VerbsUnit 1

VerbsVerbs are a necessary component of all

sentences. Verbs have two important functions: Some verbs put static objects into motion while other verbs help to clarify the objects in meaningful ways.

• My grumpy old English teacher smiled at the plate of cold meatloaf.

• My grumpy old English teacher = static object; smiled = verb.

• The daredevil cockroach splashed into Sara's soup.

• The daredevil cockroach = static object; splashed = verb.

• Theo's overworked computer exploded in a spray of sparks.

• Theo's overworked computer = static object; exploded = verb.

• The curious toddler popped a grasshopper into her mouth.

• The curious toddler = static object; popped = verb.

• Francisco's comic book collection is worth $20,000.00.

• Francisco's comic book collection = static object; is = verb.

Action Verbs

• Explode! Scream! Sneeze! Type! Kick! What are these words doing? They are expressing action, something that a person, animal, force of nature, or thing can do. As a result, we call these words action verbs. Look at the examples below:

• In the library and at church, Michele giggles inappropriately.

• Giggling is something that Michele can do.

• Because of the spicy Jamaican pepper, David reached for his glass of iced tea.

• Reaching is something that David can do—happily, if his mouth is on fire.

• Carlos watched pretty women in skimpy bikinis parading on the beach.

• Watching is something that Carlos can do.

• The alarm clock buzzed like an angry bumblebee.

• Buzzing is something that the alarm clock can do.

• The coffee maker gurgled on the kitchen counter.

• Gurgling is something that the coffee maker can do.

If you are unsure whether a sentence contains an action verb or not, look at every word in the sentence and ask yourself, "Can a person or thing do this?"

During biology class, Omesh napped at his desk.

Can you during? Is during something you can do?

Can you biology? Is there someone biologying

outside the building right now?

During biology class, Omesh napped at his desk.

Can you class? Do your obnoxious neighbors keep you up until 2 a.m. because they are classing?

Can you Omesh? What does a person do when he's Omeshing?

Can you nap? Bingo! Sure you can! You'd probably prefer napping to listening to a biology lecture yourself.

During biology class, Omesh napped at his desk.

Can you at? Of course not!

Can you his? Show me hising.

Can you desk? Demonstrate desking for me!

In the sentence above, there is only one action verb: napped.

Identifying Action Verbs

Identify the action verb and if it is physical or mental

• Eugene O’Neill’s father, an actor, toured the country.

– toured: physical

• O’Neill learned about the theater from his father.

– learned; mental

• O’Neill’s father sent him to Princeton University.

– sent; physical

• Soon O’Neill developed an interest in the sea.

– developed; mental

• He left home for two years of travel.

– left; physical

• Later, a drama teacher at Harvard University inspired O’Neill.

– inspired; mental

• O’Neill knew the value of his own work.

– knew; mental

• He journeyed to Cape Cod for the summer.

– journeyed; physical

Using Action VerbsState an appropriate action verb.

• Our drama and history teachers ________ a joint project for our class.

• First, our history teacher ________ us into four small groups.

• Then he ________ the new assignment in detail.

• The whole class ________ to the library every day for a week.

• In our small groups, we ________ everyday life in colonial times.

• Then the drama coach ________ us the next part of the assignment.

• Each group ________ a one-act play set in the colonial period.

Transitive Verbs• A transitive verb directs action toward someone

or something named in the same sentence. An action verb is transitive if the receiver of the action is named in the sentence. The word that receives the action is called the object.

• Ask What? Or Whom? of the verb to identify the object of the verb.

• All the kids do chores at home.– Chores answers the question Do What?

Transitive Verbs

• Sandy opened the window with great difficulty.– Opened is the transitive verb because the

object of the verb-window-tells what Sandy opened.

• The truck suddenly hit the pedestrian.– Hit is the transitive verb because the object of

the verb-pedestrian-tells whom the truck hit.

First identify the transitive action verb, then state what the object of the verb is.

• The North and the South fought a war.– fought = transitive verb– war = object

• Differing opinions drove the North and South apart.– drove = transitive verb– North, South = object

• The director remembered this fine old theater from past performances .– remembered = transitive verb– theater = object

• The director inspected the scenery, costumes, and lights.– inspected = transitive verb– scenery, costumes, lights = object

• Many people bought tickets to the new play.– bought = transitive verb– tickets = object

Intransitive Verbs

• An intransitive verb has no receiver of the action named in the sentence. The best way to determine if a verb is transitive or intransitive is to try to identify an object of the verb.

