer has been able to give context for both Miles’ character and the setting of the story. The reader is likely to be more engaged now that they are more fully informed.
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Applying the Basics: Linking Verb Review & Practice
Now that you understand how linking verbs function in sentences, review the anchor chart below and complete the review to fully understand how to use and recognize linking verbs.
The Ultimate List of Linking Verbs
Refer to the graphic below to learn the different types of linking verbs:
This list, obviously, does not include all possible linking verbs; however, it is meant to be used as a guide while identifying this type of verb.
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Linking Verb Exercises and Review
Now that you know some common linking verbs, test your ability to find these verbs.
Select the linking verb(s) in the sentences below. Remember, the purpose of the verbs is to connect or “link” nouns or adjectives to the subject in order to describe it.
1. Eleven was unsure if she could trust Mike after he lied to her.
- In this sentence, was is a linking verb because it helps describe how Eleven felt when she was betrayed by her friend.
2. Billy felt sick after being possessed by the Mind Flayer.
- In this sentence, felt is a linking verb that connects the subject, Billy, to the description of how he feels after his encounter with the Mind Flayer.
3. Steve’s mom exclaimed that her son smelled stinky and needed an immediate shower.
- In this sentence, smelled is a linking verb that describes Steve and how badly he needed a shower.
4. Will’s mother was determined to find her son and bring him back from the Upside Down.
- In this sentence, was is a linking verb that describes Will’s mother by connecting to a descriptive adjective, determined.
5. As Alexei tasted the cherry slush, he felt much more willing to divulge important information.
- In this sentence, there is only one linking verb! While it seems like tasted should be a linking verb, it is not. Remember, the noun after the verb has to give a description of the subject. Since it does not and instead describes what Alexei tasted, it is an action verb.
- Therefore, the only linking verb in this sentence is felt. Since we can ask, “how did Alexei feel?” and find that the answer is the adjective, “willing”, we know that felt is a linking verb connecting willing to the subject, he (Alexei).
Pro tip: When evaluating whether a verb is a linking verb, ask yourself these questions:
- Is the verb connecting or linking a noun or adjective to the subject?
- Does the noun or adjective describe the subject?
- If the answer to both of these questions is “yes”, then the verb is linking.
For additional practice, check out our Linking Verb practice content on Albert.
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Try for Yourself: Linking Verbs Quiz
Feeling confident in your understanding of linking verbs?
Take this short six-question quiz to see what you’ve learned:
1. Can a linking verb connect two nouns in a sentence?
- Answer: Yes
- Correct Explanation: That’s right! A linking verb can connect two nouns in a sentence as long as the second noun describes the first.
- Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, a linking verb connects a noun or an adjective to the subject of the sentence in order to describe it.
2. Can linking verbs and auxiliary verbs be used in the same way in a sentence?
- Answer: No
- Correct Explanation: That’s right! Linking verbs and auxiliary verbs have very different functions. While linking verbs connect a noun or an adjective to the subject of the sentence in order to describe it, auxiliary verbs attach to other verbs to add tense, mood, voice, or modality.
- Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, linking verbs connect a noun or an adjective to the subject of the sentence in order to describe it, while auxiliary verbs attach to other verbs to add tense, mood, voice, or modality.
3. In this sentence, is the word, “was” a linking verb or an auxiliary verb?
The cat was asleep before being awakened suddenly by the hyper dog.
- Answer: Linking Verb
- Correct Explanation: That’s right! The verb was is a linking verb in this sentence because it connects the descriptive adjective, asleep, to the subject, cat.
- Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, linking verbs connect a noun or an adjective to the subject of the sentence in order to describe it, while auxiliary verbs attach to other verbs to add tense, mood, voice, or modality.
4. In this sentence, is the word, “sounds” a linking verb or an action verb?
The fire engine sounds an alarm for all traffic to move aside.
- Answer: Action
- Correct Explanation: That’s right! The action verb sounds is being used to describe the action performed by the subject, fire engine.
- Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, a linking verb connects a descriptive noun or adjective to the subject, while an action verb describes the action being performed by the subject.
5. In this sentence, is the word, “have” a linking verb or an auxiliary verb?
I have not completed my Biology homework yet.
- Answer: Auxiliary
- Correct Explanation: That’s right! In this sentence, the word have is an auxiliary verb because it connects to the main verb, completed, in order to express tense.
- Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, linking verbs connect a noun or an adjective to the subject of the sentence in order to describe it, while auxiliary verbs attach to other verbs to add tense, mood, voice, or modality.
6. In this sentence, is the word, “felt”, a linking verb or an action verb?
It felt drafty and eerie in the old, abandoned house.
- Answer: Linking
- Correct Explanation: That’s right! Felt is a linking verb that connects the subject, it, to the descriptive adjectives, drafty and eerie.
- Incorrect Explanation: Sorry, that’s not right! Remember, a linking verb connects a descriptive noun or adjective to the subject, while an action verb describes the action being performed by the subject.
For additional practice with linking verbs, check out our practice on Albert: Linking Verbs.
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Teacher’s Corner for Linking Verbs
As teachers, we know that student comprehension of grammatical concepts is crucial in developing confident writers, readers, and speakers. Even though students may learn these concepts early on in Elementary school, the Common Core English Language Progressive Skills Chart shows that students should continue practicing these concepts to achieve true mastery.
For specific standards on the different types of verbs including linking verbs, check out the Common Core State Standards site.
Albert’s Linking Verb Practice provides a large bank of review questions that can be used as a bellwork exercise or as a homework assignment. Our assessments can be personalized by educators to test student comprehension of hand-selected grammatical topics.
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Summary for Linking Verbs
Linking Verbs connect or” link” nouns or adjectives to the subject of the sentence in order to describe that subject.
Linking Verbs are always followed by a descriptive noun or adjective, while auxiliary verbs are always followed by another verb.
Linking Verbs help to show the subject’s state of being, while action verbs show the subject’s action.
Be sure to check out our grammar course for more linking verb practice.
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