4th Grade Linking Verbs Worksheets
Fourth graders meet linking verbs beyond is and was: the solution turned cloudy, the crowd grew quiet, the milk smells sour. The verb links the subject to a description rather than showing an action, and the richer verbs make the linking test genuinely necessary.
Free printable PDF. One skill per page, answer key on page two.
Every sheet is one of a kind and prints with a version code, so you can reprint the exact same one later. New version every click.
The kind of sentences you'll get
Underline the linking verb in each sentence.
-
The experiment's results were inconclusive without a control.
Answer: were
- The sourdough starter smells sharper by the fifth day.
- The debate grew lively during the final round.
Every print draws a fresh mix of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different sheet.
What's on each sheet
- Identify. Underline the linking verb in each sentence. 12 questions per page.
- Multiple choice. Circle the letter of the word that is the linking verb. 10 questions per page.
Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.
How to teach this
Teach the substitution test as the tool of the grade: swap the verb for is/was and see if the sentence survives. The milk smells sour → the milk IS sour: linking. The dog smells the bone → the dog IS the bone: action, and nonsense. Verbs like turned, grew, and looked go both ways, so the test earns its keep on every sheet.
Watch for: Linking verbs show no action; they work like an equals sign between the subject and its description. The sense verbs moonlight: in 'She smells the roses' smells is an action, but in 'The roses smell sweet' it links.
Common questions about linking verbs
- Why are verbs like grew and turned on a linking-verb page?
- Because they moonlight. The gardener grew tomatoes is an action; the crowd grew quiet is a link (the crowd IS quiet). Fourth grade is where students stop memorizing verb lists and start testing each sentence, which is exactly what these items force.
- What's the quickest check for a linking verb?
- Replace it with is or was. If the sentence still makes sense and means nearly the same thing, the verb was linking. It's a two-second test that works on every item here, and it transfers straight to any sentence your child meets in a book.
Related worksheets
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Reviewed by the One More Sheet curriculum team. Content version 68, updated July 2026.