VERBS

If you can do it, it is a VERB!

 Action  Linking  Helping

Kinds of Verbs

   Physical or mental action Describes a state of being. It connects the subject with a word in the predicate that explains or describes the subject (PN or PA).

Helping verbs attach to the main verb. It helps the main verb express an action (Helping verb + action verb = verb phrase)

Example Action Verbs

 Go  Swim  Eat  Follow  Drink  Listen  Fly  Believe  Compare  Analyze  Interpret  Develop  Clean  Sit  Stand  Drive

        Be Am Is Are Was Were Being Been

Linking Verbs

            Appear Become Feel Grow Look Remain Seem Smell Sound Stay Taste Turn

            Be Am Is Are Was Were Have Has Had Do Does Did

Helping Verbs

           May Might Must Can Could Shall Should Will Would Being Been

Objects of Verbs

 Direct Object  Indirect Object

Direct Object

 Direct Object – receives the action of the verb  Noun or pronoun  Follows an action verb  Answers the questions What? or Whom?

 If the action verb has a D.O., it is called a transitive verb. If there is no D.O., it is called an intransitive verb.

Example Direct Object

 She studied math for homework.

 Subject = she  Action verb = studied  Direct object = math (It answers “What” she studied.)

Indirect Object

 Indirect object – indirectly receives the action of the verb  Noun or pronoun  Follows an action verb  Comes before a direct object  Answers the questions To What? For What? To Whom? Or For Whom?

Example Indirect Object

 He bought Mandy a bouquet of flowers.

 Subject = he  Action verb = bought  Direct object = bouquet (it answers the question “What” he bought)  Indirect object = Mandy (It answers the question “For Whom” he bought the flowers.)

Linking Verb and Predicate Words

 Predicate Noun  Predicate Adjective

Predicate Noun

 Noun or pronoun  Follows a linking verb  Renames or defines the subject (The subject and PN can switch places and the sentence will make sense.)

Example PN

 He is a teacher.

 Subject = he  Linking verb = is  PN = teacher (Teacher and he can switch places and the sentence is still correct.)

Predicate Adjective

 Adjective  Follows a linking verb  Describes the subject

Example PA

 She is beautiful.

 Subject = she  Linking verb = is  PA = beautiful

Principal Parts of Verbs

 The principal parts of verbs are used to create all tenses of verbs.

 Present  Past  Present Participle  Past Participle

Present

 Indicates time in the present  Base form of a verb For example: start or wear

Past

 Verbs used to indicate something happened at a previous point in time.

 Most verbs in the past tense add “ed” to the end. For example: start becomes

started

 Some verbs in the past tense are irregular. They totally change spelling.

For example: wear becomes

wore

Present Participle

 The present participle is used to indicate that something is currently happening.  Form the present participle by adding “ing” to the base form of the word and “be”, “am”, or “is” in front of this new word.

For example: start becomes is starting wear becomes is wearing

Past Participle

  The past participle is used to indicate something happened at an undefined period of time.

To form the past participle 1. Add “ed” to the end of a regular verb or correctly create the past participle tense of an irregular verb 2. Add “has”, “have”, or “had” in front of the verb For example: 1. start becomes has started 2. wear becomes has worn

Irregular Verbs

 Irregular verbs do not follow the normal pattern of conjugation into each of the principal parts of verbs These verbs often change spelling to form the past, present participle, and past participle tenses. There are a few verbs that keep the same spelling for all four principal parts.

 The only way to know these verbs is to memorize them.

Sample Common Irregular Verbs

(not a complete list of irregular verbs)

Present Past Present Participle Past Participle

Begin Began Is beginning Has begun Blow Do Drink Go Write Break Become Blew Did Drank Went Wrote Broke Became Is blowing Is doing Is drinking Is going Is writing Is breaking Is becoming Has blown Has done Has drunk Has gone Has written Has broken Has become Bring Burst Swim Know Brought Burst Swam Knew Is bringing Is bursting Is swimming Is knowing Has brought Has burst Has swum Has known

Simple Tenses

We use clocks and watches to tell time. We use verbs the same way. The tense of the verb tells time in the sentence.

      Present – action that happens now Past – action that already happened Future – action that will happen Present Progressive – “be”, “am”, “is” or “are” plus a verb ending with “ing” – means something is in progress Past Progressive – “was” or “were” plus a verb ending with “ing” – means something was in progress Future Progressive – “will be” plus a verb ending with “ing” – means something will be in progress

Present Tense

 Base form of the verb modified to agree with the subject in number.

