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Linking Verbs Quiz (Level B1-B2) - Grammar Practice

⏱ Time: 07:30 📝 Questions: 15 📊 Level: B1, B2 📚 Type: Grammar ⭐ XP: up to +16 (on pass)

Preparing for an English exam? Practise Linking Verbs with 15 exercises at Level B1-B2. The questions mirror real exam formats — multiple choice, true/false, and matching — so you get familiar with the question styles while reviewing key grammar concepts.

⏱ You have 07:30 to answer 15 questions. The timer only starts when you click Begin.

Q1  15
Q1 15

Question 1: The soup ___ delicious after the chef added more herbs.

Question 1 options
'Tasted' is correct because it functions as a linking verb here, connecting the subject 'soup' to the adjective 'delicious'. 'Ate', 'made', and 'cooked' are action verbs that require an object and do not link the subject to a descriptive complement.
Q2 15

Question 2: After hiking for six hours, the climbers ___ exhausted by the time they reached the base camp.

Question 2 options
'Became' is correct because it is a linking verb that connects the subject 'climbers' to the subject complement 'exhausted', describing their resulting state. 'Ran', 'moved', and 'went' are action verbs that do not link subjects to adjective complements.
Q3 15

Question 3: A linking verb connects the subject of a sentence to a subject complement, which can be a noun, adjective, or descriptive phrase — but NOT a direct object.

Question 3 options
True because linking verbs do not express action, so nothing receives that action. What follows a linking verb is a subject complement (an adjective or noun describing the subject), not a direct object.
Q4 15

Question 4: In the sentence 'The coffee smells wonderful', what role does 'smells' play?

Question 4 options
'Smells' is a linking verb here because it connects the subject 'coffee' to the adjective complement 'wonderful', describing the subject's quality. It does not describe an action performed by the coffee.
Q5 15

Question 5: Arrange the words to make a correct sentence:

Question 5 options
  • during the storm
  • remained
  • surprisingly stable
  • The old bridge

Drag items or use arrows to arrange them in the correct order.

The correct order is 'The old bridge remained surprisingly stable during the storm' because a linking verb (remained) connects the subject (The old bridge) to its adjective complement (surprisingly stable), followed by the adverbial phrase.
Q6 15

Question 6: Which sentence uses a linking verb correctly?

Question 6 options
'The milk turned sour overnight' is correct because 'turned' is used as a linking verb connecting the subject 'milk' to the adjective 'sour'. The other sentences misuse potential linking verbs by pairing them with objects or locations rather than subject complements.
Q7 15

Question 7: Customer: 'How does this fabric feel?' Shop assistant: 'It ___ very smooth and soft when you touch it.'

Question 7 options
'Feels' is correct because it functions as a linking verb connecting 'It' to the adjective complement 'very smooth and soft', describing the fabric's sensory quality. 'Touches', 'handles', and 'grabs' are action verbs that would need an object.
Q8 15

Question 8: Which sentence uses 'appear' as a linking verb rather than an action verb?

Question 8 options
'She appeared nervous before the interview' uses 'appeared' as a linking verb because 'nervous' is an adjective complement describing her state. In the other sentences, 'appeared' describes a physical action of coming into view or a location, making it an action verb.
Q9 15

Question 9: Put the words in the correct order:

Question 9 options
  • seems
  • in meetings
  • very confident
  • The new manager

Drag items or use arrows to arrange them in the correct order.

The correct order is 'The new manager seems very confident in meetings' because the linking verb 'seems' connects the subject to the adjective complement 'very confident', followed by the prepositional phrase indicating context.
Q10 15

Question 10: The scientist's theory ___ increasingly convincing as more evidence was gathered over the years.

Question 10 options
'Proved' is correct because it functions as a linking verb meaning 'turned out to be', connecting the subject 'theory' to the adjective complement 'convincing'. 'Showed', 'presented', and 'displayed' are action verbs that require a direct object.
Q11 15

Question 11: Which statement about linking verbs is correct?

Question 11 options
A linking verb can be replaced by a form of 'be' or 'seem' and the sentence still makes logical sense, which is the standard test for identifying linking verbs. The other statements are incorrect: linking verbs can be action verbs in other contexts, they do not require objects, and they are followed by adjectives or nouns, not adverbs.
Q12 15

Question 12: Rewrite using a linking verb: 'The students were in a state of confusion after the announcement.' → The students ___ after the announcement.

Question 12 options
'Seemed confused' is correct because it uses the linking verb 'seemed' followed by the adjective 'confused' as a subject complement, accurately transforming the original meaning. The other options either use action verbs or do not preserve the descriptive meaning.
Q13 15

Question 13: Match each sentence to the correct grammar label.

Question 13 options
The project became a huge success for the company.
The weather grew colder as the afternoon passed.
The chef tasted the broth carefully before serving.
She remained calm throughout the entire crisis.
Action verb with a direct object
Linking verb showing a continued state
Linking verb + predicate noun
Linking verb + predicate adjective

Select an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.

Linking verbs connect subjects to subject complements. The complement can be an adjective (predicate adjective), a noun (predicate noun/nominative), or a phrase. Some verbs can function as either linking or action verbs depending on context.
Q14 15

Question 14: Verbs such as 'smell', 'taste', 'look', and 'feel' can ONLY function as linking verbs in English and can never be used as action verbs.

Question 14 options
False because many sensory verbs are dual-function. For example, 'she smelled the roses' uses 'smelled' as an action verb with a direct object, while 'the roses smelled lovely' uses it as a linking verb. Context determines the function.
Q15 15

Question 15: Which sentence best expresses a change of state using a linking verb?

Question 15 options
'The neighbourhood gradually grew unsafe over several years' is best because 'grew' functions as a linking verb expressing a change of state, connecting the subject to the adjective 'unsafe'. The other options use 'grow' as an action verb or place it with a noun object.