Action vs. Linking Verbs — I can distinguish action verbs...

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Historical Context & Motivation

People have been sorting words into categories for thousands of years. Ancient Greek and Roman scholars noticed that some words describe what a person does, while others describe what a person is. That simple observation — the split between action and state of being — became the foundation for how we classify verbs in English grammar today.

~100 BCE

Greek & Latin Grammarians

Dionysius Thrax wrote one of the first grammar textbooks, the Tekhnē Grammatikē, classifying words into eight parts of speech, including the verb as a word that conveys action or a state.

1762

Robert Lowth's English Grammar

Bishop Robert Lowth published A Short Introduction to English Grammar, which helped standardize English grammar rules and the idea that verbs can "link" a subject to a description.

1795

Lindley Murray's Grammar

Lindley Murray's textbook became the most popular grammar guide in America and Britain. He explicitly distinguished between verbs showing action and verbs expressing existence.

1900s–Today

Modern Grammar Instruction

Twentieth-century linguists refined the categories into action verbs and linking verbs, introducing the terms predicate noun and predicate adjective to describe what follows a linking verb.

So why does this distinction matter to you? Imagine trying to build a house without knowing the difference between a support beam and a wall decoration. Both are parts of the house, but they do completely different jobs. In the same way, action verbs and linking verbs play different structural roles in sentences. Once you can tell them apart, you can write more clearly, avoid errors, and understand how sentences are put together.

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Core Principles & Definitions

Every sentence in English needs at least one verb, but not all verbs work the same way. Some verbs show an activity — running, thinking, eating. Others act like an equals sign, connecting the subject to a word that renames or describes it. Let's break down the core ideas you need.

Action Verbs

An action verb tells what the subject does, whether physically (run, kick, build) or mentally (think, believe, imagine). The subject is performing or experiencing something.

Linking Verbs

A linking verb connects the subject to a word in the predicate that identifies or describes it. The most common linking verb is "be" (am, is, are, was, were). Others include seem, become, appear, feel, taste, smell, sound, look, grow, remain, and turn.

Predicate Noun

A predicate noun (also called a predicate nominative) follows a linking verb and renames or identifies the subject. Example: "Maria is a doctor." Here, "doctor" renames Maria.

Predicate Adjective

A predicate adjective follows a linking verb and describes the subject. Example: "The sky looks blue." Here, "blue" describes the sky.

The Substitution Test

If you can replace a verb with a form of "be" (am, is, are, was, were) and the sentence still makes sense, the verb is functioning as a linking verb. If the replacement sounds wrong, the verb is an action verb. This is the quickest test you can use.

✦ KEY TAKEAWAY

Think of an action verb as a movie clip — it shows someone doing something. A linking verb is more like a photograph with a caption — it shows you who or what the subject is. The linking verb is the equals sign between the subject and its description.

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Visual Explanation — Sentence Structure Map

The diagram below shows how the two verb types create different sentence patterns. On the left, an action verb pushes the sentence forward toward an object or just completes an action. On the right, a linking verb acts as a bridge between the subject and a predicate noun or predicate adjective.

The left side shows action verb patterns (intransitive and transitive). The right side shows linking verb patterns with the equals-sign symbol, illustrating how linking verbs connect the subject to a predicate noun or a predicate adjective.

Notice how the action verb side shows an arrow moving from the subject through the verb to an optional object — the energy flows forward. On the linking verb side, the equals sign (=) shows that the verb is simply connecting two things: the subject and its identifier or descriptor. This equals-sign idea is the single most useful way to remember what a linking verb does.

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How It Works — The Substitution Test & Dual-Role Verbs

Here's a tricky detail: some verbs can be either action verbs or linking verbs depending on how they're used in a sentence. Verbs like feel, taste, smell, look, grow, and turn are called dual-role verbs. You must look at the context to decide which type they are.

