List of Linking Verbs - Ms. Douglas (douglasteach.weebly.com)



List of Linking Verbs

Followed by predicate nominative or predicate adjective

is, are, was, were, be, being, been | |

|Be |Look |Feel |

|Taste |Smell |Sound |

|Seem |Appear |Get |

|Become |Grow |Stay |

|Keep |Turn |Prove |

|Go |Remain |Resemble |

|Run | |Lie |

|Passive Verbs  — |

|Followed by  Predicate   Adjective and Predicate Nominative |

|Appear,                          Grow                                Seem Stay                              |

|Become                         Look Smell                            Taste                              Feel |

|Remain                         Sound                           Turn |

WRITING TIPS: Choose active, precise verbs

Janice L. Hewitt, Ph.D.

SOURCE:

Choose active, precise verbs to invigorate your professional papers, thesis, and reports. Frequently those choices will help you avoid unnecessary passive voice and excessive use of “is,” “are,” “was,” “were,” “I,” or “we.”

For example:

|Instead of saying |Write |

|“This work is a generalization of Smith’s earlier algorithm” |“This work generalizes Smith’s earlier algorithm.” |

|“This approach is an improvement on Smith’s design,” |“This approach improves Smith’s design.” |

 Graduate students in science and engineering at Rice University generated the following list of verbs. Read through them for choices that could help make your own writing more precise and persuasive.

 

