Verbs

Show me the action!

What is a verb?

A verb expresses the action or condition of a person, place, or thing.

A sentence must contain a verb for it to be a complete thought. Bob jumped onto the desk. He shouted to the class. The class quivered in fear. The desk cracked. Bob fell. The class chuckled.

Action Verbs

An action verb indicates the action of a person or thing.

The action can be visible (seen) or mental (unseen).

Examples: Bob wrote the poem. Everyone believes in the Tooth Fairy. Bob ate the giant cockroach.

iTry

Identify the action verb(s) in the sentences below. We swam across the ocean. Computers replaced typewriters many years

ago. My sister would not share her toys, so I hit her. Eventually, my dog died. I cried because my dog died.

Transitive Verbs

Transitive verb: An action verb that has a direct object.

Without a direct object, its meaning is incomplete. The direct object is never in a prepositional phrase. I gave birthday presents to my twin cousins.

gave is a transitive verb presents is the direct object (answers WHAT was

given) Sue helped her mother wash the dishes in the sink

after dinner. helped and washed are transitive verbs mother and dishes are the direct objects

Intransitive Verbs

Intransitive verbs: They express actions that cannot have a direct object.

There often is a prepositional phrase or adverb after the verb.

Examples: The train from Montreal arrived four hours late. Jack fell on the rocks in the alley.

iTryTransitive or Intransitive Baseball is played at the stadium. I’m rooting for the shortstop. He runs quickly after the ball. Then, he spins around and throws to first base. The runner beats the runner to the base. Our team has beaten this team before. After the final play, they congratulate each other. The players take off and head to the showers.

Direct Objects

A Direct object is a noun(s) or pronoun(s) that completes the action of the verb.

It receives the action. Direct objects answer “who?” or “what?” Direct objects only follow TRANSITIVE action

verbs! Example: The dog licked the teacher.

VERB DIRECT OBJECT

Direct Object Examples…

Zippy and Maurice played soccer with a grapefruit pulled from a backyard tree. Zippy, Maurice = subjects; played = verb.

Zippy and Maurice played what? Soccer = direct object.

Zippy accidentally kicked Maurice in the shin. Zippy = subject; kicked = verb. Zippy kicked who? Maurice = direct object.

iTry

According to the instructions, we must leave this goo in our hair for twenty minutes.

The audience attentively watched the latest production of Macbeth.

Every spring, William moves all boxes and trunks from one side of the attic to the other.

Indirect Objects

An indirect object is a noun or pronoun that indirectly receives the action.

The action happens to them or for them, but the indirect object does not actually receive the action.

“For whom am I doing this wonderful thing?” Bob gave Gertrude a bottle to store her gas. Bob gave the bottle to Gertrude. (NO I.O.!) He sent the college his application. He made his dog a pooper scooper.

iTryFind the simple subject, direct object, and prepositional phrase

1. The students of these lessons have studied subjects and verbs.

2. The hungry man ate, cake, pie, and rolls in the bakery!!!

3. John wants a bicycle and a wagon for Christmas.

4. Everyone at the party enjoyed the hamburgers, hot dogs, potato chips, and drinks.

5. Grandma left her umbrella and coat at our house.

Helping Verbs

A helping verb is a verb that comes before the main verb and adds to its meaning.

Examples: He was leading the

team to victory. He had been leading

the team to victory. He should have been

leading the team to victory.

Helping Verbs:

Am, are, is, was, were, be, being, been, have, has, had, can, could, do, does, did, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would

VERB PHRASE!

Verb Phrases

A verb phrase is one, two or three helping verbs combined with one main verb. The largest amount of verbs in a verb phrase is four.

Examples of verb phrases: have given should have given, should have been given

iTry: Identify the MV and HV

He has given money to charity. We should have studied harder for the test. I could have been studying harder a week

before the test. We could go to the party. Bob may be hiding from the police. Vampires could eat you.

Separated Verbs

A helping verb and main verb may not always be together side by side .

Examples have not (adverb) been eating will probably(adverb) be studying shouldn’t( adverb) be going

iTry

We have probably eaten all of the cookies. The show must have ended an hour ago. She might have stopped the video too soon. Sally may have been trying to take my paper. Bob should definitely have passed this test

easily. I may not redo the homework.

Verbs in a Question

In an interrogative sentence, the verbs will be separated by another word that is not a verb. The helping verb will start off the sentence.

Examples Should I go with you to the mall? (Should-hv,

go-mv) Will Mom pick us up after the game? (Will-hv-

pick-mv) Have we always traveled to the mountains in

his spring? (Have-hv traveled-mv)

iTry

Fill in the blanks with a helping verb and main verb

1. _____I _____ the night at Jane’s house?

2. _____ the bus____ us up in front of our house?

3. _____ the basketball team_____ the championship game ?

4. _____ I ______ my room right now?

Linking Verbs

A linking verb connects a noun or pronoun to a word that identifies or describes the noun are pronoun.

The most common linking verbs: be, am, are, is, was, were. Bill is funny. The puppies were smelly. I am cool.

Other linking verbs: appear, become, feel, grow, look, remain, seem, smell, sound, stay, taste, turn

Linking Verbs iTry

Identify the linking verbs.

1. Laura is a historian.

2. The grapes taste like death.

3. The cake looks delicious!

4. We were at the store.

5. I am twelve.