Verb Unit Notes

Part 1: Action Verbs and Linking Verbs

Action Verbs: Some verbs tell of an action that tells that something is happening, has happened, or will happen.

Linking Verbs: Some verbs do not tell of an action, but merely tell that something is. They express a state of being.

Here are some common linking verbs: is, am, are, was, were, be, been, being, become, look, appear, feel, smell, taste, grow, seem, sound.

TRY THIS: Find the SUB + VERB + OBJECT

If the SUB and OBJECT are the same – verb is LINKING

If the SUB and OBJECT are different – verb is ACTION

I watched the parade. I watched parade Watched is ACTION

Ellen has a bike. Ellen has bike Has is ACTION

Our room looks messy. Room looks messy Looks is LINKING

The air is chilly. Air is chilly Is is LINKING

Part 2: Helping Verbs and Main Verbs

A verb phrase consists of the main verb with its helper verbs.

You should have seen her play tennis.

helpers main verb

Some Common Helper Verbs: be, is, am, are, was, were, has, had, have, has been, had been,

do, does, did, done, may, might, can, could, shall, should, will, would, must.

Watch out for split verbs in question sentences.

Did you call me?

Should I have gone home?

Part 3: Verb Tenses

Simple Tenses Perfect Tenses

Present Past Future Present Perf Past Perf Future Perf__

talk talked will/shall talk has talked had talked will have talked

have shall

smile smiled will/shall smile has smiled had smiled will have smiled

have shall

go went will/shall go has gone had gone will have gone

think thought will/shall think has thought had thoughtwill have thought

Part 4: Progressive Forms

Present Past Future Present Perf Past Perf Future Perf

am was will be talking has been talking had been talking

is talking were talking shall be talking have been talking will have been talking

are

Part 5: Principal Parts of Regular Verbs

The basic forms of a verb are called the Principal Parts of the verb.

Present Tense Past Tense Past Participle

Help helped have/has/had helped

Like liked have/has/had liked

Talk talked have/has/had talked

Smile smiled have/has/had smiled

These verbs are called Regular because they change in a regular way. That is, their past tense is formed by adding D or ED to the present form.

Part 6: Principal Parts of Irregular Verbs

Some verbs are called Irregular Verbs because they change in irregular ways. That is, their past tense and past participle forms are completely different from the present forms.

Present Tense Past Tense Past Participle

(must have helper- have, has, had)

Arise arose arisen

Bite bit bitten

Choose chose chosen

Dig dug dug

Drink drank drunk

Freeze froze frozen

See saw seen

Steal stole stolen

Part 7: Active and Passive Verbs

When the subject of a sentence performs the action, the verb is ACTIVE.

Emily painted the picture.

When the subject tells the receiver or the result of the action, the verb is PASSIVE.

The picture was painted by Emily. Note, the subject of this sentence, picture, did not perform the action of the verb.

NOTE! NOTE! NOTE! When changing from active to passive, or from passive to active, DON’T CHANGE THE TENSE OF THE VERB!!!

Try using these verbs in the following example: tears, will frame, has enjoyed, had viewed, shall have missed

CHANGING ACTIVE TO PASSIVE:

Emily painted the picture

Add a form of ‘be’: is am are was were be been

The picture was painted by Emily Add ‘by’

CHANGING PASSIVE TO ACTIVE:

The snow will be cleared by the snowplow

Remove form of ‘be’:

The snowplow will clear the snow Remove ‘by’

Part 8: Troublesome Verbs

Sit sat sat Set set set

Lie lay lain These Verbs have Lay laid laid These verbs must

Rise rose risen NO OBJECT Raise raised raised HAVE AN OBJECT

I can sit in a seat. I can set the glass on the table.

Pat lies down when he is dizzy. Pat lays the book down when he is dizzy.

The sun rises in the east. We raise the flag every morning.

Yesterday, I lay in bed all morning because of the flu. Helga lay the cover over the pot.

The campers had lain awake all night in the tent. We laid the tarp over the tent.

May (refers to permission or something that is possible). Can (refers to ability).

Might is another form of ‘may’. Could is another form of ‘can’.

Learn (to gain knowledge). Teach (to give knowledge).

Let (to allow or permit). Leave (to go away from, to allow something to remain).