Linking Verbs

A linking verb "links" the subject of a sentence to the rest of the predicate. It does not show action, and it is not "helping" an action verb. Its purpose is to connect a name or description to the subject. 

Woody was a folksinger.

In the sentence above, was links "Woody" with "folksinger." The word folksinger names Woody's occupation.

Woody was successful.

In the sentence above, was links "Woody" with "successful." The word successful describes Woody.

Action or Linking?

We must carefully examine our sentences. Some verbs can be used as either linking or action verbs, as shown in the sentence pairs below.

  • Dan looks happy today. (The verb looks is a linking one. It links "Dan" with "happy.")
  • Dan looks at the mistletoe. (Looks is an action verb, not a linking one. Dan is doing something.)

  • Boomer smells musty after four weeks without a bath. (Smells links "Boomer" with "musty.")
  • Boomer smells his food before he devours it. (Smells is an action verb. Boomer is doing something—smelling.)

  • The President appears healthy. (Appears links "President" with "healthy.")
  • The President appears before the Senate to discuss the bill. (Appears is an action verb. The President is doing something—appearing before the Senate.)

Common Linking Verbs

Common linking verbs include all of the "to be" verbs:

is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been

They also include the following:

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

Identifying Linking Verbs

To determine whether or not a verb is a linking one, we replace it with a form of the verb "to be"—is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been—as in the example below.

Yin feels optimistic.

We replace feels with is:

Yin is optimistic.

Since the sentence still makes sense, we know that the verb feels is a linking one in this sentence. Now let us examine the word feels in the sentence below.

Yin feels the warmth of the sun.

We replace feels with is:

Yin is the warmth of the sun.

The sentence no longer makes sense, so we know that the verb feels is not a linking one in this sentence.

Examples

Identify and write the linking verb, if any, in each sentence.

  1. Woody Guthrie was a famous songwriter.
  2. Homesteaders seemed eager for land.
  3. Oklahoma became home for Sooners.
  4. A winter journey proved tragic.
  5. Luis looks at the Trail of Tears.
  6. Porfirio Diaz was the successor of Benito Juarez.
  7. Diaz seemed successful as a leader.
  8. Mexico became more prosperous under his dictatorship.
  9. Unfortunately, Diaz remained unconcerned about the landless farm workers.
  10. The hero of Homer's Illiad is Achilles.
  11. Achilles became the greatest Greek warrior in the Trojan War.
  12. Achilles appeared invincible.
  13. Achilles felt pain in his heel.
  14. A filibuster is a long-winded speech.
  15. The Constitution became a highly respected document.
  16. Oklahoma became home for Sooners.
  17. Alexander Hamilton appeared indefatigable in his defense of the Constitution.
  18. The writer felt numbness in her hand.

Solutions

  1. The verb was links "Woody Guthrie" to "songwriter."
  2. The verb seemed links "homesteaders" to "eager."
  3. The verb became links "Oklahoma" to "home."
  4. The verb proved links "journey" to "tragic."
  5. We replace the verb looks with is: Luis is the Trail of Tears. The sentence no longer makes sense, so we know that the verb looks is not a linking one in this sentence. 
  6. The verb was links "Diaz" to "successor."
  7. The verb seemed links "Diaz" to "successful."
  8. The verb became links "Mexico" to "prosperous."
  9. The verb remained links "Diaz" to "unconcerned."
  10. The verb is links "Achilles" to "hero."
  11. The verb became links "Achilles" to "warrior."
  12. The verb appeared links "Achilles" to "invincible."
  13. We replace the verb felt with was: Achilles was pain. The sentence no longer makes sense, so we know that the verb felt is not a linking one in this sentence.
  14. The verb is links "filibuster" to "speech."
  15. The verb became links "Constitution" to "document."
  16. We replace the verb looked with was: Ben Franklin was closely at the details of the Constitution. The sentence no longer makes sense. The word looked is an action verb in this sentence. There are no linking verbs in this sentence.
  17. The verb appeared links "Alexander Hamilton" to "indefatigable."
  18. We replace the verb felt with was: The writer was numbness in her hand. The sentence no longer makes sense, so we know that the word felt is not a linking verb in this sentence. It is an action verb. There are no linking verbs in this sentence.