Adjectives and Adverbs Mini-lesson # Use of adjectives and adverbs with linking and sense verbs From the UWF Writing Lab’s 101 Grammar Mini-Lessons Series

Adjectives and Adverbs with Linking Verbs Definition of a linking verb A linking verb is a verb that links or connects a subject and its complement. Example: He is lucky (adjective complement). The verbs most often used as linking verbs are forms of be (is, am, are, was, were, been, being) and verbs associated with our five senses (look, sound, smell, feel, taste).

Adjectives and Adverbs What to do with linking verbs –When the word after the verb describes the subject and can be substituted for is, are, was, or were without altering the meaning, then the verb is linking and the word following the linking verb should be an adjective. Example: Ms. Morse looked [was] very sympathetic as she listened to my troubles.

Adjectives and Adverbs When the word is intended to describe how the person responds, not how the person is or was, then use an adverb, not an adjective. Ms. Morse looked very sympathetically at me as she listened to my troubles.

Examples She doesn’t feel (good/well) about her promotion. She doesn’t feel good about her promotion. The suspect looked (suspicious, suspiciously). One of the jurors looked (suspicious, suspiciously) at him. The suspect looked [was] suspicious. One of the jurors looked suspiciously at him.

We need to act (quick/quickly). We need to act quickly. We need to act as if we are (quick/quickly). We need to act as if we are quick. More Examples

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