Linking Verbs Explained: How to Identify and Use Them Correctly Linking Verbs Explained: How to Identify and Use Them Correctly Do your sentences sometimes feel flat or awkward? The problem might not be your vocabulary — it might be your linking verbs. Linking verbs are the quiet superheroes of English grammar. They connect a subject to more information about that subject, helping you describe, rename, or identify it. Master them, and your writing instantly becomes clearer and more vivid. What Exactly Is a Linking Verb? A linking verb (also called a copula ) connects the subject of a sentence to a word or phrase that renames or describes the subject. Unlike action verbs (run, jump, write), linking verbs do not show action. They show a state of being, condition, or perception. The word or phrase after the linking verb is called the subject complement . It can be: A predicate nominative (n...