1. September 6, 2011
If you were not here on Thursday, see me to register your
i>Clicker
2. Turn in your reading journal
3. Make sure you have the correct course code for My Writing
Lab
College255483W
4. Verbs
5. Verbs
The verb in a sentence expresses action or links the subject to the
rest of sentence.
6. Three types of verbs:
Action
Linking
Helping
7. Action Verbs
In the following sentences, the verb expresses action.
Mary Louise drives the truck.
The dog ate my homework.
The musician played a great set of songs.
8. Linking Verbs
In these next sentences, the verb links the subject to the rest of
the sentence. The most common linking verbs are forms of the verb
to be: am, are, is, was, were, be, been, being.
I am tall.
The children were hungry.
Miriam is ready to graduate.
9. How to Test for a Linking Verb
Sally feels bad.
Find the verb of the sentence.
Replace the verb with a form of to be (is, are, am, was,
were)
If the sentence makes sense, you have a linking verb; if it doesnt,
you have an action verb.
Sally feels the rough edges of the table.
Linking
is
is
Action
10. Helping Verbs
Helping verbs include am, are, is, was, were, be, have, has, had,
do, does, did, may, might, must, can, could, shall, should, will,
would. A helping verb is used with another verb form, the main
verb, to form a phrase that acts as the verb of the sentence. If
you have a helping verb, you must have an action verb with
it.
Moira was helping her brother change the tire.
Cho had studied all night.
You must register before the end of the month.
11. Compound Verbs
Sometimes a sentence has more than one verb. A verb with more than
one part is called a compound verb.
Alfred Hitchcock frightened and thrilled moviegoers.
The children sat and waited for their parents to get them.
I can use your help and would be grateful for it.
12. Activity 5: subjects andVerbs in sentences
When you are finished with the activity press any button on your
i>Clicker!
13. Activity 5: Identify Subjects and Verbs in Sentences
In each of the following sentences, box the subject(s), underline
the verb(s) and identify what kinds of verbs they are above.
A=Action Verb
L=Linking Verb
H=Helping Verb
My friend and I sing every week at a retirement home.
Currently, we are the only visitors who sing.
We have enjoyed the visits immensely.
A doctor arranged our visits last year.
We accepted her offer immediately.
A
L
H
A
A
A
14. Activity 5: Identify Subjects and Verbs in Sentences
In each of the following sentences, box the subject(s), underline
the verb(s) and identify what kinds of verbs they are above.
A=Action Verb
L=Linking Verb
H=Helping Verb
The residents and employees enjoy our weekly visits.
The residents have asked us to come more often.
A new piano arrived last month.
It has improved our performance.
The audience requests different songs for every concert.
A
A
H
A
H
A
A
15. Verb Pretenders
16. Verb Pretenders
Verb pretenders look like verbs but do not act as verbs in
sentences. The most common verb pretenders are verb + -ing and to +
verb combinations.
cookingto cook
workingto work
studying to study
17. Verb + -ing
When an ing verb appears in a sentence without a helping verb, it
does not act as the verb of the sentence. Instead, it modifies, or
describes, other words in the sentence.
I took a picture of the man swimming in the fountain.
(Swimming describes the man.)
18. Verb + -ing
When an ing verb appears in a sentence without a helping verb, it
does not act as the verb of the sentence. Instead, it modifies, or
describes, other words in the sentence.
Working hard, we completed the job in a day.
(Working describes the subject of the sentence, we.)
19. Verb + -ing
When an ing verb appears in a sentence without a helping verb, it
does not act as the verb of the sentence. Instead, it modifies, or
describes, other words in the sentence.
The barking dogs kept me awake at night.
(Barking describes the dogs.)
20. Activity 6: Identify ingVerbs
Decide if the word ending in ingis part of the verb or if it is a
modifier. You will have twenty seconds to enter your answer for
each sentence.
21. 1. Claudia is driving across the United States.
Part of the verb
Modifier
22. 2. Joanne sent her father a singing telegram for his
birthday.
Part of the verb
Modifier
23. 3. That diving board is too slippery.
Part of the verb
Modifier
24. 4. I was diving into the waves when I scraped my
knee.
Part of the verb
Modifier
25. 5. The biscuit recipe requires a tablespoon of baking
powder.
Part of the verb
Modifier
26. 6. Stamping on the accelerator, William made his tires
screech.
Part of the verb
Modifier
27. 7. Susan is leaving on vacation the day after
tomorrow.
Part of the verb
Modifier
28. 8. Brent went to the mall for a new pair of running
shoes.
Part of the verb
Modifier
29. 9. Because of her back problems, Kata felt better sleeping
on the floor.
Part of the verb
Modifier
30. 10. Jumping up and down, the children showed their
excitement.
Part of the verb
Modifier
31. To + Verb
The to + verb combination also looks like a verb but does not act
as a verb in a sentence; instead, it acts as either a noun or a
modifier (describer) that describes something.
I cant wait to open my gifts.
(Because to comes in front of open, open does not act as a verb.
Instead, to open modifies wait.)
I always open my gifts before my birthday.
(Here open acts as a verb).
32. To + Verb
The to + verb combination also looks like a verb but does not act
as a verb in a sentence; instead, it acts as either a noun or a
modifier (describer) that describes something.
Susan has a plan to buy apples.
(Because to comes in front of buy, buy does not act as a verb.
