Study Guide: VERBS
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Verbs are the most important words in a sentence.
Verbs are one of the eight parts of speech.
Different categories of verbs include: action, linking, helping
Verb phrases start off with a helping verb
ACTION VERBS
Actions I perform during the school day ….
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
I ask questions.
I beg for a piece of candy.
I carry my books to class.
I deliver words of encouragement to friends.
I eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
I find solutions to math problems.
I go to the library every other Wednesday with my class.
LINKING VERBS
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Some common linking verbs include: am, is, are, was, were, be, been, being, seem, look, feel, become
Linking verbs do not show action; instead, they show that something exists.
Linking verbs “link” something in the predicate back to the subject.
o If that something is an adjective, then you will have a predicate adjective to diagram.
o If that something is a noun, then you will have a predicate nominative to diagram.
Brittany is very nice.
“nice” is a predicate adjective (PA)
Alexis is a student.
“student” is a predicate nominative (PN)
Robert is a talented athlete.
NOTE: In this sentence, you might think “talented” is a predicate adjective
because it is an adjective in the predicate part of the sentence. However, what
word is “talented” modifying here? It’s modifying the word “athlete”; it is NOT
traveling left back over the linking verb to describe “Robert”. Instead, the word
“athlete” is traveling left back over the linking verb to rename Robert, not
describe. Robert isn’t a lawyer; he isn’t a doctor; he isn’t a policeman. Robert is
an athlete.
The soup tastes salty.
In this scenario, “taste” is a LINKING VERB, not an action verb. The soup did
not pick up a spoon and taste itself. I tasted the soup, and I am saying that the
soup is salty. The soup is not performing any action. Therefore, “salty” is a PA.
HELPING VERBS
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There are 23 helping verbs – no more, no less
An advance term for a helping verb is “auxiliary verb”
Remember how we divided the 23 helping verbs into manageable chunks? Remember the chant?
am, is, are, was, were
will, shall
have, has, had
may, might, must
could, should, would
be, been, being
do, does, did
can
Other Considerations …
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When a verb is more than one word, it is called a verb phrase.
o Verb phrases can be two, three, or four words.
o Verb phrases are made by using helping verbs.
o If the sentence is interrogative, an easy way to spot the verb phrase is to flip the sentence around
so you have a statement instead.
You are going to Seattle to visit Aunt Charlotte.
are going
You have been sleeping too much.
have been sleeping
We must be early.
must be
Did you see the Fourth of July parade?
Did see
Where was the car parked?
Was parked
I won’t listen to your gossip anymore.
will listen (*)
He doesn’t ride my bus anymore.
does ride (*)
I’m not leaving until I find my wallet.
am leaving (*)
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The word “not” is NOT a verb and cannot be included in the verb phrase. The word “not” is classified as
an adverb because it is modifying the verb.