VERBS

WHAT IS A VERB?

A verb is a word used to express an action, a condition, or a state of being. The two main types of verbs are action

verbs and linking verbs.

ACTION VERBS

An action verb tells what its subject does. The action it expresses can be either physical or mental. They carried their books with them to

class.

People worried that the tornado would pass through Shreveport.

LINKING VERBS

A linking verb links its subject to a word in the predicate. The most common linking verbs are forms of the verb be.

Linking Verbs

Forms of be be, am, is, are, was, were, been, being

Verbs that express condition

Appear, become, feel, grow, look, remain, seem, smell, sound, taste

LINKING VERBS

Early humans were gatherers. Were is a linking verb. Were links humans to gatherers.

Some animals appeared friendly. Appeared is a linking verb in this sentence. Appeared links animals to friendly.

Animals appeared at their campsites. In this example, appeared is an action verb.

HELPING VERBS AND VERB PHRASES

Do you remember this?

Helping verbs help main verbs express action. The combination of one or more helping verbs with a main verb is called a verb phrase.

Animals could carry the humans’ heavy loads farther. could carry is a verb phrase The helping verb is _____________. The main verb is ____________.

HELPING VERBS SONG

Helping Verbs!  Helping Verbs!  There are 23.

Am, is, are!  Was and were!  Being, been, and be!

Have, has, had!  Do, does, did!  Shall, should, will, and would!

There are 5 more helping verbs:  may, might, must, can, and could! 

CAN YOU IDENTIFY THE VERB OR VERB PHRASE? ACTION OR LINKING?

1. Submarines float easily.2. They also can dive all the way to the ocean

floor.3. They may stay underwater for months.4. They operate underwater without the help of

double-hull construction.5. Between the inner and outer hulls are ballast

tanks.

**For more practice, complete 1-10 on page 90.

ACTION VERBS AND OBJECTS

Action verbs are often accompanied by words that complete their meaning. These are called complements. These complements are direct and indirect

objects. (I told you that you’d see these again!)

DIRECT OBJECTS AND INDIRECT OBJECTS A direct object is a noun or pronoun

that names the receiver of a verb’s action. The direct object answers the question

what or whom.

An indirect object tells to what or whom or for what or whom an action is done.

HOW DO I FIND THE DIRECT OBJECT?

To find the direct object1. Find the verb.2. Ask what the verb did.3. The answer is the direct object.

Ex. Americans love the automobile.1. Find the verb. “love”2. What did the Americans love? “automobile”3. The direct object is “automobile.”

HOW DO I FIND THE INDIRECT OBJECT?To find the indirect object:

1. Find the verb.2. Find the direct object. What did the verb do?3. Ask yourself, “To whom or what?” (Who or what received the action of the verb?)4. That is your indirect object.

Ex. Sue gave her sisters a ride.1. Find the verb. “gave”2. Find the direct object. Gave what? “ride”3. To whom? “sisters”4. “Sisters” is my indirect object.

INDIRECT OBJECTS CON’T.

WATCH OUT! If the preposition to or for appears in a

sentence, the word that follows is NOT an indirect object.

It is the object of the preposition.

Ex. Martin’s mother taught the rules of the road to him.

“Him” is the object of the preposition.

CAN YOU IDENTIFY THE DIRECT AND INDIRECT OBJECTS?

1. Motorcycle-type engines give snowmobiles power.

2. This connection gives drivers steering ability.3. Instead of a rear wheel, a continuous rubber

track propels them.4. A throttle lends drivers a means of

acceleration.5. A brake lever enables a driver to stop.

**For more practice, complete 1-10 on page 93.

LINKING VERBS AND PREDICATE WORDS The complement that a linking verb

connects its subject to is called a subject complement.

A subject complement can be either a predicate noun or a predicate adjective.

PREDICATE NOUNS

A predicate noun is a noun that follows a linking verb and identifies, renames, or defines the subject.

Harriet Quimby was a drama critic. “Critic” is my predicate noun. It identifies

Harriet Quimby. It tells you what she was.

PREDICATE ADJECTIVES

A predicate adjective is an adjective that follows a linking verb and modifies the subject.

Quimby was natural at the controls. “Natural” modifies Quimby.

HOW DO I FIND PREDICATE NOUNS AND ADJECTIVES?

To find a predicate noun or adjective:1. Find the verb. Make sure it is a linking verb and not a helping or action verb.2. Ask yourself “what the subject was.”3. Is this word a noun or adjective (descriptive word)?4. If it is a noun, then you have a predicate noun. If it is an adjective, you have a predicate adjective.

FINDING PREDICATE NOUNS

Ex. She became a stunt pilot in 1911. Find the linking verb. “became” What did she become? “pilot” Is this a noun or adjective? Noun Pilot is my predicate noun.

FINDING PREDICATE ADJECTIVES

She felt happy in the air. Find the linking verb. “felt” How did she feel? “happy” Is “happy” a noun or adjective? Adjective. “Happy” is my predicate adjective.

CAN YOU FIND PREDICATE NOUNS AND ADJECTIVES?

1. Bangladesh is a small country between India and Myanmar, on the Bay of Bengal.

2. It has become a very densely populated country.3. Its capital, Dacca, has grown large.4. The main mode of transportation in Dacca is the

rickshaw.5. These rickshaws are three-wheeled vehicles

powered by humans.

**For more practice, complete 1-10 on page 95.

PRINCIPAL PARTS OF VERBS

Every verb has four basic forms called its principal parts: the present, the present participle, the past, and the past participle.Examples:

We live in Louisiana. – Present

People are traveling all the time. - Present participle

Automobiles lent travelers more freedom. – Past

Drivers have enjoyed this freedom for years. – Past participle

THE FOUR PRINCIPAL PARTS OF A VERB

Present Present Participle

Past Past Participle

move (is) moving moved (has) moved

travel (is) traveling traveled (has) traveled)

REGULAR VERBS

There are two kinds of verbs: regular and irregular.

