Verbs

What is a Verb?

• A verb is a word used to express an action, a condition, or a state of being. The two main verbs are action verbs and linking verbs. Both can be accompanied by helping verbs.

Action Verbs

An action verb tells what its subject does. The action it expresses can be either physical or mental.

• King Kong stomps through the streets of New York. (physical)

• Everyone fears Kong (mental)

Linking Verbs

A linking verb links its subject to a word in the predicate. The most common linking verbs are forms of the verb be.

• King Kong is a huge gorilla.

Linking verb

Links

Helping Verbs and Verb Phrases

• Helping verbs help main verbs express precise shades of meaning. The combination of one or more helping verbs with a main verb is called a verb phrase.

We have watched the moving King Kong four times.

Helpingverb

Mainverb

Common Helping Verbs

Forms of “be” be, am, is , are, was, were, been, being

Forms of “do” Do, does, did

Forms of “have” Have, has, had

Others Could, should, would, may, might, must, can, shall, will

Action Verbs and Direct Objects

• A direct object is a noun or pronoun that names the receiver of an action. The direct object answers the question what or whom.

The scriptwriter begins the process.

Action verb Direct Object

Action Verbs and Indirect Objects

• An indirect object tells to what or whom or for what or whom an action is done. Verbs that often take indirect objects include bring, give, hand, lend, make, send, show, teach, tell, and write.

The director gives the scriptwriter some advice.To whom

Indirect object

Directobject

Transitive Verbs

• An action verb that has a direct object is called a transitive verb.

Scriptwriters set pace of their movies.

Direct Object

Transitive Verb

Intransitive Verbs

• A verb that does not have a direct object is called an intransitive verb.

The action moves quickly.

Intransitive verb (no object)

Linking Verbs and Complements

• The word that a linking verb connects its subject to is called a subject complement. The subject complement identifies or describes the subject.

A movie is a complicated project.

A movie must seem real.

identifies

describesSubject complement

Subject complement

Predicate Nouns

• A predicate noun is a noun that follows a linking verb and identifies, renames, or defines the subject.

Star Wars is a science fiction film.Identifies

Subject Predicate Noun

Verb

Predicate Adjectives

• A predicate adjective is an adjective that follows a linking verb and modifies the subject.

Science fiction films are popular.modifies

subject Predicate adjective

verb

Principal Parts of Verbs

Every verb has four basic parts, called its principal parts: the present, the present participle, the past, and the past participle. These principal parts are used to make all of the forms and tenses of the verb.

• Present: Some people take risks on screen.• Present Participle: Some people are doing dangerous

things all the time.• Past: Polly Berson performed stunts for 27 years.• Past Participle: Most stunt people have trained for

many years.

The Four Principal Parts of a VerbPresent Present Participle Past Past Participle

Jump (is) jumping Jumped (has) jumped

Crash (is) crashing Crashed (has) crashed

Notice that helping verbs are used with the present participles and the past participles.

Regular Verbs

• There are two kinds of verbs; regular and irregular.

• A regular verb is a verb whose past and past participle are formed by adding –ed or –d to the present. The present participle is formed by adding –ing to the present.

Present Present Participle Past Past Participle

Look (is) look + -ing Look + -ed (has) look + -ed

Simple Tenses

• A tense is a verb form that shows the time of an action or condition. Verbs have three simple tenses: the present, the past, and the future.

Present Tense

The present tense shows that an action or condition occurs now.

• The water rushes swiftly by the raft.

Past Tense

The past tense shows that an action or condition was completed in the past.

• The raft passed the point of no return earlier.

Future Tense

The future tense shows that an action or condition will occur in the future.

Soon someone will fall into the water.

Progressive Form

A progressive form of a tense expresses an action or condition in progress. The progressive form of the three simple tenses are used to sow that actions or conditions are, were, or will be in progress.

• Present Progressive: People on shore are calling for help.

• Past Progressive: They were fishing before.• Future Progressive: They will be watching for the

rescue boat.

Forming Simple Tenses

• The present tense of a verb is the present principal part. The past tense is the past principal part. To form the future tense, add will to the present principal part.

Singular Plural

Present (present participle part)

I directYou directHe, she, it directs

We directYou directThey direct

Past (past participle part) I directedYou directedHe, she, it directed

We directedYou directedThey directed

Future (will + present principle part)

I will directYou will directHe, she, it will direct

We will directYou will directThey will direct

Present Perfect Tense

The present perfect tense places an action or condition in a stretch of time leading up to the present.

• The scientist had created a monster. (The scientist created the monster at some unspecified time before the present.)

Past Perfect Tense

The past perfect tense places a past action or condition before another past action or condition.

• When the scientist had tinkered with him, the monster awakened. (The tinkering occurred before the awakening.)

Future Perfect Tense

The future perfect tense places a future action or condition before another future action or condition.

• The monster will have escaped before the scientist notices. (The escaping will occur before the scientist’s noticing.)

Forming Perfect TensesTo form the present perfect, past perfect, or future

perfect tense of verbs, add the present, past, or future form of have to the past participle.

Singular Plural

Present perfect(has or have + past participle)

I have screamedYou have screamedHe, she, it has screamed

We have screamedYou have screamedThey have screamed

Past perfect(had + past participle)

I had screamedYou had screamedHe, she, it had screamed

We had screamed You had screamedThey had screamed

Future perfect(will + have + past participle)

I will have screamedYou will have screamedHe, she, it will have screamed

We will have screamedYou will have screamedThey will have screamed

Troublesome Verb Pairs

Some pairs of verbs seem similar but are actually different words with different meanings. Troublesome verb pairs include lie and lay, sit and set, rise and raise, and may and can.

Lie and Lay

Lie means “to rest in a flat position.” It does not take an object.

• The tigers lie at the trainer’s feet.

Lay means “to put or place.” It does take and object.

• The trainer lays the tiger treats on a tray.

Sit and Set

Sit means “to be seated.” It does not take an object.

• My cat, Luna, sits on the couch.

Set means “to put or place.” It does take an object.

• I set the flea powder down somewhere.

Rise and Raise

Rise means “to move upward” or “to get out of bed.” It does not take an object.

• The sun rises every morning.

Raise means “to lift” or “to care for or bring up.” It does take an object.

• King Kong raises a car easily.

May and Can

May means “to be allowed to” or “to be likely to.”

• May I pet your dog?

Can means “to be able to.”• Can he do any tricks?