Linking Verbs

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 to appear bo be to become to feel to get to go to grow to look to prove to remain to seem to smell to sound to stay to taste to turn

Linking verbs used with predicate adjective He appears a perfectly normal person. The traini s slow. The weather became colder. The sweater feels soft. She soon got bored with the job. The milk went bad. John grew tired. The sky looked grey and overcast. The opposition proved too strong for him. The boy remained silent. He seems reasonable. The soup smells good. The story sounds interesting. He never stays angry for long. The cake tastes good. 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/dswm edia/g4c10/nadia.htm

*Please note the videos:

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

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