1. Introduction to Literature
Verbs
Introduction to Literature

2. Action Verbs Action verbs: tell what happens
Can be mental or visible action
Ex. visible: We chose two books about China.
Ex. mental: We remember the film about China.

3. Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Action verbs can be transitive or intransitive.
Transitive: directs action toward someone/ something in the same sentence
To tell if it’s transitive, ask “Whom?” or “What?” after the verb
Ex. Pat carried her books to the lecture on Asia.
Ex. Pat carried what? Her books.
Intransitive: does not direct action toward someone/something in the sentence
Ex. The temperature fell quickly.

4. Transitive or Intransitive Practice
1. The camper feared the bears.
2. A guide directed us back to our hotel.
3. The fans shouted their approval.
4. Eric shouted to his friends.
5. We crawled carefully under the fence.
6. The raindrops danced on the pavement.
7. A stray dog followed us home.

5. Linking Verbs Do not show action Connects words in a sentence
In English, the most common linking verb is some form of the verb be (ex. is, are, was, etc).
See chart on page 366 in Grammar book
Other linking verbs: appear, feel, look, seem, sound, taste, become, grow, remain, smell, stay, turn

6. Linking Verb Examples Sara is an astronaut. He was glad.
The situation on board remained serious.
The astronauts grew anxious.

7. Linking Verb or Action Verb?
As you may have noticed, many linking verbs can also be action verbs.
To determine whether a verb is linking or action, you can substitute am, are, or is for the verb.
If the substituted word makes sense and connects the two words, then the sentence is using a linking verb. If the sentence doesn’t make sense, it is an action verb.

8. Linking Verb or Action Verb?
Linking Verbs
Action Verbs
The pears taste sweet.
The pears are sweet.
(linking)
Apollo 13 appears ready.
Apollo 13 is ready.
The runner grew tired.
The runner is tired.
I taste the red pepper.
I am the red pepper.
(not linking-action)
Apollo 13 appears suddenly.
Apollo 13 is suddenly.
(not linking- action)
He grew a beard.
He is a beard.

9. Linking Verb or Action Verb Practice
1. The milk smells sour.
2. The vegetables tasted salty.
3. Fred smelled the flowers.
4. The crowd became restless.
5. The detective looked closely at the clue.
6. The guard sounded the alarm.
7. Sharon sounds happy about her job.
8. The candidate appears confident.

10. Helping Verbs other than the forms of be
Helping verbs are verbs that can be added to another verb to make a single verb phrase.
Any of the forms of be as well as some other verbs can be used as helping verbs
Helping Verbs other than the forms of be
do have shall can
does has should could
did had will may
would might must

11. Verb Phrases Examples Helping verbs Verbs am did can will be
should have
might have been
talking
play
Write
studying
seen
considered

12. Finding Helping Verbs
Verb phrases are often interrupted by other words.
Only the verb and helping verb are part of the verb phrase.
Ex. The will be flying in the morning.
The will definitely not be going with us.
They will not attend the concert.
Have you and the others met our friends?