Name______________________________
Verbs Study Guide
An action verb is a word that expresses action.
(Examples: jump, run, sing, dance, eat, and swim)
The boys kick the soccer ball.
A linking verb is a verb that does not show action. It links or joins the subject
of a sentence to information about the subject.
(Examples: am, are, is, was, were, be, appear, become, feel, grow, look, seem,
sound, taste, and smell)
The moon was full.
Verbs that are made up of more than one word are verb phrases. In a verb
phrase, the main verb names the action. The helping verb helps tell the time of
the action.
(Examples: has, have, had, am, is, are, was, were, be, been, do, does, did, can,
would, will, would, and should)
Reminder: A sentence can have more than one helping verb.
Pets can perform amazing tricks. We should have saved more wetland habitats.
The tense of a verb shows when something happens.
A present tense verb shows action that happens now.
Most present tense singular verbs end with-s or –es. Most present tense plural
verbs do not end with –s or –es.
(Examples: wants, calls, plays, watches, carries, and enters)
The boy talks to his friend.
A past tense verb shows action that has already happened.
Most verbs in the past tense end in –ed.
(Examples: tried, played, wanted, called, watched, and entered)
The girl played with her doll yesterday.
A future tense verb shows action that will happen.
Add will (or shall) to most verbs to show future tense.
(Examples: will want, will call, will play, shall carry, and shall enter)
I will travel to Florida for vacation.
Present participles ALWAYS end in –ing. They are the form used with is, am,
and are in verb phrases.
(Examples: is looking, am running, and are reading)
She is studying this paper right now.
Past participles USUALLY end in –ed or -d. They are the form used with have,
has, and had in verb phrases.
(Examples: have looked, has stopped, and had hopped)
I have played many different kinds of sports.