Name:_________________________________________
Date: _________________________________________
Grammar
Verbs
What is a verb?
The main verb of a sentence either shows action or links
the subject to another word in the sentence. There are
three types of verbs:
 Action verbs
 Helping verbs
 Linking verbs
As time allows, we will also focus on the following:
 Verb tense
 Subject-verb agreement
Name ___________________________
Quiz Date ____________________________
Name:_________________________________________
Date: _________________________________________
Grammar
Verbs
Action Verbs
An action verb tells what the subject is DOING.
Always try to use action verbs that are specific because they bring life to your
writing.
General action
verbs
Paul left.
Hungry dogs eat food.
Grandma always gives
us hugs.
Specific action
verbs
Paul disappeared.
Hungry dogs gobble
food.
Grandma always hugs
us.
A thesaurus and dictionary will help you find specific action verbs. Be sure you
know the exact meaning of a verb before using it.
Strong action verbs create clear word pictures for the reader.
John walks through the park.
The word “walks” suggests that John is moving at a normal pace. Notice how the
feeling in the sentence changes each time you substitute a different synonym from
the chart.
Synonym
Strolls
Strides
Trudges
Struts
Stomps
Hobbles
Definitions
To walk slowly, in a relaxed way
To walk briskly, with long steps
To walk very slowly, with effort
To walk in a very confident, showy
way
To walk with heavy, aggressive steps
To walk haltingly and with difficulty
Make sure the connotation, or feeling, of a word clearly matches the picture you
want to create for your reader.
Name:_________________________________________
Date: _________________________________________
Grammar
Verbs
Homework
Practice
Verbs are underlined in the following sentences. Rewrite the sentence, replacing
the general verb with a more specific one. You may need to change the wording
of some of your new sentences.
1. The mountain stood before Kit.
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2. She walked through the deep snow.
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3. The bitter wind hurt her face.
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4. The snow moved all around her.
Name:_________________________________________
Date: _________________________________________
Grammar
Verbs
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Continued on the next page….
5. The temperature dropped very quickly.
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6. Kit looked at her map of the trail.
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Name:_________________________________________
Date: _________________________________________
Grammar
Verbs
Linking Verbs
A linking verb connects a subject to a noun or an adjective in the predicate.
Subject – who or what the sentence is about
Predicate – what is being done or described
Example: Artichokes are unusual vegetables.
The linking verb are what connects the subject artichokes to the noun vegetables.
Linking verbs
Forms of the verb be – is, are, was, were, being, been, am
Other linking verbs – appear, become, feel, grow, look, remain, seem, smell,
sound, taste
Directions: Please circle the linking verb(s) in each sentence below.
1. Tommy is a very good baseball player.
2. We were the spelling bee champions last year.
3. Raw onions taste awful in salads.
4. The new stereo remains in the living room.
5. My favorite colors are green and blue.
Homework
Name:_________________________________________
Date: _________________________________________
Grammar
Verbs
Directions: Write five sentences using the following linking verbs.
1. is
2. were
3. become
4. look
5. smell
1.
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2.
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3.
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Name:_________________________________________
Date: _________________________________________
Grammar
Verbs
4.
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5.
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Tenses of Verbs
The tense of a verb tells when the action takes place. Verb tenses may be either
simple or perfect.
Simple Tenses
The simple tenses include present, past, and future.
The present tense of a verb states an action that is happening now or that
happens regularly.
Name:_________________________________________
Date: _________________________________________
I practice multiplication.
Grammar
Verbs
I study for my tests.
The past tense of a verb states an action or a state of being that happened at a
specific time in the past.
I practiced multiplication.
I studied for my tests.
The future tense of a verb states an action that will take place. It needs a helping
verb such as will or shall before the main verb.
I will practice multiplication.
I shall study for my tests.
Practice
Identify the tense of each underlined verb below.
Example: I like to visit my uncle in Arizona.
Present
1. He invites us every year.
______________
2. Next summer we will spend an entire week with him.
______________
3. Last time we visited the Hopi Reservation near Flagstaff.
______________
4. Huge, flat mountains, called mesas, rise above the flat land.
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5. Someday I will study to become an archaeologist.
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Homework
Directions: Draw a circle around the action verb in each sentence.
On the line, tell whether the verb is past tense, present tense, or future
tense.
Name:_________________________________________
Date: _________________________________________
Grammar
Verbs
1. The pitcher tossed the ball to the batter .
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2. The ball flies through the air. ______________________________
3. The football landed across the field on the bleachers.
__________________________
4. Daniel will run around the bases.
___________________________________________
5. He will slide into home plate. ___________________________
6. Daniel smiled proudly. ________________________________
Directions: Sentences 7 and 8 have 2 action verbs that are the same
tense. Can you find them?
7. Jenna’s teammates cheered as she crossed the finish line.
______________________
8. The crowd screams loudly as the diver plunges into the water.
___________________
Helping Verbs
A helping verb comes before the main verb and helps to form some of the tenses.
Name:_________________________________________
Date: _________________________________________
Grammar
Verbs
We will eat the artichokes tomorrow.
The helping verb will expresses future time. The word eat is still an action verb
and is part of the whole verb.
Helping verbs
Forms of the verb be – is, are, was, were, being, been, am
Other helping verbs – shall, will, should, would, could, must, can, may, have, had,
has, do, did, does
Write five sentences using the following helping verbs before the main verbs of
your choice.
1. are
2. will
3. would
4. have
5. Did
1.
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2.
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Name:_________________________________________
Date: _________________________________________
Grammar
Verbs
3.
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4.
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5.
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Name:_________________________________________
Date: _________________________________________
Grammar
Verbs
Homework
Directions: Circle the main verb in each sentence. Underline the helping verb.
1. Nick will eat spaghetti and meatballs for dinner tonight.
2. Mallory is walking to the park.
3. The dogs are sleeping on the bed.
4. Elizabeth and Cheyenne had gone to the library.
5. Those quick squirrels have run up the maple tree.
6. The car is making an awful noise.
Perfect Tenses
The perfect tenses include present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect.
The present perfect tense states an action that began in the past but is still
happening. The helping verb has or have is added before the past-participle form
of the main verb.
Derek has practiced his cello a lot.
The past perfect tense states an action that began and was completed in the past.
The helping verb had is added before practiced, the past-participle form of the
main verb.
He had practiced for an hour.
The future perfect tense states an action that will begin in the future and end at a
specific time. The helping verbs will have are added before practiced, the pastparticiple form of the main verb.
Name:_________________________________________
Date: _________________________________________
Grammar
Verbs
By concert time, he will have practiced enough.
Practice
Identify the tense of each underlined verb below.
Example: Our band teacher, Mr. Huan, has planned this concert for months.
Present perfect
1. We have practiced the music for “Peter and the Wolf”.
__________
2. A month ago, we had asked our principal to read the narration.
__________
3. She has performed the spoken part many times.
__________
4. After this concert, she will have narrated the piece five times.
__________
5. She had been an actor before becoming a principal
__________
Homework
Directions: Circle the past, present, or future perfect tense verbs.
Identify the tense of each circled verb below.
1. Thomas has worked as a mechanic here since last summer.
_____________
2. Ashley’s check has arrived in the mail.
_____________________________
3. With a little more time, your team will have developed a better cell
project.
Name:_________________________________________
Date: _________________________________________
Grammar
Verbs
_________________________________
4. I have studied very hard for tomorrow’s test.
________________________
5. The audience will have waited for an hour by the time the music
starts.
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6. After we had covered the floor, we began to paint the walls.
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