LINKING VERBS

Am

Are Is

Was Were

These are the most frequently used linking verbs. A linking verb is like an = between two things. A linking verb can show WHAT something/someone IS. Ex. Barb is my mom. Barb = my mom. Barb = mom.

IS is a linking verb. A linking verb can show HOW something/someone IS. Ex. The dog is hot. The dog = hot. dog = hot

IS is a linking verb.

But sometimes am, is, are, was, and were can also be helping verbs. Ex. He is fishing. He = fishing ??? No. Fishing is what he is DOING. IS tells us he IS doing it NOW.

IS is a helping verb.

Am, is, are, was, and were are also sometimes used before a prepositional phrase. Remember, we always CROSS OUT prepositional phrases before deciding what all the other words are, just so were not confused. Ex. I I I I am at the store. am at the store. am = ???

AM is not a linking verb. It is actually an ACTION verb (a special action verb called an intransitive). It shows that I actually AM DOING SOMETHING I am, well, shopping at the store. Even though we left out the shopping word. There are some action verbs that can sometimes be used as linking verbs. Words like feel, look, taste, and appear. Remember to use the = test to figure out if this is a linking or an action verb. Ex. He tastes the ice cream before buying a whole bowl. He tastes the ice cream before buying a whole bowl. He tastes the ice cream He = ice cream ??? No.

TASTES is an action verb. Ex. The ice cream tastes fabulous! ice cream = fabulous

TASTES is a linking verb.

Am, Are, Is, Was and Were are also often used as helping verbs, so pay attention to whether there is a second verb after these verbs. Ex. We are eating ice cream. We ARE EATING ice cream Two verbs.

ARE is a helping verb. EATING is an action verb. There are some more complicated sentences where this is not such an easy thing. For now, we will keep them fairly simple.

WORKSHEET Cross out any prepositional phrases. Circle the subject (noun). Double underline the verb. Use the = test to determine if the verb is a linking verb or an action verb or a helping verb. Write L (for linking) or A (for action) or H for helping on the line. If it is a linking verb, draw an arrow to the word it links two. Ex. My dad is a chef.

1. Hannah is my cousin. ____ 2. They are silly. ____ 3. She is eating pizza. _____ 4. She was in the pool. _____ 5. Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President. _____ 6. They are not going to the zoo. ______ 7. We were angels in the church play. _____ 8. They were in the basement. _____ 9. That food seems spoiled. _____ 10. 11. A glacier is a huge river of ice. _____ The Rocky Mountains are home to many different

animals. _____ 12. 13. 14. A bear is catching a fish. _____ The swimming hole was dark and muddy. _____ A parable is a story with a lesson to learn. ______

15.

Mt. Everest is the Earths highest mountain above sea

level. ______ 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. Mt. McKinley is located in the state of Alaska. ________ The sherpa guide is in his tent. _________ His watch battery is dead. __________ He is wanting to buy a new battery. ___________ The old battery is in the garbage. _________