Download What is a verb?

A
verb is a word used to describe an action, a
condition, or a state of being.
 The two main types are linking and action.
 Both types can be joined by a helping verb.
An action verbs tells what a subject does.
 The action it expressed can be either physical
or mental.

Early humans moved constantly. (physical)
They carried their few possessions with them.
(physical)
These people worried about survival. (mental)
They feared large animals. (mental)

A linking verb links its subject to a word in
the predicate. The most common linking
verbs are:
Be, am, is, are, was, were, been, being, appear,
become, feel, grow, look, remain, seem, smell,
sound, taste
Early humans were food gatherers. (were links
humans to gatherers)
They often felt hungry. (felt links they to hungry)

Some verbs can be linking and action:
Animals appeared at their campsites. (action)
Some animals appeared friendly. (links animals to
friendly)

Helping Verbs help main verbs express
action or precise meaning. The combination
of one or more helping verb with a main verb
is called a verb phrase.
Animals could carry the humans’ heavy loads
farther. (helping + action)
Then people would travel farther. (helping +
action)

Some verbs can be main verbs and helping
verbs. For example, had is standing alone in
the first sentence below (main verb- linking)
but is a helping verb in the second sentence.
People had tools now.
They had mastered many skills.

Common Helping Verbs are:
Forms of be: be, am, is, are, was, were, being, been
Forms of do: do, does, did
Forms of have: have, has, had
Other: could, should, would, may, might, must,
can, shall, will