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Verbs, Verbs, Verbs!!
A verb is a word that shows or expresses action, being, or
doing.
A. Most verbs show action
ex: Jennifer leaped over the snoozing elephant
B. Some actions are quiet, still, or peaceful like sitting,
dreaming or breathing. A verb can express just doing
something-something that is not so active.
ex: Danielle is looking at the kitten in the tulip garden
C. A verb can show being
Being has no action in it at all. The verb “of being” (which
is also called the verb “to be”) doesn’t do anything. It just
shows that someone or something exists.
EX: Chico is a Pug.
Action Verbs:
Casey skipped rope for two hours straight.
Doing verbs:
The raccoon sleeps in the barn.
Being verbs:
I am the greatest wizard in the universe.
There are 23 special verbs that help the main verbs express
action, being and doing. They are called helping verbs
3 begin with B
3 begin with D
3 begin with M
3 begin with H
3 end with –ould
2 end with –ll
5 are the verb
“to be”
Put them all into
a can
be
do
may
have
could
shall
am, are,
is, was,
were
can
being
does
must
has
would
will
been
did
might
had
should
Helping verbs…
1) help add emphasis to what you’re saying
ex: I definitely do want that little raincoat for my pet
gerbil.
2) help to express doubt or uncertainty
ex: Heather may go mountain climbing if it doesn’t rain.
3) help make negative statements (when combined with
the word not)
ex: Jack does not eat green food, ever!
4) help express the tenses
Present: I am studying about ecosystems in science class.
Future: I will study ecosystems in science class.
Past: I have studied about ecosystems in science class.
How long is a verb?
A complete verb can be 1, 2, 3, or 4 words
1 word verbs:
Molly played the guitar in the musical.
2 word verb phrase:
Michael can climb the greasy flagpole tomorrow.
3 word verb phrase:
The scenery for the show is being painted right now.
4 verb phrase:
Mrs. Zallow could have been shoveling the snow all this
time.
Verb phrases interrupted:
Jack must have absentmindedly forgotten his shoes at the
dentist’s office.
Imperative verbs:
An imperative verb is a special verb that gives commands or
makes requests. People use imperative verbs all day long
(especially teachers )
Go to your room. Walk in the halls. Raise your hand before you
speak.
One-word sentences:
A complete sentence could be as short as one word if that one
word is an imperative verb. The subject of the sentence is an
understood “you”
Help!
is a complete sentence.
Linking verbs Link
A linking verb is a verb that links. It does not show action or
doing. It’s more like the verb “to be”. It connects the subject of
the sentence to a word or phrase in the predicate.
List of Linking verbs
to act
to feel
to appear
to get
* to be
to grow
to become
to look
* to be is the most used linking
to prove
to remain
to seem
to smell
verb
to
to
to
to
sound
stay
taste
turn
Regular vs Irregular Verbs
All verbs can be divided into two categories: regular and
irregular
Regular Verbs:
All you have to do to write a regular verb in the past tense is to
add –d or –ed. That’s what makes a regular verb regular.
Some regular verbs that end with –ed in the past tenses can
also end with –t. You might see them both ways, and both ways
are correct.
He burned/burnt the toast.
Irregular verbs:
Some verbs are irregular. Irregular verbs form their past tenses
in weird, unpredictable ways. When you were a little kid, you
probably did what other little kids do when they are just learning
English. They make all their verbs regular. You probably said
sentences like…
I eated up all my peas.
My doggie runned around the yard.
Mommy seed me in the show.
Yesterday I goed to Grammy’s house.
Then as you got older, you learned that not all verbs add –d or –
ed to form their past tenses. Some verbs are irregular. So, now
you say.
I ate up all my peas.
The dog ran around the yard.
Mom saw me in the show.
Yesterday I went to my grandmother’s house.