Step-by-Step Substitution Test

Step 1: Find the verb in the sentence.
Step 2: Replace it with a form of "be" (is, am, are, was, were).
Step 3: Read the sentence aloud. Does it still make sense?
Step 4: If YES → the verb is functioning as a linking verb. If NO → it's an action verb.

The Substitution Test applied to dual-role verbs

Sentence	Substitution	Makes Sense?	Verdict
The flowers smell wonderful.	The flowers are wonderful.	✅ Yes	Linking verb
She smelled the flowers.	She was the flowers. (?)	❌ No	Action verb
He grew tired.	He was tired.	✅ Yes	Linking verb
He grew tomatoes.	He was tomatoes. (?)	❌ No	Action verb
The milk turned sour.	The milk was sour.	✅ Yes	Linking verb
She turned the page.	She was the page. (?)	❌ No	Action verb

⚠️ Common Trap!

The verb "feel" is one of the trickiest. In "I feel sick," feel is a linking verb (I am sick). In "I feel the fabric," feel is an action verb (I am physically touching something). Always check the context!

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Detailed Breakdown — Classifying Verbs & Predicate Complements

Now that you know the substitution test, let's look at the full landscape of verb types and the words that follow linking verbs. The diagram below maps out every category you need to know, from the broadest division (action vs. linking) down to the specific complements.

This classification tree shows how verbs divide into action and linking categories. Action verbs split further into transitive (with a direct object) and intransitive (without one). Linking verbs are followed by either a predicate noun or a predicate adjective.

Pay special attention to the dashed box at the bottom left. Dual-role verbs like feel, taste, and grow can show up on either branch of the tree. The substitution test is your tool for deciding which branch a particular sentence belongs to.

Common Linking Verbs — The Complete List

Common linking verbs organized by category

Category	Verbs	Example
Forms of "be"	am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been	The sky is blue.
State of being	seem, become, appear, remain, stay	He became a leader.
Sensory (dual-role)	feel, taste, smell, sound, look	The music sounds peaceful.
Change of state (dual-role)	grow, turn, prove, go, get	The leaves turned golden.

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Worked Example — Analyzing a Paragraph

Let's apply everything we've learned to a short paragraph. We'll identify every verb, decide whether it's an action verb or a linking verb, and — if it's a linking verb — label the word that follows it as a predicate noun or predicate adjective.

📝 Sample Paragraph

"The old house looked abandoned. My cousin opened the front door slowly. The air inside smelled musty. Despite its condition, the building remained a treasure to our family."

Analyzing Each Sentence

Sentence 1 — "The old house looked abandoned."The verb is looked. Apply the substitution test: "The old house was abandoned." Does that make sense? Yes! So "looked" is a linking verb. The word "abandoned" describes the house, so it is a predicate adjective.

looked = linking verb; abandoned = predicate adjective

Sentence 2 — "My cousin opened the front door slowly."The verb is opened. Substitution test: "My cousin was the front door slowly." That makes no sense. So "opened" is an action verb. "The front door" is a direct object (it received the action), and "slowly" is an adverb.

opened = action verb (transitive)

Sentence 3 — "The air inside smelled musty."The verb is smelled. Substitution test: "The air inside was musty." Yes, that works! So "smelled" is a linking verb here. "Musty" describes the air, making it a predicate adjective.

smelled = linking verb; musty = predicate adjective

Sentence 4 — "…the building remained a treasure to our family."The verb is remained. Substitution test: "The building was a treasure to our family." That makes sense. So "remained" is a linking verb. "A treasure" renames the building (building = treasure), so it is a predicate noun.

remained = linking verb; a treasure = predicate noun

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Side-by-Side Comparison — Action vs. Linking at a Glance

The table below puts the two verb types side by side so you can see their key differences in one place. Use it as a quick reference when you're analyzing sentences.

