The Verb
A noun or pronoun cannot make a sentence by itself. The noun or
pronoun must act in some way, or something must be said about it.
The part of speech that performs this function is the verb.
**Definition – A verb is a word that expresses action or
otherwise helps to make a statement.
Action Verbs
Words such as do, come, go, and write are action verbs, meaning
they express an action. Sometimes action verbs express an action
that cannot be seen: believe, remember, know, think, and
understand are good examples of this.
Two Classes of Action Verbs: Transitive & Intransitive
There are two large classes of action verbs: Transitive and
intransitive.
**Definition – A transitive verb expresses an action towards a
person or thing in the sentence.
Examples:
Neil rang the bell. [The action of the verb rang is
directed toward bell. The verb is transitive.]
Tina mailed the package. [The action verb mailed is
directed toward package. The verb is transitive.]
In the above examples, the action passes from the doer –also
known as the subject – to the receiver of the action (known as
the object.)
**Definition – Words that receive the action of a transitive verb
are called objects.
Let’s look at those same two examples and identify the subjects
and objects in them.
Examples:
Neil rang the bell.
_________ is the subject
_________ is the object
_________ is the transitive verb
Tina mailed the package.
_________ is the subject
_________ is the object
_________ is the transitive verb
Teacher Note: Administer Exercise #1
**Definition - A verb is intransitive when it expresses action (or
makes a statement) without reference to an object.
Examples:
Last Saturday we stayed inside.
The children laughed.
The band marched past the crowd.
To make matters more confusing, the same verb may be transitive
in one sentence and intransitive in another.
Examples:
Marcie studied her notes. [transitive]
Marcie studied very late. [intransitive]
The poet wrote a sonnet. [transitive]
The poet wrote carefully. [intransitive]
How to figure out if a verb is transitive/intransitive:
Fill in the blanks? Does it make sense? (You may have to alter the
form of the verb.)
 The _________ (object) was/were ___________ (verb).
Linking Verbs
**Definition – A verb that helps to make a statement by serving
as a link between two words is called a linking verb.
The most commonly used linking verbs are forms of the verb be.
You should become very familiar with the verbs in the following
list:
be
shall be
should be
being
will be
would be
am
has been
can be
is
have been
could be
are
had been
should have been
was
shall have been would have been
were
will have been
could have been
***Any verb ending in be or been is a form of the verb be.
Here are some other frequently used linking verbs:
appear
grow
seem
stay
become
look
smell
taste
feel
remain
sound
turn
Look at the following sentences. Notice how each verb is a link
between some words on either side of it.
The answer is three. [answer = three]
Rhonda will be the captain. [Rhonda = captain]
The meatloaf tasted strange. [strange meatloaf]
The worker looked tired. [tired worker]
The noun, pronoun, or adjective that follows the linking verb fills
out or completes the meaning of the verb and refers to a noun or
pronoun coming before the verb.
NOTE: Many of the linking verbs listed above can be used as
action (non-linking) verbs as well.
The wet dog smelled horrible. [linking verb – horrible dog]
The dog smelled the meatloaf. [action verb]
The motor sounded good. [linking verb – good motor]
The engineer sounded the horn. [action verb]
**Even be is not always a linking verb. Be is sometimes followed
by certain adverbs:
Ex.  I was there.
To be a linking verb, the verb must be followed by a noun or
pronoun that names the subject or an adjective that describes it.
Verb Phrases
Parts of the verb be may serve another function besides that of
a linking verb. They may also be used as helping verbs in verb
phrases.
** A phrase is a group of related words.
**Definition – A verb phrase consists of a main verb with one or
more helping verbs coming before it.
Besides all forms of the verb be, helping verbs include the
following words:
has
can
might
have
may
must
had
should
do
shall
would
did
will
could
does
Helping verbs work together with main verbs as a unit.
Look at the following phrases. The helping verbs are underlined:
is leaving
may become
might have remained
had seemed
should move
must have thought
shall be going
could jump
does sing
Sometimes the parts of a verb phrase are interrupted by other
parts of speech.
Ex
She had always been thinking of her future.
She should not have borrowed that necklace.
We could never have moved the car alone.
Parts of verb phrases are often separated in questions.
Ex
Did you hear the president’s speech?
Could your aunt show us the game?
Has my sister played her new CD for you?
The Adverb
**Definition – An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, an
adjective, or another adverb.
Adverbs Modifying Verbs
When an adverb modifies a verb, it answers one of the following
questions: 1. Where? 2. When? 3. How? 4. To what extent?
Examples 
Where?
We lived there.
Please step up.
I have the ticket here.
When?
May we go tomorrow?
Water the plant weekly.
We’ll see you later.
How?
She quickly agreed.
The rain fell softly.
Drive carefully.
To what extent?
I am completely happy.
He hardly moved.
Did she hesitate slightly?
Adverbs Modifying Adjectives
Sometimes an adverb modifies an adjective.
Examples
Beth did an exceptionally fine job.
(The adjective fine modifies the noun job.)
(The adverb exceptionally modifies the adjective fine.)
The car had a slightly damaged fender.
(The adjective damaged modifies the noun fender.)
(The adverb slightly modifies the adjective damaged.)
Frequently used adverbs that modify adjectives:
extremely
dangerously
definitely
quite
entirely
rather
completely
terribly
unusually
especially
surprisingly
dreadfully
Adverbs Modifying Other Adverbs
Sometimes an adverb modifies another adverb.
Examples 
Calvin was almost never late.
(The adverb almost modifies the adverb never.)
We’ll meet shortly afterward.
(The adverb shortly modifies the adverb afterward.)
She slept too late.
(The adverb too modifies the adverb late.)
Forms of Adverbs
Many adverbs end in “-ly.” While this is true, there are many
adverbs that do not end in “-ly.” Also, there are plenty of other
words that do end in “-ly” and are not adverbs.
The solution? Figure out what function the word is serving in the
sentence. If the word is modifying a verb, adjective, or another
adverb then it is an adverb.