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Linking Verbs
What is a Linking Verb?
What are linking verbs?
What are the 20 linking verbs?
How many linking verbs are there?
How Can Linking Verbs be Identified?
Which Linking Verbs are Used the Most?
What Does a Linking Verb Link?
What Are Action Verbs?
What’s The Difference Between Predicate Nominative And Predicate Adjective?
What are Predicate Adjectives?
What Is the Difference Between a Predicate Noun and Adjective?
What is a Linking Verb?
A linking verb connects the subject of a sentence to the predicate without expressing an action.

Not all verbs are action verbs. Some verbs are linking. These are verbs like am, is, are, was, were, seem, and become, among others. Linking verbs connect the subject to something that is said about the subject.

A good way to find out if a verb is an action verb or a linking verb is to ask a question. Is the subject of the sentence doing the action? If the answer is no, then the verb is a linking verb.

What are linking verbs?
To be, to feel, and to become are examples of linking verbs.

What are the 20 linking verbs?
All forms of be are linking verbs: is, am, are, was, were, etc. In addition, verbs that have to do with the five senses are linking verbs: feel, look, smell, sound, and taste.

20 Linking Verbs
AB
3 that begin with "a"am, appear, are
4 that begin with "b"being, been, become, be
4 that begin with "s"seem, stay, sound, smell
2 that begin with "w"was, were
2 that begin with "t"taste, turn
5 other wordsis, remain, grow, look, feel


How many linking verbs are there?
At least 26.


A List of Linking Verbs

Here is a list of common linking verbs:
to be
(In all its forms, e.g., am, is, are, was, were, will be, was being, has been.)
to appear
to be
to become
to feel
to look
to seem
to smell
to sound
to taste

Words That Are True Linking Verbs

Some words are always linking verbs. These are considered "true." They do not describe the action, but always connect the subject to additional information. The most common true linking verbs are forms of "to be," "to become" and "to seem."

Forms of "to be"

•Am
•Is
•Is being
•Are
•Are being
•Was
•Was being
•Were
•Has
•Has been
•Have been
•Will have been
•Had been
•Are being
•Might have been

Forms of "to become"

•Become
•Becomes
•Became
•Has become
•Have become
•Had become
•Will become
•Will have become

Forms of "to seem"

•Seemed
•Seeming
•Seems
•Has seemed
•Have seemed
•Had seemed
•Will seem

Determining Other Linking Verbs

In addition to true linking verbs, there are verbs that can exist either as action verbs or linking verbs. Verbs related to the five senses often function in this way.

Common verbs that can exist as either action verbs or linking verbs include:
•Grow
•Look
•Prove
•Remain
•Smell
•Sound
•Taste
•Turn
•Stay
•Get
•Appear
•Feel

Types of Linking Verb

Linking verbs can be grouped into two categories. First are those that use the verb form of “to be” to refer to the current state of the subject. These include:

am
are
is
was
were
been
being

Second are those that convey a result. These include:

appear
become
feel
grow
look
remain
seem
smell
sound
stay
taste
turn

What Does a Linking Verb Link?

The linking verb links the subject of the sentence with a word in the predicate part of the sentence that renames or describes the subject. The word in the predicate that follows a linking verb to rename or describe the subject is known as a subject complement. There are two types: predicate nominatives and predicate adjectives.

Predicate Nominatives

Sometimes the subject is linked to a noun (person, place, thing, or idea) or pronoun (word replacing a noun such as he, she, they). This noun or pronoun that renames the subject is called a predicate nominative.

  • Miranda is a scuba diver.

The linking verb ''is'' connects the subject ''Miranda'' with the noun ''diver.'' It renames the noun, Miranda.

Predicate Adjectives

Sometimes the subject is linked to an adjective (word that describes a noun or pronoun) that describes it. This adjective is called a predicate adjective.

  • My notebook is full.

The linking verb ''is'' connects the subject ''notebook'' with the adjective ''full.'' It describes the noun, notebook.

The most commonly used linking verbs are forms of the verb be as can be seen in the chart.

