1. Verbs ELA 9 Grammar Lesson 2
POS (Parts of Speech)
Verbs
ELA 9 Grammar Lesson 2

2. Verb A verb expresses an action, a condition, or a state of being.
There are two main types of verbs:
Action Verbs (AV)
Linking Verbs (LV)
Both types of verbs can be accompanied by Auxiliary Verbs (AUX).

3. Action Verbs
An action verb expresses an action. The action may be physical or mental.
My family and I drove 500 miles to Montana. (physical)
We wanted good weather for our vacation. (mental)

4. Transitive/ Intransitive Verbs
When an action verb can take a direct object (that is a word naming a person or thing that receives the action), it is called a transitive verb.
When an action verb cannot take an object, it is called an intransitive verb.
Mom locked Dad’s wheelchair into place.
Locked=transitive Wheelchair= Object
Uncle Lou snored loudly in the back of the van.
Snored=intransitive verb (no object)

5. Linking Verbs
A linking verb links a word in the predicate to the subject.
We were happy to see the sign for Big Sky Country.
Were=links we and happy
The campsite appeared tiny beside the grand mountain.
Appeared=links campsite and tiny

6. Linking Verbs There are two groups of linking verbs: Forms of Be:
Forms of be and
verbs that express conditions.
Forms of Be:
Is, am, are, was, were, be, been, being
Verbs that express condition:
look, smell, feel, sound, taste, grow, appear, become, seem, remain.

7. Linking Verbs
Some verbs can either be action or linking verbs.
Dad tasted the fresh water. It tasted wonderful.
tasted=action tasted=linking
Uncle Lou smelled the skunks. They smelled awful.
smelled=action smelled=linking
*TRICK* If you can substitute a ‘form of be’ for a verb, it is a linking verb.

8. Auxiliary Verbs and Verb Phrases
Auxiliary Verbs, also called helping verbs, are combined with other verbs to form verb phrases.
A verb phrase may be used to express a particular tense of a verb (that is, the time being referred to) or to indicate that an action is directed at the subject.
Small scraps of birch bark are crackling in the fire.
Are=auxiliary crackling=main
At last all the wood has been chopped.
Has been=auxiliary chopped=main

9. Auxiliary Verbs am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been have, has, had
do, does, did
can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must
Do you know the song to help you remember? Sing it, Hannah! 

10. Auxiliary Verbs
Some of these verbs can also function as main verbs. For example, notice how had stands alone in the first sentence below and is a helping verb in the second sentence.
At the end of the evening, we had no more energy. (main)
We had exhausted ourselves. (auxiliary)

11. Why Verbs Matter
Action verbs can be used to create strong images and metaphors. Notice how the verbs in the following passage convey a picture of rain soaking into the dry earth.
The rain began with gusty showers…And at first the dry earth sucked the moisture down and blackened. For two days the earth drank the rain, until the earth was full. Then puddles formed…
-John Steinbeck, excerpt of ch. 29 from The Grapes of Wrath
You will have to use action verbs, in place of ‘be’ verbs in your writing this year!