VERBS VERBS A verb shows action or helps

VERBS

VERBS � A verb shows action or helps to make a statement. � RULE: Every sentence must have at least one verb. � If you don’t have a verb, you don’t have a sentence!

VERBS � There are three types of verbs: Action Verbs Helping Verbs Linking Verbs

ACTION VERBS � Action verbs express action. EXAMPLES attend draw make say take carry forget plan scream talk cheer laugh pretend sit try close leave read skip walk copy let refuse slam write cry like run sleep yell

HELPING VERBS � Helping verbs help an action or linking verb. � Helping verbs help to tell when a verb happened. � Helping verbs also express fine differences in meaning that would otherwise be difficult to express.

HELPING VERBS � RULE: If there is more than one verb in a verb phrase, there is at least one helping verb present. � RULE: The last verb in the verb phrase is always the main verb. Any preceding verbs are helping verbs.

HELPING VERBS � The following verbs can be helping verbs: is being shall has am been should had are will may do was would might does were can must did be could have ought

HELPING VERBS EXAMPLES We have been taking notes all day. • Have and been are helping verbs. • Taking is an action verb. What are you thinking? • Are is a helping verb. • Thinking is an action verb. She will be cold without a jacket. • Will is a helping verb. • Be is a linking verb. I can understand how verbs can be confusing. • Can is a helping verb. • Understand is an action verb. • Be is a linking verb.

HELPING VERBS EXAMPLES I should walk home. • Should indicates that the speaker feels compelled to walk home, but does not necessarily wish to do so. I will walk home. • Will indicates that the speaker is planning to walk home in the future. I might walk home. • Might indicates that the speaker is unsure about whether or not he will walk home. I must walk home. • Must indicates that the speaker does not have any choice, except to walk home. I could walk home. • Could indicates that the speaker is able to walk home if necessary.

LINKING VERBS � Linking verbs link two words together. � Linking verbs tell us how someone or something is. � These verbs can be linking verbs: EXAMPLES appear grow seem stay become look smell taste feel remain sound turn

LINKING VERBS � RULE: The verb am, when it appears alone, is always a linking verb. FORMS OF THE VERB AM: am is were being are was be been � RULE: If you can substitute a form of the verb am in the sentence and it still makes sense, you are dealing with a linking verb.

LINKING VERBS � Most of the time, you can think of a linking verb as if it were an equals sign in the middle of a sentence, usually connecting a noun to an adjective. EXAMPLES Austin seems bored Austin = bored (adjective) Sara was excited. Sara = excited (adjective) Reading is my favorite class. Reading = class (noun)

LINKING VERBS � Verbs relating to the five senses can sometimes be linking verbs. � Look at the way the word is being used in the sentence to determine whether the word is functioning as a linking verb or an action verb.

LINKING VERBS EXAMPLES OF SENSORY LINKING VERBS The soup smells good. Soup = good (adjective) That birthday cake tasted delicious! Cake = delicious (adjective) Your new car looks really nice. Car = nice (adjective) Patrick felt sick all day. Patrick = sick (adjective) That sounds like a good idea. That = idea (noun) EXAMPLES OF SENSORY ACTION VERBS Bryan smelled smoke coming from the engine. The speaker is referring to the action of smelling smoke. Look at his new car! The speaker is referring to the action of looking at a car. Libby felt the soft blanket. The speaker is referring to the action of feeling a blanket.