Instead, to buy modifies plan.)
Susan buys apples from the farm.
(Here buys acts as a verb.)
33. To + Verb
The to + verb combination also looks like a verb but does not act
as a verb in a sentence; instead, it acts as either a noun or a
modifier (describer) that describes something.
My goal is to study medicine.
(Because to comes in front of study, study does not act as a verb.
Instead, to study acts as a noun.)
Many Americans study medicine overseas.
(Here study acts as a verb.)
34. HOW TO FIND THE VERB IN A SENTENCE
Locate the word or words that express the action or link the
subject to the rest of the sentence.
Check that the word is not a verb pretender.
When a verb + -ing combination appears in a sentence without a
helping verb, its a verb pretender.
When a to + verb combination appears, its a verb
pretender.
35. Activity 7: Find Subjects and Verbs
In each of the following sentences, box the subject(s), underline
the verb(s) and identify what kinds of verbs they are above. Do not
confuse verbs and verb pretenders.
A=Action Verb
L=Linking Verb
H=Helping Verb
Kim agreed to have the meeting at her house.
While taping the playoffs, Hugo watched a documentary.
Stepping carefully, Nizar tried to avoid the wet paint.
The hikers reached their campground by sunset.
Mosquitoes were annoying the sunbathers.
A
A
A
A
A
H
36. Activity 7: Find Subjects and Verbs
In each of the following sentences, box the subject(s), underline
the verb(s) and identify what kinds of verbs they are above. Do not
confuse verbs and verb pretenders.
A=Action Verb
L=Linking Verb
H=Helping Verb
Adam washed his hands before kneading the bread dough.
The people on the street hoped to glimpse the famous actress.
Opening the newspaper, Maya began to read the classified ads.
After work, Tim and Linda lack the energy to cook dinner.
Slipping the diamond ring on Leticias finger, Nahum asked her to
marry him.
A
A
A
A
A
37. Vegas Grammar Review Game
I will place you in groups
Each group will receive $200 in grammar money
You wager on each sentence before you see it
Always a $10 minimum
$50 maximum through sentence 5
$100 maximum through sentence 10
$200 maximum through sentence 15
No maximum wager through sentence 20
After I reveal the sentence, you have twenty seconds to choose the
correct subject with the i>Clicker.
If you have the answer correct, you win your wager. If you answer
incorrectly, I take your money.
The group with the most money after sentence 20 wins three extra
credit points.
38. Example
39. Bob from accounting told me a secret.
Bob
Accounting
Me
Secret
Both A and B
40. 1. During his biology lab, Tommy danced on the table.
Biology
Lab
Tommy
Table
Both A and C
41. 2. Joe, Molly, and John went to the horse races.
Joe
Molly
John
Horse races
A, B, and C
42. 3. Each of us planned the surprise party.
Each
Us
Surprise
Party
A and B
43. 4. Australia is a large country.
Australia
Is
Large
Country
Both C and D
44. 5. Most people in Australia speak English.
Most
People
Australia
English
Both A and B
45. 6. The veteran of four spaceflights left NASA in
1993.
Veteran
Four
Spaceflights
NASA
Both B and C
46. 7. One of the biographies is about Guy Bluford.
One
Biographies
Guy
Bluford
Both C and D
47. 8. Sally and John have taught art at every school in
town.
Sally
John
Art
School
Both A and B
48. 9. The old bathroom tiles with the fuzzy, green mold need
to be replaced.
Tiles
Fuzzy
Green
Mold
B, C, and D
49. 10. Natalie hates driving in stormy weather.
Natalie
Driving
Stormy
Weather
Both C and D
50. 11. The dishes in the kitchen sink are dirty.
Dishes
Kitchen
Sink
Dirty
Both B and C
51. 12. Neither of these boys wants a piece of pineapple
pizza.
Neither
Boys
Piece
Pizza
Both A and B
52. 13. In 1777, the government of the United States approved
the first official flag.
1777
Government
United States
Flag
Both B and C
53. 14. The number of stars on the flag equals the number of
states.
Number
Stars
Flag
States
Both B and C
54. 15. On a rainy August morning in 1983, he made
history.
Morning
1983
He
History
Both A and B
55. 16. Two of his main qualifications were his experiences as
a pilot and an aerospace engineer.
Two
Qualifications
Pilot
Aerospace engineer
Both C and D
56. 17. At the beginning of the presentation, the moderator
introduced the speaker.
Beginning
Presentation
Moderator
Speaker
Both A and B
57. 18. Ron's bathroom is a disaster.
Rons
Bathroom
Is
Disaster
Both C and D
58. 19. One of my favorite poems from Robert Frost is The Road
Not Taken.
One
Favorite
Poems
Robert Frost
The Road Not Taken
59. 20. In the middle of the jungle under a dense web of vines
slept the baby gorilla.
Middle
Jungle
Web
Vines
Baby gorilla
60. Go over diagnostic essays
61. Diagnostic Essays
You will receive your essay back
Stapled behind it is a sheet
Worksheet
Item:
What it is:
Where I see it:
How I fix it:
Make sure you do this for all three letters
62. Homework
Study for your quiz
Write a paragraph describing your worst experience at a restaurant
(either eating or working)
Diagnostic essay worksheet (leave stapled to diagnostic essay) (Due
Tuesday, September 13)