The verb of a sentence expresses an action or simply

states a fact.

Verbs that simply state a fact are often called state of being verbs or verbs of existence.

Examples of action verbs:

BLOW RUN

EAT

HUG

CRY

SMILE

Examples of verbs of existence:

Am, are, can, could, do, does, did, have, had, has, is, shall, should, may, might, must, was,

were, will, would, be, being, been

These 23 verbs are also helping verbs.

Contractions:

Contract means to draw together, so contractions draw

together two words to make one word. We do this by dropping some letters and

inserting an apostrophe were the letters are missing

Do + not = don’t

They + are = they’re

It + is = it’s

I + would = I’d

Where + is = where’s

Will + not = won’t

Sometimes two or more words make up a verb phrase. The last word in a verb phrase is

called the main verb. The other words are called helping verbs.

For example:Verb phrase = helping verb + main verb

Should go = should + go

Has been giving = has been + giving

Will be leaving = will be + leaving

What is the verb phrase in the sentence, “That window must have been broken by a

rock”?

What is the verb phrase in the sentence, “Have my jeans been washed yet?”

In regular verbs, the past and In regular verbs, the past and the past participle are the the past participle are the same. The past tense is same. The past tense is

formed by adding formed by adding eded to the to the verb.verb.

Bark = barked

Irregular verbs do not add ed to the past tense. Usually the

past tense and the past participle form are not the

same.

Speak - Spoke - Spoken

Direct Objects receive the action of the verb.

For example: He threw a ball. What did he throw? What received the action of being thrown?

Sentences that have direct objects have transitive verbs because the verb has transferred action to an

object.

Sentences without direct objects have intransitive verbs because action is NOT being transferred.

Let’s try a few:

Sally grabbed the broom from me.

The cat ran up the tree.

Transitive or Intransitive

Transitive or Intransitive

A sentence may contain more the one direct object. What compound direct objects are in the following sentence:

The toddler chased the dog and cat around the house.

Indirect objects receive the direct objects. In order to have an indirect

object in a sentence, there MUST be a direct object; however, a sentence

containing a direct object does not have to contain an indirect object. Compound indirect objects may occur in sentences.

Can you find the direct and indirect objects in these sentences?

Bill baked my mother some brownies.

Did they send the winner flowers?

Some verbs are just confusing.

To sit means to rest.

To set means to place or put. Set requires a direct object.

The librarian (sit or set) the books down.

Because books is the direct object, the answer has to be set. If “placed” can be inserted for “set,” use a form of to set.

To rise means to go up (without help).

To raise means to go up (with help). Raise requires a direct object. To raise implies

with help.

The sourdough bread is (rising, raising).

There is no direct object so the answer has to be rising.

To lie means to rest or recline.

To lay means to place or put. To lay will have a direct object.

Lie/lay is very difficult to understand since the past tense of to lie is the same as the past tense of to lay. Go figure???? Just remember that laid will always have a direct object.

A pig is (lying, laying) in the mud.

There is no direct object in the sentence so the answer has to be lying.

Linking verbs DO NOT SHOW ACTION. They link the subject with a noun

(predicate nominative) or adjective (predicate adjective).

The following is a list of linking verbs: to feel, to taste, to look, to smell, to become, to seem, to sound, to grow, to remain, to appear, to stay, and to be (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been).

To check if a verb is serving as a linking verb, replace the verb with a form of “to be.” If the sentence makes sense

and the meaning is not changed, the original verb is serving as a linking verb.

Example: Joe seemed angry today.

was

In this sentence, seemed is a linking verb.

Present Tense:

Singular: is (The boy is nice)

am (I am here)

Plural: are (The classes are interesting)

Past Tense:

Singular: was (The boy was nice; I was here.)

Plural: were (The classes were interesting)

A predicate nominative is a noun that is the same as the subject of

the sentence.

What is the predicate nominative in the following sentence?

My best subjects are history and math.

Hint: Inverse the sentence to read, “History and math are my best subjects.”

Try this one:

Did your nephew become a doctor?

A predicate adjective is a describing word that occurs AFTER the verb and

goes back to describe the SUBJECT of the sentence.

For example: My wagon is red.

Try this one:

Cheddar cheese tastes good.is

Some verbs can serve as both linking and action verbs.

Action: Joan tasted the soup.

Linking: The soup tasted good.was

was

Subject-Verb Agreement: If the subject is singular, the verb must also be singular. If the subject is plural, the verb must also be plural.

For example: The dog (swim, swims) in the pool.

The dogs (swim, swims) in the pool.

If a compound subject is joined by or, follow these rules:

1) If the subject closer to the verb is singular, add s to the verb.

2) If the subject closer to the verb is plural, don’t add s to the verb.

For example: His daughters or son (need, needs) a ride home.

His son or daughters (need, needs) a ride home.

Tenses mean time. Present tense, of course, signifies present time. Present tense NEVER uses a helping verb.

So, is the following sentence written in present tense?

The puppy is sleeping.

No! Remember, present tense does not use a helping verb. This is actually progressive tense; we’ll get to it soon.

Past tense indicates time that has occurred. Past tense does not use a helping verb either.

Is the following sentence written in past tense?

The frog has hopped away.

No! Remember, past tense does not use a helping verb. This is actually perfect tense; we’ll get to it soon.

Future tense indicates time yet to occur. There are two verbs used with future tense: shall and will. Will can be used with any subject, but shall goes

with the pronouns I and we.

Is the following sentence written in future tense?

It will probably rain tomorrow.

Yes! It includes the helping verb will.

The perfect tense uses the past participle form of verbs.

Perfect tense = a form of to have + past participle

Present Perfect: have or has + past participle

Past Perfect: had + past participle

Future Perfect: will have + past participle

Confused yet?

What tense?

John has read fifty books.

I have seen him.

They had known it.

We will have gone there.

Present perfect

Present perfect

Past perfect

Future perfect

The progressive tense uses the present participle form of verbs.

Progressive tense = a form of to be + present participle

Present Progressive: am, is, or are + present participle

Past Progressive: was or were + present participle

Future Progressive: will be + present participle

Still confused?

What tense?What tense?

John is watching television. John is watching television.

I am yelling at him.I am yelling at him.

They were viewing, too.They were viewing, too.

We will be leaving soon.We will be leaving soon.

Present progressive

Present progressive

Past progressive

Future progressive

Stay tuned for a verb review in the near future! If you have questions,

please come in before school or during study hall to seek clarification.