Linking Verbs: Definition, Usage, and Comprehensive Examples

Understanding linking verbs is crucial for mastering sentence structure and conveying clear, meaningful messages in English. Unlike action verbs that describe actions, linking verbs connect the subject of a sentence to a noun or adjective that describes or identifies the subject.

This article provides a comprehensive guide to linking verbs, covering their definition, structural elements, types, usage rules, common mistakes, and practice exercises. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced learner, this resource will enhance your understanding and effective use of linking verbs in your writing and speaking.

Table of Contents

• Definition of Linking Verbs
• Structural Breakdown
• Types and Categories of Linking Verbs
• Examples of Linking Verbs
• Usage Rules for Linking Verbs
• Common Mistakes with Linking Verbs
• Practice Exercises
• Advanced Topics
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

Definition of Linking Verbs

A linking verb, also known as a copula, connects the subject of a sentence to a subject complement. The subject complement is a noun, pronoun, or adjective that renames or describes the subject. Unlike action verbs that show what the subject does, linking verbs describe what the subject is or is like. They essentially form a bridge between the subject and its description or identification.

Linking verbs do not express an action performed by the subject. Instead, they indicate a state of being, a condition, or a sensory perception.

They link the subject to additional information about it. This information can be an attribute, characteristic, or identity of the subject.

The most common linking verb is be in its various forms (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been). However, other verbs can also function as linking verbs depending on the context. These include verbs related to senses (look, smell, taste, sound, feel) and verbs expressing a state of being or becoming (seem, appear, become, grow, remain, stay).

Structural Breakdown

The basic structure involving a linking verb is:

Subject + Linking Verb + Subject Complement

The subject is the noun or pronoun that the sentence is about. The linking verb connects the subject to the subject complement. The subject complement can be a noun, pronoun, or adjective that describes or identifies the subject.

For example:

She (subject) is (linking verb) a doctor (subject complement – noun).

The soup (subject) tastes (linking verb) delicious (subject complement – adjective).

They (subject) are (linking verb) happy (subject complement – adjective).

Understanding this structure is crucial for identifying and using linking verbs correctly. Recognizing the relationship between the subject and the subject complement helps ensure grammatically sound and meaningful sentences.

Types and Categories of Linking Verbs

Linking verbs can be categorized into several types based on their primary function. The most common categories include forms of the verb ‘be’, sensory verbs, and verbs of becoming or remaining.

Forms of the Verb ‘Be’

The various forms of the verb ‘be’ are the most frequently used linking verbs. These forms include am, is, are, was, were, be, being, and been. They indicate a state of being or existence.

Examples:

• I am a student.
• He is tall.
• They are friends.
• She was tired.
• We were late.
• To be or not to be, that is the question.
• The flowers are being watered.
• The problem has been solved.

Sensory Verbs

Sensory verbs describe how something is perceived through the senses. These verbs can act as linking verbs when they connect the subject to an adjective that describes the sensory experience. Common sensory verbs include look, smell, taste, sound, and feel.

Examples:

• The flower smells sweet.
• The soup tastes salty.
• The music sounds beautiful.
• The fabric feels soft.
• She looks happy.

Verbs of Becoming or Remaining

Verbs of becoming or remaining express a change in state or a continuation of a state. These verbs include become, grow, remain, stay, and appear. They link the subject to a description of its new or continued state.

Examples:

• He became a doctor.
• She grew tired.
• They remained silent.
• He stayed calm.
• It appears difficult.

Examples of Linking Verbs

To further illustrate the usage of linking verbs, consider the following examples organized by category. These examples demonstrate how linking verbs connect the subject to a subject complement that describes or identifies the subject.

Examples with Forms of ‘Be’

The following table provides examples of sentences using different forms of the verb ‘be’ as linking verbs. Each sentence includes the subject, the linking verb, and the subject complement.

Subject	Linking Verb	Subject Complement
I	am	a teacher
He	is	tall
She	is	happy
They	are	students
We	are	late
It	was	cold
The movie	was	interesting
The flowers	were	beautiful
To travel	is	exciting
He	is being	considerate
She	is being	difficult
They	are being	helpful
The house	is being	renovated
The cake	is being	baked
The door	was being	painted
The car	was being	repaired
The letter	has been	sent
The book	has been	read
The dinner	has been	cooked
The problem	has been	solved
The job	has been	finished
The task	had been	completed
The project	had been	approved
The proposal	had been	accepted
The application	had been	submitted
The report	had been	reviewed
The agreement	had been	signed
The contract	will be	valid
The meeting	will be	held
The event	will be	successful

Examples with Sensory Verbs

This table illustrates how sensory verbs function as linking verbs, connecting the subject to an adjective that describes a sensory experience.