• The war began.

• The bus raced through the traffic light. (through the traffic light is a prepositional phrase and cannot be the receiver of the action.)

• Day after day, week after week, the cast rehearsed.– rehearsed = intransitive verb

• Finally, the day of the first performance arrived.– arrived = intransitive verb

• The almost silent audience watched.– watched = intransitive verb

• At the end of the play, everyone clapped wildly.– clapped = intransitive verb

Identify whether the bold faced verb or compound verb is used transitively or intransitively:

• The old woman struggled up the hill, pulling a grocery cart that had lost one wheel behind her. – intransitive verb

• The verb "struggled" does not have a direct object; the prepositional phrase "up the hill" acts as an adverb describing where she struggled.

• Hermione is editing her uncle's memoirs of his lifetime as a green grocer. – transitive verb

• The compound verb "is editing" takes a direct object--the noun phrase "her uncle's memoirs."

• Much to the amusement of the onlookers, Paul danced a minuet to the polka music that drifted out of the beer tent. – transitive verb

• Here the verb "danced" is accompanied by a noun phrase ("a minuet") that acts as a direct object.

• At the beginning of the play, the entire cast dances manically across the stage. – intransitive verb

• In this sentence, the verb "dances" is not accompanied by a direct object. The phrase "manically across the stage" acts as an adverb describing how and where the dancing takes place.

• Stella is reading quietly in the upstairs bedroom instead of doing her chores. – intransitive verb

• The compound verb "is reading" is accompanied by the adverb "quietly" but does not take a direct object.

• This term I am reading all of the works of Sylvia Townsend Warner.– transitive verb

• In this sentence, the compound verb "am reading" takes the noun phrase "all of the works of Sylvia Townsend Warner" as a direct object.

• At the feast, we will eat heartily. – intransitive verb

• Here the compound verb is not associated with a direct object; "heartily" is an adverb modifying the compound verb.

• Charles opened up his lunch, examined the contents carefully, and ate his dessert first.– transitive verb

• In this sentence, the verb "ate" takes a direct object, the noun phrase "his dessert."

• The Stephens sisters are both very talented; Virginia writes, and Vanessa paints.– intransitive verb

• The verb "paints" describes Vanessa's actions but takes no direct object; what Vanessa paints is not stated.

• When I was three years old, my father left a can of paint open in my bedroom, and early one morning, I painted my baby brother's face green.– transitive verb

• In the sentence, the verb "painted" takes the noun phrase "my baby brother's face" as a direct object.

Direct ObjectIf you can identify the subject and verb in a

sentence, then finding the direct object—if one exists—is easy. Just remember this simple formula:

subject + verb + what? or who? = direct object

• 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.

Sometimes direct objects are single words like soccer and Maurice; other times they are phrases or clauses. The formula nevertheless works the same.

• Sylina hates biting her fingernails.• Sylina = subject; hates = verb. Sylina hates

what? Biting her fingernails [a gerund phrase] = direct object.

• Even worse, Sylina hates when Mom lectures her about hand care.

• Sylina = subject; hates = verb. Sylina hates what? When Mom lectures her about hand care [a subordinate clause] = direct object.

• After giving my dog Oreo a scoop of peanut butter, she always kisses me with her sticky tongue.

• She = subject; kisses = verb. She kisses who? Me = direct object.

• Because Jo had skipped Mr. Duncan's class five times in a row, she ducked out of sight whenever she spotted him on campus.

• She = subject; spotted = verb. She spotted whom? Him = direct object.

• Because David was always eating her food, Theresa sneaked corn chips and candy bars into her room and hid them in the clothes hamper.

• Theresa = subject; hid = verb. Theresa hid what? Them = direct object.

• Children drink milk.– milk = direct object

• I have read five books and magazines.– books, magazines = direct object

• The message reached the lawyer.– lawyer = direct object

• Mother invited Uncle Bill and Aunt Kari.– Uncle Bill, Aunt Kari = direct object

• The drivers are washing the concrete mixers.– mixers = direct object

• Like elephant tenders, they hose them down.– them = direct object

• Henry Ford introduced his first automobile as the “Quadricycle.”– automobile = direct object

• I remember him well.– him = direct object

• The bus driver closed the door.– door = direct object

• We made a videotape.– videotape = direct object

• He fed the dog.– dog = direct object

Indirect ObjectAn indirect object appears only in a sentence that

has a direct object.

An indirect object follows the verb and precedes the direct object.