'to be' Verbs
Am Is
Are Was
Were Has
Being Been

Recognizing Linking Verbs

You may be starting to think that linking verbs are boring. After all, we've only seen sample sentences with the verb ''is.'' Don't worry. There are actually many linking verbs. Look at the illustration.

Recognizing Linking Verbs

What Are Action Verbs?

An action verb is a verb that describes an action, like run, jump, kick, eat, break, cry, smile, or think.

When using action verbs, the sentence structure will be SUBJECT--->ACTION VERB---> THE REST OF THE SENTENCE (noun)(verb)(adjective, adverb, noun, complement, or nothing).

When using linking verbs, the sentence structure will be : SUBJECT--->LINKING VERB---> INFORMATION ABOUT THE SUBJECT (noun)(verb)(adjective, noun, or complement)

Some verbs are ALWAYS linking verbs because they never describe an action. Other verbs can be linking verbs in some sentences and action verbs in other sentences.

The following three verbs are ALWAYS linking verbs:

to be (is, am, are, was, were, has been, have been, had been, is being, are being, was being, will have been, etc.)to become (become, becomes, became, has become, have become, had become, will become, will have become, etc.)to seem (seemed, seeming, seems, has seemed, have seemed, had seemed, is seeming, are seeming, was seeming, were seeming, will seem)Here are some examples of linking verbs that are ALWAYS linking verbs in sentences:

Verbs that can be both ACTION and LINKING verbs

There are verbs that can be linking verbs in SOME sentences, but are action verbs in other sentences. One way to determine if the verb is functioning as an action verb or a linking verb is to substitute the word “is” for the verb in question. If the sentence still makes sense, then it is probably a linking verb.

Linking Verb or Action Verb

The players looked determined after a pep talk from the coach. (1 point)
looked-linking
looked-action
looked-linking (correct answer, your response)

This shampoo smells like citrus fruit. (1 point)
smells-linking
smells-action
smells-action (correct answer)

n The dog suddenly turned friendly.
• turned-linking (correct answer, your response)
• turned-action
• turned-linking (correct answer, your response)

The professor looked smilingly on the students. (1 point)
looked- linking
looked-action
looked-action (correct answer)

The crowd remained calm during the fire chief's directions. (1 point)
remained-linking
remained-action
remained-linking (correct answer, your response)

Claire looked at all of the questions on the exam. (1 point)
looked-linking
looked-action
looked-action (correct answer, your response)

These diaries remain a precious link to the past. (1 point)
remain-linking
remain-action
remain-linking (correct answer)

Paul's exhibit remained on display for an entire month. (1 point)
remained-linking
remained-action
remained-action (correct answer)

Knives often grow dull from constant use. (1 point)
grow-linking
grow-action
grow-linking (correct answer)

The fruit on the counter looked fresh. (1 point)
looked-linking
looked-action
looked-linking (correct answer, your response

What’s The Difference Between Predicate Nominative And Predicate Adjective?
In general, a predicate completes a sentence by providing information about what the subject is or does. The subject of a sentence is who or what is doing the action. The predicate explains the action. There’s often a linking verb (like is or became) in between the two. A predicate nominative is a noun that completes the linking verb in a sentence. Predicate adjectives complete the linking verb by describing the subject of a sentence.

Some verbs are followed by either a noun or an adjective:

She was a good friend. Subject + V + N
She was very happy. Subject + V + Adj

He became headmaster. Subject + V + N
He became angry. Subject + V + Adj

After appear and seem we often use to be:

She appeared to be an intelligent woman.
He seemed to be angry.

Some link verbs are followed by an adjective but not a noun. Common verbs like this are:

get go grow taste smell

He got hungry in the evening.
The dog went crazy.
She grew stronger every day.
The soup tasted wonderful.
This milk smells bad.

What are Predicate Adjectives?
A predicate adjective is an adjective that follows a linking verb and modifies (i.e., refers back to) the subject of the linking verb.

Predicate Adjectives in Sentences

Note the predicate adjective in bold in each sentence below.

