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Verbs: Lesson 1: Action vs. Linking Verbs
Verb-a word that shows either mental or physical action
Examples: think, consider, run, drive, push, catch
Linking Verbs: a verb that doesn't show action; it links a subject to something else in the sentence.
The most common linking verbs: is am are was were
Examples: She is tall.
She was a teacher.
 Substitution trick: If you can substitute the verb or verb phrase with is, am, are,
was, or were, then the verb is a linking verb.
Example: She had remained calm. -> She was calm. (“had remained” is a linking verb)
Common linking verbs:

to seem, to remain, to become, to stay, to appear, to grow, to feel, to sound,
to taste, to smell
Remember to use the substitution trick to tell if a verb is a linking verb!
Verbs: Lesson 2: Contractions
Contraction: When 2 words are put together to form one word, and some letters are dropped.
An apostrophe
is inserted in their place.
Helping Verbs:
is am are was were / be being been
/do does did / have has had
may might must/ shall will can/ would should could

One of the words in a contraction is usually a helping verb.
Examples: do + not = don’t
what + is = what’s
Verbs: Lesson 3: Helping Verbs and Verb Phrases
Helping Verbs:
is am are was were / be being been
/do does did / have has had
may might must/ shall will can/ would should could
Verb Phrase:
One or more helping verbs + a main verb
Example: may have gone (“may have” =helping verbs; “gone”=main verb)
 The words in a verb phrase are usually in a row, but sometimes they will
be interrupted by the word “not”. Not is not a verb!
Example: The man in the yellow hat did not wave at us. (verb phrase=did wave)
 If a sentence is a question, the word “you” or another noun may interrupt
the verb phrase.
Example: Did you wave at the man in the yellow hat? (verb phrase=did wave; subject=you)
Have the students gone to the library? (verb phrase=have gone; subject=students)
Verbs: Lesson 4: Regular Verbs
Verb tenses: the different forms of a verb that show time.
To change a verb through all its tenses is called “conjugating” a verb.
Regular Verbs:
verbs that you just add “ed” to form the past tense and past participle.
infinitive
present tense
past tense
present participle
past participle
to walk
walk(s)
walked
walking
have walked
to look
look(s)
looked
looking
have looked
Verbs: Lesson 5: Irregular Verbs:
Verb tenses: the different forms of a verb that show time.
Regular Verbs:
verbs that you just add “ed” to form the past tense.
Irregular verbs:
verbs that change their form when forming the past and past participle tense. You
can’t just add an “ed” to them to form those tenses.
Infinitive
Past
Present participle
Past participle
To beat
beat
beating
have, has, or had beaten
To begin
began
beginning
have, has, or had begun
To ring
rang
ringing
have, has, or had rung
Verbs: Lesson 6: Direct Objects
Action Verb-a word that shows either mental or physical action
Direct Object (DO): a noun that receives the action of an action verb

To find a direct object:
1. Find the action verb and say it aloud:
2. Then ask “What?”
3. The word that answers your question is the direct object.
Example: The boy kicked the ball.
-“kicked” (find the action verb.)
-Kicked what? (Say the action verb and ask “What?”)
-“ball” is the direct object (DO)

A direct object will never be in a prepositional phrase.

A direct object will never be in a sentence with a linking verb, only in sentences with action verbs.
Example: She became a teacher. (“teacher” is not a direct object because “became” is not an action verb)
Verbs: Lesson 7: Indirect Objects
Direct Object (DO): a noun that receives the action of an action verb
Indirect Object (IO): a noun that receives the direct object.

Indirect Objects are only in sentences with direct objects.

To Find an Indirect Object:
1. Find the direct object. If there is no direct object, then there won’t be an indirect object.
2. Say the action verb and the direct object, and ask whichever one of these questions that fits: To
whom?, To what?, For whom?, or For What?
Example: I baked him a cake.
Find the direct object- Baked what? – cake = DO
Ask: Baked a cake for whom?- him = IO
 Direct objects are never in prepositional phrases!
-Watch out for word like “for” and “to” in a sentence. Most likely, the words that follow them will
be objects of the preposition, not indirect objects.
Example: I baked for him a cake. (Now “him is an object of the preposition)
Verbs: Lesson 8: Sit or Set?

The verbs “sit” and “set” are often confused.
To sit: means to rest on one’s bottom
To set: means to place or to put


Set is irregular: Past tense: set Past participle: have set
“Set” requires a direct object (DO). In other words, there must be an object to set.
Example: The woman set the books down. books = DO
Exceptions: Sometimes the subject of the sentence is the thing being set:
Example: Flowers were set on the table.

Substitution trick: If you can substitute any form of “place” or “put” for “set”, then “set” is the
right verb to use.
Verbs: Lesson 9: Rise or Raise?

