What Are The 20 Linking Verbs With Examples

What Are Linking Verbs and 20 Essential Examples with Clear Explanations

Linking verbs are a fundamental part of English grammar that connect the subject of a sentence to a subject complement, which can be a noun, pronoun, or adjective that describes or identifies the subject. Unlike action verbs that show what the subject is doing, linking verbs serve as bridges between the subject and additional information about that subject. Understanding linking verbs is crucial for mastering English sentence structure and improving overall writing clarity.

Introduction to Linking Verbs

A linking verb does not express action. Instead, it connects the subject to a word that identifies or describes the subject. That's why the word that follows the linking verb is called a subject complement. Here's one way to look at it: in the sentence "She is a teacher," the verb "is" links the subject "she" to the complement "teacher," which identifies what she is.

There are two main types of linking verbs: be verbs and sense verbs. Because of that, be verbs include forms of "be" such as am, is, are, was, were, being, and been. Sense verbs include verbs like appear, seem, become, feel, look, sound, and taste when they describe a state rather than an action.

Easier said than done, but still worth knowing.

The Complete List of 20 Linking Verbs with Examples

1. Be (am, is, are, was, were, being, been)

The most common linking verb in English, "be" connects subjects to their identities or locations Practical, not theoretical..

• I am a student.
• She is happy today.
• They were at the park yesterday.
• He has been working here for five years.

2. Become

This verb shows a change of state or condition from one thing to another.

• After graduation, she became a doctor.
• The caterpillar became a butterfly.
• He became tired after running.

3. Seem

"Seem" indicates appearance or impression, often suggesting uncertainty.

• You seem upset about something.
• This seems complicated but it's actually simple.
• She seems to enjoy her new job.

4. Appear

Similar to "seem," "appear" suggests how something looks or seems to be.

• He appears confused by the instructions.
• The sun appears to be rising.
• The package appears to be missing.

5. Look

When used as a linking verb, "look" describes physical appearance or facial expression.

• You look tired today.
• She looks beautiful in that dress.
• The food looks delicious.

6. Feel

As a linking verb, "feel" describes physical sensations or emotional states.

• I feel much better now.
• This fabric feels soft.
• He feels confident about his presentation.

7. Sound

"Sound" as a linking verb describes how something seems when heard.

• That sounds interesting.
• She sounds upset on the phone.
• The music sounds beautiful.

8. Taste

When describing flavor or preference, "taste" functions as a linking verb It's one of those things that adds up..

• This soup tastes salty.
• The wine tastes excellent.
• I taste something sweet in this dish.

9. Smell

Used to describe odors or scents.

• The flowers smell wonderful.
• Something smells burning.
• This perfume smells like roses.

10. Remain

"Remain" indicates staying in a particular state or condition.

• He remained calm during the emergency.
• The question remains unanswered.
• She remained silent throughout the meeting.

11. Stay

"Stay" shows maintaining a particular condition or location That's the part that actually makes a difference..

• The children stayed quiet during the movie.
• We stayed at home last night.
• The results stayed the same.

12. Prove

This verb demonstrates that something turns out to be true Simple, but easy to overlook..

• His theory proved correct.
• The experiment proved successful.
• The plan proved ineffective.

13. Turn

"Turn" can indicate becoming a certain way or changing into something Worth knowing..

• She turned red with embarrassment.
• The weather turned cold suddenly.
• He turned aggressive when challenged.

14. Grow

When describing development or maturation.

• The children grew taller last year.
• The plant grew quickly in the garden.
• She grew more confident over time.

15. Fall

Used to describe becoming something, usually negative Practical, not theoretical..

• He fell ill during the trip.
• The building fell into disrepair.
• She fell in love at first sight.

16. Get

Informal linking verb showing acquisition or change of state.

• I got hungry after the long walk.
• She got angry when she heard the news.
• The food got cold while we talked.

17. Become

Another form of "become" that shows transformation or development.

• The caterpillar became a butterfly.
• He became a successful businessman.
• The situation became complicated.

18. Run

When describing liquids flowing or moving.