An indirect object always comes before a direct object.

An indirect object is always a noun or pronoun.

An indirect object answers the question To or for whom? or To or for what?

Steps to finding indirect object.

1. Find the verb2. Find the word/s that answer the question whom? or

what? 3. Find the word/s that answer the question To or for

whom? or To or for what?

It is like a sandwich:SubjectVerbIndirect ObjectDirect Object

• Friends sent the actors flowers.– Friends = subject; sent = verb; flowers = direct

object; actors = indirect object• Actors answers to whom were the flowers sent?

Like a subject, verb, or direct object, an indirect object can be compound.

Identify the subject, verb, direct object, indirect object.

• The orchestra leader brings the musicians the music.• leader = subject; brings = verb; music = direct

object; musicians = indirect object

• Dave gave each car and truck a new color.• Dave = subject; gave = verb; color = direct

object; car, truck = indirect object

Identify the subject, verb, direct object, and the indirect object if the sentence has one.

• The sopranos learn their parts first.• sopranos = subject; learn = verb;

parts = direct object

• That famous director frequently gives performers drama lessons.• director = subject; gives = verb, lessons =

direct object; performers = indirect object

• She also gives children lessons in the afternoon.• she = subject; gives = verb; lessons = direct

object; children = indirect object

Identify the subject, verb, direct object, and the indirect object if the sentence has one.

• She wrote plays and operas for many years.• she = subject; wrote = verb; plays, operas =

direct object

• Now she shows her students her special techniques.• she = subject; shows = verb; techniques =

direct object; students = indirect object

• The theater offers young people many opportunities.• theater = subject; offers = verb; opportunities =

direct object; people = indirect object

Identify the subject, verb, direct object, and the indirect object if the sentence has one.

• Students ask actors and directors questions about different roles.• students = subject; ask = verb; questions =

direct object; actors, director = indirect object

• The expert director and producers bring the show success.• Director, producers = subject; bring = verb;

success = direct object; show = indirect object

• The actors memorize scripts.• actors = subject; memorize = verb,

scripts = direct object

Linking Verb

A linking verb connects a noun or pronoun

at or near the beginning of a sentence with

a word at or near the end. The verb be is

the most commonly used linking verb.

Forms of Be

am can be have beenare could be has beenis may be had beenwas might be could have beenwere must be may have beenam being shall be might have beenare being should be must have beenis being will be shall have beenwas being would be should have beenwere being will have been

would have been

Underline the form of be, and draw a double-headed arrow connecting the words that are linked by the verb.

The Civil War was a long campaign.

The Civil War was a long campaign.

Many events were responsible for the Civil War.

Many events were responsible for the Civil War.

The Missouri Compromise was not enough to prevent slavery.

The Missouri Compromise was not enough to prevent slavery.

It was a solution to keep balance in the Senate.

It was a solution to keep balance in the Senate.

Later, the Compromise of 1850 was an agreement making California a free state.

Later, the Compromise of 1850 was an agreement making California a free state.

The other states were “slave” or “free” by choice.

The other states were “slave” or “free” by choice.

A number of other verbs can be used as

linking verbs.

appear look sound become

remain stay feel seem

taste grow smell turn

Underline the linking verb. Then, draw a double-headed arrow connecting the words that are linked by the verb.

At the outset, both sides felt confident of a victory.

At the outset, both sides felt confident of a victory.

However, their goals remained different.

However, their goals remained different.

The Confederacy stayed focused on its goal of independence.

The Confederacy stayed focused on its goal of independence.

The goal of the North looked impossible.

The goal of the North looked impossible.

The North appeared stronger at the beginning.

The North appeared stronger at the beginning.

Distinguishing Between Action Verbs and Linking Verbs

To determine whether a verb is a linking verb or an action verb, substitute am, is, or are for the verb. If the sentence still makes sense and if the new verb links a word before it to a word after it, then the original verb is a linking verb.

Linking:

The costume looks interesting.

(The costume is interesting?)

linking

Action:

My brother often looks for his little sister.

(My brother often is for his little sister?)

not linking

Find and underline the verb in each sentence below. Determine if it is a linking verb or an action verb.

Grandpa looks the other way.

Grandpa looks the other way. action verb

The plants grow taller.

The plants grow taller. linking verb

Can you feel the sun on your face?Can you feel the sun on your face? action verb

Those lions sound ferocious.Those lions sound ferocious. linking verb

Will you taste this soup?Will you taste this soup? action verb

They feel happy about their work.They feel happy about their work. linking verb

Subject Complement

• A subject complement is a noun, a pronoun, or an adjective that follows a linking verb and tells something about the subject.

