That’s what’s happening! Verbs That’s what’s happening!

Recognize a verb when you see one. Verbs are a necessary component of all sentences. Some verbs put static objects into motion. Other verbs help to clarify static objects in meaningful ways.

The fast turtle ran across the track. Take a look The fast turtle ran across the track. Static Object - Turtle Verb - ran

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

Know an action verb when you see one. Dance! Sing! Paint! Giggle! Chew! What are these words doing? They are expressing action, something that a person, animal, force of nature, or thing can do. As a result, words like these are called action verbs.

Using Exciting Verbs Rikki Tikki broke two eggs, and fell backward down the melon bed with the third egg in his mouth, and ran to the veranda… Rikki Tikki smashed two eggs, and tumbled backward down the melon bed with the third egg in his mouth, and scuttled to the veranda…

Instead of… The teacher asked me about my missing homework. My brother bothers me. I wanted to get down from the Ferris Wheel.

Try This… The teacher interrogated me about my missing homework. My brother plagues me with his presence. I wanted to alight from the Ferris Wheel.

State of Being Verbs Express a state of being, existing am is are was were be been being

Take a look Francisco's comic book collection is worth $20,000.00. $ =

Once upon a time there was a nice boy named Stately Once upon a time there was a nice boy named Stately. He was very prim and proper. Stately was an A+ student. One day at school, there was going to be a big test on verbs. Stately knew all the action verbs but he didn't want to forget the eight state-of-being verbs. He needed a way to remember them so he could get an A+ on the big test. As he sat there thinking of ideas, he found himself humming a rhythm, "Da, da, da-da, da, da, da, da. All of a sudden he jumped up and shouted, "That is it! That is the rhythm I need to remember the state-of-being verbs: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been."     The next day, he went to school humming and clapping the rhythm the whole way. When he got his graded test back he had earned an A+, and Stately was very happy. After he got the A+ he changed his name to Stately State-of-Being Verb because he just IS so stately.

Know a linking verb when you see one. Linking verbs do not express action. They connect the subject of a verb to additional information about the subject. Francisco's comic book collection is worth $20,000.00. $ =

Try this: Seems connects the subject, a three-mile run, like a marathon during a hot July afternoon. Seems connects the subject, a three-mile run, with something more said about it, that it's more arduous depending on the day and time.

True Linking Verbs Any form of the verb be am, is, are, was, were, be, being been, become These true linking verbs are always linking verbs.

Multiple Personalities Then you have a list of verbs with multiple personalities: appear, feel, grow, look, stay, remain, smell, sound, taste, and turn Sometimes these verbs are linking verbs; sometimes they are action verbs. Their function in a sentence decides what you should call them

How can you tell? If you can substitute am, is, or are for the verb and the sentence still sounds logical, you have a linking verb on your hands. If, after the substitution, the sentence makes no sense, you are dealing with an action verb.

Try one: Chris tasted the crunchy, honey-roasted grasshopper. Chris is the grasshopper? I don't think so! Tasted, therefore is an action verb in this sentence. The crunchy, honey-roasted grasshopper tasted good. The grasshopper is good? You bet. Roast your own!

Monster 1. The man is a monster. 2. His skin looks _____________     3. His mouth resembles _____________     4. His teeth appear _____________________     5. His ears are ________________     6. His eyes seem __________     7. His nose is_________________.     8. He smells _________________.     9. His skin feels ________________    10. Truly, the man must have been ugly from birth!

Helping Verbs Hi! I'm Harry Helping Verb and I'm so helpful I will help you learn the 23 Helping Verbs by telling you a story. The title of the story is Old Mr. Do.  Like some stories, this story has a moral. The moral is: "Maybe Mr. Do should have a will". Read on and you will see why!

Old Mr. Do    Once upon a time there was a wealthy merchant named Mr. Do. Mr. Do was very old and very rich. His many relatives were dreaming of the day the old man would die. They wondered which one of them would inherit his money. Finally, one day Mr. Do did die. All the relatives searched his house for a will. They didn't find one. They searched his house three times. They still did not find a will. The relatives did not get one dime of Mr. Do's fortune.  The moral: Maybe Mr. Do should have a will.      Just remember this sentence and you will know how to set up a chart of the 23 helping verbs!  The largest "family" is the "BE" family with eight members. The other five families have three members each.

Helping Verbs may might must be being been am are is was were (main) do does did should could would have had has will can shall