Identify linking and action verbs in sentences.

Sure! Let’s solve this worksheet step by step. The task is to identify whether the underlined verb in each sentence is a linking verb or an action verb.

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🔍 What’s the difference?

- Linking verbs connect the subject to a subject complement (a noun, pronoun, or adjective that describes or renames the subject). Common linking verbs include: *be, am, is, are, was, were, become, seem, appear, feel, look, smell, taste, sound, grow* — but only when they describe a state of being or condition, not an action.

- Action verbs show physical or mental action — something the subject *does*.

⚠️ Some verbs (like *feel, look, smell, grow*) can be either linking or action verbs, depending on context!

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Let’s go sentence by sentence:

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1. My father looks at the newspaper every morning.

→ “Looks” here means he directs his eyes toward the newspaper → ACTION
✔ Action

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2. Mrs. Taylor felt the different fabrics before she decided which one to buy.

→ She physically touched the fabrics → ACTION
✔ Action

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3. Tomorrow will be Wednesday.

→ “Will be” connects “tomorrow” to “Wednesday” — it’s stating identity → LINKING
✔ Linking

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4. That soup smells delicious!

→ “Smells” describes how the soup is (its quality) → LINKING
✔ Linking

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5. The grass grows very fast during the summer because of the rain.

→ “Grows” = the grass is actively increasing in size → ACTION
✔ Action

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6. Can you prove that Lauren was the one who planned the surprise party?

→ “Prove” = to demonstrate or show evidence → ACTION
✔ Action

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7. Joseph looks tired today.

→ “Looks” describes Joseph’s appearance/condition → LINKING
✔ Linking

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8. I always feel happy when I am at the zoo.

→ “Feel” describes emotional state → LINKING
✔ Linking

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9. Please remain in your seat until the train has come to a complete stop.

→ “Remain” = stay in place → ACTION (it’s a command to do something)
✔ Action

> 💡 Note: “Remain” can sometimes be linking (e.g., “She remained calm”), but here it’s directing someone to *stay*, so it’s action.

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10. The boy cried when he fell down in the park.

→ “Fell” = physical action of dropping → ACTION
✔ Action

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## ✔ Final Answers:

1. Action
2. Action
3. Linking
4. Linking
5. Action
6. Action
7. Linking
8. Linking
9. Action
10. Action

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📝 Tip for students:

When unsure, ask:
➡️ Does the verb describe what the subject is or feels like? → Linking
➡️ Does the verb describe what the subject does? → Action

Hope this helps! 😊