Learn how linking verbs work and why 'is' connects the subject to a description.

Linking Verbs: The Quiet Glue of a Sentence

If you’ve ever read a sentence and felt something was “off” but couldn’t put your finger on it, there’s a good chance a linking verb was the quiet culprit. Linking verbs don’t sprint across the page like action verbs. They linger in place, tying the subject to a description or identity. Understanding this small but mighty distinction can clear up a lot of grey area in English, especially when you’re sorting out sentences on the English Accuplacer and similar assessments.

What exactly is a linking verb?

Think of linking verbs as the glue that connects a subject to more information about it. They don’t show action. Instead, they point to what the subject is like, or what it becomes. A classic example is the verb is:

• The sky is blue.

Here, the subject sky is connected to blue, an adjective that describes its condition. The verb is links the two parts of the sentence.

This is different from action verbs, which pump energy into the sentence by describing what the subject does:

• The wind blew fiercely.

• She writes every day.

In those sentences, blew and writes describe actions.

A quick look at a tiny but essential difference

• Linking verbs set up a state or condition: The cake smells amazing. The night grew quiet.

• Action verbs run or move things along: He jogged to the park. They painted the fence.

On the surface, it can seem subtle. That’s why spotting the right kind of verb often comes down to what follows the verb. If what follows is a description or an identity, you’re probably looking at a linking verb.

Which verbs can be linking verbs?

There’s a handy core group you’ll see most often:

• The “be” family: am, is, are, was, were, being, been

• Other common linking verbs: seem, look, feel, smell, taste, appear, become, stay, grow, remain

Of course, many verbs can act as linking verbs in some sentences and as action verbs in others. That’s where the nuance shows up—context matters.

Why this matters in reading and writing

For the English Accuplacer—and really any solid grammar work—the ability to identify linking verbs helps with two big tasks:

• Understanding sentence meaning: If you can see that a verb is simply linking the subject to more information, you’re better at parsing sentences quickly and accurately.

• Crafting clear sentences: When you decide to describe or identify, you’ll choose the right kind of verb and the right complement to keep your meaning crisp.

Let’s break it down with a concrete example you might see, and walk through why the correct choice matters.

A sample question you might encounter

Question: Which of the following examples represents a linking verb?

A. Ran

B. Is

C. Jumped

D. Walked

Correct answer: Is

Why this is the right pick: Is functions as a linking verb in sentences like The sky is blue. It connects the subject (the sky) to a descriptor (blue). The other options—ran, jumped, walked—are action verbs. They describe movement or activity rather than linking the subject to more information.

In plain English: the word is is doing the “bridge” job; the others are doing the “go do something” job.

How to tell a linking verb in a pinch

If you’re staring at a sentence and wondering whether the verb is linking or action, try these quick checks:

• Swap test: Can you replace the verb with a form of be (am, is, are, was, were) without changing the core action? If the sentence still makes sense with the adjective or noun that follows, you’re likely looking at a linking verb. Example: The water looks cold → The water is cold. If swapping alters the sense of the sentence, you might be seeing an action verb.

• Complement test: After the verb, does the sentence present a description or identity (an adjective or a noun) rather than an action? If yes, you’re probably looking at a linking verb.

• Context test: Consider what the verb is doing overall. Is it signaling a state of being or a change in state? Linking verbs often signal how the subject is, rather than what the subject is doing.

Real-life illustration, because words love to behave like people

• The cat seems tired after a long day. Here, seems links the cat to a description of its state.

• The room became warmer as the sun dipped below the horizon. Become links a change of state, connecting room to a warmer condition.

• The soup tastes salty. Taste links the soup to the adjective salty, describing its condition.

Watch out for tricky corners

• Some verbs are ambidextrous. The same word can be a linking verb in one sentence and an action verb in another.

• The soup tastes salty. (linking)

• She tastes the soup for salt. (action)

• Be in a verb form can also be auxiliary, not just linking. In The soup is cooking, is isn’t linking; it helps form the progressive tense with cooking.

• The dog is barking. Here, is helps with the tense, not the state description. This is a reminder: context matters, and a single word can wear two different hats.

Practice with a few more mini-examples

Try identifying the verb type in these sentences:

• The garden looks beautiful this spring. (Linking: looks + beautiful)

• He runs every morning before breakfast. (Action: runs)

• The film seems interesting to me. (Linking: seems + interesting)

• She became a doctor after years of study. (Linking: became + a doctor; note that this one describes identity)

• The bread smells wonderful. (Linking: smells + wonderful)

What about the test’s bigger picture?

Beyond recognizing linking verbs, you’re also sharpening a reader’s eye for sentence structure. A lot of grammar questions hinge on how verbs connect to subjects and complements. When you can quickly tell whether a verb is bridging a subject to a description—or driving an action—you’ll move through questions with more confidence. Even casual reading benefits: you notice how writers stage information and pace, and you might catch a sentence that’s a little too busy or a bit shaky.

A few tips to keep your grammar compass steady

• Read with intention: When you come across a verb, pause for a moment and ask, “What is this doing here?” If the next word is an adjective or noun describing the subject, you’re likely looking at a linking verb.

• Build a tiny toolkit: Memorize a few core linking verbs (be, seem, look, feel, taste, appear, become, remain, stay, grow). They’ll pop up often, especially in descriptions.

• Don’t fear exceptions: Some verbs serve dual roles. If you’re ever unsure, test with a be-verb substitute and see if the meaning still feels descriptive.

• Practice with short sentences: A string of simple sentences can be a friendly sandbox to test how links behave.

Tying it back to everyday writing

Here’s the real payoff: these distinctions aren’t just test bits. They’re about making your writing clearer, tighter, and more precise. When you know whether a verb is acting as a bridge or a mover, you can choose the right words to convey exactly what you mean. That clarity translates into more confident reading, more effective communication, and fewer moments of second-guessing when you edit.

A gentle invitation to explore

If you’re curious, pull a page from a favorite book or a set of notes you’ve written. Circle the verbs and note whether they seem to be linking or action verbs. You’ll start spotting patterns, and your instincts will sharpen without feeling like homework. Language isn’t a rigid machine; it’s a living tool you carry in your pocket—ready to help you express ideas with ease, whether you’re writing a quick paragraph or analyzing a more complex sentence.

The bottom line

Linking verbs are the quiet glue that holds a sentence together. They connect the subject to a description or identity, turning basic statements into meaningful meaning. In everyday language and in the kinds of language-based tasks you’ll encounter in the English Accuplacer, recognizing this distinction helps you read more accurately and write with greater clarity. And as you build familiarity with these verbs, you’ll notice your confidence growing—one sentence at a time. So next time you see a form of be or a word like seem, ask yourself: is this a bridge, or is it the motion that carries the sentence forward? The answer might just be the moment your understanding of grammar clicks into place.