Verbs
A verb tells what happens in a sentence. For example run and laugh are verbs.
An action verb is a verb that tells what action someone or something is
performing.
Example
The king ruled the country for many years.
The verb ruled tells what the subject king does.
Action verbs show mental action as well as visible action.
Visible Action
Mental Action
Artists painted the walls with scenes of daily life.
The Chinese remembered their ancestors.
Visible Action
swim
walk
dance
cry
cheer
laugh
swim
dance
Mental Action
wonder
appreciate
remembered
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
An action verb is transitive if it directs action toward someone or something
named in the same sentence.
An action verb is intransitive if it does not direct action toward someone or
something named in the sentence.
The receiver of the action of a transitive verb is called the object of the verb.
Intransitive verbs, however, have no objects.
Transitive
Intransitive
Pat carried her books to her locker.
The temperature fell quickly.
To determine whether a verb is transitive or intransitive, ask Whom? or What? after
the verb. If you can find the answer in the sentence, the verb is transitive. If not,
the verb is intransitive.
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Linking Verbs
Linking verbs do not show action. A linking verb is a verb that connects a word at
or near the beginning of a sentence with a word at or near the end.
Forms of Be
The Forms of Be
Am being
Can be
Are being
Could be
Is being
May be
Was being
Might be
Were being
Must be
Shall be
Should be
Will be
Would be
Am
Are
Is
Was
Were
Have been
Has been
Had been
Could have been
May have been
Might have been
Must have been
Shall have been
Should have been
Will have been
Would have been
Other Linking Verbs
appear
become
Example
feel
grow
Other Linking Verbs
look
seem
sound
remain
smell
stay
taste
turn
The situation seemed hopeless. (Hopeless describes the
situation.)
Linking Verb or Action Verb?
A verb is functioning as a linking verb if am, are, or is can be substituted for the
verb.
Example
The pears taste sweet.
The pears are sweet. (Linking verb)
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Helping Verbs
Helping verbs are verbs that can be added to another verb to make a single verb
phrase.
do
does
did
Helping Verbs Other Than The Forms of Be
have
shall
can
has
should
could
had
will
may
Would
might
must
Verb phrases are created by the addition of helping verbs to other verbs.
Verb Phrases
Helping Verbs
Verbs
am
talking
did
play
can
write
will be
studying
should have
seen
might have been
considered
Without Helping Verbs
With Helping Verbs
They sing in the morning.
They will sing in the morning.
Finding Helping Verbs in Sentences
Verb phrases are often interrupted by other words.
Words Together
Words Separated
They will be flying in the morning.
They will definitely not be going with us.
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