VERBS

Verbs A verb is a word that expresses action (main verb) or a state

of being.

Examples:

Jesse ran around the house three times.

We celebrated the Chinese New Year yesterday.

After that, Jesse was very thirsty

The holiday is usually in February.

(The verbs is and was does not tell about an action. Instead, they tell something about the subjects state of being.)

Main Verbs and Helping VerbsVerbs have four principal parts that

are used to form all tenses. The chart below show how the principal parts of most verbs are formed..

Principal Parts of VerbsBase Form Present

ParticiplePast Form Past

Participle

jump jumping jumped jumped

The principal parts of verbs are often combined with helping verbs to form verb phrases.

Helping Verbs

Helping Verbs and Verb Phrases

A verb phrase consists of one or more helping verbs followed by a main verb.

The students are jumping rope now.

Helping verb

Main verb

Helping Verbs: help the main verb express action

or a state of being.

Examples:

- can speak - will learn

- should have been fed

Together, the main verb and its helping verb or verbs are called a verb

phrase. Examples:

- Many students can speak Spanish.

- I will be learning about helping verbs today.

Together, the main verb and its helping verb or verbs are called a verb

phrase. Examples:

- Many students can speak Spanish.

- I will be learning about helping verbs today.

Helping Main

Together, the main verb and its helping verb or verbs are called a verb

phrase. Examples:

- Many students can speak Spanish.

- I will be learning about helping verbs today.

Helping Main

MainHelping

Commonly Used Helping Verbsam being do have must wereare can does is shall willbe could had may should wouldbeen did has might was

Some words can be used as both helping

verbs and main verbs.

Helping Verb:

- I do enjoy the movies.

Main Verb:

- I will do the dishes.

Sometimes a verb phrase is interrupted

by another part of speech. Examples:

- Students should not forget their homework.

- Did you call your friends this weekend?

Adverb

Pronoun

The word NOT and its contraction, -n’t, are adverbs telling to what extent; neither is part of a verb phrase.

Helping Verbs Song (sung to the tune of

“Jingle Bells”)Helping verbs, helping verbs, There are twenty-three: AM, IS, ARE, WAS and WERE BEING, BEEN, and BE….oh! HAVE, HAS, HAD, DO, DOES, DID, SHALL, WILL, SHOULD, and WOULD.

There are five more helping verbs: MAY, MIGHT, MUST, CAN,

COULD.

PracticeIn the following sentences,identify the verb phrase.

Both main and all helping verb.

Draw a line under the helping verbs.

They are watching television.

They are watching television.

Verb Phrase: are watching

They are watching television.

Verb Phrase: are watching

Type: helping/main

Ann was cooking dinner in the kitchen.

Ann was cooking dinner in the kitchen.

Verb Phrase: was cooking

Ann was cooking dinner in the kitchen.

Verb Phrase: was cookingType: helping/main

The boys were playing in the park.

The boys were playing in the park.

Verb Phrase: were playing

The boys were playing in the park.

Verb Phrase: were playingType: helping/main

Randy is studying for his grammar test.

Randy is studying for his grammar test.

Verb Phrase: is studying

Randy is studying for his grammar test.

Verb Phrase: is studyingType: helping/main

We have learned a lot about verbs.

We have learned a lot about verbs.

Verb Phrase: have learned

We have learned a lot about verbs.

Verb Phrase: have learnedType: helping/main

He could have been a great comic.

He could have been a great comic.

Verb Phrase: could have been

He could have been a great comic.

Verb Phrase: could have beenType: helping/main

Great job!