Linking verbs

In addition to the verb to be, some other verbs can be followed by predicate adjectives. Such verbs
are sometimes referred to as linking verbs, since they can link nouns or pronouns to modifying
adjectives.
Oltre al verbo to be, alcuni altri verbi possono essere seguiti da un predicato nominale. Questi verbi
sono chiamati linking verbs in quanto collegano il soggetto con il predicato nominale.

Linking Verbs Linking verbs used with predicate adjective

to appear He appears a perfectly normal person.
bo be The traini s slow.
to become The weather became colder.
to feel The sweater feels soft.
to get She soon got bored with the job.
to go The milk went bad.
to grow John grew tired.
to look The sky looked grey and overcast.
to prove The opposition proved too strong for him.
to remain The boy remained silent.
to seem He seems reasonable.
to smell The soup smells good.
to sound The story sounds interesting.
to stay He never stays angry for long.
to taste The cake tastes good.
to turn The leaves turned brown.

Linking verbs do not express action. Instead, they connect the subject of the verb to additional
information about the subject.
I linking verbs non esprimono un’azione, bensì collegano il soggetto a un predicato nominale che ci
fornisce un’informazione addizionale sul soggetto.

George Washington became the first president.

(became connects George Wahington to additional information about him: the first president. Became
collega George Washington a un’informazione addizionale su di lui)
Kate is a shopaholic.
(Is connects the subject, Kate, to additional information about her:she spends too much time and
money doing shopping. Is collega il soggetto, Kate, a un’informazione addizionale su di lei: lei
spende troppo tempo e denaro facendo shopping)

Any form of the verb be [am, is, are, was, were, has been, are being, might have been, etc.],
become, and seem are true linking verbs. They are always linking verbs. All the others sometimes
are linking verbs and sometimes action verbs.
I verbi to be (in qualsiasi forma), become, seem sono veri linking verbs. Essi sono sempre linking
verbs. Tutti gli altri a volte sono linking verbs altre verbi di azione.

1
How do you tell when they are action verbs and when they are linking verbs?
Come sapere quando sono linking verbs e quando action verbs?
If you can substitute the supposed linking verb with am, is, or are and the sentence still sounds
logical, you have a linking verb, If, on the contrary, the sentence makes no sense, you are dealing
with an action verb.
Se puoi sostituire il supposto linking verb con il verbo essere e la frase ha ancora senso, allora ti
trovi davanti a un linking verb, se invece non ha senso sei davanti a un action verb.
The cake tastes good. (linking verb: I can say “the cake is good”)
Mary tastes the.cake. (action verb: I can’t say “Mary is the cake”, the new sentence makes no
sense)
The pizza smells delicious. (linking verb: I can say “the pizza is delicious”)
I smell the delicious aroma of a pizza. (action verb: I can’t say “I am the pizza”, the new sentence
makes no sense)

The wolf looked hungry.

The wolf looked for food.
The soup tasted good.
I tasted the soup.
He grew tired of her.
He grew into an old man.
My sister appeared happy at her party.
My sister appeared quietly in the room.

*Interactive Exercises
http://www.englishpage.com/minitutorials/adverbexercise.htm
http://www.writingcentre.uottawa.ca/hypergrammar/rvlink.html
http://www.softschools.com/manage/themes/knowledgetest;jsessionid=ab301Y55kdrg
http://www.dowlingcentral.com/MrsD/quizzes/grammar/DeltaExer/actionlinking.htm
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/language_arts/goforgold/content_builder/dswmedia/g4c10/nadia
.htm

*Please note the videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=15khdJh1gq0&feature=PlayList&p=CBA9443DDD2FF3E4&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=9