Linking Verb Worksheets

Related ELA Standard: L.2.1

Core Standard
Answer Keys Here

Linking verbs connect subjects with words that tell more about the subject. What is weird is that for a verb, these particular parts of speech often do not stress or show any action at all. Instead their purpose is to link the subject to the remainder of the sentence. They help readers understand the state of being. The most common linking verb is "to be". You want to make sure to not overuse these parts of speech. They will naturally be used in all your written pieces, but if they are used excessively it will draw away from your main thoughts and the primary purpose of your work. This selection of printable worksheets will help you locate and use these parts of speech in your own sentence writing.

Linking Verb Worksheets To Print:

Picking Them Out! - A little multiple choice to work on this skill. Pick out which word functions this way in the sentence.

Recognizing Them - You will need to get yourself a few of your favorite books for this one. Write the sentences on the lines, and test it with the word "is" or "are."

Transforming Them - You need to change your sentence wording here for this one. We are focusing our writing with the use of the word "be".

Linking or Not? - You will be classify the different uses of words over a pair of sentences.

Fill-in-the-Blank - Remember that you need to use a different word each time. Do not use the same one twice.

Writing & Identifying Them - Write a 1-page story, using at least 6 linking verbs. Then, switch papers with a partner and circle all the of them in their story.

Paragraph Level Work - You will evaluate an entire paragraph. Rewrite the sentences, replacing the copula with the word "is" (or "are") to make sure it makes sense. Determine if the sentence still makes sense.

Complete the Thought - Complete each sentence that your are presented with by being creative.

Action into Linking - Underline the action verb in each sentence. Write new sentences, changing the function of the action verb.

Brainstorm & Write - Brainstorm as a class and come up with your own list of possible selections. Take 8 of those verbs and create 8 sentences. Do not use the same verb twice.

State of Being - Under every sentence, write the subject and what adjective/noun the verb links to the subject.

L is for Linking Verbs! - Put a checkmark next to each verb that could be used to function like this.

Think & Write - We encourage you to write your own creative sentences with this technique.

I Spy With My Eye! - Where are they located over all of these problems? You will analyze a series of well written sentences.

The Word Bank - Using the word bank, fill in the blank in each sentence. Two verbs will be used twice.

What Are Linking Verbs?

Linking verbs are not like the other verbs that show actions or the state of being of the noun. They are a specific type of verbs that perform the act of connecting a subject with further information about it in a statement. These are the words that do not indicate any action in a statement but are rather bringing coherence to the sentence and making its meaning understandable for the readers. Among others "to be" is the most common and most used linking verb. Other examples are as follows:


Examples of Linking Verbs

Am, are, was, were, has, have, are being, have been, might be, might have been, will have been, would have been, become, will become, have become, would become, would have become, seem to be, seeming, seems, have seemed, will seem, etc. are the most common forms of these verbs.


How to Test If a Verb is a Linking Verb?

Sometimes, the readers are confused by the normal verbs in the sentences and are not sure whether these verbs are acting as linking verbs or simple action verbs. The best way to spot them under such confusing circumstances is to replace the suspected linking verb in a statement with a more common verb you are sure of. If the sentence still maintains its sense even after the verb has been replaced with a known linking verb, you can say with certainty that the verb you were confused about is a linking verb. However, in cases otherwise i.e., when the sentence loses its sense after verb replacement, you can easily say that the actual verb was performing the function of linking the subject to the relevant information, rather it was an action or copular verb.


They Can Be Tricky to Spot

These parts of speech are often described as being the English language equivalent of being an equal sign. This is due to the fact that they provide and establish a relationship between the subject of a sentence and a level or certainty of state. This adds a great deal of context to our sentences and helps us better relay our thoughts to our readers. Whatever the subject of the sentence is, our audience will now have a much better understanding of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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