VERBS

If you can do it, it is a VERB!

 Kinds of Verbs
 Action  Physical or mental action
 Describes a state of
being. It connects the
 Linking subject with a word in the
predicate that explains or
describes the subject (PN
or PA).
 Linking verb attached to
the main verb. Helps the
 Helping main verb express an
action (linking verb +
action verb = verb
phrase)
 Example Action Verbs
 Go  Compare
 Swim  Analyze
 Eat  Interpret
 Follow  Develop
 Drink  Clean
 Listen  Sit
 Fly  Stand
 Believe  Drive
 Linking Verbs
 Be  Appear
 Am  Become
 Is  Feel
 Are  Grow
 Was  Look
 Were  Remain
 Being  Seem
 Been  Smell
 Sound
 Stay
 Taste
 Turn
 Helping Verbs
 Be  May
 Am  Might
 Is  Must
 Are  Can
 Was  Could
 Were  Shall
 Have  Should
 Has  Will
 Had  Would
 Do  Being
 Does  Been
 Did
 Objects of Verbs
 Direct Object
 Indirect Object
 Direct Object
 Direct Object – receives the action of the
verb
 Noun or pronoun
 Follows an action verb
 Answers the questions What? or Whom?

 If the action verb has a D.O., it is called a

transitive verb. If there is no D.O., it is
called an intransitive verb.
 Example Direct Object
 She studied math for homework.
 Subject = she
 Action verb = studied
 Direct object = math (It answers “What”
she studied.)
 Indirect Object
 Indirect object – indirectly receives the
action of the verb
 Noun or pronoun
 Follows an action verb
 Comes before a direct object
 Answers the questions To What? For
What? To Whom? Or For Whom?
 Example Indirect Object
 He bought Mandy a bouquet of flowers.
 Subject = he
 Action verb = bought
 Direct object = bouquet (it answers the
question “What” he bought)
 Indirect object = Mandy (It answers the
question “For Whom” he bought the
flowers.)
Linking Verb and Predicate Words
 Predicate Noun
 Predicate Adjective
 Predicate Noun
 Noun or pronoun
 Follows a linking verb
 Renames or defines the subject (The
subject and PN can switch places and the
sentence will make sense.)
 Example PN
 He is a teacher.
 Subject = he
 Linking verb = is
 PN = teacher (Teacher and he can switch
places and the sentence is still correct.)
 Predicate Adjective
 Adjective
 Follows a linking verb
 Describes the subject
 Example PA
 She is beautiful.
 Subject = she
 Linking verb = is
 PA = beautiful
 Principal Parts of Verbs

 The principal parts of verbs are used to

create all tenses of verbs.
 Present
 Past
 Present Participle
 Past Participle
 Present
 Indicates time in the present
 Base form of a verb

For example: start or wear

 Past
 Verbs used to indicate something
happened at a previous point in time.
 Most verbs in the past tense add “ed” to
the end.
For example: start becomes started
 Some verbs in the past tense are irregular.
They totally change spelling.
For example: wear becomes wore
 Present Participle
 The present participle is used to indicate
that something is currently happening.
 Form the present participle by adding “ing”
to the base form of the word and “be”,
“am”, or “is” in front of this new word.
For example: start becomes is starting
wear becomes is wearing
 Past Participle
 The past participle is used to indicate something
happened at an undefined period of time.
 To form the past participle 1. Add “ed” to the end
of a regular verb or correctly create the past
participle tense of an irregular verb 2. Add “has”,
“have”, or “had” in front of the verb
For example: 1. start becomes has started
2. wear becomes has worn
 Irregular Verbs
 Irregular verbs do not follow the normal pattern
of conjugation into each of the principal parts of
verbs
These verbs often change spelling to form the
past, present participle, and past participle
tenses. There are a few verbs that keep the
same spelling for all four principal parts.
 The only way to know these verbs is to
memorize them.
 Sample Common Irregular Verbs
(not a complete list of irregular verbs)
Present Past Present Participle Past Participle
Begin Began Is beginning Has begun
Blow Blew Is blowing Has blown
Do Did Is doing Has done
Drink Drank Is drinking Has drunk
Go Went Is going Has gone
Write Wrote Is writing Has written
Break Broke Is breaking Has broken
Become Became Is becoming Has become
Bring Brought Is bringing Has brought
Burst Burst Is bursting Has burst
Swim Swam Is swimming Has swum
Know Knew Is knowing Has known
 Simple Tenses
We use clocks and watches to tell time. We use verbs
the same way. The tense of the verb tells time in the
sentence.

 Present – action that happens now

 Past – action that already happened
 Future – action that will happen
 Present Progressive – “be”, “am”, “is” or “are” plus a verb ending
with “ing” – means something is in progress
 Past Progressive – “was” or “were” plus a verb ending with “ing”
– means something was in progress
 Future Progressive – “will be” plus a verb ending with “ing” –
means something will be in progress
 Present Tense
 Base form of the verb modified to agree
with the subject in number.

