Download VERBS

A GUIDE TO VERBS
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A verb is a word which expresses action or a
state of being.
Action verbs show action like physical activity
and movement.
State of being means that instead of an
action, the verb can show a condition of how
something is existing in the world. It
communicates how we are, how we’re feeling,
and how things are behaving around us.
Example:
◦ Billy ran home.
◦ I believe in heroes.
Describes a verb
 Typically ends in –ly
 Tells when, where, why, or how
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Example: Pam quickly ran around the
house.
An action took place at some previous
time
 Ends in –ed
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Example: Jeff filled the glasses.
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An action takes place now at the same
time that it is being described
Examples:
◦ I leave for Costa Rica tomorrow.
◦ The child fills her glass with milk.
Shows the action will take place at
some time to come
 Has will before verb
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Example: Jenny will fill her garden
with flowers.
When a verb cannot work alone, it
needs a helper.
 Helping verb + main verb = verb
phrase
 Common helping verbs: am, is, are,
was, were, will, would, has, can, could,
have, had, may, might
 Example:
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◦ Sydney has drawn a picture.
◦ Louis did not take out the trash.
(not=adverb)
A linking verb joins the subject to a
noun or adjective in the predicate of a
sentence.
 Linking verbs: am, is, are, was, were,
be, being, been, become, seem
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Example: Jan was the captain of our
team.
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Verbs that must be spelled differently
instead of using their general spelling to
show past, present, and future tense in a
sentence
Example: to drink
◦ I drink coffee every day.
◦ I drank six cups of coffee.
◦ I have drunk 27 cups of coffee this weekend.
Describes an event in the past in
relation to another event in the past.
 Uses had and past participle form of
main verb
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Example: She had jogged for ten
minutes before she became hot.
An event that has already been
completed at the time of speaking or
writing
 Uses have or has with the past
participle of main verb
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Example:
◦ Mike has visited Jeff for years.
◦ They have already seen that show.
An action will happen after something
else in the future.
 Uses will or shall with have and the
past participle of the main verb.
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Example:
◦ He will have gone by that time.
◦ I shall have finished the project by
Tuesday.