Here's a breakdown:
Linking Verbs:
* Be verbs: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been
* Other linking verbs: appear, become, feel, grow, look, remain, seem, smell, sound, taste, turn
Examples:
* Predicate Nominative:
* She *is* a doctor. (Doctor renames She)
* The winner *was* John. (John renames The winner)
* Predicate Adjective:
* The cake *tastes* delicious. (Delicious describes The cake)
* He *feels* happy. (Happy describes He)
Action Verbs:
Action verbs describe an action that the subject performs. They are followed by a direct object (the person or thing receiving the action) or by other information that describes the action.
Examples:
* Direct Object:
* She *wrote* a letter. (Letter is the object of the action wrote)
* He *kicked* the ball. (Ball is the object of the action kicked)
* Other Information:
* He *ran* quickly. (Quickly describes how he ran)
* The dog *barked* loudly. (Loudly describes how the dog barked)
Key Difference:
The main difference between linking verbs and action verbs is that linking verbs connect the subject to a noun or adjective that describes or renames the subject. Action verbs describe an action that the subject performs.