Introducing Linking Verbs at GrammarSongs by Melissa You know that action verbs are words that provide movement
for nouns, like people and objects, when you speak or write. A ball can bounce.
Superman can fly. You also know that even with the coolest nouns in mind, you can't
write a story, or even a sentence, without a verb. The pirate.... Hmm What did the
pirate do? Nouns provide the characters settings, and objects when we speak or
write. The verbs provide the action... at least MOST of th
e time!! Huh? What? Action
verbs provide movement for your characters and objects. A ball can roll.
Kids can play. Action verbs tell what something or someone does. Linking verbs
tell what something or someone is. To "link" means to "connect." Linking verbs
simply connect who or what the sentence is about, like Judy for example, to other
information... Judy is a happy girl. Notice the linking verb "is" isn't doing
anything! Neither is Judy! Linking verbs simply connect the subject to more
inform
ation about the subject, providing more information for the reader. Am, is,
are, was, were, seen, seems, and seemed are some common linking verbs you will
encounter or use when you read or write. There are many other verbs that can act
as linking verbs - depending on the situation. So learning about linking
verbs can take a little practice. Remember, linking verbs tell what someone
or something is, so let's practice identifying linking verbs in some simple
sentences. Tony seemed upset.
When I re
ad this sentence, I get a picture in my head. I see Tony. He sure
doesn't look happy! Tony is what or who the sentence is about, so he's my subject.
And the information I'm learning is that he's upset, so which word is the linking
verb? Which word links the subject to more information. Hmm... "Seemed" is the linking verb! "Seemed" connects the subject, Tony, to the information.... he's upset! Let's look at
another sentence. The cow was white with black spots. When I read this sentence, I
get a p
icture in my head of a cow. So, the cow is my subject, and the information
I'm learning is that it is white with black spots. So, which word is the linking
verb? Which word links the subject to more information. Hmm... "Was" is the linking
verb. "Was" connects the subject, the cow, to the information that it's white with black
spots. Where would the linking verb be in this sentence? The children are 6 years
old. When I read this sentence, I get a
picture in my head of children, so "the children"
are who this sentence is about.
They are my subject, and the information I'm learning is that they're six years
old. So, which word is the linking verb? Which word links the subject to more
information? Hmm... "Are" is the linking verb in this sentence. The children aren't DOING anything. "ARE" simply connects the subject, the children, to more information.... they're
6 years old. So remember, action verbs tell what the
subject of the sentence does. Linking verbs connect the subject to more
inf
ormation. Am, is, are, was, were, seem, seems, and seemed are some common linking
verbs you will encounter every day when you read, speak, and write. There are
many other verbs that can act as linking verbs to depending on the situation, so
learning about linking verbs could take a little practice. Hooray! It's time to
celebrate your knowledge of linking verbs! Thank you for joining me at
GrammarSongs by Melissa.
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