Skip to main content
My Desk

Level: A2-B1

Linking vs Action Verbs — Practice

Tell apart verbs that show real action from verbs that simply link the subject to a description. Includes the “replace with is / are” test, a list of verbs that can work both ways (feel, taste, look, smell, sound), 50+ example sentences, and 4 interactive practice modes — every example is click-to-hear.

📝 Verbs unit · lesson 5 of 17 ⏱ about 14 minutes 🔊 every example has audio

Builds on The 5 Verb Forms Next in unit Transitive vs Intransitive →

  • Clear linking verbs (be, become, seem)
  • She was angry. – Linking
  • My friend is a teacher. – Linking
  • Peter became the president of the company. – Linking
  • She became a doctor last year. – Linking
  • He became tired after the long journey. – Linking
  • Mike seems nervous. – Linking
  • The offer seems generous. – Linking
  • Sense verbs as linking (feel, look, sound, taste, smell)
  • I feel tired after work. – Linking
  • Peter felt sick after dinner. – Linking
  • His shirt felt very soft. – Linking
  • She looked tired after the long day. – Linking
  • He looked nervous before the meeting. – Linking
  • That pie tastes delicious. – Linking
  • The soup tasted salty. – Linking
  • Hamburger meat smelled rotten. – Linking
  • The milk smelled sour. – Linking
  • His explanation sounded logical. – Linking
  • The neighbor appeared tired. – Linking
  • The same sense verbs as action
  • I feel the heat from the fire. – Action
  • Sandy smelled the flowers. – Action
  • He smelled the roses in the garden. – Action
  • The manager tasted the soup. – Action
  • Please taste the pie. – Action
  • Jenny looked at the mirror. – Action
  • The radio sounded the emergency alarm. – Action
  • The horn sounded loudly. – Action
  • The band sounded a fanfare. – Action
  • The neighbor appeared in the doorway. – Action
  • I appeared from behind the curtain. – Action
  • A rabbit appeared suddenly from the bush. – Action
  • State-change verbs (get, grow, turn, prove, stay, remain, come, go)
  • The baby got sleepy after dinner. – Linking
  • He got a promotion last month. – Action
  • My son grows taller every day. – Linking
  • She grew weary of waiting. – Linking
  • The tree grows every day. – Action
  • The gardener grew tomatoes in her backyard. – Action
  • The leaves turned yellow in the fall. – Linking
  • The situation turned chaotic. – Linking
  • Please turn the handle gently. – Action
  • She turned the page of her book. – Action
  • That statement proved false. – Linking
  • He proved his theory with data. – Action
  • He stayed calm during the emergency. – Linking
  • You can stay at our place tonight. – Action
  • She remained silent throughout the ceremony. – Linking
  • Please remain in your seat until the show ends. – Action
  • The meat went bad quickly in the heat. – Linking
  • She went to the store after lunch. – Action
  • He came prepared for the interview. – Linking
  • Please come to my office. – Action
  • Pure action verbs (never linking)
  • The boy placed the ball into the corner. – Action
  • Nancy helped her father pack their lunches. – Action
  • He wrote a long letter. – Action
  • She built a model airplane. – Action
  • He carried the heavy box upstairs. – Action