Transcript Linking Verbs - Norwell Public Schools

Verbs
Like the sun, verbs are the energy of the
sentence. They are often, but not always
found at the center of the sentence.
A sentence cannot exist without them.
Here are three kinds of verbs
you should know:
Helping verbs
Action Verbs vs. Linking Verbs
An action verb expresses either physical or mental action:
• The audience cheered the lead actors.
• The children hoped for sunshine.
A linking verb connects the subject to a word or word
group that identifies or describes the subject.
• The answer is correct.
• The winners are happy.
Sentence structures
Subject
Verb
We
spent
The rest of
the sentence
a day at the
beach together.
AV
They
haven’t + discussed
HV+ Adv.
He
can
HV
the problem.
AV
+ be
LV
a quarterback.
Linking Verbs:
• The most commonly used linking verbs
are forms of the verb to be:
be
being
am
is
are
was
were
shall be
will be
has been
have been
had been
shall have been
will have been
should be
would be
can be
could be
should have been
would have been
could have been
Subject
That
The Internet
The article
Information
about the
Linking verb
subject
sounds
wonderful.
remains
a positive tool.
is
about using
the Internet.
Other frequently used linking
verbs:
•
•
•
•
appear
become
feel
grow
look
remain
seem
smell
sound
stay
get run
taste
go come
turn (out) fall prove
make
keep
continue
stand
Linking or action?
The wet dog smelled horrible.
The dog smelled the baked bread.
The chef tasted the casserole.
The casserole tasted strange.
sit
lie
Three kinds of linking verbs.
S
T
A
T
E
state
quality
with sense
of feeling
be, seem, appear
feel, look, sound, taste,
smell
in sense of
becoming
become, grow, get, turn, come,
make, prove, turn out, go, run
in sense of
remaining
remain, keep, continue, stay,
rest, stand, sit, lie
Linking
verbs
adj. / n. / past participle
go
bad, wrong, blind, mad, dead, sour,
red, green
come
true, easy, (all) right, natural, cheap,
alive, open, loose, undone
turn
turn out
cold, green, sour
fine, clear
prove
true, interesting, a success
make
a good actor, a fine soldier
fall
ill /sick, asleep, dark, silent
run
low, wild, high, short
Linking
verbs
adj.
remain calm, silent, young, single, unfinished
keep
calm, silent, still, cool, fit, fresh
stay
calm, young, warm, single
continue calm, stubborn
stand
still, high, firm
sit
straight, cross-legged
lie
still, open, quiet, thick
Practice
Replace the underlined words
with other linking verbs.
1. Both speakers were very calm
throughout the debate.
2. The snow was thick on the ground.
3. He was still against the wall, not
knowing what to say.
4. In his forties, he was still single.
5. Whatever I said to him, he was
stubborn.
How to identify linking verbs?
• Grapes grow well in warm and
dry climates.
• She has grown some grapes in
the garden.
• She has grown rich by selling
grapes.
Read the following sentences and
determine if the verb is action or linking
• Our world is becoming smaller and
smaller.
• The old man is getting weaker.
• The child is growing thinner.
China will become a major power in the
future.
The teacher grew unhappy when the
students told her lies.
Completing the following passage, using
linking verbs.
Last Sunday our class went to the park for a picnic. It
____ a fine day. The air _______ fresh. The trees
_______ green and the grass ______ thick on the
ground. We talked and played. All of us applauded for L
Ming’s English song “ I have never had a dream ______
true.” How relaxed we all _______ after a week’s hard
work! We cooked our lunch on the open fire. Soon the
food ______ great! The meat _______ delicious. The
vegetables and fruit _______ inviting. While eating
someone suggested another picnic on May Day. It
________ a good idea. Everyone agreed.
more practice…
Even be is not always a linking verb. Sometimes be
expresses a state of being and is followed only by
an adverb.
• I was there.
To be a linking verb, the verb must be followed by
a subject complement—a noun or a pronoun that
names the subject or an adjective that describes the
subject.
Subject Complements…
(wouldn’t exist without linking verbs)
• She is my cousin.
• This chocolate smells wonderful.
• This tadpole will become a frog.
• The captain could be she.
• Is she talented?
• The players looked tired and dirty.
• Alvin has grown very tall.