The verbs “rise” and “raise” are often confused.
To rise: means to go up (without help from an outside force)
To raise: means to go up (with help from an outside force)


Rise is irregular: past tense = rose past participle = have risen
Raise requires a direct object (DO); in other words, there must be something to raise.
Example: He raised his hand. hand = DO
Verbs: Lesson 10: Lie & Lay

The verbs lie and lay are often confused.
To lie: to rest one’s body
To lay: to place or put

Conjugations of Lie and Lay:
Past
Present Participle
Past Participle
to lie
lay
lying
(had) lain
to lay
laid
laying
(had) laid

Using any form of “to lay” requires a direct object:
Examples: Please lay the envelope on the desk. (envelope = DO)
I am laying the books on the table.
(books = DO)
The chicken had laid many eggs. (eggs = DO)

Never tell someone to “lay down”. It should be “lie down”.

The past tense of “to lie” is “lay”. This is really confusing!
Example: Yesterday he lay in bed. NOT Yesterday he laid in bed.
If in doubt, remember, “laid” always needs a direct object.
Verbs: Lesson 11: Predicate Nominatives
Linking Verbs: a verb that doesn't show action; it links a subject to something else in the sentence.
The most common linking verbs: is am are was were
Examples: She is tall.
She was a teacher.
 Substitution trick: If you can substitute the verb or verb phrase with is, am, are,
was, or were, then the verb is a linking verb.
Example: She had remained calm. -> She was calm. (“had remained” is a linking verb)
Common linking verbs:

to seem, to remain, to become, to stay , to appear, to grow, to feel, to sound,
to taste, to smell
Remember to use the substitution trick to tell if a verb is a linking verb!
Predicate Nominative (PN):
1. A noun or pronoun
2. It follows a linking verb
3. the predicate nominative can be switched with the subject of the sentence.
Example: Mrs. Batsford became our teacher. (“teacher” = PN) -> switch: Our teacher became Mrs. Batsford.
The winners were Ken and Bob. (“Ken, Bob” = PN) -> switch: Ken and Bob were the winners.
Verbs: Lesson 12: Predicate Adjectives
Linking Verbs: a verb that doesn't show action; it links a subject to something else in the sentence.
The most common linking verbs: is am are was were
Examples: She is tall.
She was a teacher.
 Substitution trick: If you can substitute the verb or verb phrase with is, am, are,
was, or were, then the verb is a linking verb.
Example: She had remained calm. -> She was calm. (“had remained” is a linking verb)
Common linking verbs:

to seem, to remain, to become, to stay, to appear, to grow, to feel, to sound,
to taste, to smell
Remember to use the substitution trick to tell if a verb is a linking verb!
Adjective: a word that describes a noun.
Predicate Adjective (PA): 1. An adjective
2. It follows a linking verb
3. The predicate adjective describes the subject of the sentence.
Example: Mrs. Batsford became sleepy. (“sleepy” = PA) -> “sleepy” describes the subject Mrs. Batsford.
The winners of the race were thirsty and hungry. (“thirsty, hungry” = PA) -> describes the subject the
“winners”.
Verbs: Lesson 13: Subject-Verb Agreement with a
Singular Subject
Singular subject: a subject of a sentence that is just one person, place, thing, or idea
Examples: child, man, woman, park, candy, liberty
Subject-Verb Agreement: Verbs and subjects must match in number; this is called “agreement”.
Present tense:
The verb form that tells you what is happening now.
Example: She walks.

For a singular subject using a present tense verb, add an “s” to the verb:
Examples: Our maid cleans the room.
My dad works hard.

If a verb ends in “o”, “ch”, “x”, “th”, “s”, “sh”, or “z”, add an “es” for a singular noun:
Examples: She washes the car. He goes to school. The teacher quizzes the class. He breathes
calmly. He teaches school. She dresses quickly.
Verbs: Lesson 14: Subject-Verb Agreement with a
Plural Subject
Plural subject: a subject of a sentence that is more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Examples: children, men, women, parks, candies, liberties
Subject-Verb Agreement: Verbs and subjects must match in number; this is called “agreement”.
Present tense:
The verb form that tells you what is happening now.
Example: They walk.

For a plural subject using a present tense verb, do not add an “s” to the verb:
Examples: Our maids clean the room.
My parents work hard.
Verbs: Lesson 15: Subject-Verb Agreement with Forms
of “To Be”
Singular subject:
a subject of the sentence that is only one person, place, or thing.
Example: The woman exercises daily.
Plural subject: a subject of the sentence that is more than one person, place, or thing.
Example: The women exercise daily.
Subject-Verb Agreement: Verbs and subjects must match in number; this is called “agreement”.
Forms of “To Be”:

is am are was were
For a singular subject, use these forms of “to be”: is, am, was
Examples: She was healthy. She is healthy.

I am healthy.
For a plural subject, use these forms of “to be”: are, were
Examples: They are healthy. They were healthy.

“You” looks like it would be singular, but it is actually treated like a plural.
Example: You are my friend. NOT
You is my friend.
Subjunctive Case: is used to express a wish or a condition which is not real.
Many of these
sentences start with “If” or “I wish”.

For subjunctive case, use “were” even though the subject is singular, and it looks like you
would use “was”.
Examples: If I were you, I would save my money.
I wish Mom were here.