Subject	Linking Verb	Subject Complement
The flower	smells	sweet
The soup	tastes	salty
The music	sounds	beautiful
The fabric	feels	soft
She	looks	happy
The coffee	smells	strong
The cake	tastes	delicious
His voice	sounds	calm
The blanket	feels	warm
He	looks	tired
The perfume	smells	pleasant
The lemonade	tastes	sour
The song	sounds	familiar
The silk	feels	smooth
The sky	looks	clear
The air	smells	fresh
The sauce	tastes	spicy
The bell	sounds	loud
The leather	feels	rough
The garden	looks	colorful
The spices	smell	aromatic
The bread	tastes	fresh
The ocean	sounds	peaceful
The wool	feels	itchy
The sunset	looks	amazing
The herbs	smell	fragrant
The fruit	tastes	ripe
The rain	sounds	soothing
The velvet	feels	luxurious
The landscape	looks	picturesque

Examples with Verbs of Becoming or Remaining

The following table showcases how verbs of becoming or remaining connect the subject to a description of its changed or continued state.

Subject	Linking Verb	Subject Complement
He	became	a doctor
She	grew	tired
They	remained	silent
He	stayed	calm
It	appears	difficult
The weather	became	stormy
The child	grew	tall
The situation	remained	tense
The water	stayed	cold
The task	appears	simple
She	became	a manager
He	grew	impatient
The secret	remained	hidden
The food	stayed	fresh
The problem	appears	complex
The caterpillar	became	a butterfly
The days	grew	shorter
The truth	remained	unclear
The room	stayed	quiet
The answer	appears	obvious
He	became	successful
She	grew	confident
The mystery	remained	unsolved
The fire	stayed	burning
The challenge	appears	daunting
The tadpole	became	a frog
The nights	grew	colder
The question	remained	unanswered
The coffee	stayed	hot
The solution	appears	promising

Usage Rules for Linking Verbs

Using linking verbs correctly involves understanding several key rules. These rules govern the agreement between the subject and verb, the choice of subject complements, and the distinction between linking verbs and action verbs.

Subject-Verb Agreement

The linking verb must agree in number with the subject of the sentence. This means that if the subject is singular, the verb must be singular, and if the subject is plural, the verb must be plural.

Examples:

• He is (singular) a teacher.
• They are (plural) students.

Use of Subject Complements

The subject complement must be a noun, pronoun, or adjective that describes or identifies the subject. Adverbs cannot be used as subject complements because they modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, not nouns or pronouns.

Examples:

• Correct: She is happy. (adjective)
• Incorrect: She is happily. (adverb)
• Correct: He is a doctor. (noun)

Distinguishing Linking Verbs from Action Verbs

Some verbs can function as either linking verbs or action verbs, depending on the context. To determine whether a verb is linking or action, consider whether it connects the subject to a description or shows an action performed by the subject.

Examples:

• Linking verb: She looks happy. (looks connects she to the description happy)
• Action verb: She looks at the painting. (looks describes the action of looking)

In the first sentence, “looks” is a linking verb because it connects “she” to the adjective “happy.” In the second sentence, “looks” is an action verb because it describes the action of looking at something.

Intensive Pronouns

Linking verbs often connect the subject to an intensive pronoun, which emphasizes the subject. The intensive pronoun renames the subject and is not essential to the sentence’s basic meaning.

Examples:

• The winner is she.
• The culprit was he.

Common Mistakes with Linking Verbs

Several common mistakes can occur when using linking verbs. Recognizing and avoiding these errors will improve your accuracy and clarity in writing and speaking.

Using Adverbs as Subject Complements

One frequent mistake is using an adverb instead of an adjective as a subject complement. Adjectives describe nouns or pronouns, while adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.

Examples:

• Incorrect: The soup tastes badly.
• Correct: The soup tastes bad.

Incorrect Subject-Verb Agreement

Another common error is failing to ensure that the linking verb agrees in number with the subject. Singular subjects require singular verbs, and plural subjects require plural verbs.

Examples:

• Incorrect: They is happy.
• Correct: They are happy.

Misidentifying Linking Verbs

Sometimes, it is challenging to distinguish between linking verbs and action verbs. Misidentifying a verb can lead to incorrect sentence structure or meaning.

Examples:

• Linking verb: He feels tired.
• Action verb: He feels the fabric.

In the first sentence, “feels” is a linking verb connecting “he” to the adjective “tired.” In the second sentence, “feels” is an action verb describing the action of touching something.

Confusing Linking Verbs with Helping Verbs

Linking verbs should not be confused with helping verbs, which assist the main verb in a sentence. Helping verbs do not connect the subject to a subject complement but rather help form different tenses or moods of the main verb.

