Linking verbs link a subject to a word or phrase that describes or identifies the subject. They help to complete the expression about the subject. Linking verbs do not take on a direct object but are followed by an adjective. Any verb that expresses an action is not a linking verb.

The following are the characteristics of a linking verb:

·        Linking verbs are not action words.

He looked at me. (It tells us what he did = action verb)

She looked as if she was going to cry. (It doesn’t tell us what she did, only how she appeared to be = linking verb)

·        Linking verbs tell us what state the subject is in, what the subject is, etc.

He looked tired.                                                                                                               

She is a nurse.

·        Linking verbs are followed by an adjective, but not a direct object; action words are modified by adverbs.

He feels fine. (‘feels’ is not an action verb because it’s followed by an adjective.)

He feels the fine sand of the beach. (‘feels’ is an action verb.)

·        A pronoun following a linking verb should be in the subjective, not objective.

It was he they were looking for. (he = subjective pronoun)

Not: It was him they were looking for. (him = objective pronoun)

·        Linking verbs can be identified by replacing the verb with ‘to be’ and see if it makes sense. If it does, it is a linking verb. Otherwise, it isn’t.

Let’s use the following two sentences and replace the verb ‘feels’ with ‘is’.

He feels fine. = He is fine.  (The verb is a linking verb.)

He feels the fine sand of the beach. = He is the fine sand of the beach. (Not a linking verb.)

Using adverbs instead of adjectives with linking verbs will result in incorrect sentences, as shown here:

Example: Some common linking verbs: appear, become, feel, grow, look, seem, smell, sound, taste.

·        Andy appears calm. (NOT: Andy appears calmly.)

·        He became anxious about working for the first time.  (NOT: He became anxiously about working for the first time.) 

·        She feels sad. (NOT: He feels sadly.)

·        Cindy grew impatient with his strange behaviour. (NOT: Cindy grew impatiently with his strange behaviour.)

·        Diane looked beautiful in her new dress. (NOT: Diane looked beautifully in her new dress.)

·        Eddy seemed angry to me. (NOT: Eddy seemed angrily to me.)

·        The pizza smelled delicious. (NOT: The pizza smelled deliciously.)

·        The idea sounds bad. (NOT: The idea sounds badly.)

·        The drink tastes sweet. (NOT: The drink tastes sweetly.)