|A |

|accelerate |agree |argue |  |  |

|accept |aid |arise | | |

|accomplish |align |ascertain | | |

|account for |alleviate |assert | | |

|accumulate |allow |assess | | |

|achieve |alter |associate | | |

|acknowledge |amplify |assume | | |

|acquire |analyze |attain | | |

|activate |answer |attract | | |

|adapt |anticipate |attribute | | |

|add |appear |augment | | |

|address |apply |avoid | | |

|adjust |appreciate | | | |

|admit |approach | | | |

|affect |approximate | | | |

|[pic] |

|B |

|become |  |  |  |  |

|begin | | | | |

|behave | | | | |

|believe | | | | |

|benefit | | | | |

|bound | | | | |

|branch | | | | |

|break | | | | |

|bring (together) | | | | |

|broaden | | | | |

|build | | | | |

|[pic] |

|C |

|calculate |complete |continue |  |  |

|calibrate |complicate |contradict | | |

|capitalize |compress |contrast | | |

|capture |compute |contribute | | |

|cause |conceive |control | | |

|center |concentrate |converge | | |

|challenge |conclude |convey | | |

|characterize |concur |convince | | |

|choose |conduct |coordinate | | |

|claim |confine |correct | | |

|clarify |conjecture |correlate | | |

|collect |connect |corroborate | | |

|combine |consider |create | | |

|compare |constitute |critique | | |

|compete  |constrain |crystallize | | |

|compile |construct | | | |

|[pic] |

|D |

|decide |describe (for visuals, for equipment) |disprove |  |  |

|declare |design |dissociate | | |

|decode |destroy |dissolve | | |

|decrease |detect |distinguish | | |

|deduce |determine |distribute | | |

|defend |develop |diverge | | |

|define |deviate |dominate | | |

|deflect |differ |draw on (experience) | | |

|delineate |differentiate |drive | | |

|deliver |diffuse |duplicate | | |

|demonstrate |disagree | | | |

|deny |discard | | | |

|depict |discover | | | |

|deploy |discuss | | | |

|deposit |dismiss | | | |

|derive | | | | |

|[pic] |

|E |

|edit |enlarge |exclude |  |  |

|effect (change) |ensure |exemplify | | |

|elaborate |entail  |exhibit | | |

|eliminate |equip |expand | | |

|emerge |err |expect (NOT hope) | | |

|emit |establish |expel | | |

|emphasize |estimate |experience | | |

|employ |evaluate |explain | | |

|enable |evaporate |exploit | | |

|encapsulate |evidence |explore | | |

|encompass |evince |express | | |

|end |evolve |extend | | |

|engage |exacerbate |extract | | |

|engender |examine |extrapolate | | |

|enhance |except | | | |

|[pic] |

|F |

|fabricate |formulate |  |  |  |

|facilitate |fracture | | | |

|fail |fulfill | | | |

|falsify | | | | |

|feature | | | | |

|finalize | | | | |

|find | | | | |

|fine tune | | | | |

|finish | | | | |

|fit | | | | |

|flow | | | | |

|focus | | | | |

|follow | | | | |

|forecast | | | | |

|form | | | | |

|[pic] |

|G-H |

|gain |hamper |  |  |  |

|galvanize |handle | | | |

|generalize |hypothesize | | | |

|generate | | | | |

|give rise (to) | | | | |

|group | | | | |

|grow | | | | |

|guide | | | | |

|[pic] |

|I |

|identify |induce |investigate |  |  |

|ignore |infer |involve | | |

|illuminate |influence |isolate | | |

|illustrate |initialize | | | |

|imagine |initiate | | | |

|immobilize |input | | | |

|impair |inquire | | | |

|implement |instigate | | | |

|implicate |integrate | | | |

|imply |interact (with) | | | |

|improve |interpret | | | |

|include |intervene | | | |

|incorporate |introduce | | | |

|increase |invert | | | |

|indicate | | | | |

|[pic] |

|J-L |

|justify |limit |  |  |  |

|  |localize | | | |

|  |locate | | | |

| |loosen | | | |

| |lose | | | |

|[pic] |

|M-O |

|maintain |necessitate |obscure |  |  |

|make |need |observe | | |

|manifest |negate |obtain | | |

|manipulate |note |occur | | |

|maximize |nullify |offer (an opportunity) | | |

|mean | |omit | | |

|measure | |open up (opportunities) | | |

|meet (requirements) | |operate | | |

|merge | |optimize | | |

|minimize | |organize | | |

|model | |outline | | |

|modernize | |overcome | | |

|modify | |overstate | | |

|monitor | | | | |

|[pic] |

|P-Q |

|perceive |probe |qualify |  |  |

|perform |proceed |quantify | | |

|permeate |produce |question | | |

|persist |profit | | | |

|pioneer |promise | | | |

|place |promote | | | |

|play (a role) |propose | | | |

|plot |prove (only if true) | | | |

|point out |provide | | | |

|possess |purify | | | |

|precipitate | | | | |

|predict | | | | |

|prefer | | | | |

|prepare | | | | |

|present (evidence) | | | | |

|[pic] |

|R |

|range |regulate |research |  |  |

|reach |reject |resemble | | |

|realize |relate |resolve | | |

|reciprocate |release |respond | | |

|recognize |rely |result in | | |

|recommend |remediate |retrieve | | |

|reconstruct |remove |reveal | | |

|redefine |repair |review | | |

|reduce |repeat |revise | | |

|refer |replace | | | |

|reference |replicate | | | |

|refine |report | | | |

|reflect |represent | | | |

|refute |reproduce | | | |

|regard |require | | | |

|[pic] |

|S |

|sample |solidify |summarize |  |  |

|satisfy |solve |support | | |

|search |span |suppress | | |

|seek (to understand) |specify |surmise | | |

|select |stabilize |survey | | |

|send |start |suspend | | |

|separate |state |sustain | | |

|serve |stem from |synthesize | | |

|shape |stimulate | | | |

|show |structure | | | |

|signal |subject | | | |

|signify |submit | | | |

|simplify |substantiate | | | |

|simulate |succeed | | | |

|situate |suggest | | | |

|[pic] |

| |

|T-V |

|tailor |underline |validate |  |  |

|taint |undermine |vary | | |

|take place |underscore |verify | | |

|target |understand |view | | |

|terminate |understate |vindicate | | |

|test |unify |visualize | | |

|testify |update | | | |

|theorize |use | | | |

|transform |utilize | | | |

|translate | | | | |

|transmit | | | | |

|transport | | | | |

|treat | | | | |

|trigger | | | | |

|[pic] |

|W-Z |

|withstand |yield | | | |

|  | | | | |

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