Understanding the Difference between Linking and Action Verbs Verbs Level One Understanding the Difference between Linking and Action Verbs

Verbs can be divided into two main groups – action verbs and linking verbs. An action verb usually reveals what action is occurring in the sentence. For example, The young otter eagerly looked for its mother. To find the action verb, one simply asks, “what is the action taking place.” What word in the above sentence would be your answer?

The young otter eagerly looked for its mother. The verb is “looked.” However, there are some verbs that are called linking verbs because no real action takes place. For example The young otter looked hungry after his swim. In the above sentence, notice how the otter is not really using his eyes to look? So, “look” is the verb in the sentence, but it is not showing action and is not, therefore, an action verb. Here. “looked” is a linking verb.

Read the following sentence pairs and decide which sentence is using an action verb and which sentence is using a linking verb. A. The clams taste fresh and delicious to me. B. Benny always tastes his soup before serving it. Which sentence above has an action verb, A or B?

Try another sentence pair The answer is “B” Benny always tastes his soup before serving it. The reason is that in the first sentence the clams are not really tasting anything only Benny is using his taste buds. Try another sentence pair A. She stayed in the attic all afternoon. B. She stayed calm in a difficult situation. In which sentence is there an action verb?

Try another sentence pair A. Emily stayed in the attic all afternoon. The answer is “B” Benny always tastes his soup before serving it. The reason is that in the first sentence the clams are not really tasting anything – only Benny is using his taste buds. Try another sentence pair A. Emily stayed in the attic all afternoon. B. Ingrid stayed calm in a difficult situation. In which sentence is there an action verb?

The sentence with the action verb is sentence “A”. A The sentence with the action verb is sentence “A” A. Emily stayed in the attic all afternoon. Notice that in this sentence Emily actually “stayed” somewhere whereas in sentence B, “stayed” merely reflects Ingrid’s state of being at the time. Not many verbs in our language are or can be linking verbs. We will work from the following list to be to prove to taste to seem to turn to smell to grow to feel to remain to sound to appear to look to become to stay

to be to prove to taste to seem to turn to smell to grow to feel to remain to sound to appear to look to become to stay 1. The first column “to be” and “to seem” are always linking verbs 2. The second column can be a linking or action verb in a sentence, and the way that we remember them is by the first letter of each verb “PTGRABS” 3. The third column can be a linking or action verb in a sentence, and the way that we remember them is that each of them is one of the five senses.

Here are some sentences using the “to be” verb” Let’s begin with the first column and the verb “to be.” Below are some of the more likely ways that you will see this verb in a sentence was, were, am, is, are, will be, is being, have been Here are some sentences using the “to be” verb” We were on Block Island just yesterday. I have been tired all day. They will be with us over the holidays. Mindy is being awfully helpful to us.

Look at the second column now. PTGRABS Look at the second column now. PTGRABS. Memorize these verbs and know that they can be either an action or a linking verb. In the following pairs, decide which sentence has the linking verb, A or B? A. Seth appeared on the cover of a book last year. B. Matt appeared unsure about the whole idea of catching the shark.

A. Matt appeared unsure about the whole idea of catching the shark A. Matt appeared unsure about the whole idea of catching the shark. In this sentence Matt is not really “appearing” anywhere; in fact, another way to detect a linking verb sometimes is to substitute the verb” to seem” and see if the sentence still makes sense. Matt seems unsure about the whole idea of catching the shark. Which of the following sentences has a linking verb? A. Maria nervously turned the page of her book. B. Stephen turned pale as we neared the dock.

B. Stephen turned pale as we neared the dock B. Stephen turned pale as we neared the dock. In sentence A, Maria actually turned something. In sentence B, Stephen’s look changed but he did not physically turn anything. Let’s turn to the third group, the so-called “5 senses” verbs. Can you remember what they were. See if you can, and then look at the top of the next slide to see how well you did.

To taste, to smell, to feel, to sound, to look To taste, to smell, to feel, to sound, to look Remember, other verbs that also refer to the senses – such as “to see,” or “to hear.” These are always linking verbs. It is only the five verbs above that can be either linking or action verbs. Which of the following sentences has an action verb? A. Olivia smelled the popcorn from her room. B. My little baby brother smelled like peaches after his bath.

A. Olivia smelled the popcorn from her room A. Olivia smelled the popcorn from her room. In the sentence above, Olivia is actually using her nose to smell. Which one of the following has a linking verb? A. Cindy tasted our coffee and hated it. B. His taste in music is not the best. C. The ice cream there tastes better than any other I have tried on the island.

C. The ice cream there tastes better than any other I have tried on the island. In sentence A Cindy actually tasted the coffee. In sentence B, the word “taste: is a noun and not a verb In sentence C, the ice cream is not tasting anything. Which one of the following sentences has an action verb. A. Carmella felt sore after the bike ride. B. Leah felt happy about her score on the vocabulary quiz. C. Brian felt the bump on Jay’s head.

C. Brian felt the bump on Jay’s head C. Brian felt the bump on Jay’s head. In sentence C, Brian is actually touching something. In sentences A, Carmella is not feeling something called “sore.” In sentence B, Leah is not touching the sore; she is just pleased with it. One of the more challenging verbs in this last group is “to sound.” It is rarely used as an action verb and frequently used as a linking verb. A. The music sounds good to me. B. Someone sounded the bell for recess. Which sentence above has the rarely used form of the action verb?

Someone sounded the bell for recess Someone sounded the bell for recess. In the sentence above someone or something actually has to strike or in some other way do something in order to create a sound. In most sentences, like the one given “The music sounds good to me” the subject is not doing anything active in order to create sound. So, again, what are the verbs that are always linking verbs?

To be, to seem What is the way we remember the second group and what are those verbs?

PTGRABS to prove, to turn, to remain, to appear, to become, to stay And what are the last five verbs that can be either linking or action verbs?

to taste, to smell, to feel, to sound, to look If you know the linking verbs and can distinguish the difference between the linking and action verbs, then you are ready for the next level.