Name_____________________________________________________
Study Guide: Unit 3 Verbs
Directions: Please fill out the answers to each section of the study guide.
Don’t forget to study!
1. Action Verbs. Remember that an action verb tells what the subject
does. To find the action verb, find the subject of the sentence first. Then
ask “What did they DO?” Here are some examples. Find the action verb
and underline it.
a. Todd baked some fish sticks.
b. First, he preheated the oven.
c. Then he made some tartar sauce.
d. Todd enjoys baking.
2. Helping Verbs and Main Verbs. Here are the helping verbs we learned
in class:
am
have
is
has
are
had
was
were
will
Helping verbs go before main verbs. (Action verbs) For example: I have
learned how to multiply. The helping verb is have and the main verb is
learned. In the next few examples, underline the helping verb and circle
the main verb.
a. Mrs. Callis will hang the posters on the wall.
b. The children were laughing at the performers.
c. The girls have sung that song many times.
d. I am playing Guitar Hero.
e. He is walking with a cane.
3. Past, Present, and Future Tense. Remember that past tense tells about
an action that has already happened. Present tense tells about
something that is happening now or continues to happen. Future tense
tells about something that will happen later. Future tense always uses the
helping verb “will”. Please underline the verb in each sentence and then
write past, present, or future.
a. My students will pass their English test. _______________________
b. The boys recite the verbs aloud. ____________________________
c. The girls study with friends. ________________________________
d. I checked the tests after school. _____________________________
4. Subject-Verb Agreement. Remember that the subject of the sentence
must agree with the present tense verb. With singular subjects, you must
add an –s to the verb. For example: The cow eats the grass. With plural
subjects, you do not add an –s to the verb. For example: The chefs grate
the cheese. Write the correct form of the present tense verb in
parentheses on the line.
a. Fluffy ___________________ in the tall grass. (hide)
b. We ____________________ together in the field. (run)
c. My sister ______________________ the dog’s paws. (clean)
d. Frank and Bill __________________ the dogs are noisy. (say)
5. Spelling the Present Tense. Remember with present tense verbs, there
are spelling rules when adding –s to a verb.
* When a verb ends with a consonant and y, change the y to an I
and add –es. (copy-copies)
* When a verb ends with a vowel and y, just add an –s. (enjoyenjoys)
* When a verb ends with s, x, sh, or ch, add –es. (pitch-pitches)
Write the present tense form of the verb in parentheses.
a. Luisa _______________________ the trumpet. (play)
b. The ball ____________________ high in the air. (fly)
c. Don _______________________ his fingers. (stretch)
d. Nicole _____________________ the ball to Ashley. (throw)
6. Spelling the Past Tense. Remember that most past tense verbs end in
-ed. There are some spelling rules to remember:
* When a verb ends in a consonant and y, change the y to i and
add –ed. (copy-copied)
* When a verb ends with an e, just add a d. (hope-hoped)
* When a verb is one syllable and ends with a vowel and a
consonant, double the final consonant and add –ed (hop-hopped)
Write the past tense of the verb:
a. splash ____________________________________
b. trip _______________________________________
c. worry _____________________________________
d. tug _______________________________________
e. save ______________________________________
7. The past with have and has. Remember that you use the helping verb
have when the subject is plural or with I or you. (You have dropped your
pencil. Horses have learned tricks.) You use the helping verb has with
singular subjects. (Denise has baked a cake. He has traveled all over.)
Write have or has to complete each sentence correctly:
a. We __________________ watched the movie six times.
b. Todd ________________ hurried to eat his fish sticks.
c. I _____________________ enjoyed learning to knit.
d. Rocky and Molly ___________________ learned to fetch a bone.
e. One monkey __________________ smiled at us.
8. Irregular Verbs. You have learned that most past tense verbs end in –
ed. However, irregular verbs do not follow this rule. You must remember
the spellings of irregular verbs. Please fill out the irregular verb chart. I have
done a couple for you.
Present
begin
break
bring
come
drive
eat
give
grow
know
make
say
sing
take
tell
throw
wear
Past
began
broke
Past with has, have, or had
begun
broken
9. The special verb be. The being verbs we learned in class are: am, is, are,
was, were. These are special verbs because they do not show action.
Choose the correct form of the verb be in the following sentences:
a. The branches (is, are) close to the ground.
b. I (am, is) up in the tree now.
c. My sister (is, are) a good climber.
d. You (was, were) calm during the tornado drill.
e. Our school (was, were) voted the best in Macomb County.
10. Contractions with not. Sometimes you can join a verb with the word
not. The shortened word is called a contraction. An apostrophe takes the
place of the letter o in each contraction with not.
Please write the contraction for each group of words:
a. is not ________________________
b. was not ______________________
c. were not _____________________
d. did not _______________________
e. will not ________________________
f. would not ______________________
I know this is a very long study guide, but I want you to do well on your
test. Please be sure to study hard! Thank you.