Action Verb Versus Linking Verb | Know What The Verb Does

Verbs do more than sit in the middle of a sentence. They steer meaning. Pick the wrong kind, and a line can feel off even when the grammar looks fine. This comes up a lot in school writing, résumés, emails, and essays where you want your sentences to sound clear and confident.

This article gives you a clean way to tell action verbs from linking verbs, even when the same word can play both roles. You’ll get checks you can run in seconds, side-by-side patterns, and editing moves you can use on your own drafts.

What Action Verbs Do In A Sentence

An action verb shows an action done by the subject. That action can be physical (“The dog chased the ball”) or mental (“She remembered the password”). In both cases, the subject is doing something, not just being something.

Action verbs often pair with an object. You can often ask “What?” or “Whom?” right after the verb to see if the sentence is pushing action onto something.

• He kicked the door. (kicked what?)
• They built a shelter. (built what?)
• I admired her work. (admired what?)

Not every action verb needs an object. Some are complete on their own.

• The baby slept.
• We laughed.

Why Action Verbs Feel Clear On The Page

Action verbs tend to create motion, progress, or choice. That’s why teachers and editors often push writers to swap vague “to be” sentences for action when the sentence is meant to show events.

Try this swap:

• Weak: The team was in a rush.
• Stronger: The team rushed to the gate.

The second sentence does more work. It shows what happened.

What Linking Verbs Do In A Sentence

A linking verb does not show an action. It links the subject to a word or phrase that describes the subject or renames it. That describing or renaming part is called a subject complement.

Forms of be (am, is, are, was, were, be, been, being) are the most common linking verbs. Some sense verbs can also link, such as seem, become, appear, and feel, when they connect the subject to a description.

Merriam-Webster’s definition of “linking verb” spells this out: a linking verb connects a subject with words in the predicate that name or describe it.

Subject Complements: The Piece Linking Verbs Need

A linking verb is usually followed by a noun, pronoun, or adjective that points back to the subject.

• My cousin is a nurse. (noun that renames)
• The soup smells spicy. (adjective that describes)
• Those people are they. (pronoun that identifies)

Notice what’s missing: there’s no action being done to an object. The verb is acting like a connector.

Action Verb Versus Linking Verb: How To Tell Them Apart

The fastest way to sort verbs is to look at what comes after the verb and what the sentence claims. Is the verb showing the subject doing something? Or is it linking the subject to a label or description?

Test 1: Replace The Verb With “Is”

When a verb is linking, you can often swap it with is or are and the sentence still makes sense.

• The flowers smell sweet. → The flowers are sweet. (linking)
• The athlete smells the flowers. → The athlete is the flowers. (nonsense, so action)

Test 2: Ask “What Did The Subject Do?”

If you can answer that question with the verb itself, you’re looking at an action verb.

• What did she do? She wrote a note. (action)
• What did she do? She was nervous. (not an action; linking)

Test 3: Check What Follows The Verb

Objects follow many action verbs. Subject complements follow linking verbs.

• Action: The chef tasted the sauce. (object: sauce)
• Linking: The sauce tasted salty. (complement: salty)

Test 4: Watch For Sense Verbs That Switch Roles

Words like look, feel, sound, taste, and smell can be action verbs or linking verbs. The trick is to see if the subject performs the sense, or if the verb connects the subject to a description.

• Action: I looked at the map.
• Linking: The map looked old.

If the subject uses eyes, ears, or hands to do the sensing, it’s action. If the sentence points to a description of the subject, it’s linking.

Patterns You Can Recognize At A Glance

Once you’ve seen the core patterns, you start spotting them without running tests every time.

Common Action Verb Patterns

• Subject + Verb: Birds migrate.
• Subject + Verb + Object: Birds build nests.
• Subject + Verb + Adverb: Birds sing loudly.

Common Linking Verb Patterns

• Subject + Linking Verb + Adjective: The room is quiet.
• Subject + Linking Verb + Noun: The room is a studio.
• Subject + Linking Verb + Phrase: The room seems like a studio.

That last pattern matters: linking verbs can connect to phrases too, not just single words.

Side-By-Side Comparison Table

Use this table when you’re stuck on a sentence and want a fast check without rewriting your whole paragraph.

Clue	Action Verb	Linking Verb
What the verb does	Shows the subject doing something	Connects the subject to a description or identity
What comes after	Often an object or adverb	A subject complement (noun, pronoun, adjective, phrase)
“Is” swap test	Swap breaks meaning	Swap often still works
Object check	Many take direct objects	No direct object when used as linking
Common verb sets	run, write, build, decide, learn	am/is/are/was/were, seem, become, appear
Sense verbs (look/feel/etc.)	Subject performs the sensing	Verb points to a description of the subject
What the sentence claims	An event or action happened	The subject has a state, trait, or label
Typical revision move	Keep if you want motion or choice	Keep if you want definition or description
Common learner mistake	Forgetting the object (“She raised”)	Adding an object (“He is the ball”)

Tricky Verbs That Look Like Action But Act Like Links

Some verbs feel like they should be action verbs because they can show activity in other sentences. Yet in certain lines, they link instead.

