Page 578 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing
P. 578
Action and Linking Verbs
1 Distinguish between action and linking
verbs.
Verbs work in two ways within a sentence. Some verbs show what the
subject of the sentence does. These verbs are called action verbs.
The action described may be physical (fly, hop, explode) or mental
(imagine, worry, think). Other verbs link to words that show what the
subject of the sentence is. These verbs are called linking verbs. They
may link a subject to a noun (kangaroos are marsupials), a pronoun
(the donor could have been anyone), or an adjective (the camel
seemed cantankerous).
Action Verbs
Action verbs show physical or mental action performed by a subject.
Look at the following action verbs, highlighted in italic font.
Examples of Action Verbs
