1. Linking Verbs
The great equals sign of sentences

2. Let’s Review

3. Let’s Review
• Action verbs tell us what the
subject is doing

4. Let’s Review
• Action verbs tell us what the
subject is doing
• Action verbs sometimes have
objects that receive the action of
the subject

5. Let’s Review
• Action verbs tell us what the
subject is doing
• Action verbs sometimes have
objects that receive the action of
the subject
• Action verbs can be found by
asking the question, “Can I…?”

6. What Are Linking Verbs?

7. What Are Linking Verbs?
• Linking verbs act as an equals (=)
sign in the sentence.

8. What Are Linking Verbs?
• Linking verbs act as an equals (=)
sign in the sentence.
• The subject is not doing anything.
Instead, it is or is like something
else in the sentence

9. What Are Linking Verbs?
• Linking verbs act as an equals (=)
sign in the sentence.
• The subject is not doing anything.
Instead, it is or is like something
else in the sentence
• Linking verbs tell us that the
subject has a word in the
predicate that renames it (a noun)
or describes it (an adjective)

10. What Are Linking Verbs?
• Linking verbs act as an equals (=)
sign in the sentence.
• The subject is not doing anything.
Instead, it is or is like something
else in the sentence
• Linking verbs tell us that the
subject has a word in the
predicate that renames it (a noun)
or describes it (an adjective)
• In other words, they are equal

11. Examples of Linking Verbs

12. Examples of Linking Verbs
• Linking verbs include the forms
of the verb to be

13. Examples of Linking Verbs
• Linking verbs include the forms
of the verb to be
– is, am , was, were, are, be, being,
been

14. Examples of Linking Verbs
• Linking verbs include the forms
of the verb to be
– is, am , was, were, are, be, being,
been
• Linking verbs are also related to
the senses

15. Examples of Linking Verbs
• Linking verbs include the forms
of the verb to be
– is, am , was, were, are, be, being,
been
• Linking verbs are also related to
the senses
– tastes, smells, looks, feels,
sounds, seems, and more

16. Linking Verbs in Action
• Get ready for some sentences
that use linking verbs
• In each, I’ll add arrows that
show which words are linked, or
equal, in the sentence

17. Linking Verbs in Action

18. Linking Verbs in Action
Mr. Childers is the nicest teacher in the school.

19. Linking Verbs in Action
Mr. Childers is the nicest teacher in the school.
Here is the linking verb

20. Linking Verbs in Action
Mr. Childers is the subject
Mr. Childers is the nicest teacher in the school.
Here is the linking verb

22. Think of the linking verb as
an equals (=) sign

23. Linking Verbs in Action
Think of the linking verb as
an equals (=) sign

24. Linking Verbs in Action
Mr. Childers is the nicest teacher in the school.
Think of the linking verb as
an equals (=) sign

25. Linking Verbs in Action
Mr. Childers is the nicest teacher in the school.

26. Linking Verbs in Action
Mr. Childers is the nicest teacher in the school.
Mr. Childers equals what?

27. Linking Verbs in Action
Mr. Childers is the nicest teacher in the school.
Mr. Childers equals what?

28. Linking Verbs in Action
Mr. Childers is the nicest teacher in the school.
Mr. Childers equals what?
Teacher is a noun in the predicate
that renames the subject, so we
call it a predicate nominative

29. Important Note!
• A linking verb will always have
a word in the predicate that it
links to the subject
• Always
• Yes, always
• Let’s see how linking verbs work
in some sentences

30. Linking Verbs in Action

31. Linking Verbs in Action
The trees are beautiful in the fall.

32. Linking Verbs in Action
The trees are beautiful in the fall.
Linking Verb

33. Linking Verbs in Action
Subject
The trees are beautiful in the fall.
Linking Verb

34. Linking Verbs in Action
Subject
The trees are beautiful in the fall.
Linking Verb

35. Linking Verbs in Action
Predicate
Subject Adjective
The trees are beautiful in the fall.
Linking Verb

36. Linking Verbs in Action
Predicate
Subject Adjective
The trees are beautiful in the fall.
Linking Verb
The verb are links an
adjective in the predicate
with the subject

