UNIVERSIDAD CATÓLICA DE TEMUCO

FACULTAD DE EDUCACIÓN
PEDAGOGÍA EN INGLÉS

Class: Grammar in Context I

Teachers: Helen Kehr / Ximena Puchy

STUDY GUIDE: THE VERB PHRASE

A. Stative and Dynamic Verbs

1.

2. Practice Exercise: Write down the verb phrase in each of these

sentences. Be careful; watch for separated helping verbs and watch for
adverbs that separate the verb phrase.

1. Will you buy me a drink?

2. Sam is not going to the dance.
3. Al should have mowed the lawn today.
4. Theresa will be playing her clarinet at the concert tonight.
5. Rosie could have worked on that project today.
6. Tony and Jim have been chosen as finalists at the science fair.
7. Hasn't the tailor finished the suit?
8. My grandmother has carefully repaired the broken vase.
9. Maria will probably leave for New York on Wednesday.
10. Does that offer still stand?
3. Practice Exercise: Write down the verbs in the following sentences. Then
tell whether they are action or linking verbs.

1. The ghost appeared in the doorway.

2. The child appeared tired.
3. Bill became the president of the student council.
4. The cloth on the table felt soft and fuzzy.
5. Jeannie grows taller every day.
6. The tree grows every day.
7. John felt sick after lunch.
8. The leftover food from the picnic smelled rotten.
9. Steve smelled the flowers.
10. Please stay in the house.
11. Mom tasted the soup.
12. The soup tasted salty.
13. Jenny looks at the pictures in the book.
14. Jenny looks beautiful in that dress.
15. The radio sounded the emergency alarm.

4. Directions: Write down the verbs in the following sentences. Then write down the type of each
verb (action, being, or linking) next to it. Remember that all parts of speech can be compound -
that is, more than one in a sentence.

1. Robert entered the history room.

2. Mrs. Jones tasted the pudding.
3. Ginger likes reading.
4. Mary and Jeff are in the school play.
5. Mark will be the lead actor in tomorrow's presentation.
6. His sister will play the flute in the band.
7. Do you like plays?
8. Into the yard ran the cat.
9. Are you planning a party for Joan?
10. The decorations for the dance were beautiful.

5. "To be" Verb Usage Practice

Example: I _____________(present) late for my date. [am would be inserted on the line]

Practice Exercise

1. The jury ________________(past) unable to reach a decision.

2. Sharon, you _____________(present) a good student.

3. I _____________(present perfect) here for a while.

4. Two dollars _____________(present) a fair price for that item.

5. Neither Manuel nor Bill ___________(present) here for the awards.

6. The students ________(future perfect) home by the time of the new TV show.

7. We ___________(future) prepared for the test tomorrow.

8. _________ Gina __________ (present perfect) to the zoo?

9. Tom Sawyer ___________(past) a character in Mark Twain's novel.

10. Otto _____________(past perfect) president for student council for two years when he resigned.

6. Exercise: Write down the verbs in the following sentences. Then write after the verb whether it is
transitive (T) or intransitive (INT).

1. Jenny bought a present for Tom.

2. Jim is running in the track meet.

3. You will find the letter soon.

4. Have you noticed the broken window?

(Change to a statement before you decide on an answer.)

5. The soup is salty.

6. Mike is the second oldest in the family.

7. Linda gave Tony an award for his work.

8. The teacher distributed the tests.

9. Did you get a good grade?

10. Bob participated in the contest.

7.Verb Tense Recognition Practice

Practice Exercise: Write down the tense of the following verbs.

1. Have you read the newspaper today?

(Be careful...get the whole verb.)

2. Ruth wanted the bike for her brother's birthday.

3. I shall have read the biography of martin Luther King by class time tomorrow.

4. Jim has received the medal of honor for his army duties.

5. Will Ginger sing at the show tonight?

6. I know the name of that game.

7. The rain began about one hour ago.

8. The charge for the traffic ticket was fifty dollars!

9. Had you done your homework before the Millionaire show last night?

10. Portable computers are very convenient.

B. Write examples for each one of the verb classes:

1. Lexical Verb:

2. Primary Auxiliary + Lexical Verb:

3. Modal Auxiliary + Lexial Verb:

4. Modal Auxiliary + Primary Auxiliary + Lexical Verb:

5. Primary Auxiliary + Primary Auxiliary + Lexical Verb:

6. Modal Verb + Primary Auxiliary + Lexical Verb