What are linking verbs? (With example)

What are linking verbs?

Linking verbs (also referred to as copulas or copular verbs) don't show action like ordinary verbs. They rather link or connect the subject to a subject complement, the part of the sentence that follows the verb. This complement which contains additional information describes and identifies the subject.

Examples:

·         Larry looks happy. (looks is a linking verb; happy is a complement that describes and identifies Larry, the subject)

·         The play was good. (was is a linking verb; good is a complement that describes and identifies the play, the subject

List of linking verbs

This is a list of common linking verbs:

·         appear

·         be

·         become

·         feel

·         get

·         grow

·         look

·         prove

·         remain

·         seem

·         smell

·         stay

·         sound

·         taste

·         turn

Linking verb?

Some of the verbs listed above can function as linking verbs and as ordinary verbs. One trick that you can use to identify whether a verb is a linking verb or an ordinary verb is to see the relation between the subject and complement. If the relation is indicative of an equal sign (=), then it is a linking verb. Consider the following examples:

·         He looks angry. (He = angry | linking verb)

·         He looked at the man. (He = at the man | action verb)

Examples:

look:

·         Nadia looked happy. (linking verb)

·         Nadia looked at the window. (ordinary verb)

taste

·         The food tastes delicious. (linking verb)

·         They tasted the food. (ordinary verb)

appear

·         She appeared quiet. (linking verb)

·         She appeared in the room. (ordinary verb)

What Is aVerb? (With Example)

Types ofverb (With example)

Transitive verbs 

 Finite verb

Non-finite verb

Auxiliary verbs

Linking verbs

REGULAR VERBS

IRREGULAR VERBS 

Causative verbs 

Stative verbs and dynamic verbs

OVERALLSPECIAL VERBS

Phrasal verbs

VERB +TO-INFINITIVE OR BARE INFINITIVE

VERB +TO-INFINITIVE OR GERUND

VERB +OBJECT + TO-INFINITIVE OR GERUND

Verbs + WH-CLAUSE (With Example)

HAVE/GET ANDWANT SOMETHING DONE

VERBS + TWOOBJECTS ( With Example)

MOOD (With Example)

Phrasal verbswith a verb + preposition

PHRASALVERBS WITH A VERB + AN ADVERB

DISTINGUISHING PHRASAL VERB

PHRASALVERBS WITH A VERB + AN ADVERB OR A PREPOSITION

PHRASALVERBS WITH A VERB +AN ADVERB + A PREPOSITION