A linking verb joins the subject to a word or phrase that describes it. After a linking verb, use an adjective or a noun, not an adverb. Be is the basic one.
A linking verb says what the subject is or seems to be. The word after it describes the subject, so it is an adjective or a noun phrase.
| Verb | Example |
|---|---|
| look | The cake looks delicious. |
| sound | That sounds like a good plan. |
| feel | The blanket feels soft. |
| taste | The tea tastes sweet. |
| smell | The kitchen smells wonderful. |
After these verbs, use an adjective, not an adverb. The adjective describes the subject, not the verb.
Use seem and appear when something gives an impression. Appear is more formal. After seem and appear we often use to be before the adjective.
Use these linking verbs for a change of state. They are followed by an adjective; become can also be followed by a noun.
Many of these verbs can also be action verbs. To describe how the action happens, use an adverb. After the linking use, an adjective describes the subject, and some linking verbs, such as become, can also take a noun phrase.
✗The soup tastes deliciously.
✓The soup tastes delicious.
Tastes is a linking verb here; the word describes the soup, not the action, so use the adjective delicious.
✗She looks happily.
✓She looks happy.
Use an adjective for how someone seems.
✗Your idea sounds well.
✓Your idea sounds good.
After sounds meaning 'seems', use the adjective good for an opinion about an idea.
✗He seems to be tiredly.
✓He seems tired.
Seems describes him here, not an action, so use the adjective tired.
See -ed and -ing adjectives: feeling and effect for adjectives after linking verbs, Verbs of the senses + object + -ing or base verb for verbs of the senses with objects, and Adverbs: forms and irregular adverbs for adverbs.
Eight questions. Choose one answer for each.