Download Verb Notes

Verb Notes
Verb and Action Verbs
• A verb is a word that expresses action
or state of being.
• An action verb expresses physical or
mental action.
– Physical examples: The owl hooted all night.
Gloria plays with the children.
– Mental examples: I believe you. She
thought about the problem.
Transitive Verbs
• A transitive verb is an action verb that
expresses an action directed toward a
person or thing.
• Transitive verbs have a direct object that
follows the verb. The direct object will be
a noun and it will answer the question
what? or whom? after the verb.
• Subject + Action Verb + What? or whom? =
Direct Object
• With transitive verbs, the action passes
from the doer-the subject-to the receiver
of the action.
• Examples: Derrick greeted the visitors.
• Felicia painted her room.
• The children play checkers.
• What is the verb in this sentence?
• Is it transitive?
• If it is, what is the direct object?
Intransitive Verbs
• An intransitive verb expresses action
(or tells something about the subject)
without passing the action to the
receiver.
• An intransitive verb does not have a
direct object after the verb.
• Examples:
– The train stopped.
– Last night we ate on the patio.
A verb may be transitive in one sentence and
intransitive in another.
- Examples: Mr. Lopez is baking bread.
Mr. Lopez is baking this afternoon.
Linking Verbs
• A linking verb is a verb that expresses a state of
being. A linking verb connects the subject of
sentence with a word in the predicate that explains
or describes the subject.
• Linking Verbs:
am is are was were has been
have been had been will be shall be
may be might be can be should be
would have been appear become feel
grow look remain seem smell sound
stay taste turn
Linking Verb Examples
• Howard Rollins is an actor.
The verb is connects actor with Howard
Rollins.
• The children remained quiet during the
puppet show.
The verb remained connects quiet with
children.
• Linking verbs cannot be transitive, but
they do have complements that follow
them.
• If a noun follows a linking verb and
answers the question what?, it is called
the predicate nominative.
• Example: Bobby is my dog.
– Bobby is what? Dog
– Dog is the predicate nominative.
Helping Verbs
• A helping verb helps the main verb to
express action or a state of being. The
helping verb will come in front of the
main verb.
• Helping Verbs:
am is are was were be been has have
had do does did may might must can
could shall should will would
Verb Phrases
• A verb phrase contains one main verb and
one or more helping verbs.
• Examples:
– Many people in Africa can speak more
than one language.
– Kansas has been named the Sunflower
State.
– The ball should have been caught by the
nearest player.
– The longest verb phrase in the English
Language is four words. (Extra info! )