{"id":1030,"date":"2013-06-06T05:50:59","date_gmt":"2013-06-06T05:50:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/?page_id=1030"},"modified":"2026-03-26T09:23:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T14:23:13","slug":"action-verbs-and-linking-verbs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/action-verbs-and-linking-verbs\/","title":{"rendered":"Action Verbs and Linking Verbs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t\t<div id=\"mmDeferVideoEncompass_3xzuQ3TQ3i0\" style=\"position: relative;\">\n\t\t\t<picture>\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.webp\" type=\"image\/webp\">\n\t\t\t\t<source srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.png\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"> \n\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\" id=\"videoThumbnailImage_3xzuQ3TQ3i0\" data-source-videoID=\"3xzuQ3TQ3i0\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/circle-play-duotone.png\" alt=\"Action Verbs and Linking Verbs Video\" height=\"464\" width=\"825\" class=\"size-full\" data-matomo-title = \"Action Verbs and Linking Verbs\">\n\t\t\t<\/picture>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<style>img#videoThumbnailImage_3xzuQ3TQ3i0:hover {cursor:pointer;} img#videoThumbnailImage_3xzuQ3TQ3i0 {background-size:contain;background-image:url(\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/320-action-verbs-and-linking-verbs-1.webp\");}<\/style>\n\t\t\t<script defer>\n\t\t\t  jQuery(\"img#videoThumbnailImage_3xzuQ3TQ3i0\").click(function() {\n\t\t\t\tlet videoId = jQuery(this).attr(\"data-source-videoID\");\n\t\t\t\tlet helpTag = '<div id=\"mmDeferVideoYTMessage_3xzuQ3TQ3i0\" style=\"display: none;position: absolute;top: -24px;width: 100%;text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-style: italic;font-size: small;border-top: 1px solid #fc0;\">Having trouble? <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v='+videoId+'\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to watch on YouTube.<\/a><\/span><\/div>';\n\t\t\t\tlet tag = document.createElement(\"iframe\");\n\t\t\t\ttag.id = \"yt\" + videoId;\n\t\t\t\ttag.src = \"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/\" + videoId + \"?autoplay=1&controls=1&wmode=opaque&rel=0&egm=0&iv_load_policy=3&hd=0&enablejsapi=1\";\n\t\t\t\ttag.frameborder = 0;\n\t\t\t\ttag.allow = \"autoplay; fullscreen\";\n\t\t\t\ttag.width = this.width;\n\t\t\t\ttag.height = this.height;\n\t\t\t\ttag.setAttribute(\"data-matomo-title\",\"Action Verbs and Linking Verbs\");\n\t\t\t\tjQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoEncompass_3xzuQ3TQ3i0\").html(tag);\n\t\t\t\tjQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoEncompass_3xzuQ3TQ3i0\").prepend(helpTag);\n\t\t\t\tsetTimeout(function(){jQuery(\"div#mmDeferVideoYTMessage_3xzuQ3TQ3i0\").css(\"display\", \"block\");}, 2000);\n\t\t\t  });\n\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t<\/script>\n\t\t\n<p><script>\nfunction 97D_Function() {\n  var x = document.getElementById(\"97D\");\n  if (x.style.display === \"none\") {\n    x.style.display = \"block\";\n  } else {\n    x.style.display = \"none\";\n  }\n}\n<\/script><\/p>\n<div class=\"moc-toc hide-on-desktop hide-on-tablet\">\n<div><button onclick=\"97D_Function()\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/toc2.svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"show or hide table of contents\"><\/button><\/p>\n<p>On this page<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<nav id=\"97D\" style=\"display:none;\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Action_Verbs\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Action Verbs<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Linking_Verbs\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Linking Verbs<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Verbs_Acting_as_Both\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Verbs Acting as Both<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"toc-h2\"><a href=\"#Fact_Sheet\" class=\"smooth-scroll\">Fact Sheet<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"accordion\"><input id=\"transcript\" type=\"checkbox\" class=\"spoiler_button\" \/><label for=\"transcript\">Transcript<\/label><input id=\"factsheet\" type=\"checkbox\" class=\"spoiler_button\" \/><label for=\"factsheet\">Fact Sheet<\/label>\n<div class=\"spoiler\" id=\"transcript-spoiler\">\n<p>Hey guys! Welcome to this video on action verbs and linking verbs.<\/p>\n<p>So, perhaps you\u2019ve learned what a verb is, but you were unaware that there were different types; or perhaps you\u2019ve heard that there are different types of verbs and you\u2019ve come to see what all the mess is about!<\/p>\n<p>Whatever the case, you\u2019ve come to the right place.<\/p>\n<p>To start, let\u2019s define action and linking verbs.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Action_Verbs\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Action Verbs<\/h2>\n<p>\nAction verbs are pretty straightforward: they tell of an action like <em>sweat<\/em>, <em>crawl<\/em>, <em>throw<\/em>, <em>laugh<\/em>, and so on.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Linking_Verbs\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Linking Verbs<\/h2>\n<p>\nLinking verbs connect or &#8220;link&#8221; a sentence\u2019s <a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/subjects\/\">subject<\/a> to all the other details pertaining to the subject. A linking verb does not describe an action.<\/p>\n<p>Now, there are three main forms of linking verbs. When you see these, it will always be a linking verb:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom:10px;\"><strong>The state of being.<\/strong> This includes words like <em>were<\/em>, <em>was<\/em>, <em>is<\/em>, <em>are<\/em>, <em>am<\/em>, <em>to be<\/em>, <em>is being<\/em>, <em>was being<\/em>, <em>are being<\/em>, <em>have been<\/em>, <em>has been<\/em>, and <em>had been<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom:10px;\"><strong>The state of becoming.<\/strong> This includes words like <em>will become<\/em>, <em>will have become<\/em>, <em>to become<\/em>, <em>become<\/em>, <em>becomes<\/em>, <em>has become<\/em>, <em>became<\/em>, <em>have become<\/em>, <em>had become<\/em>, and so on.<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom:10px;\"><strong>The state of seeming.