Linking Verb Examples

 

Linking Verb Examples 

Here are examples of linking verbs in sentences with the linking verbs bolded:

• William is excited about his promotion.
• She appears upset about the announcement.
• The eggs smell rotten.
• He went red after tripping on the rug.
• Your plans for the wedding sound nice.
• You look exhausted after studying all night.
• I am putty in his hands.
• Maria might have been more forthcoming with the news.
• Tom acted nervous when the teacher found the note.
• The audience fell silent when the conductor walked on stage.
• Dreams come true when we believe in them.
• The crowd stayed calm in spite of the imminent threat.
• All the children seem satisfied with the bouncy castle.
• Bob felt sleepy after eating the whole pizza.
• The cinnamon rolls taste heavenly.
• Building the house proves difficult for them.
• Anthony has been a dream the last few weeks.
• The spectators remained silent after the injury on the field.
• He became suspicious when he saw the safe was open.
• All the kittens were playful.
• The theater gets dark when the show is about to begin. 
• Some couples are lucky enough to grow old together. 
• I feel worthy when the boss compliments me.
• The weather was accommodating and the party continued.
• The embers turn ashy as they cool.
• You are being very foolish to believe her.
• Mary waxed nostalgic on her 50th birthday.
• Your friend might be disappointed if you don’t go.
• Sometimes, kids act foolish.
• We are dismayed about the foreclosure.
• The tests indicate that your child is gifted.
• Martin does like very spicy food. 
• Jumping into a pond could be dangerous.
• Most children get cranky when they are sleepy.
• After the snowstorm, the roads were slippery.
• A flaw in the design appeared to be the cause of the collapse.
• The vegetables in the bin looked disgusting and spoiled.
• They shall be happy ever after.
• Riding in a car will be safer with a seat belt.
• The police department is getting tough on crime.
• She remains faithful, even though it has been two years since he left

 

 

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, Vladimir turned green.

Turned connects the subject, Vladimir, to something said about him, that he needed an antacid.

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 Oreos 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 do—especially 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Linking Verb	Linking Verb	Linking Verb	Linking Verb
act	acted	am	appear
appeared to be	are	are being	be
became	become	can be	come
could be	could have come	did	do
does	fall	feel	fell
felt	get	go	got
grew	grow	had	had become
had been	had seemed	has	has appeared
has become	has been	has seemed	have
have appeared	have become	have been	have seemed
indicate	is	is being	is getting
keep	look	looked	may be
might be	might have been	must	prove
remain	remained	seem	seemed
seeming	seems	shall be	shall have been
should be	should have appeared	should have been	smell
sound	stay	stayed	taste
tasted	turn	was	was being
wax	waxed	went	were
will be	will become	will have become	will have been
will seem	would be

Linking Verbs