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VERB

A verb is a part of speech that expresses action or existence.


For example: Action: I threw the ball to my brother
I thought about my birthday
Existence: I am a college student. (Also called “state of being” or “linking”
verbs)

Action and Linking Verbs


An action verb expresses some action. They can be physical actions (to tag, to speak, to touch) or
mental actions (to think, to hope, to wonder.)

Verbs that express existence are called linking verbs. These connect (or link) the subject of the
sentence with a word in the other half of the sentence that describes or identifies it. If you can
replace the verb with a form of the verb “to be” such as is, was, were, or if you can place an equal sign
there, it is a linking verb.

For example: Andrew appeared tan. Does it make sense to say “Andrew was tan” or “Andrew = tan?”
Yes, so appeared is a linking verb.

How do I recognize a verb?


In many cases, you will be able to do it easily. There will be an action (even it is a mental action such
as thinking.) Or if is a linking verb, you will see that there is a word that you could substitute an
equal sign for.

Practice Exercise # 1: Underline the verb. Next to it writes whether it is action or linking.

1. Juan looked at his mother. __________

2. The shark took the bait. __________

3. The rain fell for six hours. __________

4. The sun appeared on the horizon. __________

5. The horse looked tired. __________

6. She wondered about the Physics test. __________

7. Manfred is hungry. __________

8. Danny swallowed the food. __________

9. The principal admired his students’ discussion. __________

10. The bus driver drove all night to get there in time. __________
Practice Exercise # 2: Underline the verb. Then write whether it is an Action or Linking verb.

1. The ghost appeared in the doorway. __________

2. The child appeared tired. __________

3. Bill is the president of the student council. __________

4. The cloth on the table felt soft and fuzzy. __________

5. Jeannie grew plants for her science project. __________

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. __________

Helping Verbs
Helping verbs are verbs that come before a main verb and “help” the main verb. They add more
information or make the verb more specific.
For example: John skated on the pond. No helping verb.
John has skated on the pond. One helping verb.
John has been skating on the pond. Two helping verbs.
John should have been skating already. Three helping verbs.

In these cases skated is the main verb.

The main verb, plus the helping verbs is called the verb phrase.

The most common helping verbs are “be, am, are, is, was, were, being, been, can, could, have, has, had,
will, would, do, does, did, shall, should, may, might, must.”

How do I know that I have identified the entire verb phrase?


First find the main verb that is either helping or linking. Then look at the words on either side of it. If
there are any of the words above that make the verb more specific, they are included in the verb
phrase.

Practice Exercise # 3: Circle the main verb. Underline the verb phrase (verb plus helping verbs).

1. Frank should have called us.

2. I will answer the phone.

3. The teacher has been calling for a few days.

4. I may run two miles tomorrow.

5. I would have met her at the fair.

6. She does have a sister.

7. The students could have made it.

8. You must answer all of the questions.

Practice Exercise # 4: Circle the main verb. Underline the verb phrase (verb plus helping verbs).

1. We are going to the mall tomorrow.

2. We have not finished our study of the solar system.

3. Everyone had quietly gone to bed.

4. It must have rained all night.

5. We are going out for dinner after the play.

6. I was writing a story at my desk.

7. My brother is running in the track meet.

8. Kate and I have never skated at the park.

9. The small plane landed in the field.

10. My Dad will go to Florida in April.

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