Verbs
Most verbs are action words. They tell you what people, animals or things are doing.
Verbs name an action or describe a state of being. Every sentence must have a verb. There
are three basic types of verbs: action verbs, linking verbs, and helping verbs.
act | jump |
bake | move |
bend | pull |
buy | run |
close | shout |
cook | sing |
cross | sit |
fall | slide |
fly | stand |
go | start |
grow | swim |
hop | walk |
Action Verbs
Action verbs tell what the subject does. The action can be visible (jump, kiss, laugh) or mental
(think, learn, study).
- The cat broke Louise’s china.
- Louise considered buying a new china cabinet.
An action verb can be transitive or intransitive. Transitive verbs need a direct object.
- The boss dropped the ball.
- The workers picked it up.
Intransitive verbs do not need a direct object.
- Who called?
- The temperature fell over night.
Note:
To determine if a verb is transitive, ask yourself “Who?” or “What?” after the verb.
If you can find an answer in the sentence, the verb is transitive.
Linking Verbs
Linking verbs join the subject and the predicate. They do not show action. Instead, they help
the words at the end of the sentence name or describe the subject. The most common linking verbs include: be, feel, grow, seem, smell, remain, appear,
sound, stay, look, taste, turn, become. Look for forms of to be, such as am, are, is, was, were,
am being, can be, have been, and so on.
The manager was happy about the job change.
He is a good worker.
Many linking verbs can also be used as action verbs.
Linking: The kids looked sad.
Action: I looked for the dog in the pouring rain.
Note
To determine whether a verb is being used as a linking verb or an action verb, substitute am, are, or is for the verb. If it makes sense, the original verb is a linking verb.
Helping Verbs
Helping verbs are added to another verb to make the meaning clearer. Helping verbs
include any form of to be, do, does, did, have, has, had, shall, should, will, would, can, could,
may, might, must. Verb phrases are made up of one main verb and one or more helping
verbs.
They will run before dawn.
They still have not yet found a smooth track.