<\/strong> This includes words like <em>had seemed<\/em>, <em>have seemed<\/em>, <em>has seemed<\/em>, <em>to seem<\/em>, <em>seems<\/em>, <em>seemed<\/em>, <em>seemed<\/em>, <em>was seeming<\/em>, <em>were seeming<\/em>, <em>is seeming<\/em>, <em>are seeming<\/em>, and <em>will seem<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Those were the three forms or types of words that are always linking verbs. The most popular of all the linking verbs that I mentioned above are the linking verbs from point 1, the state of being.<\/p>\n<p>Now, the examples I gave you of action verbs and linking verbs, up to this point, have been pretty straightforward. But as we all know, most things are not THAT simple. There always seems to be that little exception to the rule that creeps in and makes something, that was once so simple, all of a sudden very confusing. Here is that thing: there are verbs that can function both as action and linking verbs.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Verbs_Acting_as_Both\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Verbs Acting as Both<\/h2>\n<p>\nSo, in one <a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/sentence-structure\/\">sentence<\/a> it may be functioning as a linking verb, and in another that same word may be functioning as an action verb. However, if one of your \u201clinking verbs\u201d has another verb with it then that linking verb is no longer a linking verb.<\/p>\n<p>For example:<\/p>\n<div class=\"transcriptcallout\">John is my friend.<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nIn this sentence, <em>is<\/em> is a linking verb. But, look at this one:<\/p>\n<div class=\"transcriptcallout\">Joe is climbing the fence.<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nNow, in this sentence, <em>is<\/em> is not a linking verb, because there is another verb that is describing what the subject is doing; so, <em>is<\/em> then is a helping verb. Now, a helping verb, which you may have also heard called an auxiliary verb, is exactly what it sounds like. It helps the main verb of a sentence by giving more insight into the portrayal of time. <\/p>\n<p>Another way of saying this is that it helps the main verb form the proper tense.<\/p>\n<p>Anyways, to identify these interchangeable linking or action verb words, I have another clue for you. The easiest way to distinguish a linking verb from an action verb is to insert the word \u201cis\u201d in place of said verb. If the sentence is still understandable, then more than likely you are dealing with a linking verb. Let\u2019s take a look at some examples:<\/p>\n<div class=\"transcriptcallout\">The man grew angry.<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nNow, grow is one of those words that can have more than one meaning. It could be talking about a plant growing, or something becoming. In this sentence, <em>grew<\/em> means &#8220;became.&#8221; So, the man became angry. Now, remember <em>became<\/em> is one of our words that is always a linking verb, so we have our answer. We could also check this by plugging in <em>is<\/em> in place of <em>grew<\/em>: \u201cThe man is angry.\u201d It still makes sense!<\/p>\n<p>Look at this example:<\/p>\n<div class=\"transcriptcallout\">This summer, Maria grew watermelon in her garden.<\/div>\n<p>\n&nbsp;<br \/>\nIn this sentence, <em>grew<\/em> is being used as an action verb. Replacing <em>grew<\/em> with <em>is<\/em> in this sentence would make the sentence very confusing, and not make any sense, \u201cThis summer, Maria is watermelon in her garden.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The three forms of linking verbs that I gave you are super helpful in identifying which type of verb it is, but remember, if you are still not sure ask yourself, \u201cis this verb telling me what the subject is doing, or is it linking the subject to the rest of the sentence?\u201d If that is still confusing, then trying replacing the verb with \u201cis.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I hope that this video on action verbs and linking verbs has been helpful to you.<\/p>\n<p>See you guys next time!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"spoiler\" id=\"factsheet-spoiler\">\n<h2 style=\"text-align:center\">Fact Sheet<\/h2>\n<div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1979\" height=\"2560\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Verbs-Fact-Sheet-Cover-scaled.webp\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"An educational poster explains three types of verbs\u2014action verbs, state-of-being verbs, and helping verbs\u2014with examples and illustrations of people biking and skating.\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Verbs-Fact-Sheet-Cover-scaled.webp 1979w, https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Verbs-Fact-Sheet-Cover-232x300.webp 232w, https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Verbs-Fact-Sheet-Cover-792x1024.webp 792w, https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Verbs-Fact-Sheet-Cover-768x993.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Verbs-Fact-Sheet-Cover-1187x1536.webp 1187w, https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Verbs-Fact-Sheet-Cover-1583x2048.webp 1583w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1979px) 100vw, 1979px\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"sub_categories\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Verbs-Fact-Sheet.pdf\"><span id=\"Verbs_PDF_Download\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Verbs PDF Download<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"home-buttons\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/parts-of-a-sentence\/\">Return to Parts of a Sentence Videos<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Return to Parts of a Sentence Videos<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":91480,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-1030","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"page_category-parts-of-a-sentence-videos","7":"page_category-video-pages-for-study-course-sidebar-ad","8":"page_type-video","9":"content_type-fact-sheet","10":"subject_matter-english"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1030","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1030"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1030\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":279514,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1030\/revisions\/279514"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/91480"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1030"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}