VERBS

Think you know everything about them?

ACTION VERB? LINKING VERB? WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?!

Action verbs

Finding an action verb is easy. Find a word in a sentence and ask yourself, “Can a

person or thing do this?" if they can, then it is an action verb!

Example:

During biology class, James napped at his desk.

Can you during? Is during something you can do? Can you biology? Is there someone

biologying outside the building right now? Can you class? Can you James? What does a

person do when he's Jamesing? Can you nap? Bingo! Sure you can!

OK, I UNDERSTAND ACTION VERBS, BUT WHAT AB OUT LINKING VERBS? !

Linking verbs

Finding linking verbs aren’t as easy, but still simple.

A linking verb connects the subject with something that is being said about the subject.

Example:

This rose smells so amazing.

“Smells” is connecting the subject (a rose) and the thing that is being said about the rose

(so amazing).

WHAT’S A PRESENT PARTICIPLE?

A Present Participle is used with a verb to indicate an action that is incomplete:

Example: I am reading / I was reading

Present Participles can also be used as an adjective.

Example: an interesting woman, a fascinating story, etc.

Present Participles are basically a verb ending in “ing” but you get some exceptions

(such as the adjectives).

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ACTION AND LINKING VERB?

A being verb is always a linking verb but a linking verb isn’t always a being verb. A

being verb shows state of being.

Example of a being verb:

I am feeling very happy today.

Example of a linking verb:

The rose smells like perfume.

WHAT IS AN AUXILIARY VERB?

Examples of auxiliary verbs:

Am, are, can, could, do, did, does, had, has, have, is, may, might, must, shall, should, was, were, will,

would.

Auxiliary verbs are helping verbs.

Example:

May I eat some chips?

May is helping eat to change the statement “I eat chips” into the question, “May I eat chips?”

WHAT ARE TRANSITIVE AND INTRANSITIVE VERBS?

Transitive verbs are action verbs that have an object to receive that action.

Example: The batter hit the ball.

In that sentence the direct object ball received the action of the verb hit.

Intransitive verbs are action verbs but unlike transitive verbs, the do not have an object

receiving the action.

Example: The bird sang.

Notice there are no words after the verb sang. Showing that there is no object in the

sentence to receive the action of singing.

WHAT IS A MODAL VERB?

Modal verbs show tense or mode. Examples:

Can, could, may, might, will, would, must, shall, should, ought to.

Modals are different from normal verbs:

They are followed directly by the infinitive of another verb (without 'to').

Most the time they can be used when we want to say how sure we are that

something happened /is happening /will happen.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AUXILIARY VERBS AND MODALS:

All modals are auxiliaries, but not all auxiliaries are modals.

Modal auxiliaries are auxiliaries that express a mood: can, could, should, might,

must, etc.

Non-modal auxiliaries: are have, be, do, etc.