Linking verbs connect the subject of a sentence to a word or phrase that describes, identifies, or renames it. Words such as is, seem, become, feel, look, smell, sound, and taste can work as linking verbs when they connect the subject to a subject complement.
This article explains linking verbs through clear sentence examples, sense verbs, change verbs, state and appearance verbs, predicate adjectives, predicate nouns, and useful comparisons. You will also learn what comes after a linking verb and how to distinguish linking verbs from action and helping verbs.
What Are Linking Verbs?
A linking verb connects the subject of a sentence to a subject complement.
The subject complement gives information about the subject by describing it or identifying it.
For example:
She is happy.
The soup tastes salty.
He became captain.
In these sentences:
- is connects she to happy
- tastes connects soup to salty
- became connects he to captain
A common pattern is:
subject + linking verb + subject complement
Common Linking Verb Examples
Common linking verbs include:
- am
- is
- are
- was
- were
- be
- been
- appear
- become
- feel
- get
- grow
- look
- remain
- seem
- smell
- sound
- stay
- taste
- turn
These verbs do not always function as linking verbs. Their role depends on the sentence.
For example:
The cake tastes sweet.
Here, tastes is a linking verb.
She tasted the cake.
Here, tasted is an action verb.
Linking Verb Examples in Sentences
Linking verbs commonly connect the subject to an adjective, noun, or noun phrase.
She is happy.
I am tired.
They are ready.
He was nervous.
We were excited.
Sara is a teacher.
Tom was the winner.
Mia seems upset.
The plan appears reasonable.
The blanket feels soft.
She looks worried.
The flowers smell fresh.
The music sounds beautiful.
The soup tastes salty.
He became captain.
The weather got colder.
The sky grew dark.
The leaves turned yellow.
The room remained quiet.
The child stayed calm.
In each sentence, the linking verb connects the subject to information about that subject.
Sense Linking Verb Examples
Some sense verbs can function as linking verbs when they connect the subject to a description.
Common sense linking verbs include:
- feel
- look
- smell
- sound
- taste
Feel
The blanket feels soft.
I feel tired.
The water feels cold.
Her hands felt warm.
Look
She looks worried.
The room looks clean.
The sky looks cloudy.
He looked tired.
Smell
The flowers smell fresh.
The soup smells good.
The bread smelled delicious.
The room smells clean.
Sound
The music sounds beautiful.
Your idea sounds interesting.
His voice sounded calm.
The plan sounds practical.
Taste
The cake tastes sweet.
The soup tastes salty.
The fruit tastes fresh.
The sauce tasted spicy.
These verbs are linking only when they connect the subject to a description.
Linking Verbs Showing Change
Some linking verbs show that the subject changes from one state or condition to another.
Common examples include:
- become
- get
- grow
- turn
Examples:
He became angry.
She became a doctor.
The weather got colder.
The children got tired.
The sky grew dark.
The room grew quiet.
The leaves turned yellow.
The water turned cold.
These verbs link the subject to its new state, condition, or identity.
Linking Verbs Showing State or Appearance
Some linking verbs show how the subject appears or whether a condition continues.
Common examples include:
- seem
- appear
- remain
- stay
Examples:
She seems nervous.
He seems happy.
The plan appears reasonable.
The road appears safe.
The room remained quiet.
The problem remained serious.
The child stayed calm.
The weather stayed warm.
These verbs connect the subject to a continuing or perceived condition.
Linking Verbs and Subject Complements
A linking verb connects the subject to a subject complement.
The complement can describe the subject or identify it.
| Subject | Linking Verb | Subject Complement |
|---|---|---|
| Mia | is | happy |
| He | became | captain |
| Soup | tastes | salty |
| Flowers | smell | fresh |
| Sky | grew | dark |
| Child | stayed | calm |
| Plan | appears | reasonable |
| Music | sounds | beautiful |
In:
Mia is happy.
happy describes Mia.
In:
He became captain.
captain identifies what he became.
The subject complement refers back to the subject.
Predicate Adjective Examples
A predicate adjective describes the subject after a linking verb.
Examples:
The soup tastes salty.
She looks tired.
The blanket feels soft.
