Linking and Helping Verbs

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Linking and Helping Verbs

• LINK

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Linking Verbs

• Some verbs express a state of being.
• These verbs do not refer to action of any sort.
  They simply tell what the subject is.
• I was worried but now I am happy.
• Madison is my daughter.
• We are a happy family.

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List of Common Linking Verbs
AM HAS BEING CAN
IS HAD BEEN COULD
ARE DO SHALL MAY
WAS DOES SHOULD MIGHT
WERE DID WILL MUST
HAVE BE WOULD
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More Linking Verbs
APPEAR BECOME FEEL GROW
LOOK SEEN REMAING SMELL
SOUND TASTE STAY



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Some verbs can function as either linking verbs
or action verbs.
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Choose the Linking Verb

• They _________ a week off for break.
• I _________ in sixth grade.
• That ____________ a funny joke.
• John and Ty _____________ in my class.
• Mom ____________ at work.

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LINKING VERB OR ???

• To help you decide whether one of these verbs is
  a linking verb, try substituting is or are for
  the verb. If the sentence still makes sense, the
  verb is probably a linking verb.
• The pigeons look comical. (The pigeons are
  comical)
• The swans hiss sounds fierce. (The swans hiss
  is fierce)

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Helping Verbs

• A helping verb helps another verb to show an
  action.
• Have and has can be helping verbs.
• Use has when the subject is singular.
• Use have when the subject is plural or I or you.
• Mom has been looking for a new recipe for
  chocolate cake. Mom and Dad have been married
  for 8 years.

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HELPING VERBS

• A helping verb helps another verb show action.
• I am helping mom clean the house.
• She is waiting on me.
• Joe and Jan were standing in the rain.
• They are taking my sister to the doctor.
• Our teacher was hoping we would do well on our
  test.
• Tom has given his dog a bath.
• They have waited an hour for the tickets to go on
  sale.

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HELPING VERBS
AM IS ARE WAS
WERE HAVE HAS HAD
SHALL SHOULD WILL WOULD
CAN COULD MAY MIGHT
MUST BE BEING BEEN
DO DOES DID