How do you explain a linking verb to a child?

A linking verb is a word that connects the subject to a word that tells what it is or how it feels, like an equals sign. In "The cat is sleepy," "is" links "cat" and "sleepy," so "is" is a linking verb.

What are the most common linking verbs?

The most common linking verbs are forms of "to be": am, is, are, was, were, be, being, and been. Other verbs like "become," "seem," "appear," "feel," "look," "sound," and "taste" can also be linking verbs when they connect the subject to a description.

How can my child tell a linking verb from an action verb?

Ask whether the verb shows something the subject does, or whether it links the subject to a description or identity. If you can replace the verb with a form of "to be" (like "is" or "are") and the sentence still makes sense, it is probably a linking verb.

Can a sentence have more than one linking verb?

Yes. A sentence can have a linking verb phrase, such as "has been" or "will be," or can contain more than one clause, each with its own linking verb. For example, "She is tired but is still helpful" has two linking verbs, both forms of "is."

What Is a Linking Verb? Definition and Examples

Kid-friendly explanation

A linking verb is a word that acts like an equals sign in a sentence. It connects the subject, like "dog" or "I," to a word that tells more about it. In "The dog is happy," the word "is" links "dog" and "happy." It helps the sentence make sense!

Worked examples

Example 1 (younger grades):

Sentence: "The soup is hot."

Ask: What is the subject? The subject is "soup." What word links the soup to more information? The word "is" links "soup" to "hot."

"Is" does not show an action. The soup is not "doing" anything. Instead, "is" connects the subject "soup" to the describing word "hot," so "is" is a linking verb.

Example 2 (older grades):

Sentence: "The students became tired after the long test."

The subject is "students." The word "became" links "students" to the word "tired," which tells how the students felt. No one is "becoming" as an action you can see, like running or jumping. The verb "became" simply connects the subject to its state, so "became" is a linking verb.

Other common linking verbs work in the same way, such as "seem," "appear," and forms of "to be" like "am," "is," "are," "was," and "were."

Going deeper

In many sentences with a linking verb, the word or phrase after the verb is called a subject complement. A subject complement can be an adjective that describes the subject ("The sky is blue") or a noun that renames the subject ("My brother is a teacher").

Linking verbs are often forms of the verb "to be" (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been), but not always. Verbs like "become," "seem," "appear," "feel," "look," "sound," and "taste" can be linking verbs when they connect the subject to a description or identity instead of showing an action.

Older students also learn to tell the difference between linking verbs and action verbs that look similar. For example, in "The soup tastes salty," "tastes" is a linking verb, but in "The chef tastes the soup," "tastes" is an action verb because the chef is doing something.

Common mistakes

Mistake 1: Thinking all verbs must show action you can see, so words like "is" or "seems" are not real verbs.
Correction: Verbs can show action or a state of being; linking verbs are real verbs that connect the subject to more information.
Mistake 2: Calling any form of "to be" a linking verb, even when it is part of an action verb phrase, such as "is running."
Correction: In verb phrases like "is running" or "were playing," the whole phrase is an action verb, not a linking verb, because it shows what the subject is doing.
Mistake 3: Misidentifying verbs like "feel" or "look" as linking verbs in every sentence.
Correction: These verbs are linking only when they connect the subject to a description ("She feels sick"); they are action verbs when someone is doing the action ("She feels the fabric").

Everyday connection

Linking verbs show up in everyday talk whenever someone says how something is or feels. Sentences like "I am hungry," "The movie was funny," or "They are friends" all use linking verbs to connect the person or thing to a description or identity your child wants to share.

Related terms to explore

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What is a linking verb?