1. Linking Verbs By: Amanda Young and Alanah Hall

2. Verbs  A verb is a word used to express action or a state of being. (371, HRW)  There are three kinds of verbs: 1)Helping or main verbs 2)Action or linking verbs 3)Transitive or intransitive verbs

3. Linking Verbs  A linking verb connects the subject to a word or word group that identifies or describes the subject.(374, HRW)

4. 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): good flowers

5. Commonly Used Linking Verbs  Forms of Be:  Other Verbs: ambebeingwas arebeeniswhere appeargrowseemstaybecomelooksmelltaste feelremainsoundturn

6. Action vs. Linking Verbs  An action verb is a verb that expresses either physical or mental activity.  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. *forms of be and seem are always linking verbs

7. Action vs. Linking Verb Examples  Joe plays baseball. Joe is baseball. (the sentence does not make sense, so it is an action verb)  The roses look pretty.  The roses are pretty. (the sentence makes sense, so it is a linking verb)  When verb is a linking verb, you can tell because it describes the subject.

8. 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.

9. More Practice  The music sounds catchy.  The park seems crowded.  Are the following underlined verbs linking verbs or action verbs?

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