1. Understanding Verbs
The heart of a sentence.

2. The verb shows action.
The action can be physical:
yell
dance
kiss

3. The action can be mental.
wish
meditate

4. Let’s practice finding the action verb.
Click on the verb in the sentence below.
I adore all forms of chocolate.

5. Not quite!
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6. Good! Let’s try another. Click on the action verb.
Bill sent me a rather rude .

7. Not exactly!
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8. Right!
Let’s try another.
Every morning, Rebecca goes for a run.

9. Not quite!
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10. You’ve got it! Coach Johnson benched the starting quarterback.
Try another!
Coach Johnson benched the starting
quarterback.

11. Not quite!
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12. Right! Marcus considered all his financial options very carefully.
Here’s another sentence:
Marcus considered all his financial options very carefully.

13. Oops!
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14. Correct!! Please tell us the joke about the one-legged Martian.
You’re on a roll!
Please tell us the joke about the one-legged Martian.

15. Not exactly!
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16. Good! After work, Jeremy usually takes his dog for a walk.
Click on the verb.
After work, Jeremy usually takes his dog for a walk.

17. Oops!
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18. You’re right! My psychology class meets every Monday and Wednesday.
Click on the verb.
My psychology class meets every Monday and Wednesday.

19. Not exactly.
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20. Good!
It’s time to move on to another type of verb:
the linking verb

21. The linking verb
A linking verb doesn’t show physical or mental action.
Instead, the linking verb shows a “state of being.”

22. Here are some examples:
Martin is a carpenter.
This bread seems stale.
We are Marshall.

23. Linking verbs don’t show action.
Linking verbs “link” a subject to a descriptive word.
Here are common linking verbs:
Is am was were be
Being been

24. Sensory Linking Verbs
The following five verbs, related to our five senses, are also linking verbs:
Look
Feel
Sound
Taste
Smell

25. More Linking Verbs The following words can also be linking verbs: Turn
Grow
Appear
Seem
Become

26. Let’s practice! Click on the linking verb in the sentence below:
Derrick is a professional photographer.

27. Oops!
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28. Yes!
Let’s try another:
Chad seems quite unhappy this afternoon.

29. Not quite!
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30. Correct!
Here’s another:
That dog certainly looks mean.

31. Oops!
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32. You’ve got it!
Here’s another:
The runner was completely exhausted.

33. Not quite!
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34. Right!
Here’s one more:
The geese were especially aggressive yesterday.

35. Oops!
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36. Yes!! After the stern lecture, the children became quite obedient.
Let’s try just one more:
After the stern lecture, the children became quite obedient.

37. Not quite!
Click here to try again.

38. Excellent!
Now you have a good understanding of the two main types of verbs.
In the next lesson, you will learn about compound verbs and helping verbs.