Functions of Linking Verbs

As mentioned earlier, linking verbs do not express actions. So what exactly do they do? Basically, linking verbs connect the subject in the sentence with the subject complement or show a state of being/ condition.

1. Linking verbs may link the subject with an adjective.
   • Examples:
   • Her mom was proud of her achievements.
   • The underlined linking verb connects the subject (mom) with the adjective (proud).
   • Ezekiel seemed exhausted when I saw him awhile ago.
   • In this example, the underlined verb links the subject (Ezekiel) with the adjective (exhausted).
2.  Linking verbs may link the subject with a noun.
   • Examples:
   • He is a mess.
   • The linking verb “is” connects the subject (he) with the noun (mess).
   • Infection appeared to be the cause of death.
   • The word “appeared” functions as a linking verb that connects “infection” with “cause.”
3. Linking verbs may link the subject with a pronoun
   • Examples:
   • The handkerchief could be hers.
   • In this sentence, the linking verb “could be” connects the subject (handkerchief) with the pronoun “hers.”

Examples of Linking Verbs

Below is a list of linking verbs that are forms of the verb “to be” and are most commonly used in everyday communication or in writing:

• is
• am
• are
• were
• was
• are being
• has been
• had been
• will be
• might have been

• Sample Sentences:
  • Robert Langdon is a claustrophobic.
  • The teachers thought that the play was offensive.
  • They were excited for the field trip.

Other Linking Verbs

Aside from these linking verbs, there are also some which can be considered as either verbs of sensation or verbs of existence. Both of these types of linking verbs can also function as active verbs, which display forms of actions. In order for you to understand better, sample sentences and their meanings will be provided for your reference.

Examples of verbs of sensation:

• look
• feel
• sound
• smell
• taste

Examples of verbs of existence:

• seem
• stand
• turn
• prove
• continue
• act
• remain
• grow

Examples of Linking Verbs as active verbs:

• Jacob tasted the fertilized duck egg for the first time.
• Surprisingly, the fertilized duck egg tasted good.

In the first sentence, the word “tasted” is something that Jacob is doing. Therefore, it is an active verb. However, in the second sentence, the same underlined word simply links the subject with the word “good” and does not imply an actual action.

•  The newly-baked cookies smell heavenly.
• He smelled the cookies as soon as they were taken out of the oven.

In the first sentence, the verb “smell” serves as a linking verb that connects the subject with the adjective “heavenly,” while in the second one, the same verb functions as an active verb that demonstrates an actual action of smelling (sniffing).

Additional Tips and Final Thoughts

The main difference between active and linking verbs is that active verbs demonstrate specific actions, while linking verbs connect the subject with the subject complement in the sentence. Aside from that, linking verbs allow changing of positions between the subject and the subject complement. Unlike active verbs however, linking verbs do not alter the meaning of the sentence.

For example:

Linking Verb

• The striker of the football team is Phil Younghusband.
• Phil Younghusband is the striker of the football team.

You will notice that the meaning of the sentence did not change, even though the positions of the subject and the subject complement were interchanged.

 Active Verbs

• The professor threw the chalk.
• The chalk threw the professor.

Without thorough analysis, you will immediately see the change in meaning. In the first sentence, the doer of the action is the “professor,” while in the second one, it is the “chalk.”

Linking verbs can be considered very essential components that make sentences cohesive and more meaningful. A deep understanding of this concept is very important because it will help you construct well-organized compositions and improve your speech as well. Just remember the things discussed in this article, and you will definitely be able to use linking verbs appropriately and effectively.

Definition of Action Verbs

Action verbs can be simply defined as the type of verbs used to express actions instead of states of being. Unlike verbs which describe a particular state, action verbs can be expressed in the progressive tense.

*Note: Progressive tenses of verbs are used to show that an action is in progress. (e.g., playing; writing; dancing; pointing; fighting)

Explanation of Action Verbs

As stated in the definition above, action verbs are used to describe an action or a behavior. They do not only describe physical actions (e.g., walk; punch; run) which can be done by a person, an animal, or a thing, but also those which are classified as mental actions such as: think, ponder, imagine, and wonder.

Another thing that you should know about action verbs is that they can be expressed in different tenses such as the past tense, present tense, progressive tense, and future tense, to show the time when an action occurred or when it was done.

Examples of Action Verbs

Kick

Fly

Shout

The underlined words in the following sentences are some examples of action verbs:

• Joseph drove his Mustang down 10^th Street.
• His dirty clothes and shoes covered the entire bedroom floor.
• The dark clouds washed over the sky.
• Denise reached for the huge bowl of beef and wonton noodles.
• My little sister cried when Little Foot died.
• The earthquake destroyed our ancestral house.
• Richard watched the skaters do awesome tricks.
• The baby giggled as her dad made crazy faces.
• Alexis designed our new company shirt.
• I interviewed 18 applicants today.
• Mark carried the two sacks of rice at the same time.
• The lightning struck the tree.

Examples of Action Verbs in Literature

All of the underlined words below are some examples of action verbs from famous literary pieces.