• Both nouns and pronouns are sometimes used as subject complements after linking verbs.

Predicate Nouns & Predicate Pronouns

• Follows a linking verb and renames or identifies the subject of the sentence.

• The linking verb acts much like an equal sign between the subject and the noun or pronoun that follows the verb. Both the subject and the predicate noun or pronoun refer to the same person or thing.

Predicate Nouns and Pronouns PN

Ronnie will be the captain of our team.

(The predicate noun captain renames the subject Ronnie.)

PN

Ford’s first car was the Model A.

(The predicate noun Model A identifies the subject car.)

Identify the predicate noun or predicate pronoun in each sentence below.

Europe was the home of some early automobiles.

Europe was the home of some early automobiles.

Americans quickly become fans of the automobiles.

Americans quickly become fans of the automobiles.

Man car models were poor designs.

Man car models were poor designs.

Henry Ford was the man who had financial backing for his invention.

Henry Ford was the man who had financial backing for his invention.

He was the inventor of the Model A.He was the inventor of the Model A.

Ford was also the inventor of the Model T, his most popular automobile.

Ford was also the inventor of the Model T, his most popular automobile.

Predicate Adjective

• A predicate adjective follows a linking verb and describes the subject of the sentence.

• A predicate adjective is considered part of the complete predicate of a sentence because it comes after a linking verb. A predicate adjective does not modify the words in the predicate. Instead, it describes the noun or pronoun that serves as the subject of the linking verb.

Predicate Adjectives PA

The flight to Houston was swift.

(The predicate adjective swift describes the subject flight.)

PA

The saleswoman seems very sensitive to the needs of her customers.

(The predicate adjective sensitive describes subject saleswoman.)

Identify the predicate adjective in each sentence below.

The Museum of Automobile History in Syracuse, New York, is exciting and interesting to people of all ages.

The Museum of Automobile History in Syracuse, New York, is exciting and interesting to people of all ages.

Information on thousands of cars is available and accessible to all visitors.

Information on thousands of cars is available and accessible to all visitors.

The display of collector’s items is sleek and huge.The display of collector’s items is sleek and huge.

The museum has become both a historic site and a showroom for classic cars.

The museum has become both a historic site and a showroom for classic cars.

It will be a popular attraction and tourist site for years to come.

It will be a popular attraction and tourist site for years to come.

Present, Past, Future, Singular, and Plural Verbs

• The verb in a sentence tells what action takes place. It also tells you when the action takes place. The form of a verb that shows the time of the action is call the tense of the verb.

• The present tense of a verb names an action that happens regularly. It can also express a general truth.

A great actor wins awards.

• In the present tense, the base form of a verb is used with all subjects except singular nouns and the words he, she, and it.

• When the subject is a singular noun or he, she, or it, -s is usually added to the verb. Remember that a verb in a sentence must agree in number with its subject.

A great actor wins awards.

Present Tense Forms

Singular Plural

I walk. We walk.

You walk. You walk.

He, she, or it walks. They walk.

Past Tense

• The past tense of a verb names an action that already happened.

• The past tense of many verbs is formed by adding –ed to the verb.

The actors practiced their lines.

I walked.

State the correct form of the verb in parentheses. Then tell whether it is in the present tense or past tense.

A month ago our music teacher (introduce) my sister and me to opera.

introduced; past

Opera is a form that (combine) music and drama into one production.

combines; present

That combination (suit) my sister and me perfectly.suits; present/suited; past

Last week we (attend) a light opera by Gilbert and Sullivan..attended; past

Every day that week the show (start) precisely on time.started; past

Subject Verb Agreement• Verbs must agree with, or match, their subjects. This

means that singular subjects must go with singular verbs, and plural subjects must go with plural verbs.

The roast chicken tastes like duck. (singular subject and verb)

The vegetables taste fresh. (plural subject and verb)

• Remember that the English language uses final -s in two different ways: – -s added to a noun means plural. – -s added to a verb means singular.

Select one answer from the choices provided after each sentence.

