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Quizzes > Literature & Language > English & Grammar

Master Action and Linking Verbs with Our Free Quiz

Ready for some quiz action? Identify action linking verbs and level up your grammar!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art quiz layout with cutout letters and icons representing action and linking verbs on sky blue background.

Ready to sharpen your grammar prowess? Dive into our Free Action and Linking Verbs Quiz - Test Your Skills! This quiz action is designed to test your grasp of action and linking verbs, with real-world examples. Whether you know your action and linking verbs examples or need to review, you'll challenge yourself, track your score, and learn tips along the way. Start with our interactive linking verbs quiz for instant feedback, and reinforce your learning with an action and linking verbs worksheet using our action linking verbs worksheet . Perfect for students, teachers, and language enthusiasts eager to boost their grammar skills. Take the action verbs quiz now and ace every sentence!

She sings beautifully. What type of verb is 'sings'?
Action verb
Linking verb
Auxiliary verb
Modal verb
The verb 'sings' describes an action performed by the subject, indicating what she is doing. It does not link the subject to a state of being or a complement. Instead, it is an active, doing verb. For more on action verbs, see Purdue OWL.
The soup smells delicious. What type of verb is 'smells'?
Transitive verb
Action verb
Linking verb
Auxiliary verb
In this sentence, 'smells' links the subject to its description of being delicious. It does not indicate an action performed by the subject but rather describes a state or quality. Thus, it functions as a linking verb. Learn more about linking verbs at Purdue OWL.
They have finished their work. What type of verb is 'finished'?
Auxiliary verb
Action verb
Modal verb
Linking verb
The word 'finished' indicates a completed action by the subject, showing what they did. It is the main action verb in the sentence rather than a verb that links to a complement or functions as an auxiliary. You can read more about action verbs here: Grammarly.
Which sentence contains a linking verb?
The baby cried at night.
The cake tastes sweet.
She runs daily.
The dog barked loudly.
In 'The cake tastes sweet,' the verb 'tastes' links the subject to its description rather than showing an action. The other verbs (barked, runs, cried) all demonstrate actions performed by the subjects. For more examples of linking verbs, visit Grammarly.
He became a pilot. What type of verb is 'became'?
Auxiliary verb
Action verb
Linking verb
Transitive verb
The verb 'became' connects the subject 'He' to the complement 'a pilot,' showing a change of state rather than an action. It functions purely as a linking verb. See more on this usage at Purdue OWL.
The committee approved the proposal. Which word is the action verb?
approved
proposal
committee
the
In this sentence, 'approved' describes the action taken by the committee. It shows the doing part of the sentence, making it the action verb. For further reading on action verbs, go to Purdue OWL.
She seems happy in her new role. What type of verb is 'seems'?
Linking verb
Action verb
Modal verb
Auxiliary verb
The verb 'seems' connects the subject to its state of being (happy), rather than indicating an action. It's a classic example of a linking verb. You can find additional examples at Grammarly.
In the sentence 'The movie was exciting,' what is the subject complement?
was
exciting
The
movie
The word 'exciting' follows the linking verb 'was' and describes the subject 'movie,' making it the subject complement. It provides more information about the subject. For more on complements, see Purdue OWL.
Which of these verbs is typically used as a linking verb?
listen
jump
become
write
The verb 'become' often functions as a linking verb, connecting the subject to a new state or identity. The other verbs are primarily action verbs. Discover more linking verbs at Grammarly.
What type of verb is 'reading' in the sentence 'They are reading a book'?
Linking verb
Auxiliary verb
Modal verb
Action verb
In 'They are reading a book,' the verb 'reading' indicates the action being carried out. It is the main action verb, even though it's part of a progressive tense construction. For more on action verbs in continuous tenses, see Purdue OWL.
In 'The music sounds terrible,' what type of verb is 'sounds'?
Action verb
Transitive verb
Linking verb
Auxiliary verb
Here, 'sounds' links the subject to its description of being terrible rather than describing an action. That usage categorizes it as a linking verb. See more examples at Grammarly.
Identify the correct categorization: 'The runner felt the wind on his face.' What is 'felt' here?
Linking verb
Modal verb
Auxiliary verb
Action verb
In this context, 'felt' describes the action of sensing the wind, making it an action verb. It is not linking the subject to a state or complement. For more on context-driven verb functions, check Purdue OWL.
In 'He became the team captain,' what is the subject complement?
the
He
became
the team captain
The phrase 'the team captain' follows the linking verb 'became' and renames the subject, thus acting as the subject complement (specifically a predicate nominative). Learn more at Purdue OWL.
Which sentence uses 'grow' as an action verb?
Please grow these flowers.
The town grew rapidly.
The night grew cold.
The child grew tall.
In 'Please grow these flowers,' 'grow' means to cultivate or cause growth, which is an action. The other sentences use 'grow' to indicate a change of state, making it a linking verb in those contexts. More on this nuance at Grammarly.
Identify whether 'remain' in 'They remain friends' is linking or action.
Auxiliary verb
Linking verb
Action verb
Transitive verb
The verb 'remain' links the subject to its ongoing state of being friends, rather than indicating an action. It functions as a linking verb here. See more examples at Grammarly.
Which of the following sentences uses 'turn' as a linking verb?
The sky turned pink at sunset.
She turned the key in the lock.
Please turn the page.
The wind turned the leaves yellow.
In 'The sky turned pink at sunset,' 'turned' indicates a change of state and connects the subject to its new condition, functioning as a linking verb. The other usages involve action. For more on this usage, visit Purdue OWL.
Which sentence uses 'grow' as a linking verb?
The sky grows dark before the storm.
Her hair grows rapidly.
My enthusiasm grows each day.
The gardener grows tomatoes.
In 'The sky grows dark before the storm,' 'grows' means 'becomes' or 'turns,' linking the subject to its new state, so it is a linking verb. The other examples depict actual actions of growing. See additional examples at Grammarly.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Action vs. Linking Verbs -

