Different grammar resources give different numbers of linking verbs. One list may contain 15, another 20, and a broader reference may include even more. The difference exists because many English verbs have a linking function only in certain meanings or sentence patterns.
A useful linking-verbs list should therefore show verbs that can function as linking verbs, not suggest that every verb on the list is always linking. For example, The leaves turned yellow contains a linking use of turn, while Maya turned the handle does not.
The list below focuses on common, well-established linking uses and shows each verb in a sentence where it genuinely has that function.
Quick List of Common Linking Verbs
Common English verbs that can function as linking verbs include:
be, become, seem, appear, remain, stay, keep, look, feel, sound, smell, taste, get, grow, turn, go, prove
The forms of be are:
am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been
Some grammar references include additional verbs in particular copular or linking constructions. We will look at that variation later rather than forcing every possible case into one fixed list.
Forms of Be as Linking Verbs
Be is the most common linking verb in English.
When a form of be connects the subject with information that identifies or describes it, it functions as a linking verb.
Clara is an architect.
Is connects Clara with an architect.
The windows were foggy.
Were links the windows with the description foggy.
Our neighbors have been very helpful.
Been connects the subject with very helpful as part of the verb phrase.
It is inaccurate, however, to say that forms of be are always linking verbs.
Clara is working upstairs.
Here, is helps form the present continuous verb phrase is working.
The documents were signed yesterday.
Here, were helps form the passive construction were signed.
In these sentences, the forms of be are functioning as auxiliary, or helping, verbs rather than as the main linking verb.
Common Linking Verbs with Examples
The following table shows common linking verbs in uses where they connect the subject with a description, identity, state, impression, or change.
| Linking Verb | Common Linking Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| seem | impression | The timetable seems flexible. |
| appear | impression or appearance | The surface appears uneven. |
| look | appearance | The hills look distant. |
| feel | sensation or condition | The blanket feels warm. |
| sound | impression through sound | The proposal sounds workable. |
| smell | scent | The kitchen smells wonderful. |
| taste | flavor | The tea tastes bitter. |
| become | change of state or identity | Marcus became a paramedic. |
| get | change of condition | The evenings get cooler in autumn. |
| grow | gradual change | Her voice grew faint. |
| turn | change of condition | The screen turned black. |
| go | change into a state | The bread went stale. |
| remain | continuation of a state | The cause remains unknown. |
| stay | continuation of a state | The trail stayed dry. |
| keep | continuation of a condition | Everyone kept calm. |
| prove | how something turns out | The repair proved difficult. |
In every example, the word or phrase after the verb gives information about the subject rather than functioning as a direct object.
That following element is commonly called a subject complement.
Linking Verbs of Appearance and the Senses
Several verbs on the list are closely connected with appearance, perception, or the senses:
seem, appear, look, feel, sound, smell, taste
They often link the subject to an adjective that describes how the subject appears, feels, sounds, smells, or tastes.
The fabric feels rough.
Her explanation sounds convincing.
The peaches smell sweet.
The description applies to the subject. Rough describes the fabric, convincing describes the explanation, and sweet describes the peaches.
These verbs can also have other grammatical uses.
Owen felt the wall.
Here, the wall is a direct object. Felt is not functioning as a linking verb.
Sofia tasted the soup.
The soup is the direct object of tasted.
The verb itself does not settle the question. Its use in the sentence does.
Linking Verbs That Express Change
Several common linking verbs show the subject entering a new state or condition:
become, get, grow, turn, go
The conversation became awkward.
The air got colder.
The child grew sleepy.
His face turned pale.
The fruit went bad.
These verbs may express a real change, so defining linking verbs simply as verbs that “do not show action” is too narrow.
What makes them linking in these sentences is the relationship they create. The word after the verb describes the resulting state of the subject.
Linking Verbs That Show a Continuing State
Other linking uses show that a condition continues rather than changes.
Common examples include:
remain, stay, keep
The building remained empty.
Please stay calm.
The hikers kept quiet near the nesting birds.
The complement describes the state that continues.
These verbs also have other uses, so they should not be labelled permanently as linking verbs.
Ava kept the receipt.
Here, the receipt is a direct object. Kept does not have the same linking function as it does in Ava kept quiet.
Less Obvious Linking Uses
Short school lists usually focus on the most familiar verbs, but English also has less obvious copular or linking patterns.
For example:
The prediction came true.
Here, true describes the resulting state of the prediction.
Another type involves measurement:
The suitcase weighs 18 kilograms.
Some grammatical descriptions analyze weighs here as a linking or copular verb because it connects the subject with information about one of its properties.
You may also encounter verbs such as fall, stand, measure, make, or others classified as linking in particular constructions, depending on the grammar framework being used.
That does not make a short classroom list wrong. It means the boundaries of the category can be broader than the small group usually introduced first.
For a practical English reference, the common verbs earlier on this page are the ones most useful to recognize first.
The Same Verb May Be Linking in One Sentence but Not Another
A list can tell you which verbs can be linking, but it cannot tell you how the verb is functioning in every sentence.
Compare:
The curry tastes mild.
Mild describes the curry, so tastes is linking.
Nina tasted the curry.
The curry is a direct object, so tasted is not linking.
Now compare:
The trees grew taller.
Taller describes the trees as they changed, so grew has a linking function.
The farmer grew sunflowers.
Sunflowers is the direct object of grew.
The important point is simple: a verb can have a linking use without being a linking verb in every sentence.
Why Do Linking Verb Lists Give Different Numbers?
There is no single useful exact number that every grammar reference follows.
Several things cause the totals to vary.
One source may count the different forms of be separately:
am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been
Another may count them all under the single base verb be.
Some lists include only the most familiar school-level verbs, such as be, become, seem, look, feel, and remain. Others include well-established but less obvious linking uses such as go bad, come true, or measurement constructions such as weigh 20 kilograms.
Different grammatical frameworks may also draw the boundaries of the category somewhat differently.
For that reason, claims such as “there are exactly 20 linking verbs in English” are not very helpful. A better approach is to recognize the common linking verbs and understand that some other verbs can take on a similar function in particular constructions.
A linking-verbs list is therefore best used as a reference, not as a set of words that always behave the same way. When a listed verb connects its subject with information that identifies, describes, or characterizes that subject, it has a linking function. When the same verb takes a direct object or appears in another structure, its grammatical job has changed.
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