Elementary students learn ‘action verbs’ first. They also learn that if we want to say how we do something we should use an adverb (quickly, badly, well, etc.) with the verb.
So, we say:
She sings badly.
He speaks quickly.
The team played well.
I waited patiently.
However, there is a group of verbs—called ‘linking verbs‘—which are not action verbs and are not used with an adverb. Instead we should use an adjective (quick, bad, good, etc.) after these verbs.
What is a linking verb?
A linking verb is so called because it links the subject of a sentence with additional information about the character of that subject:
- In the sentence ‘Caroline is beautiful’, the verb be (is) links Caroline and the word ‘beautiful’.
- In the sentence ‘Martina sounds nice’, the verb sound links the subject, Martina, with the fact of her being nice.
Verbs which are always linking verbs (called ‘true linking verbs’):
The most common are:
| Verb | Example sentence | |
| be | He is horrible. | |
| seem | She seems nice. | |
| become | It became dark. |
Some other linking verbs
Some other verbs can act as linking verbs (although in other contexts these verbs may function as action verbs).
The verbs of ‘the senses’ are linking verbs:
| Verb | Example sentence | |
| look | She looks good. | |
| sound | This song sounds great. | |
| smell | The roses smell beautiful. | |
| taste | This sauce tastes awful! | |
| feel | I feel weak today. |
Get and stay are also linking verbs when used in a certain context:
It is getting cold.
Stay calm, please!
The rule
So, the rule to remember is:
- with an action verb use an adverb;
- with a linking verb use an adjective.
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