The Linking Verb

Linking verbs do not express action. Instead, they connect the subject of the verb to additional information about the subject. Look at the examples below:

      Keila is a shopaholic.

Is connects the subject, Keila, to additional information about her, that she is addicted to buying.

      During the afternoon, my cats are content to nap on the couch.

Are  isn't something that cats can do. Are is connecting the subject, cats, to something said about them, that they enjoy sleeping on the sofa.

      After drinking the spoiled milk, Bob turned green.

Turned connects the subject, Bob, to something said about him, that he was feeling really bad.

      A ten-item quiz seems impossibly long.

Seems connects the subject, a ten-item quiz, with something said about it, that it’s tiring.

      Irene always feels sleepy after pigging out on pizza from Antonio's.

Feels connects the subject, Irene, to her state of being, sleepiness

The following verbs are true linking verbs - they are ALWAYS linking verbs:

be, become, seem

 Then you have a list of verbs that can be action verbs as well as linking ones:

appear	feel	grow	look	prove
remain	smell	sound	taste	turn

 

If you can substitute them for am, is, or are and the sentence still sounds logical, you have a linking verb on your hands.

If, after the substitution, the sentence makes no sense, you are dealing with an action verb instead. Here are some examples:

Sylvia tasted the stew.	Sylvia is the stew.
Tasted, therefore, is an action verb in this sentence, something Sylvia is doing.
The stew tasted good.	The stew is good.
Here taste is a linking verb.
I smell the delicious aroma of a pepperoni pizza baking in the oven.	I am the aroma.
Smell, in this sentence, is an action verb, something I am doing.
The pepperoni pizza smells delicious.	The pizza is delicious.
Here smell is a linking verb.
When my dog Lulu felt the wet grass, she ran back home.	Lulu is the wet grass.
Of course not! Here, then, felt is an action verb, something Lulu is doing.
My dog Lulu feels depressed when I work all day long.	Lulu is depressed.
Here feel is a linking verb.

	With appear, you have to analyze the function of the verb.       A beautiful bird appeared on the branch of the tree. Appear, in this sentence, is an action verb, something the bird can do.       The bird appeared happy to see the bird feeder. Here, appeared is connecting the subject, the bird, to its state of mind, happiness, so it is a linking verb.