1. Linking Verbs and Action Verbs

2. Verbs A verb is a word used to express action or a state of being.
Categories:
Helping or main verbs
Main verbs are either action or linking verbs
Action verbs are either transitive or intransitive

3. Helping Verbs
Helping verbs exist ONLY in a verb phrase and are ANY and ALL of the verbs that come BEFORE the main verb and “help” the main verb to make sense.

4. Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Only an action verb can be labeled transitive or intransitive.
An action verb is transitive only if it has a direct object after it: Tim sang a song.
An action verb is intransitive if it has no direct object after it: Tim sang loudly.

5. Linking Verbs
A linking verb connects the subject to a word or word group that renames or describes the subject.

6. Examples The apple looks rotten.
“Looks” links the subject (apple) to the adjective (rotten): rotten = apple
John is one of the great scientists in our area.
“Is” links the subject (John) to the adjective (one): John = one
The flowers smell good.
“Smell” links the subject (flowers) to the adjective (good): flowers = good

7. {Forms of be and seem are always linking verbs.}
To find out if a verb is an action or linking verb substitute a form of be in for the verb. If the sentence still makes sense, it is usually a linking verb. If the sentence doesn’t make sense, it is usually an action verb.
Example: The ice cream tastes delicious.
Substitute a form of be: The ice cream is delicious.
Example: She tasted the ice cream.
Substitute a form of be: She is the ice cream.
{Forms of be and seem are always linking verbs.}

8. Commonly Used Linking Verbs
Forms of Be:
Other Linking Verbs: am be
being
was
are
been is
were
appear
grow
seem
stay
become
look
smell
taste
feel
remain
sound
turn

9. Action vs. Linking Verbs
An action verb is a verb that expresses either physical or mental activity.

10. Action vs. Linking Verb Examples
Joe plays baseball.
Joe is baseball. (the sentence does not make sense …plays is an action verb )
The roses look pretty.
The roses are pretty. (the sentence makes sense, so it is a linking verb)
When a verb is a linking verb, you can tell because the predicate noun or predicate adjective that follows it renames or describes the subject.

11. Practice
What are the linking verbs in the following sentences and what do they connect?
The spectacular ocean appears calm today.
The Wright Brothers are famous for inventing the plane.

12. More Practice
The music sounds catchy.
The park seems crowded.

13. Even More Practice Jerry tasted the banana split. Action verb
The banana split is tasty.
Linking verb
Jerry then traveled to the park.
The park looks pretty.