Examples:

• Linking verb: She is happy.
• Helping verb: She is singing.

In the first sentence, “is” is a linking verb. In the second sentence, “is” is a helping verb assisting the main verb “singing.”

Practice Exercises

Test your understanding of linking verbs with the following practice exercises. Identify the linking verbs and subject complements in each sentence.

Choose the correct form of the linking verb to complete the sentences.

Exercise 1: Identifying Linking Verbs and Subject Complements

Identify the linking verb and subject complement in each of the following sentences.

Sentence	Linking Verb	Subject Complement
1. The sky is blue.
2. She seems happy.
3. The food tastes delicious.
4. He became a teacher.
5. They are students.
6. The music sounds beautiful.
7. It was cold.
8. The fabric feels soft.
9. We are late.
10. She remained silent.

Answers:

Sentence	Linking Verb	Subject Complement
1. The sky is blue.	is	blue
2. She seems happy.	seems	happy
3. The food tastes delicious.	tastes	delicious
4. He became a teacher.	became	a teacher
5. They are students.	are	students
6. The music sounds beautiful.	sounds	beautiful
7. It was cold.	was	cold
8. The fabric feels soft.	feels	soft
9. We are late.	are	late
10. She remained silent.	remained	silent

Exercise 2: Choosing the Correct Linking Verb

Choose the correct form of the linking verb to complete each sentence.

Sentence	Options	Answer
1. I ____ a student.	(a) am, (b) is, (c) are
2. He ____ tall.	(a) am, (b) is, (c) are
3. They ____ happy.	(a) am, (b) is, (c) are
4. The soup ____ delicious.	(a) taste, (b) tastes, (c) tasting
5. The flowers ____ beautiful.	(a) was, (b) is, (c) were
6. She ____ a doctor.	(a) become, (b) became, (c) becoming
7. The music ____ soothing.	(a) sound, (b) sounds, (c) sounding
8. We ____ tired.	(a) am, (b) is, (c) are
9. The movie ____ interesting.	(a) was, (b) were, (c) is
10. The fabric ____ soft.	(a) feel, (b) feels, (c) feeling

Answers:

Sentence	Options	Answer
1. I ____ a student.	(a) am, (b) is, (c) are	(a) am
2. He ____ tall.	(a) am, (b) is, (c) are	(b) is
3. They ____ happy.	(a) am, (b) is, (c) are	(c) are
4. The soup ____ delicious.	(a) taste, (b) tastes, (c) tasting	(b) tastes
5. The flowers ____ beautiful.	(a) was, (b) is, (c) were	(c) were
6. She ____ a doctor.	(a) become, (b) became, (c) becoming	(b) became
7. The music ____ soothing.	(a) sound, (b) sounds, (c) sounding	(b) sounds
8. We ____ tired.	(a) am, (b) is, (c) are	(c) are
9. The movie ____ interesting.	(a) was, (b) were, (c) is	(a) was
10. The fabric ____ soft.	(a) feel, (b) feels, (c) feeling	(b) feels

Exercise 3: Correcting Sentences with Linking Verbs

Correct the following sentences if they contain errors in the use of linking verbs.

Sentence	Corrected Sentence
1. The flower smells sweetly.
2. He are a teacher.
3. The soup tastes badly.
4. They is happy.
5. She looks happily.
6. The music sound beautifully.
7. It feel softly.
8. We is late.
9. The movie were interesting.
10. The fabric feeling soft.

Answers:

Sentence	Corrected Sentence
1. The flower smells sweetly.	The flower smells sweet.
2. He are a teacher.	He is a teacher.
3. The soup tastes badly.	The soup tastes bad.
4. They is happy.	They are happy.
5. She looks happily.	She looks happy.
6. The music sound beautifully.	The music sounds beautiful.
7. It feel softly.	It feels soft.
8. We is late.	We are late.
9. The movie were interesting.	The movie was interesting.
10. The fabric feeling soft.	The fabric feels soft.

Advanced Topics

For advanced learners, understanding the nuances of linking verbs can further enhance their command of the English language. These advanced topics include the subjunctive mood with linking verbs, the use of linking verbs in complex sentence structures, and the stylistic choices involving linking verbs.

Subjunctive Mood with Linking Verbs

The subjunctive mood is used to express hypothetical situations, wishes, or commands. With linking verbs, the subjunctive mood often appears in clauses expressing a recommendation or requirement.

Examples:

• It is essential that he be present.
• I recommend that she be appointed as the leader.

In these sentences, the subjunctive form “be” is used instead of the indicative forms “is” or “are” to convey a sense of necessity or recommendation.

Linking Verbs in Complex Sentences

Linking verbs play a crucial role in complex sentences, especially in clauses that provide additional information about the subject. These clauses can be adjective clauses or noun clauses functioning as subject complements.

