When adjectives come after linking verbs, they usually serve as a subject complement, to describe the subject: Iam patient. Note that in specific sentences, some verbs may or may not be linking verbs—appear, become, feel, grow, look, make, prove, seem, smell, sound, and taste, for instance. When a word following one of these verbs modifies the subject, use an adjective; when it modifies the verb, use an adverb.

Linking verbs suggest a state of being, not an action. In the preceding examples, looked angry suggests the state of being angry; looked angrily suggests an angry action.