    Differentiate between verbs that express physical or mental actions and those that connect the subject to additional information, building a solid foundation for recognizing action and linking verbs.

  2. Identify In-Context Verbs -

    Locate and label action linking verbs in sentences drawn from real-world examples to reinforce your ability to spot verbs accurately.

  3. Analyze Verb Functions -

    Examine how verbs operate within a sentence to determine whether they convey an action or a state of being.

  4. Apply Quiz Strategies -

    Use targeted techniques to tackle quiz action questions efficiently and improve your score on action and linking verbs worksheets.

  5. Enhance Writing Precision -

    Select the correct type of verb to strengthen sentence clarity and avoid common pitfalls in verb usage.

  6. Evaluate Common Errors -

    Recognize and correct frequent mistakes involving action and linking verbs, boosting your overall grammar confidence.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Action vs. Linking Verbs Defined -

    Action verbs express what the subject does (e.g., "jog," "calculate"), whereas linking verbs connect the subject to a subject complement without showing action (e.g., "is," "seem"). According to Purdue OWL, mastering this distinction helps you avoid common errors in subject - verb agreement and clarity.

  2. Spotting Common Linking Verbs -

    Most linking verbs fall into the "to be" family (am, is, are, was, were) or sensory/state verbs like "feel" and "remain." Use the mnemonic "A WELSS" (Appear, Worry [not common - use " Become"], Eat [not common - use "Become"], Look, Seem, Smell, Sound) to recall them. University of Michigan's Grammar Repository highlights this list for quick reference.

  3. Transitive vs. Intransitive Action Verbs -

    Transitive verbs require a direct object (e.g., "She baked a cake"), while intransitive verbs do not (e.g., "He sleeps"). Understanding this helps you craft clear sentences and avoid dangling verb errors, as noted by Cambridge's Grammar Resources.

  4. Using Predicate Complements -

    Linking verbs pair with predicate adjectives (e.g., "The soup tastes delicious") or predicate nominatives (e.g., "She is a scientist"). The Chicago Manual of Style emphasizes that recognizing complements ensures your sentences remain balanced and informative.

  5. Practice with Real-World Examples -

    Boost your skills by completing quiz action worksheets that mix action linking verbs in context, such as "They appear confident" vs. "They perform confidently." Harvard's Writing Center recommends timed drills and self-scored quizzes to reinforce identification under test conditions.

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