Link verbs

 

Link verbs

Some verbs are followed by either a noun or an adjective:

She was a good friend. She was very happy.

V + N V + Adj

He became headmaster. He became angry.

V + N V + Adj

These verbs are called link verbs. Common verbs like this are:

be become

appear feel

look remain

seem sound

He looked hungry.
He looked a good player.

She seemed an intelligent woman.
She seemed intelligent.

After appear and seem we often use to be: 

She appeared to be an intelligent woman.
He seemed to be angry.

Some link verbs are followed by an adjective but not a noun. Common verbs like this are:

get

go

grow

taste

smell

He got hungry in the evening.
The dog went crazy.
She grew stronger every day.
The soup tasted wonderful.
This milk smells bad.