Verbs: A Guide for Students Grades K-12

A verb is a word that shows action or a state of being, such as watched, or is. An action verb is a verb that tells what someone or something does, did, or will do.

A linking verb is a verb that connects, or links, the subject of the sentence to a word or words in the predicate. The verb to be is the most common linking verb. Other common linking verbs are: seem, become, appear, remain, look, and feel.

Helping verbs are verbs used with other verbs to make a sentence better. Common helping verbs include am, are, is, was, were, do, did, have, has, had, can, may. A verb phrase contains one or more helping verbs along with the main verb.

Transitive verbs are action verbs that are followed by direct objects. Transitive verbs transmit the action from the subject to the object. An intransitive verb does not need an object to complete its meaning. Intransitive verbs are often followed by prepositional phrases.

An infinitive is a present tense verb that follows the word to (to + verb = infinitive). Infinitives can act as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. An infinitive phrase includes modifiers, a complement, or a subject, which act together as a single part of speech.

A gerund is a verb form ending in ing that functions as a noun. The present participle is formed by adding ing to a present tense verb. The past participle is formed by added ed to the present tense. A participial phrase includes the participle and its objects, complements, or modifiers.

Verb tense shows the time in which the action takes place. There are six verb tenses. Present tense shows action or a state of being that is happening now. Past tense shows an action or state of being that has been completed. Future tense shows action or a state of being that will take place. The present-perfect tense is formed using the present tense of the helping verb to have plus the past tense of the verb it helps. This combination is called the past participle. Together, they form the present-perfect tense. The past-perfect tense is formed using the past tense of the verb to have plus the past participle. The future-perfect tense is formed using the verbs will and have plus the past participle.

Verbs are in the active voice if the subject is performing the action. Verbs are in the passive voice if the subject receives the action or is the result of the action.

Subject-verb agreement

Use singular verbs for singular subjects and plural verbs for plural subjects. Compound subjects should be connected by and and use a plural verb. If compound subjects are connected by or a singular verb should be used if the subject following or is singular and plural if the subject following is plural. Usually indefinite pronouns are singular and require a singular verb. Some can be singular or plural depending on the use. Most collective nouns require a singular verb (audience, bunch, class, family, group, herd, pack, set, team).

Irregular verbs are verbs that change tense by a change in spelling or word form. These verbs must be memorized. Some of them include: be, become, begin, blow, break, burn, burst, choose, come, dive, do, draw, drink, drive, eat, flight, fly, forget, freeze, get, go, grow, know, lay (put down), lead (guide), lend, lie, (recline), lie (tell a lie), lose, rise, run, say, see, set, shake, sing, speak, steal, strike, swim, teach, tear, think, throw, wear, white.

Notebook Writer's Guide