Action verbs vs. linking verbs — key differences

Feature	Action Verb	Linking Verb
What it does	Shows what the subject does (physical or mental activity)	Connects the subject to a word that renames or describes it
What follows it	A direct object, an adverb, or nothing (intransitive)	A predicate noun or predicate adjective
Substitution test	Cannot be replaced by "is/was" and still make sense	Can be replaced by "is/was" and still make sense
Examples	run, think, build, eat, write, imagine	is, seem, become, appear, remain, feel (when = "be")
Think of it as…	A movie clip — showing motion or mental effort	An equals sign — connecting the subject to its identity or quality

✦ KEY TAKEAWAY

Here's a sports analogy: an action verb is like a player making a pass or taking a shot — there's movement and something happens. A linking verb is like the jersey number on a player's back — it doesn't create action, it just tells you who that player is. The predicate noun is the player's name (identity), and the predicate adjective is a trait like "fast" or "tall" (description).

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Connection to Advanced Grammar — Subject Complements & Beyond

The ideas you've learned in this lesson are the gateway to more advanced grammar topics. In higher-level English courses, you'll encounter the broader term subject complement, which covers both predicate nouns and predicate adjectives. Understanding this foundation also helps you analyze sentence patterns, identify passive voice (which uses forms of "be" plus a past participle), and write with more variety and precision.

How today's concepts connect to advanced grammar

This Lesson's Concept	Advanced Version
Predicate noun (renames subject after linking verb)	Subject complement — predicate nominative (in formal grammar, used in diagram analysis and standardized tests)
Predicate adjective (describes subject after linking verb)	Subject complement — predicate adjective; distinguished from object complements in advanced sentence patterns
Linking verb as "equals sign"	Copular verbs in linguistics; essential for understanding passive voice (be + past participle) vs. linking (be + adjective)
Action verb + direct object	Transitive verb patterns; leads to indirect objects, object complements, and active/passive voice transformations

If you continue into AP English Language or college writing courses, you'll use this action-vs.-linking distinction every time you analyze rhetorical style. Writers deliberately choose action verbs for energy and urgency, or linking verbs for reflection and description. Mastering this skill now gives you a powerful tool for both analysis and composition.

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Practice Problems

PROBLEM 1 — CONCEPTUAL

In your own words, explain the difference between an action verb and a linking verb. Then give one example of each.

PROBLEM 2 — BASIC

Identify the verb in each sentence and label it as an action verb or a linking verb: (a) "The students studied for the exam." (b) "The exam seemed difficult." (c) "Ms. Rivera became the principal last year."

PROBLEM 3 — INTERMEDIATE

The verb "tasted" appears in both sentences below. For each, determine whether it is an action verb or a linking verb, and explain how you know: (a) "The chef tasted the soup carefully." (b) "The soup tasted salty."

PROBLEM 4 — APPLIED

Read the following passage and identify every verb. Label each as action or linking, and for each linking verb, identify the predicate noun or predicate adjective: "The garden grew wild over the summer. My neighbor grew vegetables in his backyard. The tomatoes tasted incredible. He remained a dedicated gardener."

PROBLEM 5 — CRITICAL THINKING

A classmate says, "Every sentence with the word 'is' has a linking verb." Is this claim always true? Write two sentences that use a form of "be" — one where it functions as a linking verb and one where it functions as part of a verb phrase (helping verb) with a different role. Explain the difference.

SUMMARY

Lesson Summary

Every verb in English falls into one of two main categories. Action verbs show what the subject does — physically (run, kick, build) or mentally (think, imagine, believe). Linking verbs act like an equals sign, connecting the subject to a word that renames it (predicate noun) or describes it (predicate adjective). The most common linking verbs are forms of "be" (am, is, are, was, were), along with verbs like seem, become, appear, and remain.

Some verbs — such as feel, taste, smell, look, grow, and turn — are dual-role verbs that can function as either action or linking depending on context. The substitution test is your go-to strategy: replace the verb with a form of "be," and if the sentence still makes sense, you have a linking verb. This foundational skill connects to advanced grammar topics like subject complements, sentence pattern analysis, and the difference between active and passive voice.