Unit 3, Lesson 4 Linking Verbs

Objective Students will: Identify linking verbs and the word in the predicate that describes the subject.

Rules Some verbs show action. Jennifer runs. Some verbs are helping verbs. Jennifer is running now.

Rules A linking verb links the subject of a sentence with a word or words in the predicate. A linking verb does not show action. A linking verb is not a helping verb.

Rules Some verbs can be either linking verbs or action verbs. The crowd looked at the divers. Looked = action verb. Direct Object = divers. The divers looked tired. Looked = linking verb. Direct Object = none

Rules A linking verb is followed by a word in the predicate that names or describes the subject. Anna looks cheerful. Cheerful describes Anna. Linking verbs never have a direct object.

Common Linking Verbs Am Look Is Feel Are Taste Smell Were Seem Will be Appear Was

Identify the linking verb. Which word(s) does it link? Ray is a swimmer and a diver. He was a winner last week. Ray’s parents are coaches. They feel proud of Ray.

Gertrude looked strong and fit. Identify the verb in each sentence. Tell if it is an action verb or a linking verb. Gertrude looked strong and fit. In 1926 she seemed ready for a test of her agility. She was the first woman to swim the English channel. LV LV LV

Gertrude swam the distance in fewer than fifteen hours. She set a world record. Ederle will be a champion to swimmers Action Action LV

Identify the verb. Tell whether is an action or linking verb. Joan visited Australia Action She saw grown kangaroos. One kangaroo was five feet tall. Linking He smelled terrible. A park ranger told Joan about kangaroos. Action Kangaroos are mammals. Linking Females carry their young in pouches.

Identify the verb. Tell whether is an action or linking verb. The babies appear in the pouch. Linking The mother is a good protector. She is a strong animal. Her tail looks powerful. Smaller kangaroos appear timid. Linking The best known kangaroos are the gray kangaroos.

Identify the verb in each sentence Identify the verb in each sentence. Tell if it is an action verb or a linking verb. If a linking verb, identify which words are being linked. Most people feel afraid of sharks. The shark’s streamlined body looks torpedo-like. Its many teeth always seem sharp. Some species really are a threat to people. The white shark stretches to about twenty feet. It attacks boats and frightens swimmers. Not all sharks are a menace, however. The whale shark is quite harmless. Its diet is small fish and plankton.

WB pgs. 42 & 43 Homework