Linking Verbs

How Linking Verbs Work

The most common linking verb is "to be" in its various forms (am, is, are, was, were, etc.). Other linking verbs include "become," "seem," "feel," "look," "smell," "sound," "taste," and "appear." These verbs link the subject of the sentence to a word or phrase in the predicate that describes or identifies the subject.

Examples of Linking Verbs

• "The sky is blue." (The verb "is" links the subject "sky" to the adjective "blue.")
• "She became a doctor." (The verb "became" links "she" to the noun "doctor.")
• "The cake smells delicious." (The verb "smells" links "cake" to the adjective "delicious.")

Role in Communication

Describing States: Linking verbs allow us to describe the state or condition of the subject, providing a deeper understanding of it. 🎨 Identifying Subjects: They help in identifying or classifying the subject, making our sentences more informative. 🔍 Expressing Sensory Information: Linking verbs related to the senses (taste, smell, feel, sound, look) let us communicate sensory experiences. 🌈

Common Mistakes to Avoid

✅ Correct: "The flowers smell wonderful." (Using "smell" as a linking verb to describe the flowers)

❌ Incorrect: "The flowers smell wonderfully." (Using an adverb instead of an adjective after a linking verb is a common mistake.)

✅ Correct: "Your advice sounds good." (Using "sounds" as a linking verb to describe the advice)

❌ Incorrect: "Your advice sounds well." (Confusing "good" with "well" after a linking verb; "good" is correct because it's an adjective.)

✅ Correct: "They felt happy about the decision." (Using "felt" as a linking verb)

❌ Incorrect: "They felt happily about the decision." (Using "happily," an adverb, instead of "happy," an adjective, after a linking verb.)