Download Verbs - Burnet Middle School

Verbs
They’re what’s happening!
Action Verbs
An action verb tells what action someone or
something is performing.
My father carries the ladder.
The ship chugged into the harbor.
I believe it will snow tonight.
Sally remembered to bring her puzzle.
Some actions, like carries or chugged can be seen;
others, such as believe or remembered cannot.
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Action verbs can be either transitive or
intransitive. An action verb is transitive if the
receiver of the action is named in the sentence.
The receiver of the action is called the object of
the verb.
Peter opened the window with great difficulty.
The truck suddenly hit the trashcan.
An action verb is intransitive if there is no receiver
of the action named in the sentence. Intransitive
verbs do not have objects.
The race began.
The bus driver raced through the traffic light.
Seventh grade students gathered in the gym.
The clock alarm rang at eight o’clock.
Some action verbs can be either transitive or
intransitive. You need to determine if the verb
has an object or not.
Transitive: Kyra painted the front door.
Intransitive: The artist painted in his studio.
Transitive: The captain sailed the ship.
Intransitive: The ship sailed to sea.
Transitive: The teacher rang the bell.
Intransitive: The bell rang for class to begin.
Linking Verbs
A linking verb is a verb that connects a subject with a
noun, pronoun, or adjective in the predicate that
describes or identifies it.
Sheridan was a Union general.
general is a predicate noun that identifies Sheridan, the
subject.
The winners were Tony and I.
Tony and I are predicate nouns that identify winners, the
subject.
We felt extremely tired after all our running.
tired is a predicate adjective that identifiesWe, the subject.
Be
The most common linking verb is be. This verb
has many forms.
Forms of Be
am
can be
has been
are
could be
have been
is
may be
had been
was
might be
could have been
were
must be
may have been
am being
shall be
might have been
are being
should be
must have been
is being
will be
shall have been
was being
would be
should have been
were being
will have been
would have been
Other Linking Verbs
Several other verbs also work as linking verbs.
They connect the parts of a sentence in the same
way as the forms of be.
The chief remained calm during the battle.
calm is a predicate adjective that describes chief, the subject.
Other Linking Verbs
Other Linking Verbs
appear
look
sound
become
remain
stay
feel
seem
taste
grow
smell
turn
Action Verb or Linking Verb?
Some verbs can be used as either linking verbs or action
verbs.
Linking: The water looked polluted.
Action: The inspectors looked at the water.
Linking: The people grew unhappy.
Action: The people grew corn.
To test whether a verb is a linking verb or an action verb,
replace the verb with is, am, or are. If the sentence still
makes sense, then the verb is a linking verb.
The water is polluted.
The people are unhappy.
Helping Verbs
Sometimes a verb in a sentence is just one word.
However, a verb can often be made up of several
words as well. This is what we call a verb phrase.
The verbs that are added before another verb to
make a verb phrase are called helping verbs.
Run -> had run, will have run, might have run,
should have run, will be running
Recognizing Helping Verbs
The forms of be can be used as helping verbs.
am growing
has been warned
was being told
will be reminded
will have been waiting
is opening
was being trained
should be written
had been sent
might have been played
However, many other different verbs can also form
verb phrases.
do remember
has written
would hope
shall see
can believe
could finish
may attempt
must have thought
should have grown
might win
will jump
have planned
does want
Sometimes the words of a verb phrase are
separated by other words, like not or certainly.
She could certainly have come earlier.
This has not happened before.
Marie has certainly not contacted us.
He had carefully kept all the records.
Did you ever expect to see an elephant?
When will we open our presents?
Can they really build their own home?
They must not have taken the bus.
Would you ever want to go skiing?