Some verbs show action. Others do nothing but connect. Linking verbs belong to the second group: they join the subject of a sentence to a word that describes or renames it, without showing any action at all. In She is a nurse, the verb is joins she to a nurse, and the sentence feels complete even though nobody moves or does anything. Grammar books also call these copular verbs, and the word that follows them has a name worth learning early: the subject complement.
What Is a Linking Verb?
A linking verb connects the subject of a sentence to a word that describes or renames it, called the subject complement. It shows a state of being rather than an action. In The soup tastes salty, the verb tastes links the soup to salty, a word that describes it. An action verb like run or throw works differently, because the subject actually does something.
Every linking-verb sentence follows the same shape:
Subject + Linking Verb + Subject Complement
- Harold + is + sleepy.
- The children + became + quiet.
- Your plan + sounds + great.
In each one, the verb carries no action. It works like an equals sign, joining the subject to the word that completes its meaning. Harold equals sleepy. The children equal quiet. That equals-sign quality is the fastest way to picture what a linking verb does.
How Many Linking Verbs Are There?
Common grammar lists count about 23 linking verbs. Three of them link the subject in every sentence they appear in: be, become, and seem. The rest switch roles depending on how you use them. A verb like smell links the subject in The bread smells fresh, but shows an action in I smell the bread.
The split teaches you more than the number does. Once you know the three that always link and the handful that switch, you can identify any linking verb by how it behaves in the sentence, without memorizing a list.
List of Linking Verbs
The full set falls into three groups: forms of be, verbs tied to the senses, and verbs of change or condition.
Forms of “Be”
The verb be is the most common linking verb in English, and all eight forms work the same way:
am, is, are, was, were, be, been, being
I am ready. They were late. She has been patient all day. Each form joins the subject to a description or a name. Be is also the one linking verb you cannot avoid, since it anchors nearly every sentence that describes a person or thing.
Sense Verbs
These describe how something looks, sounds, or feels to you. Each one links the subject when it describes that subject rather than an action you take.
- Look: describes appearance, not the act of looking. The garden looks beautiful comments on the garden, not on anyone’s eyes.
- Sound: reports how something reaches the ear. Your idea sounds promising judges the idea itself.
- Smell: links the subject to a scent. The coffee smells strong describes the coffee, not the person near it.
- Taste: ties the subject to a flavor. This sauce tastes spicy rates the sauce.
- Feel: connects the subject to a texture or a mood. The blanket feels soft and I feel calm both describe a state.
Change and Condition Verbs
These show the subject becoming something new or holding a state.
- Become: marks a full shift from one state to another. She became a doctor.
- Grow: shows a gradual change. The sky grew dark over several minutes.
- Turn: marks a sharper switch, often in color or mood. His face turned red.
- Get: the everyday version of become, common in speech. The room got cold.
- Go: links the subject to a change, frequently an unwanted one. The milk went sour.
- Remain and stay: hold a state steady. The streets remained quiet. He stayed calm.
- Prove: links the subject to how it turned out. The plan proved successful.
- Keep: shows a state continuing. She kept quiet during the meeting.
- Fall: links the subject to a sudden state, as in fall silent or fall ill. The room fell silent.
- Act, appear, and seem: describe how the subject comes across. He acted nervous. The house appears empty. They seem tired.
Subject Complements: Predicate Nouns and Predicate Adjectives
The word after a linking verb has a name: the subject complement. It completes the verb by describing or renaming the subject. It comes in two main forms, plus one that most lists leave out.
Predicate noun (predicate nominative). A noun or noun phrase that renames the subject. In My sister is a pilot, the verb is connects my sister to a pilot, another word for the same person.
Predicate adjective. An adjective that describes the subject. In The audience grew restless, the verb grew links the audience to restless, a word that tells you their state.
Predicate prepositional phrase. A phrase that tells where or how the subject is. In The keys are on the table, the verb are links the keys to on the table. Few lists mention this one, though it follows the same rule as the other two.
Keep this in mind: a linking verb takes an adjective, not an adverb. Write The soup tastes delicious, not tastes deliciously, because the word describes the soup, not the tasting.
Linking Verbs in Sentences
Reading them in full sentences shows how the verb points back to the subject:
- The winner was ecstatic. Here was links the winner to ecstatic.
- These flowers smell wonderful. Here smell describes these flowers.
- He became the team captain. Here became renames he as the team captain.