The flowers smell fresh.
The music sounds beautiful.
The sky grew dark.
The room remained quiet.
The child stayed calm.
The weather got colder.
The leaves turned yellow.
In each sentence, the adjective describes the subject.
Predicate Noun Examples
A predicate noun or noun phrase identifies or renames the subject.
Examples:
Mia is a teacher.
Tom was the winner.
Sara is my sister.
He became captain.
Liam became team leader.
The building is a school.
Noah was the goalkeeper.
Ava became class president.
Here, the complement identifies the subject rather than describing it.
What Comes After a Linking Verb?
A linking verb is commonly followed by a subject complement.
That complement is often:
- an adjective;
- a noun;
- a noun phrase.
Linking Verb + Adjective
The soup tastes good.
She looks tired.
The blanket feels soft.
The flowers smell fresh.
The music sounds beautiful.
The adjective describes the subject.
Linking Verb + Noun or Noun Phrase
She is a doctor.
He became captain.
Tom was the winner.
Mia is my friend.
The noun or noun phrase identifies the subject.
This distinction is important because a linking verb does not take a direct object in the same way an action verb does.
Linking Verb vs Action Verb Examples
Some verbs can be linking in one sentence and action verbs in another.
| Linking Use | Action Use |
|---|---|
| The soup tastes good. | I tasted the soup. |
| She looks tired. | She looks at the clock. |
| The flowers smell sweet. | He smells the flowers. |
| The fabric feels soft. | She feels the fabric. |
| The sky grew dark. | They grow vegetables. |
In the linking examples, the verb connects the subject to a description.
In the action examples, the subject performs an action.
For example:
The flowers smell sweet.
sweet describes the flowers, so smell is linking.
He smells the flowers.
Here, smells shows an action.
Linking Verb vs Helping Verb Examples
Forms of be can work as linking verbs or helping verbs.
| Linking Verb | Helping Verb |
|---|---|
| She is tired. | She is reading. |
| They are ready. | They are working. |
| He was quiet. | He was sleeping. |
In:
She is tired.
is connects she to tired, so it is a linking verb.
In:
She is reading.
is works with the main verb reading, so it is a helping verb.
A useful distinction is:
linking verb → connects the subject to a complement
helping verb → works with another verb
How to Identify a Linking Verb
A practical way to identify a linking verb is to ask whether it connects the subject to a description or identity.
Consider:
The soup tastes salty.
Ask:
Does “salty” describe the soup?
Yes.
So tastes is functioning as a linking verb.
Another useful clue is the be replacement test.
The soup tastes salty.
The soup is salty.
The basic meaning still works, so tastes is likely a linking verb.
Compare:
She tastes the soup.
She is the soup.
The meaning no longer works, so tastes is an action verb in that sentence.
The replacement test is useful, but context should always determine the final classification.
Common Mistakes With Linking Verb Examples
Linking verbs can be confusing because many of them can perform more than one grammatical role.
| Incorrect Understanding | Correct Understanding |
|---|---|
| Every form of be is helping. | Forms of be can be linking or helping. |
| Every sense verb is linking. | Sense verbs depend on context. |
| Linking verbs take direct objects. | They connect subjects to subject complements. |
| Linking verbs show action. | They usually show identity, condition, appearance, or change. |
| Every stative verb is linking. | Some stative verbs are not linking. |
Another common mistake involves adjectives and adverbs.
Correct:
The soup tastes good.
She looks tired.
The blanket feels soft.
These adjectives describe the subject.
Compare:
She looks carefully at the picture.
Here, looks expresses an action, and carefully describes how she performs that action.
FAQs
Common examples include is, are, was, seem, become, appear, feel, look, smell, sound, taste, remain, stay, grow, get, and turn when they connect a subject to a description or identity.
Examples include She is happy, The soup tastes salty, He became captain, The flowers smell fresh, and The room remained quiet.
Yes. In The soup tastes good, tastes is linking. In I tasted the soup, tasted is an action verb.
No. In She is tired, is is linking. In She is reading, is is helping.
Check whether the verb connects the subject to a word or phrase that describes or identifies it. The be replacement test can also provide a useful clue.
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