VERBS:Linking Verbs

Transitive and Intransitive VerbsActive Voice

and Passive Voice

• Verbs that express action are called – surprise! ACTION VERBS

• Verbs that join the subject with a subject complement such as a predicate noun or predicate adjective are called linking verbs.

• The most common linking verbs are the being verbs: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been

• Other common linking verbs include: appear, become, feel, grow, look, remain, seem, smell, sound, stay, taste and turn

**REMEMBER: Some verbs can function as either action or linking verbs. - If the subject actively DOES the action of the verb, it is an action verb- If the verb can be replaced by a being verb, it is a linking verb

**REMEMBER: Some verbs can function as either action or linking verbs.

- If the subject actively DOES the action of the verb, it is an action verbThe principal sounded the fire alarm for a drill.

- If the verb can be replaced by a being verb, it is a linking verbThe alarm sounded loud and screechy.

Voyage pg. 65 Ex. 3

Is the verb action or linking?

1. Michaela was giggling in the library. 2. Yolanda looked exhausted after studying all night.3. All the kittens are playful and cute!4. The squirrel stuffed its cheeks with acorns. 5. Jeff looked for his cell phone. 6. George felt nervous when Mr. Harris found the note. 7. Max grew the biggest tomatoes in the summer. 8. Many vegetables taste sweet when they are roasted.

• A transitive verb is an action verb that has a direct object after it. • The transitive verb expresses an action that passes from a doer to a

receiver.

• An intransitive verb does not have a direct object.

• Some transitive verbs are phrasal verbs.

• A phrasal verb is a main verb with a preposition or adverb. These words work together to form the verb.

• Some examples of phrasal verbs: ask out ask around add up to back upbreak down call off catch up cheer upcut back on do away with fall apart come down withfigure out give up grow into hand overhold on to look out run into work out

1. Lucy warmed up her dinner when it got cold. 2. Please turn down the TV!3. I had to switch on the light when the sun went down. 4. Frank needed to look up the recipe for chocolate milk.

Voyages pgs. 60 & 65 Ex. 2

Transitive or Intransitive?

1. Larry gave up smoking ten years ago. (yay, Larry! )

2. Everyone sat quietly and waited for the show to begin. 3. The students had to look up several words in the dictionary. 4. World War II cost the United States many lives. 5. Our family drove down the shore last summer. 6. Sunflowers face the sun. 7. Frankie sat at Mr. Sev’s feet as he ate dinner. **

• Transitive verbs have a quality known as voice of the verb. A verb can be in either active voice or passive voice.

• In active voice, the subject does the action. Benjamin Franklin wrote proverbs in Poor Richard’s Almanac.

• In passive voice, the subject receives the action.

Poor Richard’s Almanac was written by Benjamin Franklin.

• FYI: In writing, it is usually better to use active voice; active voice is more vivid and direct.

• However, when the doer of an action is unknown, passive voice is acceptable.

Voyages pg. 66

FYI – Sometimes the subject is vague or unknown. If you are changing a sentence from passive voice to active voice, you will need to clarify the subject.

For example: Mistakes were made. - Who made these mistakes?

Change from active voice to passive voice

1. Marilyn sent the Christmas gifts. 2. John must have eaten four hamburgers at the block party. 3. We are going to watch a movie on Friday. 4. Tim painted every room in the house.

• Change from passive voice to active voice

1. The obstacle course was run by me in record time.2. The novel was read by Mom in one day.3. By whom were you taught to ski?4. The students’ questions are always answered by the teacher.