  • Children grow older every day.
  • The baby remains happy during her bath.
  • Her lasagna smells scrumptious.
  • Andy's sports car is Italian.
  • Bosses can be demanding.
  • His horses appear well-groomed.
  • Mount Rushmore looks amazing.
  • He seems afraid of the dog.
  • All the kittens are asleep.
  • His assignment proves difficult for him.
  • Tornadoes appear menacing.
  • My neighbors are Japanese.
  • Our music sounds uplifting.
  • Her costume is strange.
  • The director remains hopeful, in spite of bad reviews.
  • The ocean was aglow from the setting sun.
  • Traffic becomes congested after work.
  • The senator was long-winded.
  • My first impression was wrong.
  • Mary would be perfect for him.
  • My doctor seems confident about my recovery.
  • The disease is wide-spread.
  • Aspen leaves turn yellow in the fall.
  • The raft was afloat on the river.
  • The squid that washed ashore was enormous.
  • The two instruments look similar in size and color.
  • According to Jane, A Tale of Two Cities is an excellent book.
  • The road trip became horrifying.
  • All the artifacts in the museum are ancient.
  • The purchase of the black opal ring is extravagant.

Multiple Predicate Adjectives in the Same Sentence

Here are examples of two or more predicate adjectives in the same sentence:

  • Apples taste sweet and delicious.
  • After my workout, I feel powerful and energized.
  • The speaker is convincing and intelligent.
  • The flag is red, white and blue.
  • Thank goodness you are alive and well.
  • Your team was muddy, victorious and jubilant.
  • Her writing is introspective and illuminating.
  • This lemonade tastes sweet and refreshing.
  • The climate here appears idyllic and temperate.
  • The flowers were beautiful and fragrant.
  • You look healthy and fit.
  • Some football players are large, strong and agile.
  • Mario is always punctual and prepared.
  • The mountain air smells piney and clean.
  • The lumber is large and heavy.
  • When her car broke down, she felt alone and forlorn.
  • My friend's mood stayed relaxed and calm all evening.
  • The paintings are intricate and vivid.
  • The blanket feels soft and warm.
  • The weather for tomorrow will be hot and windy.
  • Jupiter is massive and gaseous.
  • This dish tastes spicy, hot and delicious.
  • After some time, this work becomes tedious and boring.
  • His stand-up routine proved funny and thought-provoking.
  • For eons, these mountains have remained majestic and impressive.
  • Our sun is fiery, explosive and life-giving.
  • The crime is puzzling and strange.
  • I think the house is well-built and affordable.
  • Finally, all the laundry is washed, dried and folded.
  • The ballerina is lithe and graceful.

For a more in-depth study on these interesting adjectives, take a look at this article on predicate adjectives. It covers all the components related to predicate adjectives, including subjects and linking verbs.



What Is the Difference Between a Predicate Noun and Adjective?

Predicate nouns and adjectives both follow linking verbs in sentences and rename or describe the subject.

Examples of sentences with the predicate nouns underlined are: •Mr. Smith is a doctor.
•My ____ became a professional soccer player.
•Mary Smith may be our next president.
•Doctor Asif Qureshi is an excellent author.
•Wind turbines are an alternative source of power.
•Pavarotti was a great singer.
•For the next two years, we remained friends.

Last Updated: June 1, 2019
Linking Verb

Linking verbs or copular verbs link a subject to a complement. Linking verbs MUST be followed by a complement in order to make the sentence complete. The complement can be a subject complement or an adverbial, and occurs in two sentence types which are of the Subject-Verb-Complement (SVC) and Subject-Verb-Adverbial (SVA) pattern.
Types of Action Verbs

There are regular and irregular action verbs. To walk is a regular action verb - see example. To run is an irregular action verb - see example. Go to the top of the page Regular Verbs
Irregular Verbs

Words that (may be used as) Linking Verbs

Verbs that sometimes are used as linking verbs [list may not be complete]
feel
taste
look
smell
appear
grow
remain
stay
turn
seem
sound
become
prove 		Forms of to be are sometimes used as linking verbs
is
am
are
was
were
be
being
been
Examples:
"Asif is smart."
Linking verb:is
"Asif became angry."
Linking verb:became
"The patient looked pale.
Linking verb:looked
The following verbs are true linking verbs: any form of the verb be [am, is, are, was, were, has been, are being, might have been, etc.], become, and seem. These true linking verbs are always linking verbs.

