Linking verbs list
The complement after a linking verb is usually an adjective or a noun phrase.
| Group | Verbs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Be | be (am, is, are, was, were) | The answer is correct. |
| Appearance | seem, appear | The plan seems sensible. |
| Change | become, get, grow, turn, go | It's getting dark. The milk went sour. |
| Staying the same | remain, stay, keep | Prices remained stable. |
| Senses | look, sound, smell, taste, feel | That sounds like a good idea. |
| Result | prove, turn out | The test proved easy. |
A quick test
Replace the verb with is, are, was or were. If the sentence still makes sense and keeps roughly the same meaning, it is probably a linking verb. "She feels nervous" becomes "She is nervous", so feels is linking here.
Many of these verbs can also be action verbs. "She looked at the map" is an action. "She looked worried" is linking. "The chef tasted the sauce" is an action. "The sauce tasted sweet" is linking.
Adjective, not adverb
Because a linking verb describes the subject, it is followed by an adjective, not an adverb. Write "The flowers smell lovely" and "He seemed angry", not "seemed angrily".
"I feel bad" is the standard form. "I feel badly" is heard in some varieties, especially American English, but bad is the safe choice in an exam. Well is fine after feel when it means healthy: "I don't feel well."
Common mistakes
Wrong: The biryani smells deliciously.
Right: The biryani smells delicious.
Smell is a linking verb here, so it takes an adjective.
Wrong: He became to be famous after the film.
Right: He became famous after the film.
Become goes straight to its complement, with no to be.
Wrong: The plan seems working.
Right: The plan seems to be working.
Seem needs to be before an -ing form.
Wrong: She looks happily in the photo.
Right: She looks happy in the photo.
Look describes her here, so use the adjective happy.
Using this in IELTS and PTE
Linking verbs help you avoid repeating is in IELTS Writing Task 1. "The figure remained stable" and "Sales became the largest category" read better than a string of was. In Task 2 and PTE Write Essay, seem and appear soften a claim: "This policy appears effective". In IELTS Speaking, sense verbs such as sounds and looks are natural when you react or describe a picture.
5 questions
Exercise
Try each one, then open it to check your answer.
1. Linking or action? "The singer sounded nervous."
Linking.
It describes the singer, and "The singer was nervous" keeps the meaning.
2. Linking or action? "The doctor felt the patient's arm."
Action.
The doctor is physically doing something.
3. Choose: "The room smells (fresh / freshly)."
fresh
Linking verbs take adjectives.
4. Correct this: "The weather is getting coldly."
The weather is getting cold.
Get means become here, so it takes an adjective.
5. Find the linking verb: "The results remained unclear for weeks."
remained
It joins results to the description unclear.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a linking verb and an action verb?+
An action verb shows something the subject does. A linking verb shows what the subject is or seems like. The same verb can be either: "He smelled the milk" (action) and "The milk smelled sour" (linking).
Is be always a linking verb?+
No. Be is a linking verb in "She is a nurse", but an auxiliary in "She is working" and "It was made in Japan".
Can linking verbs be used in continuous tenses?+
Some can, especially those for change: "It's getting late." "You're looking well" is also common. Seem and appear are rarely continuous when they are linking verbs.
Keep going
More grammar lessons
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