For example: We run to the store.

She runs to the store.

Past Tense

 Create the past tense by adding an “ed” to the base verb, if it is a regular verb. If it is an irregular verb, change the verb accordingly.

For example: We create things. (present) We created things.

(past regular) We drink water.

(present) We drank water.

(past irregular)

Future Tense

 Form the future tense by adding “will” or “shall” to the base form of the verb. For example: They swim in the pool. (present) They will swim in the pool. (future)

Present Progressive

 Shows that the action(s) is (are) in progress  You are learning English.

Past Progressive

 Shows the action(s) was (were) in progress  You were learning English.

Future Progressive

 Shows the actions(s) will be in progress  You will be learning English.

Perfect Tenses

 Present Perfect  Past Perfect  Future Perfect

Present Perfect

  The present perfect tense is used to show something that is existing or happening sometime before now. Key word – during Form the present perfect tense by 1. creating the correct past participle of the verb and 2. add “have” or “has” in front of it.

For example: I wear jeans. (present) [irregular verb] I have worn jeans. (present perfect) He looks nice. (present) [regular verb] He has looked nice . (present perfect)

Past Perfect

  The past perfect tense is used to show something existing or happening before a specific time in the past. (It is a double past something happened before something else happened) Key word - after Form the past perfect by 1. creating the correct past participle of the verb and 2. add “ had” in front of the main verb For example: She walked the trail. (past ) [regular verb] She had walked the trail. (past perfect) The compost became soil. (past) [irregular verb] The compost had become soil. (past perfect)

Future Perfect

  The future perfect tense is used to represent something existing or happening before a specific time in the future. (It is a double future. Something happens before something else happens.) Key word - before To form the future perfect 1. form the past participle of the verb 2. add “will have” or “shall have” in front of the past participle.

For example: She has smiled today. (past participle) [regular verb] She will have smiled today. (future perfect) They have worn boots. (past participle) [irregular verb] They will have worn boots. (future perfect)

Troublesome Verb Pairs

 Sit and set  Rise and raise  Lie and lay  Let and Leave Know the proper definition of each word to be able to spell and use it correctly.

Sit and Set

 Sit – means “to be seated” or “to rest” (no object) Present Past Present participle Past participle sit sat is sitting have sat  Set – means “to place or put something” (usually takes a direct object) Present Past Present participle Past participle set set is setting have set

Example Sit and Set

    Please, sit in your chair. (present) He sat in his seat, yesterday. (past) He is sitting in his seat. (present participle) He has sat there for an hour. (past participle)     Set your books on the desk. (present) She set her book on the desk. (past) She is setting her book on the desk. (present participle) She has set her book on the desk. (past participle)

Rise and Raise

 Rise – means “to go upward” or “to get up.” (no object) Present Past Present participle Past participle rise rose is rising have risen  Raise – means “to lift something up” (usually takes a direct object) Present Past Present participle Past participle raise raised is raising have raised

Example Rise and Raise

    They always rise early on Sunday. (present) They rose early on Sunday. (past) They are rising early on Sunday. (present participle) They have risen early on Sunday. (past participle)     They raise geese. (present) They raised geese. (past) They are raising geese. (present participle) They have raised geese. (past participle)

Lie and Lay

 Lie – means “to recline” or “to be in place” (no object) Present Past Present participle Past participle lie lay is lying have lain  Lay – means “to put down” or “to place” (usually takes a direct object) Present Past Present participle Past participle lay laid is laying have laid

Example Lie and Lay

    Lie down and take a nap. (present) He lay down and took a nap. (past) He is lying down for a nap. (present participle) He has lain down for a nap. (past participle)     Lay your clothes on the bed. (present) She laid her clothes on the bed. (past) She is laying her clothes on the bed. (present participle) She has laid her clothes on the bed. (past participle)

Let and Leave

 Let – means “to allow” or “to permit” (it can have an object)  Leave – means “to depart” or “to allow something to remain where it is.” (it can have an object) Present Past Present participle Past participle Present Past Present participle Past participle let let is letting has let leave left is leaving has left

Example Let and Leave

    Mom let me do the dishes. (present) Yesterday, Mom let me do the dishes. (past) Mom is letting me do the dishes tonight. (present participle) Mom has let me do the dishes all week. (past participle)     I leave for work at 5:30 A.M. (present) I left for work at 5:30 A.M. (past) I am leaving for work at 5:30 A.M. (present participle) I have left for work at 5:30 A.M. (past participle)