• The water ran clear after the storm.
• His eyes ran red from crying.
• The color ran when I washed the shirt.

19. Go

Used to describe states or conditions, especially in informal contexts No workaround needed..

• The food went bad overnight.
• She went pale when she saw the accident.
• The project went smoothly.

20. Lie

When describing reclining or resting in a position Most people skip this — try not to..

• He lay awake all night.
• The book lies open on the table.
• She lay on the couch watching TV.

How to Identify Linking Verbs in Sentences

To determine whether a verb is a linking verb, try replacing it with the word "is" or "are." If the sentence still makes sense, it's likely a linking verb.

For example:

• Original: She seems happy.
• Test: She is happy.
• Since both sentences make sense, "seems" is a linking verb.

Another method is to check if the word after the verb is a noun, pronoun, or adjective that describes or identifies the subject. If so, the verb is probably linking Worth keeping that in mind..

Common Mistakes with Linking Verbs

Many learners confuse linking verbs with action verbs. Remember that linking verbs don't show action—they connect subjects to descriptions or identities Most people skip this — try not to..

Incorrect: He looks at the painting. (action verb) Correct: He looks tired. (linking verb describing state)

Also, be careful with verbs like "feel," "look," and "taste," which can function as both action verbs and linking verbs depending on context.

Practice Tips for Mastering Linking Verbs

• Read extensively and identify linking verbs in sentences
• Practice replacing verbs with "is" or "are" to test if they're linking
• Focus on subject complements that follow linking verbs
• Write sentences using different linking verbs daily
• Pay attention to context clues that distinguish linking from action verbs

Understanding linking verbs enhances your ability to create clear, grammatically correct sentences. These 20 linking verbs form the foundation of effective English communication, helping you express states of being, emotions, and descriptions with precision and clarity.

Linking Verbs vs. Helping Verbs: A Critical Distinction

While linking verbs connect the subject to a complement, helping verbs (auxiliary verbs) team up with main verbs to express tense, mood, or voice. Confusing the two is a frequent error.

• Linking: She is a doctor. ("Is" connects she to doctor.)
• Helping: She is running a marathon. ("Is" helps the main verb running form the present continuous tense.)

The Litmus Test: Look at the word immediately following the verb.

• If it is a noun, pronoun, or adjective describing the subject $\rightarrow$ Linking Verb.
• If it is a verb (usually ending in -ing or -ed/en) $\rightarrow$ Helping Verb.

Common verbs that pull double duty (be, been, being, am, is, are, was, were) rely entirely on this structural context to reveal their function.

Advanced Nuances: The "Resultative" Construction

Some verbs typically classified as action verbs can function similarly to linking verbs in resultative constructions. In these cases, the verb describes an action, but the complement describes the state of the subject resulting from that action, not the manner of the action.

• He painted the fence white. (Action verb painted + object fence + resultative adjective white describing the object).
• The meat roasted perfectly. (Here, perfectly is an adverb modifying roasted—action verb).
• The meat roasted dry. (Here, dry is an adjective describing the resulting state of the subject meat—quasi-linking usage).

While traditional grammar reserves "linking verb" status for the 20 verbs previously listed, recognizing this resultative pattern explains why sentences like "He arrived home exhausted" feel structurally similar to "He felt exhausted."

Quick Reference Cheat Sheet

Final Thoughts

Mastering linking verbs is less about memorizing a list of twenty words and more about developing a structural intuition for the Subject–Verb–Complement architecture. These verbs are the "equals signs" of language; they assert that Subject = Complement Which is the point..

When you write "The proposal sounds viable," you are not describing an auditory emission; you are equating the proposal with viability. When you write "Years later, the mystery remains unsolved," you are anchoring the subject in a persistent state of being.

As you edit your own work, pause at every verb. Ask: Does this word express an action the subject does, or a state the subject is? That single question will sharpen your syntax, eliminate dangling modifiers, and ensure your descriptions land with grammatical precision. The twenty verbs explored here are small in number, but they carry the weight of definition itself—turning nouns into characters, situations into stories, and observations into truths Nothing fancy..