Linking Verbs

Identifying them.Diagramming them.

For example: She is pretty.

A linking verb connects a word at the beginning of a sentence with a word

at the end.

She

For example: She is pretty.

pretty

The most common linking verbs are the forms of BE

Am Am being Can be Shall be Have been Might have been

Are Are being Could be Should be Has been Must have been

Is Is being May be Will be Has been Shall have been

Was Was being Might be Would be Could have been Should have been

were Were being Must be May have been Will have beenWould have been

Examples

Helena is our new president.

Your grade should have been an “A”.

Examples diagrammed

Helena is president

Notice how the line after the linking verb is angled back toward

the subject. It’s as if it is linking the two thoughts in your mind.

our

new

Helena is our new president.

Examples diagrammed

grade “A”should have been

Your

an

Your grade should have been an “A”.

Other Linking Verbs

That music sounds loud.

She became president.

These words can also link two parts of the sentence:

appear feel look seem sound taste

become grow remain smell stay turn

music sounds loud

Examples diagrammed

Again, the line after the linking verb angles back toward the subject.

That

That music sounds loud.

She became president.

Examples diagrammed

Again, the line after the linking verb angles back toward the subject.

She became president.

How to tell if a verb is a linking verb:If you can exchange the verb with am, is, or are and the sentence still makes sense, then you have a linking verb.For example:

That music sounds loud.That music is loud.

They became friends.They are friends.

Now, you practice!

Use the handout called

DS - Linking Verb Practice.