Download Name: Period: ______ Grammar Unit 2: Verbs Study Guide A verb is

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Period: ______
Grammar Unit 2: Verbs Study Guide
A verb is a word used to express an action, a condition, or a state of being.
Example sentence: The roller coaster climbs up a hill.
An action verb tells what a subject does. The action it expresses may be either physical or mental.
Example sentence: Some people hate amusement parks.
A linking verb links its subject to a word in the predicate. The most common linking verbs are forms of the
verb be.
Linking Verbs
Forms of be
Verbs that
express condition
Helping verbs help main verbs express precise shades of meaning. The combination of one or more helping
verbs with a main verb is called a verb phrase.
Common Helping Verbs
Forms of be
Forms of do
Forms of have
Others
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Action verbs are often accompanied by words that complete their meaning. These complements are direct
objects and indirect objects.
A direct object is a noun or pronoun that names the receiver of a verb’s action; answers the question what or
whom. An action verb that has a direct object is called a transitive verb; circle the transitive verb in your
diagram.
Example sentence: He performed dangerous stunts on a motorcycle.
An indirect object tells to what or whom or for what or whom an action is done.
Example sentence: Knievel taught his son some stunts.
An action verb that does not have a direct object is called an intransitive verb.
The word that a linking verb connects its subject to is called a subject complement. The subject
complement identifies or describes the subject. Some common linking verbs are is, feel, seem, and look.
A subject complement can be a predicate noun or a predicate adjective.
A predicate noun is a noun that follows a linking verb and identifies, renames, or defines the subject.
Example sentence: Brown Beauty was the mare’s name.
Example sentence: Saddle horses are powerful.
A predicate adjective is an adjective that follows a linking verb and modifies the subject.
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Every verb has four basic forms called its principal parts: the present, the present participle, the past, and
the past participle.
The Four Principal Parts of a Verb
Present
Present Participle
Past
Past Participle
*Notice that helping verbs are used with the present participle and past participle.
A regular verb is a verb whose past and past participle are formed by adding –ed or –d to the present.
Present
Present Participle
Past
Past Participle
Irregular verbs are verbs whose past and past participle forms are not made by adding –ed or –d to the
present.
Common Irregular Verbs
Present
Past
Past Participle
Group 1
The forms of the
present, the past, and
the past participle
are all the same.
Group 2
The forms of the past
and the past participle
are the same.
Group 3
The past participle is
formed by adding –n or –
en to the past.
Group 4
The past participle is
formed from the
present, often by adding
–n or –en.
Group 5
The last vowel changes
from i in the present to a
in the past, to u in the
past participle.
University of Detroit Jesuit High School & Academy/Grammar Unit 2:Study Guide/8th Grade/2016-2017/mts
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The Irregular Verb Be
Present
Past
Past Participle
The past and past
participle do not follow
any pattern.
A tense is a verb form that shows the time of an action or condition.
The present tense shows that an action or condition occurs now.
Example sentence: __________________________________________________________________
The past tense shows that an action or condition was completed in the past.
Example sentence: __________________________________________________________________
The future tense shows that an action or condition will occur in the future.
Example sentence: __________________________________________________________________
A progressive form of a verb expresses an action or condition in progress. The progressive forms of the
three simple tenses are used to show that actions or conditions were, are, or will be in progress.
Forming Simple Tenses
Singular
Plural
Present
(present principal part)
Past
(past principal part)
Future
(will + present part)
To make the progressive form of one of these tenses, add the present, past, or future form of be to the
present participle.
Present Progressive: _________________________________________________________________
Past Progressive: ____________________________________________________________________
Future Progressive: __________________________________________________________________
The present perfect tense places an action or condition in a stretch of time leading up to the present. To
form the present, past, or future form of have to the past participle.
Forming Perfect Tenses
Singular
Plural
Present Perfect
(has or have + past participle)
Past Perfect
(had + past participle)
Future Perfect
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(will + have + past participle)
The present tenses convey actions and conditions that occur in the present.
The present tense places the actions in the present.
Example sentence: __________________________________________________________________
The present perfect tense shows places the actions in a period of time leading up to the present.
Example sentence: __________________________________________________________________
The present progressive tense shows the actions in progress now.
Example sentence: __________________________________________________________________
The past tenses convey actions and conditions that came to an end in the past.
The past tense shows actions that began and were completed in the past.
Example sentence: __________________________________________________________________
The past perfect tense places the actions before other past actions.
Example sentence: __________________________________________________________________
The past progressive forms show that the actions were in progress in the past.
Example sentence: __________________________________________________________________
The future tenses convey actions and conditions that are yet to come. By using the different future verb
forms, you can show how future events are related in time.
The future tense shows that the actions have not yet occurred.
Example sentence: __________________________________________________________________
The future perfect tense places the actions before other future actions.
Example sentence: __________________________________________________________________
The future progressive forms show that the actions will be continuing in the future.
Example sentence: __________________________________________________________________
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Troublesome Verb Pairs
Lie means “to rest in a flat position.” It does not take an object.
Lay means “to put or place.” It does take an object.
Lie and Lay
Present
Past
lie
Past Participle
lay
Sit means “to be seated.” It does not take an object.
Set means “to put or place.” It does take an object.
Sit and Set
Present
Past
sit
Past Participle
set
Rise means “to move upward” or “get out of bed.” It does not take an object.
Raise means “to lift” or “to care for or bring up.” It does take an object.
Rise and Raise
Present
Past
Past Participle
rise
raise
Let means “to allow” or “to permit.”
Leave means “to allow something to remain where it is.”
Both let and leave may take an object.
Let and Leave
Present
Past
let
Past Participle
leave
***Terms to know (matching portion on test):
action verb
intransitive verb
linking verb
regular verb
helping verb
irregular verb
direct object
progressive
indirect object
tense
predicate adjective
verb phrase
predicate noun
complement
transitive verb
subject complement
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