Lesson 1 Action Verbs

A verb is the main word in the predicate of a sentence. An action verb tells what the subject does. Example: We walked on the beach. We ran toward the ocean.

Sometimes an action verb tells about an action that you cannot see. Example: We wanted seashells. I wondered about the tides.

Lesson 2 Main Verbs and Auxiliaries

Some verbs are only one word. Sometimes several words together make up the verb. Example: Kenneth walked home. I will be going home soon too.

A verb that is made up of more than one word is called a verb phrase. The last word in a verb phrase is the main verb. The other verbs are called auxiliary verbs or helping verbs. Example: Bill Moore has arrived home. The door had been locked.

Common Auxiliary Verbs amweredohasmustmight isbedoeshadwillwould arebeingdidcanshallshould wasbeenhavemaycould

Sometimes the auxiliary verb in one sentence is the main verb in another. Be sure to read the whole sentence before you identify a main verb and its auxiliaries. VerbMain VerbAuxiliary Verb didI did my homework.I did wait for you. hasBob has it.Bob has taken it.

Questions are often formed with auxiliary verbs. In questions, the main verb and its auxiliaries may be separated by the subject of the sentence. Example: Should we leave now? Will the show start early? Who would like a ticket?

Lesson 3 Direct Objects

An action verb is often followed by a word that tells who or what receives the action. Fran made the basket. Lou finished the book. She returned it to the library.

The word that tells who or what receives the action is called the direct object. To find the direct object, first find the verb. Then ask who or what receives the action. Example: Ann programmed the computer. (Ann programmed what?) Jerry has made a model plane. (Jerry has made what?) The music annoys Mr. Nelson. (The music annoys whom?)

In some sentences, the direct object is compound. Example: I need oil paints and a brush for my hobby. (I need what?) Jane received a guitar and a songbook for her birthday. (Jane received what?)

Lesson 4 Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

A transitive verb is an action verb that has a receiver of the action. Usually the receiver of the action is a direct object. An intransitive verb has no direct object. The same verb can be transitive in one sentence and intransitive in another.

Example: VerbTransitiveIntransitive spokeThe students spoke French.They spoke well. studiedTom studied grammar.He studied hard. Transitive – answers who? or what? Intransitive – answers where? or how?

Some action verbs are always intransitive. They never have direct objects. Example: Intransitive Verbs: Her eyes twinkled. Carla will listen to her carefully.

Lesson 5 Being Verbs and Linking Verbs

Some verbs do not show action. They show what the subject is or is like. Verbs called being verbs show a state of being. Example: Mr. Wong is the principal. He seems kind. He is here.

A being verb is often a linking verb. It links the subject of the sentence with a word in the predicate that tells more about it. Example: This newspaper feels damp. It became wet in the rain.

Common Being and Linking Verbs amseem look isbeappear arebeingfeel wasbeentaste werebecomesmell

Linking verbs link the subject with a word in the predicate. The word can be a predicate noun or a predicate adjective. A predicate noun renames the subject. A predicate adjective describes the subject. Linking verbs never have direct objects.

Predicate Nouns: Don is our leader. (Don = leader) He has become my friend. (He = friend) Predicate Adjectives: Ms. Hill was friendly. She appeared shy to strangers.

Lesson 6 Verb Tenses

The tense of a verb tells when the action or the state of being takes place. “Tense” comes from the Latin word for time. The words present, past, and future all refer to time.

The present tense tells that something is happening now. Example: The band arrives. The dancers perform outdoors. The gardens are beautiful.

The past tense tells that something has already happened. Usually the past tense of a verb is formed by adding –ed. The past tense of the verb be is was or were. Example: The audience applauded. We stayed until the end. The play was wonderful.

The future tense tells that something is going to happen. It is usually formed with the auxiliary verb shall or will. Example: Gail and Tim will be late. We shall wait for them. Our friends will save the seats for us.

Lesson 7 Principal Parts of Verbs

All of the tenses of a verb come from four basic forms. The basic forms are the principal parts of the verb.

Principal Parts of Verbs VerbPresent Participle PastPast Participle work(is) workingworked(has) worked share(is) sharingshared(has) shared ride(is) ridingrode(has) ridden know(is) knowingknew(has) known

The present participle and the past participle are always used with an auxiliary verb. Most verbs have past and past participle forms that are formed by adding –d or –ed. These verbs are called regular verbs because they follow this pattern. Notice in the chart that work and share are regular verbs.

The past and past participle of some verbs are not formed by adding –d or –ed. These verbs are irregular verbs. In the chart, the verbs ride and know are irregular verbs. Remember, when a regular verb ends with a consonant and y, change the y to i before adding –ed. When a regular one-syllable verb ends with a vowel and a consonant, double the consonant before adding –ed. Example: cry – cried hurry – hurried hop - hopped

Lesson 8 More Irregular Verbs

The best way to learn the principle parts that you do not know is to memorize them. The chart on the next slide shows some of the principal parts of some irregular verbs.

