LINKING VERBS
LET’S REVIEW….ACTION VERBS
 An
action verb tells what the subject of a
sentence does.

Example:

Ms. Sheftel’s class writes great poetry.
LINKING VERBS
 Connect

(or LINK) the subject to the predicate
They are the = sign for sentences!
 Do
not show action, but they express a
condition

Examples:
Adam is feeling much better!
 That math test was really hard.
 We were going to work on our puzzles today, but we
have to learn about linking verbs instead.
 The air freshener smells great.

TRUE LINKING VERBS
 True
linking verbs are always linking verbs:
 Forms of be:
am, is, being, are, was, were, has, been

Forms of became:
become, becomes, became

Forms of seem:
seemed, seems, seeming, seem
VERBS WITH MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES
•
Then you have a list of verbs that can be action or
linking. It depends on how they are being used in a
sentence.
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Appear
Feel
Grow
Look
Prove
Remain
Smell
Sound
Taste
Turn
VERBS WITH MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES

How do you tell when they are action verbs and when
they are linking verbs?
If you can substitute is, am, or are for the verb and the
sentence still sounds logical, you have a linking verb on your
hands.
 If after the substitution the sentence still doesn’t make sense,
you’re dealing with an action verb.

EXAMPLES
 Chris
tasted the crispy, honey-roasted
grasshopper.
 Chris is the grasshopper? I don’t think so. In
this sentence, tasted is an action verb.
 The
crispy, honey-roasted grasshopper tasted
good.
 The grasshopper is good. You bet! In this
sentence, tasted in a linking verb.
EXAMPLES
I
smell the delicious aroma of the grilled
octopus.
 I am the aroma. I don’t think so! In
this sentence, smell is an action verb.
 The
aroma of the grilled octopus smells
appetizing.
 The aroma is appetizing. Yep! Smells
is a linking verb.
EXAMPLES

The students looked at the equation until their brains
hurt.


The students are the equation? Of course not! Looked in
this sentence is an action verb.
The equation looked hopelessly confusing.

The equation is confusing. Sure it is! Now looked is a linking
verb!
AND ONE LAST THING…
Linking Verbs never have objects.
 They have predicate nouns and predicate
adjectives…more on this later!


They are ALWAYS intransitive!
LINKING VERB JINGLE BELLS!
Linking Verbs, Linking Verbs
Link the subject to the rest.
You should learn your linking verbs
so you can pass this test!
Hey!
Is, Am, Are,
Was, Were, Be,
Being, Been, Feel,
Taste, Look, Smell,
Appear, Grow, Remain,
Stay, Turn, Seem, Sound, Become,
Prove!