•  “In December, the wind wraps itself around bare trees and twists in between husbands and wives asleep in their beds.” – Alice Hoffman, Here on Earth
• “The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Harry and Hagrid made their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back through the Leaky Cauldron, now empty.” –J.K Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
• “Canoes glided across a small lake.” – Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief
• “Mist snaked across the scorched area and swirled unsubstantial tendrils over the stone.” – Christopher Paolini, Eragon
• “The sky arched over them, higher than they could have imagined, a pale, clear blue.” – Jeanne DuPrau, City of Ember
• “The Capitol twinkles like a vast field of fireflies.” – Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games
• “Bertholt took it and scrawled his signature across the line.” –Eoin Colfer, Artemis Fowl: The Opal Deception
• “The orcs yelled and poured over the stone gangways.” – J.R.R Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
• “The nest bursts open like an egg, and a furious swarm of tracker jackers takes to the air.” – Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games
• “We bumped along with the sprayer behind us, all the way to Lake Windsor Downs.” – Edward Bloor, Tangerine
• “It shakes the shingles from the roofs and sifts rough cracks in the plaster.” – Alice Hoffman, Here on Earth
• “They found the stone steps without difficulty, and Gimli sprang swiftly up them, followed by Gandalf and Frodo.” – J.R.R Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

Function of Action Verbs

Basically, the major function of this type of verb is to convey an action (physical or mental) or a specific behavior. If you find it hard to spot the action verb in a sentence, you can just look at each word in the text and ask yourself: “Can a person, animal, or thing do/perform this?”

Sample Sentence:

Pauline marched across the empty hall.

Can you Pauline? No. Can you march? Can you across? No. Can you the? No. Can you empty? No. Can you hall? No.

Therefore, it can be said that there is only one action verb in the sample sentence above: marched.

Always remember that action verbs are not only limited to actions that people do, but also to those things which an animal, a thing, or a force of nature can do.

Since you have learned these word types at your mother’s knee, it is understandable if you need a little review to refresh your knowledge of basic grammar. This article will focus on answering the question, “What is a verb?” and discuss its kinds and tenses.

What is a Verb?

A verb can be considered as one of the most important parts of a sentence. You probably already know that a sentence must be composed of a subject and a predicate, so what makes a verb so important? Well, the verb is the main component of a predicate. Without it, there won’t be a sentence, just a bunch of words with an incomplete thought. Simply defined, the verb is a part of speech which is used to demonstrate an action or a state of being.

What are the Different Kinds of Verbs?

Your primary school teachers must have defined verb as an “action word.” That is right, however, verbs are more than just words that express an action done physically like:

run, jump, dance, write, kick, etc.

In reality, verbs may also refer to an action done mentally such as:

think, ponder, guess, imagine, wonder, etc.

1. Normal Verbs and Non-Continuous Verbs

The first type of verb used to express physical action is called  a Normal Verb, while the second one, which refers to an action you can’t see someone do, is called a Non-Continuous Verb.

Sample Sentences:

• Jesse Pinkman laughed hysterically.
• The verb in this sentence is laughed and the subject who does the action is Jessie Pinkman.

•  Aegon Targaryen and his sisters conquered the Seven Kingdoms.
• The verb is conquered, while the subject in this sentence is Aegon Targaryen and his sisters.

• Darth Vader thought of an evil plan to get rid of Darth Sidious.
• Thought is the mental action word done by the subject Darth Vader in the sentence above.

• I wonder what will happen on the next episode.
• The pronoun, I, is the subject in the last sentence and the verb is wonder.

2. Linking Verb

Aside from the Normal Verbs and Non-Continuous Verbs, there is another type which is called the Linking Verb.

As the name suggests, a linking verb is a kind of verb that links a subject to the complement. A complement is the part of a sentence which modifies or provides more information about the subject. Examples of linking verbs are:

am, is, was, are, were, has been, might have been, become, etc.

The words listed above are just some of the “true linking verbs.” They are called that way because they have no other functions but to serve as linking verbs. However, just like some people, certain verbs also have dual personalities. Take a look at the two sentences below:

• Irine tasted the exotic food.
• The exotic food tasted great!

In the first sentence, you can easily say that the italicized word is an action word done by Irine. However, in the second sentence, the same word has a different function. It serves as a linking verb that connects exotic food with the word, great.

What are Multi-Part Verbs?

Do not assume that verbs are limited to a single word. Sometimes, they come in two to four words. The basic formula for verbs with multiple parts is:

The auxiliary verbs, also called “helping verbs,” allow you to write in various verb tenses and voices when combined with a base or main verb.

Take a look at the examples below:

• I was given a two-week notice by the sales agent.
• The sentence above is written in the passive voice.  Was is the auxiliary verb and given is the main verb.

•  It must have been raining very hard.
• The main verb is raining and the auxiliary verbs are must have been.

What are the Different Forms of Verbs?

In order to be able to construct a grammatically correct sentence, it is very important that you know how to write in the proper verb tense. The three basic forms of verbs are past, present, and future. The first one obviously refers to an action that was already done, the second is for present action, and the third is for an action that will be done.

Examples:

You will notice that:

1. The present form is just the basic form of the verb (add –s or –es for a singular subject)

• Example: He marches; Soldiers march

2. The past tense is the basic form plus –ed.

• *Note: The past tense of a verb pertaining to a singular subject and a plural subject is the same.
• Example: She walked; They walked

3. The future tense is the word will plus the basic form of the verb.

• *Note: The future tense of a verb pertaining to a singular subject and a plural subject is the same.
• Example: Andrea will count; The teachers will count

Although most verbs follow these rules, there are still some exceptions. Take a look at the examples below:

The verbs presented in the table above are called irregular verbs. There are actually no specific rules on how to form this kind of verb. But don’t worry because you can easily find a complete list on the internet.

Final Thoughts

Verbs are very easy to spot. What can be challenging is deciding which correct verb tense to use. However, this can be easily solved by reading a lot and practicing your writing skills. Other people might find grammar a trivial thing, but the truth is that a considerable amount of knowledge in proper grammar can take you a long way.