Then you have a list of verbs with multiple personalities: appear, feel, grow, look, prove, remain, smell, sound, taste, and turn. Sometimes these verbs are linking verbs; sometimes they are action verbs.

How do you tell when they are action verbs and when they are linking verbs?

If you can substitute am, is, or are and the sentence still sounds logical, you have a linking verb on your hands.

If, after the substitution, the sentence makes no sense, you are dealing with an action verb instead.
Since linking verbs, also referred to as copulas or copular verbs, don't function in the same way as typical verbs in showing action, it can sometimes be tricky to recognize them. These types of verbs show a relationship between the subject and the sentence complement, the part of the sentence following the verb. They connect or link the subject with more information – words that further identify or describe the subject. While standard verbs are indicative of action, linking verbs identify a relationship or existing condition. These are sometimes described as performing the function of an equal sign because they provide the connection between a subject and a certain state.

Some words are always linking verbs. These are considered "true." They do not describe the action, but always connect the subject to additional information. The most common true linking verbs are forms of "to be," "to become" and "to seem."

Forms of "to be"

* Am
* Is
* Is being
* Are
* Are being
* Was
* Was being
* Were
* Has
* Has been
* Have been
* Will have been
* Had been
* Are being
* Might have been

Forms of "to become"

* Become
* Becomes
* Became
* Has become
* Have become
* Had become
* Will become
* Will have become

Forms of "to seem"

* Seemed
* Seeming
* Seems
* Has seemed
* Have seemed
* Had seemed
* Will seem

Any time you see these words in a sentence, you know they are performing a linking or connective function in showing a relationship or describing a state. For example:

* "I am glad it is Friday." Here the linking verb "am" connects the subject (I) to the state of being glad.

* "Laura is excited about her new bike." Here "is" describes Laura's emotional state of excitement.

* "My birds are hungry." The word "are" identifies that the birds currently exist in a physical state of hunger.

Determining Other Linking Verbs

In addition to true linking verbs, there are also many verbs that can exist either as action verbs or linking verbs. These are also called resultative verbs. Verbs related to the five senses often function in this way.

Common verbs that can exist as either action verbs or linking verbs include:

* Grow
* Look
* Prove
* Remain
* Smell
* Sound
* Taste
* Turn
* Stay
* Get
* Appear
* Feel

Since these verbs can function as either action verbs or copular verbs, how do you make the distinction? A common test is to replace the verb you suspect in the sentence with an appropriate form of a true linking verb. If it makes sense, it is linking. If it isn't logical with the substitution, it's an action verb.

For example, take these two sentences:

* "The flowers looked wilted."
* "She looked for wildflowers"

Substitute the copular verb "are" for the word "looked" in both sentences. In the first sentence, it makes sense: "The flowers are wilted." In the second sentence, however, it doesn't make sense: "She are for wildflowers."
Current Linking Verbs
appear John appeared happy when the company promoted him.
be The graduate students are in Classroom South, Room 106.
feel She felt really happy with the new baby.
lie The pieces lay scattered over the floor.
look This person looks really tired.
remain Everybody remained silent for a few minutes.
seem This secretary seems (to be) very efficient.
smell That perfume smelled so fresh.
sound She sounded very surprised when she heard the news.
stay Everybody stayed calm when the fire alarm went off.
taste This grapefruit tastes very bitter.
Resulting Linking Verbs
become He became a successful business man.
get She got upset with her students.
grow The professor grew unhappy because the students were not listening well.
fall My brother fell in love at the party.
prove The new secretary proved (to be) very friendly.
run The children ran wild.
turn The milk turned sour.
What are LINKING verbs?

A linking verb is a verb that links (connects) the subject of the sentence to information about that subject.   Linking verbs do not describe action. 