Either the physicians in this hospital or the chief administrator (is/are) going to have to make a decision. - is

(Is/Are) my boss or my sisters in the union going to win this grievance? - Are

Some of the votes (seem/seems) to have been miscounted.- seem

The tornadoes that tear through this county every spring (are/is) more than just a nuisance.- are

Everyone selected to serve on this jury (have/has) to be willing to give up a lot of time. - has

Kara Wolters and her teammates (presents/present) a formidable opponent on the basketball court. - present

He seems to forget that there (are/is) things to be done before he can graduate. - are

Some of the grain (appear/appears) to be contaminated.- appears

Main and Helping Verbs

The following verbs—be, do, have, will, and can—are used often and have one thing in common: They all help other verbs to create verb phrases.

Helping verbs help the main verb describe action or a kind of idea to the subject.

A verb phrase consists of one or more helping verbs followed by a main verb.

In the following examples, the helping verbs are italicized. Notice how they help to change the meaning of opened.

has opened

will have opened

could have been opened

is being opened

Some Helping Verbs

Forms of be:is was being should behad been might have been

Other verbs:do have shall candoes has should coulddid had will may

would mightmust

For each sentence below, identify the helping verb/s and the main verb.

More people should have been encouraged to study flight.

helping verbs: should have been

main verb: encouraged

During the eighteenth century, few people had applied themselves to the study of flight.

helping verb: had

main verb: applied

Flapping-wing machines had been studied by Leonardo da Vinci during the fifteenth century.

helping verbs: had been

main verb: studied

Three important aviation devices were being invented in Europe.

helping verbs: were being

main verb: invented

These early inventions might have been an inspiration to Leonardo.

helping verbs: might have

main verb: been

Sometimes the words in a verb phrase are separated by other words, such as not or certainly. The parts of the verb phrase in certain questions are also usually separated. In the following examples, the parts of each verb phrase are italicized.

She could certainly have been reached by phone earlier.

This has not happened before.Did you ever expect to see such a heavy

machine floating in the air.

State the complete verb phrase from each sentence below.

Patty did not leave the airport until after four.

verb phrase: did leave

The airplane, like many other life-changing inventions throughout history, was not immediately recognized for its potential.

verb phrase: was recognized

Prior to World War I, the airplane had occasionally been presented at county fairs.verb phrase: had been presented

Daredevil pilots would often draw large crowds and a few investors.verb phrase: would draw

The United States War Department had quickly expressed interest in the heavier-than-air craft.verb phrase: had expressed

Sentence Diagramming

Since part of the writing process involves editing our work, we need to know how to recognize complete thoughts and how to vary our sentence structure. This makes our writing more coherent as well as more interesting to read.

Understanding the functions of parts of the speech in a sentence and their relationship to one another can be very helpful in learning to construct good sentences.

A sentence (to be a sentence) at the very least must have a Subject (noun or pronoun) and a Predicate (verb).

The remaining words in a sentence serve to describe, clarify or give us more information about the subject or the verb.

A diagram arranges the parts of a sentence like a picture in order to show the relationship of words and groups of words within the sentence.

Let us take a look at how this is done. We will begin learning how to diagram sentences and use this tool to become better writers.

Step #1

• Look for the VERB in the sentence. A verb is a word that shows action (dance, sing, walk, run, etc.) or state of being (am, is, are, was, were, etc.)

• Ask the question, "What action is taking place, or what happened in the sentence?" The answer you get will let you know which word (or group of words) serves as the verb in the sentence. The VERB is placed on the right hand side of the base line.

Examples:

Aunt Polly punished Tom for ditching school.

punished

Tom started a fight with the new boy in town.

started

Step #2

• Find the SUBJECT of the verb (the person or thing that performs the action).

• Ask the question, "Who? or What?" before the verb. The answer you get will let you know which word (or group of words) serves as the subject of the verb. The SUBJECT is placed on the left hand side of the base line.

Examples:

Aunt Polly punished Tom for ditching school.

Aunt Polly punished

Tom started a fight with the new boy in town.

Tom started

Examples:

People are working.

People are working

Operators sat by the machines.

Operators sat

Examples:

By the machines operators sat.

operators sat

People arrived early.

People arrived

BibliographyCarroll, Joyce A., Edward E. Wilson, and Gary Forlini. Prentice

Hall Writing and Grammar. Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008.

Farbman, Evelyn. "Subject Verb Agreement." A Writer's Guide, Sentence Sense. 2006. Capital Community College Hartford. Sept. 08 <http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/sensen/part2/twelve/index.html.

Royster, Jacqueline J., and Mark Lester. Writer's Choice Grammar Workbooks : Teacher's Wraparound Edition. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 1996.

Simmons, Robin L. "The Verb." Grammar Bytes. 2008. Sept. 08 <http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/verb.html.