Grow

Compare these two:

• Action: The gardener grew tomatoes. (grew what?)
• Linking: The tomatoes grew ripe. (ripe describes tomatoes)

Turn

• Action: She turned the page.
• Linking: The sky turned gray.

Remain

Remain rarely shows action. It usually links.

• The rules remain the same.

When you see these verbs, don’t decide by the word alone. Decide by the job it’s doing in that sentence.

Action Verbs And Linking Verbs With Simple Checks

When you’re editing an essay, you don’t want to stop for grammar theory every few lines. These checks fit into a quick pass.

Check A: Circle The Verb And Ask What It Connects

If the verb connects the subject to a noun or adjective, mark it as linking. If it connects the subject to an object, mark it as action. If it connects to nothing and still feels complete, it can still be action.

Check B: Look For Adjectives Right After The Verb

An adjective right after the verb is a strong sign you’re dealing with a linking verb.

• The plan sounds risky.
• His answer seems honest.

Check C: Try A Mini Rewrite

If you’re unsure, rewrite the sentence in two versions: one that shows action, one that states a trait. Pick the one that matches your meaning.

• Trait version: The teacher was calm.
• Action version: The teacher spoke calmly.

Both can be right. The point is control.

Common Mistakes Students Make

Most mix-ups come from the same handful of habits. Fix those habits and your sentences tighten up fast.

Mixing Up Objects And Complements

After a linking verb, you don’t use a direct object. You use a complement that points back to the subject.

• Wrong: My friend is a guitar. (Unless your friend is actually a guitar.)
• Right: My friend plays a guitar. (action)
• Right: My friend is a guitarist. (linking)

Using “Feel” As Action When You Mean A State

These two are not the same:

• Action: I felt the fabric. (hands on fabric)
• Linking: I felt tired. (tired describes me)

Overusing “To Be” In Drafts

Forms of be are fine when you’re defining, identifying, or setting a scene. Trouble starts when every sentence leans on them. A quick verb pass can turn static paragraphs into clear sequences of events.

Try this editing move: scan for is, are, was, were. Ask if the sentence should show action. If yes, swap the verb and rebuild the sentence around the new action verb.

Mini Practice: Spot The Verb Type

Read each sentence and label the verb as action or linking. Then check your answers by using the “is” swap test.

1. The water tastes bitter.
2. She tastes the sauce.
3. The actor became famous.
4. The actor performed nightly.
5. The hallway looks narrow.
6. He looked through the hallway window.

If you got stuck, focus on what follows the verb. “Bitter” and “narrow” are adjectives that describe the subject, so they pair with linking uses.

Editing Checklist Table

Use this as your last pass before you submit a paper or hit publish. It’s set up so you can move line by line without second-guessing every sentence.

Quick check	What to do	What the result tells you
Find the main verb	Underline the verb that carries the sentence	You can’t sort verb type until you’ve found the real verb
Try the “is/are” swap	Replace the verb with is or are	If meaning stays steady, it’s likely linking
Look after the verb	Mark what comes right after the verb	Noun/adjective pointing to the subject suggests linking
Ask “What did the subject do?”	Answer using the verb itself	If it names an action, it’s an action verb
Check for a direct object	Ask “verb what?” or “verb whom?”	A real object points to action
Watch sense verbs	Decide if the subject senses or gets described	Sensing is action; being described is linking
Decide your purpose	Choose action for events; choose linking for labels	The best verb type depends on your meaning
Revise one sentence at a time	Rewrite, then reread aloud	Your ear catches awkward “be” chains and fuzzy verbs

When To Choose Each Type On Purpose

You don’t want to delete linking verbs from your writing. You want to pick them when they fit the job.

Choose linking verbs when you are:

• Defining: “A verb is a word that shows action or state.”
• Identifying: “My goal is clarity.”
• Describing states: “The test seems hard.”

Choose action verbs when you are:

• Showing events: “The committee met at noon.”
• Showing steps: “First, we gathered sources. Next, we wrote the draft.”
• Writing bullet points on a résumé: “Managed,” “Built,” “Led,” “Created.”

If you want a crisp definition of the term “action verb,” Merriam-Webster’s dictionary entry for “action verb” keeps it short: it’s a verb that expresses action.

Quick Recap You Can Apply Today

When the verb shows the subject doing something, it’s action. When the verb links the subject to a description or label, it’s linking. If a sense verb seems sneaky, run the “is” swap test and check what follows the verb.

Run the checklist table on your next draft. After a few passes, you’ll start spotting the pattern without thinking about grammar terms at all.