Linking verb plays a vital role to compose precise and persuasive points.

When I visit several grammar learner Facebook groups. Certainly, I spot many learners showering questions about active and passive voice. Many of them even answer with flaws. Hence the knowledge of linking verb or action verb is vital.



How to spot a linking verb?

Before understanding the attribute of a linking verb. We should understand its opponent that is an action verb. Knowing the action verbs make it easy to spot a linking verb.

Action verb interprets what’s the subject of a sentence is doing. It expresses the physical and mental actions. Action verb helps readers to know the subject activity or efforts that yield the result. There are two types of action verbs, transitive and intransitive.

John cooks food. in this sentence, a reader can spot easily the activity or action that John is putting to cook. Hence the word “cook” is an action verb. There are many but a few of the action verbs are here.

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Linking verb.

Unlike action verbs, a linking verb only assists to know about the subject state. In other words, a linking verb describes the subject of a sentence. A linking verb is called a linking verb because it links the subject to a subject complement

John is a good cook. In this sentence, a reader is getting the information about John, not the action or activity. Certainly the word “is” is a linking verb.  Linking verbs connect the subject to a predicate noun or a predicate adjective.

The most common linking verbs are (am, is, are, was, were, has been, are being, might be, become, seem, appear, seem, stay, feel, look, smell, taste, grow remain, sound, turn, etc.).

For examples,

I am a teacher.

She is a beautiful girl.

They are players.

That shirt was black.

Those students were intelligent.

He seems angry.

It smells garlicky.

The some time some of the linking verb may be an action verb.

He appears sad. (linking)

He appears all of sudden before me. (action)

Must read these topics.

What is a verb?

Non-finite verb infinitive.

Gerund verb.

Participle grammar.

Model verb.

Use of could.

Would.

Should.

May and might.

Must.

Used to.

Transitive and intransitive verb.

Primary verb.

Regular and irregular verb.

Causative verb

Will and shall.

Use of other, others, and another.