Verbs

Every sentence has a main verb, the word or words
that tell what the subject does or that link the subject to
another word that describes it. Verbs do not always
immediately follow the subject: Other words may come
between the subject and the verb.

There are two types of verbs:
 action verbs
 being verbs
Verbs
Action Verb

An action verb tells what action the subject performs
She sees the arena.
He bought the book.
They adopted the child.
Verbs
Being Verbs


A being verb connects the subject to a word or
group of words that describe the subject. Being
verbs show no action. The most common being
verb is be, along with all its forms (am, is, are, and
so on).
What word joins the subject and the words that
describe the subject?
Verbs
Verb Phrases

A helping verb joins with the main verb in the
sentence to form the complete verb phrase. Examples
of helping verbs:
is
are
am

was can
have do
were could had does
will
has did
would
may
might
must
Helping verb + Main verb = Verb Phrase
shall
should
Verbs

Trouble Spots
Words acting as modifiers:
Never Not Hardly Seldom
The attorney could not win the case without
key witnesses.
Verbs

Trouble Spots: Verbals
Infinitive: to + verb
 It is not tied to the subject of the sentence. It
acts as a modifier or noun.
His drive to succeed would serve him well.
He wanted to get a bachelor’s degree.
Verbs

Trouble Spots: Verbals
Gerund: ing word
 Acts as a noun
Retrieving her email was her main objective.
She thought about retrieving her e-mail.
Verbs

Trouble Spots: Verbals
Participle: ing or ed word
 Acts as describing words
Walking to town in the dark, he lost his way.
Wanted by the FBI, she was on the run.
Verbs
Identify the verb.
Teams in the City League score more
touchdowns than any other teams in the
country.
Verbs
Identify the verb.
Teams in the City League score more
touchdowns than any other teams in the
country.
Verbs
Identify the verb.
Millions of people listen to the radio
every day.
Verbs
Identify the verb.
Millions of people listen to the radio
every day.
Verbs
Identify the verb.
He was the new kid at his high school in
that fall.
Verbs
Identify the verb.
He was the new kid at his high school in
that fall.
Verbs
Identify the verb.
The writer became confident in his
abilities.
Verbs
Identify the verb.
The writer became confident in his
abilities.
Verbs
Identify the verb.
Delores noticed her cousin walking along
the shoreline.
Verbs
Identify the verb.
Delores noticed her cousin walking along
the shoreline.
Verbs
Identify the verb.
Children introduced to music early develop
strong intellectual skills.
Verbs
Identify the verb.
Children introduced to music early develop
strong intellectual skills.
Verbs
Identify the verb.
I have a paper to write before class.
Verbs
Identify the verb.
I have a paper to write before class.