English ____
Grammar: Verb Notes
Name______________________
Date ______________________
verb – a word used to express action or a state of being
helping verb
 “helps” the main verb express action or a state of being
 creates a verb phrase (helping verb + main verb)
Commonly used helping verbs:
Forms of be
am
are
be
been
being is
was were
Forms of do
do
does
did
Forms of have
had
has
have
Other helping verbs
can
could
may
might
must
shall
should
will
would
PRACTICE
Directions: Underline each helping verb once and each main verb twice. See the example
below to guide you.
Ex. Jon does lead the parade each year.
Bruce will conduct many outstanding bands this year.
He has been praised for his fine conducting.
His recordings should be sold everywhere.
He will be leading our group tonight!
**NOTE: Some helping verbs may also be used as main verbs. (Ex. She will be here soon.)
**NOTE: Sometimes a verb phrase is interrupted by another word, usually an adverb. (Ex. The
newspaper had finally arrived.)
**NOTE: In a question, the subject often interrupts the verb phrase. (Ex. Will the boy write
his report?)
**NOTE: The word NOT is never part of a verb phrase, it is an adverb.
action verb
 a verb that expresses either physical or mental activity
Examples of physical activity:
laugh
paint
leap
sneeze
play
_________
realize
dream __________
___________
Examples of mental activity:
understand
wish
trust
____________
PRACTICE
Directions: Underline the action verb or verbs in each sentence. You may find a verb
phrase.
EX. This book tells the history of American Indians.
Mr. Storim and his wife own and run Mayturn Daily Press.
Their books describe the importance of the land to the American Indians.
American Indians narrate their own experiences and ideas.
Many believe their stories should be told and remembered.
linking verb
 connects the subject to a word or word group that identifies or describes the subject
 the noun, pronoun, or adjective connected to the subject by a linking verb will
complete the meaning of the verb.
Commonly used linking verbs:
Forms of be
am
are
be
been
being
is
was
were
Other verbs
appear
become
feel
grow
look
remain
seem
smell
sound
stay
taste
turn
**NOTE: forms of the verb “be” are not always helping or linking verbs. When followed by a
word or word group that tells when or where, it is a state-of-being verb. Ex. Your skates are in
the attic.
PRACTICE
Directions: Provide a linking verb for each blank. Try to use a different verb in each
blank. Circle the words that each verb links.
The first day ________ too long.
Your suggestion _____________good to me.
Our room ________________festive after we decorated it.
The orange ____________ a little too sweet.
Before a storm the air ________________heavy and damp.
Did she _________________happy about living in Florida?
Most linking verbs, not including the forms of be and seem, may also be used as action
verbs. Whether a verb is used to link words or to express action depends on its meaning in
a sentence.
LINKING: Those plums appeared ripe.
ACTION: Those plums appeared on our back porch.
LINKING: The soup tasted delicious.
ACTION: I tasted the soup.
LINKING: She had grown tired of playing.
ACTION: She had grown into the new coat.
transitive verb
 expresses an action directed toward a person, place, thing or idea
Examples:
Joelle held the baby. [The action of held is directed toward the baby.]
Lorainne brought flowers. [The action of brought is directed toward flowers.]
Did Grand-dad sharpen the ax this morning? [The action of sharpen is directed toward ax.]
**HINT: You can ask yourself --- What did _________ (subject) __________ (verb)? To
determine if it is a transitive verb. What did Joelle hold? If you can answer this question (the
baby), then the verb is transitive.
object
 the “receiver” of the action when a transitive verb is
 in the examples above the ax, the flowers, and the baby are all objects.
PRACTICE
Directions: Identify the transitive verbs by underlining and the objects by circling.
Our scout troop made a quilt.
The voters elected him.
How quickly the cat chased the mouse!
The candidates hung their campaign posters in the hallways.
Store owners discounted televisions after the factory shut down.
intransitive verb
 expresses action or tells something about the subject
 the action does not pass on to a receiver, or object
Examples:
The Cross triplets played roughly in the garden.
Didn’t Sam sing beautifully last night?
How long have you been painting, Mary?
A verb may be transitive in one sentence and intransitive in another.
TRANSITIVE: Janet swam ten laps. [laps is the object]
INTRANSITIVE: Janet swam well.
TRANSITIVE: The teacher read a poem. [poem is the object]
INTRANSITIVE: The teacher read aloud.
TRANSITIVE: The baker frosted the wedding cake. [cake is the object]
INTRANSITIVE: The baker frosted skillfully.
PRACTICE
Directions: Label each transitive verb “T”. Draw an arrow to the object of the transitive
verb. Label each intransitive verb “IV”.
Cowboys often rode the trails.
They worked alongside trail hands.
They all enjoyed each other’s company as they swapped stories.
Often they sang around the campfire.
They sang songs of sorrow and happiness.