Verbs A verb is a word that expresses

Verbs A verb is a word that expresses action or otherwise helps to make a statement. n. Linking n. Auxiliary n. Transitive/Intransitive n. Active/Passive n. Participle

Linking Verbs n n n Some verbs express a state or condition. They link to the subject a noun, pronoun, or an adjective that describes or identifies the subject. The word linked to the subject is called its subject complement. n Ex: Sarah was serious.

Linking Verbs n n n The most common linking verb is the verb be. Takes a number of forms: is, am, are, was were, being, been (and all verb phrases ending in be, being, or been). Other common linking verbs (W 421): become, look, feel, seem…

Linking Verbs n Don’t be deceived. Many linking verbs can also be used as action verbs. Ex: The singer appeared nervous. n Ex: The singer appeared on TV. n n A verb is a linking verb if one can substitute some form of the verb seem. Ex: The audience looked [seemed] happy. n Ex: Jack looked [not seemed] at his notes. n

Auxiliary Verbs n n A verb phrase is made up of a main verb and one or more auxiliary verbs (also called helping verbs). Auxiliary verbs help the main verb to express action or make a statement. Ex: I should have studied more. n Ex: He must have been injured during the game. n

Auxiliary Verbs n The auxiliary verbs may be separated from the main verb. Ex: Did you see dad at the movies? n Ex: We have not yet been to Kairos. n

Transitive/Intransitive n Action verbs may (or may not) take an object: n n a noun or pronoun that completes the action by showing who or what is affected by the action. Verbs that take objects are called transitive. n Ex: I typed my paper until midnight.

Transitive/Intransitive n Verbs that express action without objects are called intransitive. Ex: The rain fell. n Ex: I typed until midnight. n n In English, most active verbs can be either transitive or intransitive.

Active/Passive n A verb is in the active voice when it expresses an action performed by its subject. n Ex: The car hit a tree. [subject acting]

Active/Passive n A verb is in the passive voice when it expresses an action performed upon its subject or when the subject is the result of the action. n Ex: The tree was hit by a car [subject acted upon].

Active/Passive n All transitive verbs can be used in the passive voice. Ex: The thief stole the money. [transitive] n Ex: The money was stolen by the thief. [passive] n n The object has been moved ahead of the subject (making it the subject) and the verb combined with a form of to be.

Principal Parts n Every verb has four basic forms called principal parts: Infinitive n Present participle n Past participle n

Principal Parts n n When conjugating verbs forms, one should know that verbs can be considered regular or irregular (See W 550). A regular verb is one that creates its past and past participle by adding –d or –ed. infinitive talk present part. (is) talking past talked past part. (have) talked

Principal Parts n An irregular verb is one that forms its past and past participle in some other way than adding –d or –ed. infinitive drive n present part (is) driving past drove past part (have) driven Note: Because the number of irregular verbs is so great, students must memorize the list on W 551552).

Time sequence n Each verb has six tenses: Present n Past n Future n Present perfect n Past perfect n Future perfect n

Time sequence n Present – used to express action (or make a statement about something) occurring now. Ex: We wait patiently. n Ex: We are waiting patiently. [progressive form] n We do wait patiently. [emphatic form] n

Time sequence n n Continuing action (the action occurred, is happening, and will continue) may be shown by the use of the progressive form, which ends in –ing. One makes a sentence emphatic by pronouncing the verb with stress. When there is no stress, add do or did.

Time sequence n Past – used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) that occurred in the past but did not continue into the present. Ex: We waited for you. n Ex: We were waiting for you. [progressive] n Ex: We did wait for you. [emphatic] n

Time sequence n n Future – used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) occurring at some time in the future. Formed by adding shall or will. Ex: We will wait for you. n Ex: We will be waiting for you. [progressive] n There is no future emphatic. n

Time sequence n n Present perfect – used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) occurring in no definite time in the past. Formed by adding have or has. Ex: Ted has waited for us often. n Ex: We have waited for them before. n

Time sequence n n Past perfect – used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) completed in the past before some other past action or event. Formed using the word had. n Ex: After we had waited (had been waiting) an hour, we left. [The waiting preceded the leaving]

Time sequence n n Future perfect – used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) which will be complete in the future before some other future action or event. Formed by adding will have or shall have. n Ex: By the time the bus arrives, we will have waited (will have been waiting) an hour. [The waiting precedes the arriving]

Mood n n n Verbs may be in one of three mood: indicative, imperative, or subjunctive. Almost all verbs are in the indicative mood. The imperative mood is used to indicate a command. Ex: Turn off the television. n Ex: Underline the correct answer. n

Mood n n The only common uses of the subjunctive mood are to express a condition contrary to fact and to express a wish. Uses the past subjunctive verb were. Ex: If I were (not was) you, I’d study my recitations more. [contrary to fact – “I’m not you”] n Ex: If I were (not was) a millionaire, I’d teach grammar for free. [wish] n

Mood n n The present subjunctive mood is used only in certain formal situations. Uses the present subjunctive verb be. n n Ex: We recommend that she be elected president. See the conjugated forms on W 579.

Participles/Participial Phrases n A participle is a verb form that can be used as an adjective. Ex: The rapidly developing storm kept the small coats in the port. n Ex: I found her crying. n

Participles/Participial Phrases n n n There are two basic kinds of participles: present participle and past participle. Present participles end in –ing. Past participles may end in a variety of endings (see W 449). n n Ex: We watched the puppies playing. (present) Ex: The puppies, exhausted, collapsed. (past)

Participles/Participial Phrases n A participial phrase is a phrase containing a participle and any complements or modifiers it may have. Ex: Removing his coat, Jack sat in the chair. n Ex: We saw Jeff playing in the game. n