When using linking verbs, the sentence structure will be:
SUBJECT
--->
LINKING VERB
--->
 INFORMATION ABOUT THE SUBJECT 
(noun)
(verb)
(adjective, noun, or complement)

Some verbs are ALWAYS linking verbs because they never describe an action.  Other verbs can be linking verbs in some sentences and action verbs in other sentences.  

The following three verbs are ALWAYS linking verbs:  

to be (is, am, are, was, were, has been, have been, had been,  is being, are being, was being, will have been, etc.)
to become (become, becomes, became, has become, have become, had become, will become, will have become, etc.)
to seem (seemed, seeming, seems, has seemed, have seemed, had seemed, is seeming, are seeming, was seeming, were seeming, will seem)

Here are some examples of linking verbs that are ALWAYS linking verbs in sentences: 

 “The ball is red.” 'Is' is a linking verb that connects the subject, ball, to information about that subject (that it is red).
 “The children are smart.” 'Are' is a linking verb that connects the subject, children, to information about that subject (that they are smart).
 “The child will be tall five years from now.” 'Will be' is the linking verb connecting 'child' to the fact that he will be 'tall five years from now.'
“The cat seems fine.” 'Seems' links the subject, cat, with information about the cat (that it is fine).
 “The dog became thin after his surgery.”  'Became' links the subject, the dog, with information about him (that he became thin).

 

Verbs that can be both ACTION and LINKING verbs

There are verbs that can be linking verbs in SOME sentences, but are action verbs in other sentences.  One way to determine if the verb is functioning as an action verb or a linking verb is to substitute the word “is” for the verb in question.If the sentence still makes sense, then it is probably a linking verb.  If the sentence would not make sense with the word “is,” then it is probably an action verb in the sentence.

The following are examples of verbs that can be linking verbs in some sentences and action verbs in other sentences:

look smell appear 
prove sound feel
remain taste grow


Here are some sample sentences of verbs used as linking verbs and actions verbs. 

Used as Linking Verbs Explanation
Jane appeared uninjured after the accident.  You could substitute the word 'is,' for the word 'appears,' and the sentence would still make sense: "Jane is uninjured after the accident."  This lets you know that appeared is a linking verb in this sentence.
The cake smells good! This sentence describes the cake.  “Smells” is a linking verb in this sentence.  It connects the subject, cake, with information about that subject—it smells good.
The woman grew silent. This sentence may seem confusing.  Remember that the word “grow” has more than one meaning!  In this sentence, “grew” means BECAME.  The woman became silent.  
Used as Action Verbs Explanation
Before I could leave, Jane appeared. In this sentence, appeared is not linking anything.  It is telling the action that Jane did.  She appeared, or showed up.
Ellen smells the cake. The word, smells is not linking anything.  If you replaced smells with 'is' the sentence would not make sense.  That means smells must be an action verb in this sentence.  Ellen performed the action of smelling the cake.
The gardener grew some flowers.  The word, grew, is not linking two things together here.  If you tried to replace grew with 'is' the sentence would not make sense.  This means that grew must be an action verb.  The gardener performed the action of growing some flowers.
Sometimes linking verbs can also be action verbs. It depends on how the verb is used in a sentence. If the verb is an action verb, it will be followed by a direct object. If the verb is a linking verb, it will be followed by a predicate noun or a predicate adjective.

Nasreen looked at the cake. Looked is an action verb.

Nasreen does the action. She looked at the cake.

Nasreen looks pretty tonight. Looks is a linking verb.

Nasreen does not do the action. Instead the verb tells more about the subject.

(A=Action Verb)

(L=Linking Verb)

1, _________ Tim (built) a raft yesterday.
(A=Action Verb)
2. _________ Jacob (seems) tired today.
(L=Linking Verb)
3. _________ look pale?
4. _________ That milk (is) sour.
(L=Linking Verb)
5. _________ My carrots (taste) too salty.
(L=Linking Verb)
6. _________ Come (look) at this kitten!
(A=Action Verb)
7. _________ Brenda (feels) sick.
(L=Linking Verb)
8. _________ Will Martha (become) the head cheerleader?
(L=Linking Verb)
9. _________ The local newspaper (printed) a story about jenny.
(A=Action Verb)
10. _________ My brother (plays) baseball every Saturday.
(A=Action Verb)
Linking Verbs

Linking verbs connect subjects with nouns, pronouns, or adjectives.

