What Is the Difference Between Linking and Action Verbs?

Action verbs describe physical or mental actions performed by the subject, while linking verbs connect the subject to a description or state.

You probably learned in elementary school that verbs are “action words.” Run, jump, eat — those fit. But then your teacher introduced is, seem, and become. Those certainly don’t describe action. The shorthand we grow up with leaves out a whole category of verbs that do something totally different in a sentence.

Action verbs tell what the subject does — physically or mentally. Linking verbs tell what the subject is or what it is like. They don’t show action; they connect the subject to extra information. This article breaks down the difference with clear definitions, examples, and a simple test you can use on any sentence.

What Are Action Verbs?

An action verb tells what the subject of a sentence does. The action can be physical — run, jump, build — or mental — think, believe, consider. Either way, the subject is doing something.

Take the sentence “Maya painted a mural.” The verb painted is an action verb because Maya is performing the action of painting. Now look at “The committee agreed on a plan.” Agreed is still an action verb — mental action counts. Action verbs can also take a direct object (transitive) or stand alone (intransitive).

They answer the question “What does the subject do?” This is the most intuitive category for most people. But not every verb in English fits that mold.

Why the Confusion Sticks

The “verb = action word” rule is taught early, making it hard to unlearn. But several common factors keep the confusion alive, even for experienced writers.

• Sensory verbs are chameleons: Words like look, feel, taste, smell, and sound can act as either action or linking verbs depending on context. “She looked at the photo” (action) vs. “She looked tired” (linking). One sentence, two jobs.
• School definitions oversimplify: Many curricula say “verbs show action,” which is true for action verbs but misleading for linking verbs. That early shortcut is tough to replace.
• Same verb, different roles: A single verb like grow can be action (“The plant grew two inches”) or linking (“The plant grew tall”). Without context, the verb type is ambiguous.
• Subject complements throw you off: Linking verbs often come with a word that describes or renames the subject. This structure looks different from the subject–verb–object pattern you expect.

Once you realize that some verbs connect instead of act, the confusion starts to clear. The key is learning to spot what the verb is doing in the sentence, not just what it sounds like.

What Are Linking Verbs?

A linking verb does not describe an action. Instead, it links (connects) the subject of the sentence to information about that subject. That information could be a description (predicate adjective) or a renaming (predicate nominative).

The most common linking verb is to be in all its forms: am, is, are, was, were, be, been, being. Other frequent linking verbs include seem, become, appear, and the sensory verbs when used as connectors. Gallaudet University offers a precise linking verb definition that emphasizes the connecting function over any action.

Because linking verbs express a state of being, they are sometimes called “being verbs.” They answer the question “What is the subject?” or “What is the subject like?” rather than “What does the subject do?”

Action vs. Linking at a Glance

How to Tell Them Apart: The Substitution Test

There is a reliable trick to check whether a verb is linking or action. Follow these steps.

1. Identify the verb in the sentence. For example, in “The soup tastes salty,” the verb is tastes.
2. Replace the verb with a form of to be (is, am, are, was, were). Try “The soup is salty.” If the sentence still makes sense, the original verb is probably a linking verb.
3. Check the meaning. If the substitution changes the meaning or sounds wrong, the verb is likely an action verb. “She tastes the soup” becomes “She is the soup” — that doesn’t carry the same meaning, so taste here is an action verb.

This test works for most sentences. It relies on the fact that linking verbs are essentially stand-ins for a state of being. If a form of be fits naturally, the verb is almost always linking.

Verbs That Can Be Both

Some of the trickiest verbs in English are those that can serve as either action or linking verbs. Sensory words — look, feel, taste, smell, sound — are the prime examples. Their role depends entirely on the rest of the sentence.

Study.com’s action vs linking verbs comparison highlights this dual nature. In “I smelled the flower,” the verb is action because the subject is actively using a sense. In “The flower smelled sweet,” the verb is linking — it connects the flower to the description “sweet.” The meaning shifts from performing an action to describing a state.

Other verbs like grow, remain, stay, and prove can also cross categories. Context is the only reliable clue. When you encounter these verbs, use the substitution test to decide which category they belong to in that specific sentence.

Common Verbs Used as Both

The Bottom Line

The difference between linking and action verbs comes down to job description. Action verbs tell what the subject does — physically or mentally. Linking verbs connect the subject to a word or phrase that describes or identifies it, without expressing any action. The substitution test — replacing the verb with a form of be — is a fast way to tell them apart.

If the linking-versus-action distinction still trips you up in your own writing, a certified English teacher or grammar-focused tutor can help you practice the substitution test from this article on real sentences you’ve written.