A linking verb, as the name suggests, is used to link the subject (noun or pronoun) to the rest of the sentence. It acts like a bridge between the subject and the subject complement in a sentence. Let us look at how different dictionaries define the term ‘linking verb’.

Definition of a Linking Verb

The Oxford Learners’ Dictionary defines a linking verb as “a verb such as be or become that connects a subject with the adjective or noun (called the complement) that describes it.” According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a linking verb is “an intransitive verb that connects a subject with a word or words in the predicate. The words ‘look’ in ‘you look tired’ and ‘are’ in ‘my favorite fruits are apples and oranges’ are linking verbs.”

A linking verb, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as “a verb that connects the qualities of an object or person to that object or person.”

How to Use Linking Verbs?

A linking verb can be used for various reasons:

• To link one part of the sentence to another
• To link the subject with more information about the subject, for example, with an adjective or a complement.
• To denote an existing relationship or condition of the subject in a sentence.

Linking verbs act a little differently. They are not used to denote an action but just as a link. They do not seem to necessarily mean anything. It is normally found right next to the subject in a sentence.

Examples of Linking Verbs

Let us have a look at the following examples to understand how linking verbs can be used.

• All basic forms of the ‘to be’ verb can be used as linking verbs to qualify the state of being of the subject.
• All forms of the verb ‘to seem’ are used as linking verbs.
• All forms of the verb ‘to become’ are used as linking verbs.

Some verbs can act as both linking verbs and action verbs.

• Verbs that provide more information about the five senses can be used as linking verbs.
• Verbs that indicate growth, inactivity or change can also be used as linking verbs in sentences.

Let us now look at a few examples of the different forms of these three verbs, which can act as linking verbs.

Table 1

Having known the verbs which can be used as linking verbs now, don’t you want to know how to use them in sentences? Given below are a few sentences constructed using linking verbs to help you with it.

• Bennie seems to be very energetic today.
• The dish smells delicious.
• The dress you were wearing yesterday looked great on you.
• Konah and Paul remained best friends even after all the fights they have had in the past.
• The little boy sounded excited about the school trip.
• Siah is the new marketing manager of JVD Inc.

Helping and Modal auxiliaries

An auxiliary verb (or helping verb) accompanies a main verb to help express tense, voice or mood. The most common auxiliary verbs are “be,” “do,” and “have” (in their various forms). Here are some examples of auxiliary verbs:

• Konah has eaten all the pies.
  (Here, the auxiliary verb “has” helps to express the tense of ‘to eat’.)
• The table has been prepared.
  (Here, the auxiliary verbs “has been” help to express the voice of ‘to prepare’; in this case, the passive voice.)
• If he were to arrive in the next 10 minutes, we would be on schedule.
  (Here, the auxiliary verbs “were” and “would” help to express the mood of ‘to arrive’ and ‘to be’; in this case, the subjunctive mood.)