Parts of Speech- Verbs
English 9 2014
Action Verbs
• Action verbs tell what happens. Sit and throw for example, are action
verbs.
• An action verb is a verb that tells what action someone or something is
performing.
• The king rules.
• Famine struck the people.
• The person or thing that performs the action is called the subject of the verb. The
verb rules tells what the subject king does. The verb struck tells what the subject
Famine did.
• Action verbs show mental action as well as visible action.
• Visible- We chose two books about China.
• Mental- They remember the film about China.
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- Pat carried her books to the lecture on Asia.
• Intransitive- The temperature fell quickly.
Transitive or Intransitive?
• Most action verbs can be transitive in one sentence and intransitive in
another.
• 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.
• Transitive: Bill reads books about Asia.
• Intransitive: Bill reads every night before going to bed.
Linking Verbs
• Linking verbs do not show action. Though few in number, these verbs
are widely used. A linking verb helps one word in a sentence name or
describe the condition of another word in the sentence.
• 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
• In English, the most common linking verb is some form of the verb be.
• Notice how the forms of be-is, are, and was- connect words at the
beginning of the following sentences with words at the end.
• Sara is an astronaut.- is connects Sara with astronaut.
• He was glad. – was connects He and glad.
The Forms of Be
Am
Are
Is
Was
were
Am being
Are being
Is being
Was being
Were being
Can be
Could be
May be
Might be
Must be
Shall be
Should be
Would be
Will be
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
Note about Verbs Expressing Existence
• The verb be is not always used as a linking verb.
• Sometimes, it simply expresses existence, generally by showing where
something is located.
• Examples: The missile should be on the launch pad.
He is your ticket.
Other Linking Verbs
• Verbs other than be may also be used as linking verbs.
appear become feel grow look remain seem smell
sound stay taste turn
• In the examples below, you can see how these verbs act as linking
verbs by helping words at the end of the sentences name or describe
the place or thing at the beginning.
• The situation on board remained serious.
• The astronauts grew anxious.
Linking Verb or Action Verb?
• Most of the verbs in the previous chart can be used as either linking
verbs or action verbs.
• To determine whether a verb is being used as a linking verb or as an
action verb in a sentence, you can substitute am, are or is for the
verb.
• If the substituted verb make sense and connects two words, then it the
original verb is being used as a linking verb.
• If the substituted verb makes the sentence illogical or fails to connect two
words, then the original word is an action verb.
A verb is functioning as a linking verb if am, are or
is can logically be substituted for the verb.
Linking Verbs
Action Verbs
The pears taste sweet.
The pears are sweet.
-Linking
I taste the red peppers.
I am the red pepper.
(action, not linking)
Apollo 13 appears ready.
Apollo 13 is ready.
-Linking
Apollo 13 appears suddenly.
Apollo 13 is suddenly.
(action, not linking)
The runner grew tired.
The runner is tired.
- Linking
He grew a beard.
He is a beard.
(action, not linking)
Helping Verbs
• Helping verbs are verbs that can be added to another verb to make a
single verb phrase.
Do does did have has
might must can could
had would
may
shall
should
will
• Verb phrases are created by the addition of helping verbs to other
verbs. The following chart lists six examples.
Helping Verbs
Am did can will be
should have might have been
Verbs
Talking play write
seen considering
studying