Download Verbs

Verbs
LEVEL 5-6
What am I learning about?
What verbs are and what purpose they serve in writing.
Why?
So that you can use them correctly in your own writing
Definition:
A VERB is a word for an action – a doing word.
Here are some examples of verbs being used in a sentence:
‘Joe helped the old man’
‘Simon won the race’
ACTIVITY
Fill in the gaps in the sentences below with some verbs:
1. The boy __________ slowly.
2. My Mother __________ to work.
3. John _________ every day.
4. She _____________ the vase.
The verb ‘to be’:
The verb ‘to be’ is a verb that you might find difficult to spot, but you use it
all the time! The table below shows different ways you might use this verb.
(I) am
(You, we, they) are
(He, she, it) is
(We, they) were
Will be
Was being
Would have been
ACTIVITY
Underline where the verb ‘to be’ is used in the following sentences (Use the
table above if you get stuck!):
1.
2.
3.
4.
I am hungry.
Jayne is unhappy.
I was tired.
The passengers were waiting.
Auxiliary Verbs:
The following verbs can also be used as auxiliary verbs (or helping verbs)
when used with other verbs:
TO BE
TO HAVE
Here are some examples of auxiliary verbs in sentences:
1. I am hoping.
2. They had caught.
3. She was speaking.
ACTIVITY
Underline just the auxiliary verbs in the following sentences:
1. They have been injured by the falling debris.
2. The trees should have grown another three feet.
3. You will see the eclipse best from Cornwall.
Negative Verbs:
These are formed by adding NOT after the auxiliary verb.
E.g.
I have closed the door.
Becomes…
I have not closed the door.
TO DO
Interrogative Verbs:
Interrogative verb forms are used to ask questions by changing the order
E.g.
Alice was annoying Harry.
Becomes…
Was Alice annoying Harry?
ACTIVITY
Chance the followings statements into questions:
1. The Methodist church was founded by John Wesley.
2. Napoleon Bonaparte would have liked to rule the world.
3. By the age of eighteen Victoria had become Queen.
Imperative Verbs:
These are the second person form (you) that can be left off when making a
command.
E.g.
You stop it!
Becomes…
Stop it!
(And finally!) Tenses
There are three main tenses of verb; past, present and future.
E.g.
I am walking (Present simple)
I walked (Past simple)
I will walk (Future simple)
However, it may be better to use continuous tenses.
Present continuous: Use the verb ‘to be’ plus the ‘ing’ form of the verb.
E.g.
I am standing outside the palace
Past continuous: This is formed the same way as the present continuous!
E.g.
I was standing outside the palace
Future continuous: This is an extension of the future simple, using the verb
‘to be’ plus the ‘ing’ form of the verb.
E.g. I will be looking
ACTIVITY:
Do not mix up tenses as this is confusing for the reader, as it is in the
passage below. Rewrite the following passage in the past simple tense,
underlining all the verbs:
Jane and I went to Eastbourne for the day. First of all we go to the Butterfly
centre and there were butterflies all over the place. It is really interesting.
Next we went to the pier but unfortunately it is closed. We will go to
“Treasure Island” next. It is good fun and we go on the pirate ship and
afterwards we watched the Punch and Judy Show. We will go along the Prom
after that and we were lucky because the Radio One Road Show is there that
day. We see several famous people but it was too hot to stay and Jane wants an
ice cream so we go into town and we buy some drinks as well. It was an
enjoyable day out.
NOW TRY TO SUMMARISE 3 THINGS YOU HAVE LEARNED ABOUT
VERBS:
1.
2.
3.