Linking Verb

Linking Verb Definition
A linking verb connects a subject with a verb in a sentence to show the action being performed. A linking verb does not express the action by itself. Some words can serve as linking verbs and action verbs. most common linking verb is "be" and its purpose is to indicate the status of the subject within the sentence.Different uses of "being" include "copulations" verbs

are
is
am
was
were
been
being
appear
become
grow
feel
look
seem
remain
smell
stay
sound
turn
taste
These can also be called "copular verbs" or For example, in the sentence, "War remains decisive human failure" (John Kenneth Galbraith's The Economics of Innocent Fraud), "remains" is used as a linking verb.

Common uses of linked verbs all night long ”.
In this sentence, the word “feel” links the subject (“Thomas”) to the state of being energetic.

“Drinking cold coffee in winter seems like an impossible feat”.
Here, "it seems" the subject ("cold coffee") joins with the state of "impossible". "

" Terry is a cricket fanatic. "
Here, the word" is "is not an action that Terry can take. It is used to link the subject (" Terry ") to the additional information that is provided about him (how he enjoys watching or playing cricket). So Therefore, "is" is the linking verb in this sentence.

"The cats are meowing furiously at the rat."
Obviously, the use of "are" in this sentence does not refer to an action that cats can do. Instead, it provides additional information on how angry the cats are with the rat.

“This lemon tastes bitter, however pizza smells"
Here, "flavors" and "smells" are linking verbs that connect their subjects ("lemon" and "pizza") with additional information provided about them.

Linking verb types
. First are those that use the verb form of "to be" to refer to the subject's current state. These include:

am
are
is
was
were
been
being
Second time can be left out for example.

To confirm the identity of a joining verb, replace it with the correct form of the estar. "If the sentence still makes sense, then it is a linking verb. However, if the sentence does not make sense after replacement, then the verb that is used is an action verb, not a linking verb. Consider the following:

“Laura appears"
"Laura is"
"In the second line," es "has replaced" appears "and yet the Sentence still conveys the same meaning. Therefore, "appears", as used here, is a linking verb.

Examples of relative pronouns in Literature
Example # 1: The sign of four (by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
"How many times have I told you that when you have eliminated the impossible, what remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"

In these lines, if the linking verb "remains" is replaced by "is", then the meaning of the sentence remains the same. Therefore, "remains" is the linking verb in this sentence.

Example # 2: To the lighthouse (by Virginia Woolf)
“But this morning everything seemed so extraordinarily strange that a question like Nancy's ... It seemed a little thin, tenuous; but not unattractive. She liked him. The shore seemed refined, distant, unreal. "

Woolf has used two linking verbs here:" seemed "and" looked. "" Seemed "connects the subject (" everything ") with its related details, while" look "connects the subject ("she") with description of her body.

Example # 3: The End of the World Conspiracy (by Sidney Sheldon)
"General Mark Hilliard, deputy director of the NSA, appeared to be in his fifties, very tall , with a face carved from flint, frozen steely eyes, and an upright posture like a drumstick ... ”

In this example,“ appeared ”is used as a linking verb to connect the subject (" General Mark Hilliard ") with details about his appearance.

Example # 4: 1984 (by George Orwell)
"Sudden hot sweat had broken out all over Winston's body. His face remained completely inscrutable ..." subject ("Winston") to your facial description. If the linking verb were replaced by the word "was", the sentence would still make sense.

Function
A linking verb shows the relationship between the subject and the complement of a sentence. A linking verb also connects the subject with words and phrases that provide additional information about the subject, such as an existing condition or relationship.


Irregular Verb Modal Verb