A GUIDE TO VERBS

 A verb is a word which expresses action or a state of being.  Action verbs show action like physical activity and movement.  State of being means that instead of an action, the verb can show a condition of how something is existing in the world. It communicates how we are, how we’re feeling, and how things are behaving around us.  Example: ◦ Billy ran home. ◦ I believe in heroes.

 Describes a verb  Typically ends in –ly  Tells when, where, why, or how  Example: Pam quickly ran around the house.

 An action took place at some previous time  Ends in –ed  Example: Jeff filled the glasses.

 An action takes place now at the same time that it is being described  Examples: ◦ I leave for Costa Rica tomorrow. ◦ The child fills her glass with milk.

 Shows the action will take place at some time to come  Has will before verb  Example: Jenny will fill her garden with flowers.

 When a verb cannot work alone, it needs a helper.  Helping verb + main verb = verb phrase  Common helping verbs: am, is, are, was, were, will, would, has, can, could, have, had, may, might  Example: ◦ Sydney has drawn a picture. ◦ Louis did not take out the trash. (not=adverb)

 A linking verb joins the subject to a noun or adjective in the predicate of a sentence.  Linking verbs: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been, become, seem  Example: Jan was the captain of our team.

 Verbs that must be spelled differently instead of using their general spelling to show past, present, and future tense in a sentence  Example: to drink ◦ I drink coffee every day. ◦ I drank six cups of coffee. ◦ I have drunk 27 cups of coffee this weekend.

 Describes an event in the past in relation to another event in the past.  Uses had and past participle form of main verb  Example: She had jogged for ten minutes before she became hot.

 An event that has already been completed at the time of speaking or writing  Uses have or has with the past participle of main verb  Example: ◦ Mike has visited Jeff for years. ◦ They have already seen that show.

 An action will happen after something else in the future.  Uses will or shall with have and the past participle of the main verb.  Example: ◦ He will have gone by that time. ◦ I shall have finished the project by Tuesday.