Linking verbs can either be plural or singular and they must agrees with the subject of the sentence.

Singular Linking Verbs

When the subject is singular, the linking verb must be singular too. Is and was are singular linking verbs.

"He is a good drummer."

"He was my best friend."

Plural Linking Verbs

When the subject is plural the linking verb must also be plural. Are and were are plural linking verbs.

"They are Italian."

"We were just talking about you."

Note: You always takes the plural form.

Link: I am used to (something)

Linking Verbs

Linking verbs connect subjects with nouns, pronouns, or adjectives.
Linking verbs can either be plural or singular and they must agrees with the subject of the sentence.
Singular Linking Verbs
When the subject is singular, the linking verb must be singular too. Is and was are singular linking verbs.
"He is a good drummer."
"He was my best friend."
Plural Linking Verbs
When the subject is plural the linking verb must also be plural.
Are and were are plural linking verbs.
"They are Italian."
"We were just talking about you."
Note: You always takes the plural form.
Link: I am used to (something)
A linking verb is a verb which links or establishes a relationship between the subject and a term in the predicate which describes or renames the subject.

It does not show action, but, rather, it links.

The common linking verbs are be, appear, become, feel, seem, smell, taste, and sound.

Please note that be may also be an auxiliary verb. All the others except for seem can be transitive or intransitive action verbs.

One way of testing for a linking verb is to replace the verb with the appropriate form of seem. If the sentence is still saying pretty much the same thing, the verb is a linking verb.

Action Verb:He tasted the ice cream. (action)

Linking Verb: The ice cream tasted good.
(Tasted is used to help good describe the subject.)

The most common linking verb comes in the forms of the verb to be. The sentence Fred is a good father links Fred, the subject, with the direct object of the sentence, good father. The verb is provides the essential link. Verbs like to seem and to appear are other common linking verbs.

Though a linking verb may most often come in the form of the aforementioned verb forms, there are a variety of verbs that may be either action verbs or linking verbs, depending upon the context in which they are used. The key difference in determining whether you are dealing with a linking verb or an action verb is whether or not you can substitute a form of to be or sometimes to seem for the verb you are using.

Consider these examples of linking verbs:

She looked terrible this morning.
He felt overjoyed at the prospect of a new job.
Lemon meringue pie tastes delicious.
The perfume smelled heavenly.

All of these verbs above (to look, to feel, to taste, to smell) can be used in action contexts, which means each can serve double duty as both action and linking verbs. Here are these same verbs used as action verbs:

He looked through the book and decided not to buy it.
She felt the touch of the cat’s tongue on the back of her hand.
The chef tastes all the food before it leaves the kitchen.
He smelled a terrible odor coming from the back of the room.

These examples can show how difficult it can be to sometimes determine whether a verb in question is an action or linking verb. There is a simple test that can be done to check, as mentioned above. Check whether a form of the verbs to seem or to be will substitute. In the first four examples, you can easily substitute such verbs in each sentence: She seemed terrible; he was overjoyed; lemon pie is delicious; perfume is heavenly. In the second group, other linking verb forms won’t work.

Linking Verbs

Linking verbs do not express action - they connect the subject of the verb to additional information about the subject. They are sometimes called copula or copular verbs. An example of a linking verb is 'This drink tastes good' - Tastes is the linking verb which connects the subject (drink) to the adjective which describes it (good). A linking verb may connect the subject with a noun (cat, dog etc.), a pronoun (his, him etc.) or an adjective. Most linking verbs can also be used as action verbs.

A good way to find out if a verb is an action verb or a linking verb is to ask a question. Is the subject of the sentence doing the action? If the answer is no, then the verb is a linking verb.
Last Updated: June 1, 2019