The Linking Verb

Recognize a linking verb when you see one. Linking verbs do not express action. Instead, they connect the subject of the verb to additional information about the subject. Look at the examples below:

Keila is a shopaholic.

Ising isn't something that Keila can do. Is connects the subject, Keila, to additional information about her, that she will soon have a huge credit card bill to pay.

During the afternoon, my cats are content to nap on the couch.

Areing isn't something that cats can do. Are is connecting the subject, cats, to something said about them, that they enjoy sleeping on the furniture.

After drinking the old milk, Bladimiro turned green.

Turned connects the subject, Bladimiro, to something said about him, that he was needing Pepto Bismol.

A ten-item quiz seems impossibly long after a night of no studying.

Seems connects the subject, a ten-item quiz, with something said about it, that its difficulty depends on preparation, not length.

Irene always feels sleepy after pigging out on pizza from Antonio's.

Feels connects the subject, Irene, to her state of being, sleepiness.

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. Here are some examples:

Sylvia tasted the spicy squid eyeball stew.

Sylvia is the stew? I don't think so! Tasted, therefore, is an action verb in this sentence, something Sylvia is doing.

The squid eyeball stew tasted good.

The stew is good? You bet. Make your own!

I smell the delicious aroma of a mushroom and papaya pizza baking in the oven.

I am the aroma? No way! Smell, in this sentence, is an action verb, something I am doing.

The mushroom and papaya pizza smells heavenly.

The pizza is heavenly? Definitely! Try a slice!

When my dog Oreo felt the wet grass beneath her paws, she bolted up the stairs and curled up on the couch.

Oreo is the wet grass? Of course not! Here, then, felt is an action verb, something Oreo is doing.

My dog Oreo feels depressed after seven straight days of rain.

Oreo is depressed? Without a doubt! Oreo hates the wet.

This substitution will not work for appear. With appear, you have to analyze the function of the verb.

Swooping out of the clear blue sky, the blue jay appeared on the branch.

Appear is something a blue jay can doespecially when food is near.

The blue jay appeared happy to see the bird feeder.

Here, appeared is connecting the subject, the blue jay, to its state of mind, happiness.

________________ a linking verb is a verb that conects or (links) a verb to a noun or an adjective. example: I was cold. was, is has been, smelled, looked, are all linking verbs Linking verbs do not express action. Instead they connect the subject of the verb to additional information about the subject.
These are examples of some of the main linking verbs: 1. Be: I am extremely tired this evening. 2. Look: My hair looks a mess today. 3. Feel: My head feels fuzzy. 4. Taste: This glass of Scotch tastes good. 5. Smell: This pizza smells rather strange. 6. Sound: My neighbours sound very angry. 7. Seem: They seem determined to keep me awake tonight.
An intransitive verb, on the other hand, cannot take a direct object: This plant has thrived on the south windowsill. The compound verb "has thrived" is intransitive and takes no direct object in this sentence. The prepositional phrase "on the south windowsill" acts as an adverb describing where the plant thrives. The sound of the choir carried through the cathedral. The verb "carried" is used intransitively in this sentence and takes no direct object. The prepositional phrase "through the cathedral" acts as an adverb describing where the sound carried. The train from Montreal arrived four hours late. The intransitive verb "arrived" takes no direct object, and the noun phrase "four hours late" acts as an adverb describing when the train arrived. Since the company was pleasant and the coffee both plentiful and good, we lingered in the restaurant for several hours. The verb "lingered" is used intransitively and takes no direct object. The prepositional phrase "in the restaurant for several hours" acts as an adverb modifying "lingered." The painting was hung on the south wall of the reception room. The compound verb "was hung" is used intransitively and the sentence has no direct object. The prepositional phrase "on the south wall of the reception room" acts as a adverb describing where the paint hung. Many verbs can be either transitive or intransitive, depending on their context in the sentence. In the following pairs of sentences, the first sentence uses the verb transitively and the second uses the same verb intransitively: transitive According to the instructions, we must leave this goo in our hair for twenty minutes. In this example, the verb "leave" takes a direct object, the noun phrase "this goo." intransitive

We would like to stay longer, but we must leave. In this example, the verb "leave" does not take a direct object. transitive The audience attentively watched the latest production of The Trojan Women. In this example, the verb "watch" is used transitively and takes the noun phrase "the latest production of The Trojan Women" as a direct object. intransitive The cook watched while the new dishwasher surreptitiously picked up the fragments of the broken dish. In this example, the verb "watched" is used intransitively and takes no direct object. intransitive The crowd moves across the field in an attempt to see the rock star get into her helicopter. Here the verb "moves" is used as an intransitive verb and takes no direct object. transitive Every spring, William moves all boxes and trunks from one side of the attic to the other. In this sentence "moves" is used as a transitive verb and takes the noun phrase "all the boxes and trunk" as a direct object.