- The weather turned cold overnight. Here turned shows the change in the weather.
- You look tired today. Here look describes you.
Every verb points back to the subject rather than forward to an object. That backward link is the signature of a linking verb.
Linking Verbs in Different Tenses
Linking verbs change form across tenses while keeping the same job. The verb still connects the subject to its complement, whether the state is past, present, or future.
- Present: She is happy. The twins seem excited.
- Past: She was happy. The twins seemed excited.
- Future: She will be happy. The twins will seem excited.
The complement stays the same in all three. Only the verb shifts to show when the state happened.
How to Identify a Linking Verb
Two tests settle almost every case.
The substitution test. Replace the verb with is, am, or are. If the sentence keeps its meaning, the verb is linking. The pie smells delicious becomes The pie is delicious, which works, so smells links here. She smells the pie becomes She is the pie, which makes no sense, so smells shows an action instead.
The complement check. Look at the word after the verb. If it describes or renames the subject, the verb links. If it receives an action or shows direction, the verb is an action verb. In He grew tired, the word tired describes he, so grew links. In He grew tomatoes, the word tomatoes receives the action, so grew shows what he did.
Verbs That Can Be Both Linking and Action Verbs
Nearly every linking verb outside be, become, and seem switches between two roles. The same word links the subject in one sentence and shows an action in another. Watch what the verb is doing in each case.
| Verb | Linking use | Action use |
|---|---|---|
| Look | The puppy looks adorable. | She looked at the map. |
| Feel | I feel confident. | He felt the fabric. |
| Taste | The stew tastes rich. | The chef tasted the stew. |
| Smell | The roses smell sweet. | I smelled the roses. |
| Grow | The crowd grew quiet. | Farmers grow wheat. |
| Turn | The leaves turned brown. | She turned the handle. |
| Appear | He appears calm. | A figure appeared at the door. |
In every linking use, the verb describes the subject. In every action use, the subject does something to an object or moves in some way. Read down each pair and the difference becomes obvious.
Linking Verbs vs. Action Verbs
An action verb shows what the subject does. A linking verb shows what the subject is. Keeping those two apart is the skill worth practicing, since many verbs qualify for both jobs.
| Feature | Linking verb | Action verb |
|---|---|---|
| Shows | A state of being | A physical or mental action |
| Followed by | Subject complement | Object or nothing |
| Test with “is/are” | Still makes sense | Breaks down |
| Example sentence | The music sounds loud. | She plays the music. |
Read the two sentences side by side. Sounds links the music to loud, while plays shows what she does. Same words in play, two different jobs.
Linking Verbs vs. Helping Verbs
This pair confuses learners because the verb be belongs to both groups. The difference is whether another verb follows.
A linking verb stands as the main verb and connects the subject to a description. A helping verb, also called an auxiliary verb, comes before a main verb to shape its tense or voice.
- She is a teacher. Here is is a linking verb. It joins she to a teacher, and no other verb follows.
- She is teaching a class. Here is is a helping verb. It supports the main verb teaching.
The test: find the main verb. If be stands alone and describes the subject, it links. If it supports another verb, it helps.
Linking Verbs Practice
Decide whether the underlined verb links the subject or shows an action. Answers follow.
- The garden looks peaceful this morning.
- She tasted the soup before serving it.
- The children became restless after an hour.
- He turned the key in the lock.
- Your voice sounds hoarse today.
Answers: 1. Linking (describes the garden). 2. Action (she performs the tasting). 3. Linking (renames the state of the children). 4. Action (he turns the key). 5. Linking (describes your voice).
FAQs
A linking verb stands as the main verb and connects the subject to a word that describes or renames it, as in She is kind. A helping verb comes before a main verb to mark tense or voice, as in She is running. Check whether another verb follows: if one does, the verb is helping.
Yes. Apart from be, become, and seem, most linking verbs switch roles. Smell links the subject in The bread smells fresh and shows an action in I smell the bread. What the verb does in the sentence decides its type.
Common lists count about 23 linking verbs. Three are always linking: be, become, and seem. The rest, such as look, feel, grow, and turn, link the subject only when they describe it.
Both, depending on the sentence. Is links the subject when it stands alone and describes it, as in He is a doctor. It helps when it supports another verb, as in He is working late.
A subject complement is the word or phrase after a linking verb that describes or renames the subject. It takes two main forms: a predicate noun (She is a lawyer) and a predicate adjective (She is brilliant).
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