A regular verb is a verb whose past and past participle are formed by adding –ed or –d to the present.

The present participle is formed by adding –ing to the present.

Present Present Participle

Past Past Participle

walk (is) walk + ing walk + ed (has) walk + ed

CAN YOU IDENTIFY THE PRINCIPAL PART OF THE VERB?

If you (1) walked somewhere today, you (2) used the most healthful form of transportation. Walking (3) gives you a sense of well-being and energy. It (4) helps you beat stress. Walking two miles a day (5) protects your heart.

** For more practice, complete 1-10 on p. 97.

IRREGULAR VERBS Irregular verbs are verbs whose past and

past participle forms are not made by adding –ed or –d to the present.

An extensive list of irregular verbs can be found on pages 98-99 in your book.

Present Past Past Participle

burst burst (has) burst

bring brought (has) brought

bite bit (has) bitten

blow blew (has) blown

begin began (has) begun

am, is, are was, were (has) been

CAN YOU CHOOSE THE CORRECT FORM OF THE VERB?

1. People around the world have always (made, maked) use of rivers and oceans for transportation.

2. In the 19th century, it (cost, costed) a fortune to transport goods to California from the east coast.

3. Ships (goed, went) all the way around South America – nearly 8,000 additional miles – to get there.

4. Sometimes ships (sank, sinked) at sea, which killed passengers.

5. Eventually, people (thought, thinked) of a way to shorten the trip.

**For more practice, complete 1-10 on p. 100.

SIMPLE TENSES

A tense is a verb form that shows the time of an action or condition. Verbs have three simple tenses: the present, the

past, and the future. The present tense shows an action or

condition that occurs now. The past tense shows an action or condition

that was completed in the past. The future tense shows an action or

condition that will occur in the future.

PROGRESSIVE FORM

A progressive form of a tense expresses an action or condition in progress. The crowd is cheering. - Present

progressive

The winner’s parents were holding their breath. – Past progressive.

They will be celebrating later. – Future progressive

CAN YOU IDENTIFY THE SIMPLE TENSE?1. The Oregon Trail served as the route to the West for

80,000 to 200,000 pioneers.2. The 2,000-mile journey attracted gold hunters, fur

traders, missionaries, and especially farmers.3. To this day, their destination, the Pacific Northwest,

has some of the most fertile farmland in the world.4. In grassy sections, the tracks from the wagon

wheels are still showing in the soil.5. Many people will write a book about the experience.

**For more practice, complete 1-10 on p. 103.

PERFECT TENSES

The present perfect tense places an action or condition in a stretch of time leading up to the present. Hot-air balloons have existed for 300 years.

Balloons existed in the past; they still exist.

The past perfect tense places a past action or condition before another past action or condition. After scientists had used weather balloons for years, people

discovered them for sport. Had used is farther back in the past than discovered.

The future perfect tense places a future action or condition before another future action or condition. However, many more people will have tried the sport before it

becomes ordinary. Will have tried will occur before it becomes ordinary.

FORMING PERFECT TENSES

Singular Plural

Present perfect (has or have +past participle)

I have floatedYou have floatedHe, she, it has floated

We have floatedYou have floatedThey have floated

Past perfect (had + past participle)

I had floatedYou had floatedHe, she, it had floated

We had floatedYou had floatedThey had floated

Future perfect (will + have + past participle)

I will have floatedYou will have floatedHe, she, it will have floated

We will have floatedYou will have floatedThey will have floated

CAN YOU IDENTIFY THE PERFECT TENSE?1. For centuries, navigation has been a challenge.2. At the end of their journeys, sailors in ancient times

often had ended up continents away from their destinations.

3. By the late 1950s, scientists had invented artificial satellites.

4. Satellites have been a huge help to navigation.5. Perhaps someday, every car will have acquired a

GPS receiver.

**For more practice, complete 1-10 on page 106.

CAN YOU USE TENSES CORRECTLY?

1. One of the biggest drawbacks of cars always (has been, had been) pollution.

2. Early cars were so few in number that they (have done, did) little damage to the air.

3. The petroleum-based fuels used in automobiles (produce, will produce) toxic emissions, such as carbon monoxide.

4. Petroleum-based engine oils (stay, had stayed) dangerous to the environment for a long time – they aren’t biodegradable.

5. Now, scientists (had developed, are developing) new car fuels and lubricants from plants.

TROUBLESOME VERB PAIRS

Lie and Lay Lie means “to recline.” It does not take an object. Lay means “to put or place.” It does take an object.

Remember – people lie, objects don’t.

Present Past Past Participle

liePat lies down

layPat lay down.

lainPat has lain down.

layPat lays the car down.

laidPat laid the car down.

laidPat has laid the car down.

TROUBLESOME PAIRS

Sit and Set Sit means “to be seated.” It does not take

an object. Set means “to put or place.” It does take

an object.Present Past Past Participle

sitLet’s sit up front.

satWe sat up front.

satWe have sat up front.

setBob sets down the keys.

setBob set down the keys.

setBob has set down the keys.

CAN YOU CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD?1. Isle Royale (lies, lays) in the northwest section of Lake

Superior.2. When the state of Michigan was (laid, lay) out, Isle

Royale became a part of it.3. To get to the island, pilots (sit, set) down seaplanes

on the lake regularly.4. The only other way to get to Isle Royale from the

mainland is by (sitting, setting) for hours on a ferryboat.

**For more practice, complete 1, 5, 6, 7, and 10 on page 113.