For example: We run to the store.

She runs to the store.
 Past Tense
 Create the past tense by adding an “ed” to
the base verb, if it is a regular verb. If it is
an irregular verb, change the verb
accordingly.
For example: We create things. (present)
We created things. (past regular)
We drink water. (present)
We drank water. (past irregular)
 Future Tense
 Form the future tense by adding “will” or
“shall” to the base form of the verb.
For example: They swim in the pool. (present)
They will swim in the pool. (future)
 Present Progressive
 Shows that the action(s) is (are) in
progress

 You are learning English.

 Past Progressive
 Shows the action(s) was (were) in
progress

 You were learning English.

 Future Progressive
 Shows the actions(s) will be in progress

 You will be learning English.

 Perfect Tenses
 Present Perfect
 Past Perfect
 Future Perfect
 Present Perfect
 The present perfect tense is used to show something
that is existing or happening sometime before now. Key
word – during
 Form the present perfect tense by 1. creating the correct
past participle of the verb and 2. add “have” or “has” in
front of it.
For example: I wear jeans. (present) [irregular verb]
I have worn jeans. (present perfect)
He looks nice. (present) [regular verb]
He has looked nice. (present perfect)
 Past Perfect
 The past perfect tense is used to show something
existing or happening before a specific time in the past.
(It is a double past something happened before
something else happened) Key word - after
 Form the past perfect by 1. creating the correct past
participle of the verb and 2. add “ had” in front of the
main verb
For example: She walked the trail. (past ) [regular verb]
She had walked the trail. (past perfect)
The compost became soil. (past) [irregular verb]
The compost had become soil. (past perfect)
 Future Perfect
 The future perfect tense is used to represent something
existing or happening before a specific time in the future.
(It is a double future. Something happens before
something else happens.) Key word - before
 To form the future perfect 1. form the past participle of
the verb 2. add “will have” or “shall have” in front of the
past participle.
For example: She has smiled today. (past participle) [regular verb]
She will have smiled today. (future perfect)
They have worn boots. (past participle) [irregular
verb]
They will have worn boots. (future perfect)
 Troublesome Verb Pairs
 Sit and set
 Rise and raise
 Lie and lay
 Let and Leave

Know the proper definition of each word to

be able to spell and use it correctly.
 Sit and Set
 Sit – means “to be  Set – means “to place
seated” or “to rest” or put something”
(no object) (usually takes a direct
object)
Present Past Present Past Present Past Present Past
participle participle participle participle

sit sat is sitting have sat set set is setting have set
 Example Sit and Set
 Please, sit in your chair. (present)
 He sat in his seat, yesterday. (past)
 He is sitting in his seat. (present participle)
 He has sat there for an hour. (past participle)

 Set your books on the desk. (present)

 She set her book on the desk. (past)
 She is setting her book on the desk. (present participle)
 She has set her book on the desk. (past participle)
 Rise and Raise
 Rise – means “to go  Raise – means “to lift
upward” or “to get something up”
up.” (no object) (usually takes a direct
object)
Present Past Present Past Present Past Present Past
participle participle participle participle

rise rose is rising have risen raise raised is raising have raised
 Example Rise and Raise
 They always rise early on Sunday. (present)
 They rose early on Sunday. (past)
 They are rising early on Sunday. (present participle)
 They have risen early on Sunday. (past participle)

 They raise geese. (present)

 They raised geese. (past)
 They are raising geese. (present participle)
 They have raised geese. (past participle)
 Lie and Lay
 Lie – means “to  Lay – means “to put
recline” or “to be in down” or “to place”
place” (no object) (usually takes a direct
object)
Present Past Present Past Present Past Present Past
participle participle participle participle

lie lay is lying have lain lay laid is laying have laid
 Example Lie and Lay
 Lie down and take a nap. (present)
 He lay down and took a nap. (past)
 He is lying down for a nap. (present participle)
 He has lain down for a nap. (past participle)

 Lay your clothes on the bed. (present)

 She laid her clothes on the bed. (past)
 She is laying her clothes on the bed. (present participle)
 She has laid her clothes on the bed. (past participle)
 Let and Leave
 Let – means “to allow”  Leave – means “to
or “to permit” (it can depart” or “to allow
have an object) something to remain
where it is.” (it can
have an object)
Present Past Present Past Present Past Present Past
participle participle participle participle

let let is has let leave left is has left

letting leaving
 Example Let and Leave
 Mom let me do the dishes. (present)
 Yesterday, Mom let me do the dishes. (past)
 Mom is letting me do the dishes tonight. (present
participle)
 Mom has let me do the dishes all week. (past participle)

 I leave for work at 5:30 A.M. (present)

 I left for work at 5:30 A.M. (past)
 I am leaving for work at 5:30 A.M. (present participle)
 I have left for work at 5:30 A.M. (past participle)