Verb Study Guide
Unit 3
Week 1
 Action verb: a word that expresses action. (tells what the subject does or did)
o Example: write, told, wrote, ran
 A linking verb links or connects the subject of a sentence to a noun or an adjective in the
predicate. A linking verb does not express action. (am, is, are, was, were)
Week 2
 The main verb in a sentence tells what the subject does or is.
o Examples: visiting, showed, watched
 Helping verbs help the main verb show an action or make a statement. (have, has, had, am, is,
are, was, were, will)
o The helping verbs has, have, and had can be used with the past-tense form of a verb to
show an action that has already happened. (Jack has visited the zoo.)
o The helping verb will is used with the future-tense form of a verb to show an action that
will happen in the future. (Jack will be visiting the zoo.)
o The helping verbs am, is, and are can be used with present-tense form of a verb. (We are
going to the store.)
Week 3
 Subject-Verb Agreement: A present-tense verb must agree with the subject.
o Add –s to the verb if the subject is singular
(Susan drives to her friend’s house.)
o Add –es to verbs if they end in –s, ch, sh, x, or z
(teaches, pushes, reaches)
o Do not add –s or –es if the subject is plural or if it is I or you.
(Each week I go to the store. The girls throw the ball. You eat slow.)
Week 4
 Present, Past, or Future Tenses: a verb can be in three different tenses
o Present tense verbs state an action that is happening now
(learn, drive, ride, provide)
o Past tense verbs state an action that has already happened. They normally end with an –ed,
but not always.
(showed, ran, jumped, wrote)
o Future tense verbs are an action that will happen.
(will learn, will go, will teach)
Week 5
 Irregular verbs are different because they do not end in –ed to form the past tense. These verbs
change their spelling.
(give [present tense] - gave [past tense])