Transcript Linking Verbs

LINKING VERBS
WHAT IS A VERB?
•
A verb is a word that shows an action or state of being.
In other words, they explain what something is or is
doing.
He ran quickly. (action)
He is happy. (state of being)
LINKING VERBS
• A linking verb is a verb that does not show action taking
•
place (though they are sometimes words that can show
action in another sentence).
A linking verb connects the subject to a word (or words)
that is describing the subject
The man is funny.
(Man is being linked to the descriptive
word funny.)
LINKING VERBS IN THE PRESENT
• The verb be is a linking verb.
• The verb be has special forms in the present
tense. Am, is, and are are the present tense
linking verbs.
• I am happy. Madison is my daughter.
• We are a happy family.
LINKING VERBS IN THE PAST
• The verb be has special forms in the past tense.
• Was and were are forms of be that are used the
past tense.
• He was here yesterday.
• They were here yesterday.
CHOOSE A LINKING VERB IN A TENSE
THAT WORKS FOR THE SENTENCE
• We _____________ having a good time.
• I _________ in second grade.
• That ____________ a funny joke.
• John and Ty _____________ in my class.
• Mom ____________ at work.
COMMONLY USED LINKING VERBS
• Forms of Be:
am
be
being
was
are
been
is
were
• Other Verbs:
appear
grow
seem
stay
prove
look
smell
taste
feel
remain
sound
turn
ACTION OR LINKING?
• To find out if a verb is an action or linking verb,
substitute a form of be for the verb. If the
sentence still makes sense, it’s usually a linking
verb. If the sentence doesn’t make sense, it’s
usually an action verb.
* Note: Forms of be and seem are always linking verbs
Example (Who is performing an action?):
• The flower smells good.
(The flower is not “smelling.”)
• The man smells the flower.
(The man is “smelling.”)
ACTION OR LINKING???
• Joe plays baseball.
• Joe is baseball. (The sentence does not
make sense, so it is an action verb.)
ACTION OR LINKING???
• The roses look pretty.
• The roses are pretty. (The sentence makes
sense, so it is a linking verb.)
ACTION OR LINKING???
• The pie on the counter tastes good.
• The pie on the counter is good. (The
sentence makes sense, so it is a linking
verb.)
ACTION OR LINKING???
• John appears suddenly as though by
teleportation.
• John is suddenly as though by
teleportation. (The sentence does not
make sense, so it is an action verb.)
ACTION OR LINKING???
• Kate tastes the ice cream and smiles.
• Kate is the ice cream and smiles. (The
sentence does not make sense, so it is an
action verb.)
ACTION OR LINKING???
• She sounds like a good student.
• She is like a good student. (The sentence
makes sense, so it is a linking verb.)
ACTION OR LINKING???
• The flowers feel like silk.
• The flowers are like silk. (The sentence
makes sense, so it is a linking verb.)