VERBPRESENT PARTICIPLEPASTPAST PARTICIPLE be(is) beingwas(has) been blow(is) blowingblew(has) blown do(is) doingdid(has) done drive(is) drivingdrove(has) driven fly(is) flyingflew(has) flown freeze(is) freezingfroze(has) frozen have(is) havinghad(has) had lend(is) lendinglent(has) lent make(is) makingmade(has) made ring(is) ringingrang(has) rung see(is) seeingsaw(has) seen speak(is) speakingspoke(has) spoken steal(is) stealingstole(has) stolen swim(is) swimmingswam(has) swum take(is) takingtook(has) taken tear(is) tearingtore(has) torn throw(is) throwingthrew(has) thrown write(is) writingwrote(has) written

Lesson 9 Subject-Verb Agreement

A verb and its subject must agree in number. Use a singular verb with a singular subject and a plural verb with a plural subject. A compound subject joined by and takes a plural verb. Example: Singular: The boy calls. Plural: The boys call. Singular: The girl plays. Plural: The boy and the girl play.

Singular verbs in the present tense usually end in s or es. However, when the singular subject is I or you, the singular verb does not end in s or es. Plural verbs in the present tense do not usually end in s. Example: Singular: I laugh. Plural: The girls run.

The verb be does not follow the usual rules. Agreement with the Verb be SubjectVerbSentence Iam (present) was (past) I am well today. I was sick yesterday. he, she, it, and all singular nouns is (present) was (past) It is raining now. The cat is playful. She was hungry. we, you, they, and all plural nouns are (present) were (past) We are cousins. You are friendly. They were teammates.

Lesson 10 More About Subject-Verb Agreement

You know that the verb in a sentence must agree with the subject. You have also learned that when the parts of a compound subject are joined by and, the verb is plural.

When or, either…or, or neither…nor is used to join the parts of a compound subject, the verb may be singular or plural. Use a plural verb if both parts of the subject are plural. Example: Books or magazines were always on the table.

Use a singular verb if both parts of the compound subject are singular. If one part is singular and one part is plural, make the verb agree with the subject that is closer to it. Example: Neither Jim nor Sally is ever without a good book. Neither Ted nor his friends like mystery books. Neither his friends nor Ted likes mystery books.

The verb in a sentence beginning with here or there must also agree with the subject. Here or there is never the subject of a sentence. To find the subject, ask, Who or what is here? or Who or what is there? Example: Here is the index. (What is here?) There is Ms. Ryan. (Who is there?) There are the card catalogs. (What is there?)

Lesson 11 Contractions

A contraction is a word formed by combining two words and shortening one of them. An apostrophe takes the place of the letter or letters left out. Sometimes the verb is shortened. Examples: we’re – we are they’ve – they have I’ll – I will

Often a verb and not are combined. The word not is shortened. Most contractions with not are formed by using an apostrophe to replace the o in not. Contractions formed with not isn’t (is not)can’t (cannot) aren’t (are not)couldn’t (could not) wasn’t (was not)doesn’t (does not) weren’t (were not)hasn’t (has not) won’t (will not)haven’t (have not)

Only the part of the contraction that is the verb is part of the verb phrase. The word not and the contracted form n’t are never part of a verb phrase. Example: He’s mixed the chemicals carefully. (verb phrase = has mixed) Kenneth shouldn’t add too much acid. (verb phrase = should add)

Lesson 12 Sit, Set; Lie, Lay; Rise, Raise

Some verbs have related but different meanings. Three confusing pairs are sit, set; lie, lay; and rise, raise. VerbDefinitionSentence sit set to rest in an upright position to put or place an object I sit in the chair. I set down the cup. lie lay to rest or recline to put or place an object I lie on the blanket. I lay the book down. rise raise to get up or go up to move something up, to grow something, or to increase We rise early. They raise their hands. Farmers raise corn. Ed will raise his fee.

To decide which verb to use, ask yourself what the subject is doing. If the subject is placing an object somewhere, use set or lay. If the subject is resting, use sit or lie. To decide whether to use rise or raise, ask yourself, Raise what? If your answer names something, use raise. If the question has no answer, you should use rise.

Lesson 13 Lend, Borrow; Let, Leave; Teach, Learn

Here are three more verb pairs that are sometimes confused. Lend means “to give.” Borrow means “to take.” Example: Will you lend me your boots? (Will you give them?) May I borrow them for a hike? (May I take them?)

Let and leave have different meanings too. The verb let means “to permit.” The verb leave means “to go away” or “to allow to remain in one place.” Example: My brothers let me play with them. (They permit.) Tomorrow we leave for a camping trip. (We go away.) I will leave my camera in the tent. (It will remain.)

The third confusing pair is teach and learn. Teach means “to give instruction.” Learn means “to get instruction.” Example: Alice will teach tennis. (She will instruct.) Babies learn very fast. (They receive instruction.)