37. Linking Verbs in Action

38. Linking Verbs in Action
The play was exciting.

39. Linking Verbs in Action
The play was exciting.
Linking Verb

40. Linking Verbs in Action
Subject
The play was exciting.
Linking Verb

41. Linking Verbs in Action
Subject
The play was exciting.
Linking Verb

42. Linking Verbs in Action
Predicate
Subject Adjective
The play was exciting.
Linking Verb

43. Linking Verbs in Action
Predicate
Subject Adjective
The play was exciting.
Linking Verb
The verb was links an
adjective in the predicate
with the subject

44. Linking Verbs in Action

45. Linking Verbs in Action
It seemed like a good idea at the time.

46. Linking Verbs in Action
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Linking Verb

47. Linking Verbs in Action
Subject
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Linking Verb

48. Linking Verbs in Action
Subject
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Linking Verb

49. Linking Verbs in Action
Subject
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Linking Verb

50. Linking Verbs in Action
Subject
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Linking Verb
The verb seemed links a
noun in the predicate with
the subject

51. Linking Verbs in Action
Predicate
Subject Adjective
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Linking Verb
The verb seemed links a
noun in the predicate with
the subject

52. You Try It!
• I’ll give you a sentence and you
find the linking verb

53. You Try It!
Ice cream is my favorite dessert.

54. YES!

55. YES!

56. Oh NO!

57. Oh NO!

58. You Try It!
This water tastes funny.

59. YES!

60. YES!

61. Oh NO!

62. Oh NO!

63. You Try It!
The report cards were terrible.

64. YES!

65. YES!

66. Oh NO!

67. Oh NO!

68. You Try It!
That couple seems pleasant.

69. YES!

70. YES!

71. Oh NO!

72. Oh NO!

73. You Try It!
We were delirious with joy!

74. YES!

75. YES!

76. Oh NO!

77. Oh NO!

78. Need Another Clue
• There is a way to find out if the
word you are looking at is a
linking verb or not

79. Substitution

80. Substitution
• If you can substitute is, am, or
are for the word you think is a
linking verb, and the sentence
still makes sense…you are
probably right!

81. Substitution
• If you can substitute is, am, or
are for the word you think is a
linking verb, and the sentence
still makes sense…you are
probably right!
• Let’s try that before we quit

82. Is, Am, Are

83. Is, Am, Are
• Here is a sentence

84. Is, Am, Are
• Here is a sentence
The pie smells delicious

85. Is, Am, Are
• Here is a sentence
The pie smells delicious
If we think smells is a
linking verb, let’s
substitute one of our
words and see if it still
makes sense

86. Is, Am, Are
• Here is a sentence

87. Is, Am, Are
• Here is a sentence
The pie is delicious

88. Is, Am, Are
• Here is a sentence
The pie is delicious
The sentence still makes
sense, so smells is a
linking verb

89. Is, Am, Are

90. Is, Am, Are
• Now let’s try one that doesn’t
work

91. Is, Am, Are
• Now let’s try one that doesn’t
work
The meatloaf smells like it is overcooked.

92. Is, Am, Are
• Now let’s try one that doesn’t
work
The meatloaf smells like it is overcooked.
We still have smells as a
verb

93. Is, Am, Are
• Now let’s try one that doesn’t
work
The meatloaf smells like it is overcooked.
We still have smells as a
verb
Let’s substitute again

94. Is, Am, Are
The meatloaf is like it is overcooked.

95. Is, Am, Are
The meatloaf is like it is overcooked.
This time is doesn’t make
sense, so the verb is not a
linking verb

96. Let’s Re-Cap

97. Let’s Re-Cap
• Linking verbs act as equal (=) signs
between a noun in the subject and a
noun or adjective

98. Let’s Re-Cap
• Linking verbs act as equal (=) signs
between a noun in the subject and a
noun or adjective

99. Let’s Re-Cap
• Linking verbs act as equal (=) signs
between a noun in the subject and a
noun or adjective
• Linking verbs do NOT show action

100. Let’s Re-Cap
• Linking verbs act as equal (=) signs
between a noun in the subject and a
noun or adjective
• Linking verbs do NOT show action
• Linking verbs tell us that something
is or is like something else

101. Let’s Re-Cap
• Linking verbs act as equal (=) signs
between a noun in the subject and a
noun or adjective
• Linking verbs do NOT show action
• Linking verbs tell us that something
is or is like something else
• We can substitute is, am, or are to
see if a verb is linking