You want to label the verbs in a sentence without guessing from memory. A list of linking verbs can help you start, and a comparison of helping and linking verbs shows you what to look for next: the job each verb does in its sentence.
Linking and helping verbs: find the job
Both linking and helping verbs matter when you analyze a sentence. A linking verb connects the subject to a word or phrase that identifies or describes it. In “The editor is calm,” is links the subject, editor, to the adjective calm. The adjective describes the editor; it is a subject complement.
A helping verb, also called an auxiliary, works with a main verb to form a verb phrase. In “The editor is checking the headline,” is helps checking express an action in progress. Here, checking is the main verb. The same word, is, has two different jobs in these examples.
For helping vs linking verbs, look beyond the individual word. Find the subject, then ask what follows the verb. Is it a complement describing or identifying the subject? Or is it another verb working with the first one? Read the whole sentence before choosing a label.
Compare the same words in context
| Word | Sentence and role | What to notice |
|---|---|---|
| is | “The interview is tense.” Linking | Tense describes the interview. |
| is | “The reporter is listening.” Helping | Is helps the main verb listening. |
| was | “The draft was a success.” Linking | A success identifies the draft. |
| was | “The draft was revised.” Helping | Was helps form the passive verb phrase was revised. |
| has | “The editor has approved the draft.” Helping | Has helps form has approved. |
| has | “The editor has a deadline.” Main verb | Has expresses possession; a deadline is its object. |
| feels | “The reporter feels nervous.” Linking | Nervous describes the reporter. |
| feels | “The reporter feels the paper.” Action verb | The reporter touches the paper; paper is the object. |
A linking verbs list is a set of candidates, not a set of labels to attach automatically. Forms of be, such as am, is, are, was, were, being, and been, can link a subject to a complement or help another verb. Words such as seem, become, remain, feel, look, sound, smell, and taste can also link a subject to a description. Several can perform an action in another sentence.
For example, “The soup tastes salty” describes the soup, so tastes links it to salty. In “The chef tastes the soup,” the chef performs an action on the soup. The word did not change; its role did. You would not ask a soup to taste itself, however enthusiastic it seemed.
Check a sentence step by step
- Find the subject. Ask whom or what the sentence is about.
- Locate the verb or verb phrase. Include words that work together, as in has been writing.
- Look for a subject complement. If the verb connects the subject to a description or identity, it is linking: “The headline became confusing.”
- Look for a main verb being helped. In “The reporter has been writing,” has and been help writing. Together they form a verb phrase.
- Test the meaning in context. In “The reporter looked at the notes,” looked expresses an action. In “The reporter looked tired,” it links the reporter to tired.
Linking verbs can occur with helping verbs in a single phrase. A sentence can contain more than one verb, and a helper may accompany a linking main verb: in “The editor has been patient,” has helps been, while been links the editor to patient. Identify each word’s role rather than assigning one label to the whole phrase.
The question of a linking verb vs helping verb also makes complements easier to spot. In “The article became popular,” popular describes the article. In “The article has appeared,” has helps appeared; it does not link the article to a description.
Keep a reference and practice
You may want a list of all linking verbs for quick review, but words that can link do not always do so. A complete list of linking verbs cannot replace the context test: check the sentence and its meaning each time. The candidates above are a useful starting point. Keep a list of verbs that link subjects beside your examples; your course may group them differently.
If you searched for a linking verbs list pdf, you can print this page from your browser instead. Open the browser’s print command, preview the pages, and choose your printer. You can also select “Save as PDF” in the print dialog if your browser offers it. This gives you a printable PDF list of linking verbs together with the examples that explain their roles.
Try these before checking the answers:
- “The podcast sounds clear.” What job does sounds do?
- “The team is recording the podcast.” What job does is do?
- “The team has a microphone.” What job does has do?
Answers: In sentence 1, sounds is linking: clear describes the podcast. In sentence 2, is helps recording express an action in progress. In sentence 3, has is the main verb expressing possession; a microphone is its object. To compare a helper with a linking word, trace each one to the word or phrase it works with.
One last test: in “The photographer was ready,” what is was doing? It is a linking verb because it connects photographer to ready, the adjective describing that subject.
