Verb that connects the subject to another word in the sentence. The connecting word either a predicate noun, a pronoun, or an adjective.
The Linking Verb does not express action, but express a state of being or a condition.
List Of Linking Verbs
| am | are | is | was |
| were | has been | have been | had been |
| will be | shall be | will have been | shall have been |
Examples Of Linking Verbs.
| Nancy is thoughtful | Thoughtful describes Nancy; is links the two |
| The bananas looked ripe | Ripe describes bananas; looked links the two. |
Following is a short list of verbs that perform multiple tasks, and act not only as action verbs, but also as linking verbs
e.g.
| appear | grow | remain | seem |
| become | look | smell | sound |
| feel | prove | act | fall |
| taste | come | get | remain |
An action verb expresses action, either physical or mental.
A linking verb connects the subject with a word in the predicate that
describes or identifies the subject.
Examples Of Action Verb And Linking Verb.
| Verb | Action Verb | Linking Verb |
|---|---|---|
| appear | The principal appeared at 11 a.m. | Nancy appeared tired |
| taste | I tasted the soup | The soup tasted delicious |
| feel | Did you feel the cloth? | I feel nervous |
| look | We looked the place over | She looked unhappy |
| sound | Who sounded the alarm? | Her voice sounded hoarse |
Stressed and Unstressed
In English sentences content words are stressed while structural words are generally not.