Examples:

• The reason he is late is that he missed the bus. (noun clause as subject complement)
• The man who is the leader is kind. (adjective clause modifying the subject)

In these complex sentences, linking verbs connect the subject to descriptive or identifying information provided in the subordinate clauses.

Stylistic Choices with Linking Verbs

The choice of linking verbs can significantly impact the style and tone of writing. Stronger, more descriptive linking verbs can add depth and vividness to sentences, while simpler linking verbs can create a more straightforward and direct style.

Examples:

• Simple: She is happy.
• Descriptive: She seems radiant with joy.

The second sentence uses a more descriptive linking verb (“seems radiant”) to create a more vivid and engaging image of the subject’s happiness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some frequently asked questions about linking verbs, along with detailed answers to clarify common points of confusion.

1. What is the difference between a linking verb and an action verb?

   A linking verb connects the subject to a subject complement that describes or identifies the subject, while an action verb describes an action performed by the subject. Linking verbs indicate a state of being, a condition, or a sensory perception, whereas action verbs show what the subject does. For instance, in the sentence “She is happy,” ‘is’ is a linking verb connecting ‘she’ to the adjective ‘happy’. In contrast, in the sentence “She sings beautifully,” ‘sings’ is an action verb describing her action.

2. How can I identify a linking verb in a sentence?

   To identify a linking verb, look for verbs that connect the subject to a word or phrase that describes or renames it. If you can replace the verb with a form of ‘be’ (am, is, are, was, were) and the sentence still makes sense, the verb is likely a linking verb. For example, in “The soup tastes delicious,” you can replace ‘tastes’ with ‘is’ to get “The soup is delicious,” which retains the same basic meaning. Therefore, ‘tastes’ is a linking verb.

3. Can a verb be both a linking verb and an action verb?

   Yes, some verbs can function as both linking verbs and action verbs, depending on the context. Sensory verbs like ‘look,’ ‘smell,’ ‘taste,’ ‘sound,’ and ‘feel’ are common examples. When these verbs connect the subject to a descriptive adjective, they are linking verbs. When they describe an action performed by the subject, they are action verbs. Consider: “She looks happy” (linking verb) versus “She looks at the painting” (action verb).

4. What are the most common linking verbs?

   The most common linking verbs are the various forms of the verb ‘be’ (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been). Other common linking verbs include sensory verbs (look, smell, taste, sound, feel) and verbs of becoming or remaining (become, grow, remain, stay, appear). These verbs connect the subject to a description or identification.

5. What is a subject complement?

   A subject complement is a noun, pronoun, or adjective that follows a linking verb and describes or identifies the subject of the sentence. It provides additional information about the subject, essentially completing its description. For example, in the sentence “He is a doctor,” ‘a doctor’ is the subject complement, providing information about what he is.

6. Why is it important to use linking verbs correctly?

   Using linking verbs correctly is crucial for constructing grammatically sound and meaningful sentences. Incorrect use can lead to confusion or misinterpretation of your intended message. Proper use ensures clear connections between the subject and its description or identification, enhancing the overall clarity and effectiveness of your writing and speaking.

7. How do I avoid using adverbs as subject complements?

   To avoid using adverbs as subject complements, always ensure that the word following the linking verb is an adjective, noun, or pronoun that describes or renames the subject. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs and should not be used to describe the subject. For example, instead of saying “The soup tastes badly,” say “The soup tastes bad,” using the adjective ‘bad’ to describe the soup.

8. Are there any exceptions to the subject-verb agreement rule with linking verbs?

   Generally, linking verbs must agree in number with the subject. However, there can be complexities with collective nouns or when the subject complement is different in number from the subject. In most cases, the

   agreement should be based on the subject, not the complement. For example, “My favorite food is tacos” (singular subject ‘food’ takes singular verb ‘is’), and “Tacos are my favorite food” (plural subject ‘tacos’ takes plural verb ‘are’).

Conclusion

Linking verbs are essential components of English sentence structure, serving to connect subjects with their descriptions or identifications. Mastering the use of linking verbs involves understanding their definition, structural roles, types, usage rules, and common pitfalls.

By recognizing the different categories of linking verbs—forms of ‘be,’ sensory verbs, and verbs of becoming or remaining—and practicing their correct application, learners can significantly enhance their writing and speaking skills.

Through consistent practice and attention to detail, you can avoid common mistakes such as using adverbs as subject complements or failing to ensure subject-verb agreement. Advanced learners can further refine their understanding by exploring the subjunctive mood and the stylistic choices that linking verbs offer.

Ultimately, a solid grasp of linking verbs contributes to clearer, more effective communication, enabling you to express your ideas with precision and confidence.