Verbs
Every sentence has a main verb, the word or words that tell what the subject does or that link the subject to another word that describes it. There are three kinds of verbs: action verbs, linking verbs, and helping verbs.
ACTION VERBS
An action verb tells what action the subject performs.
To find the main action verb in a sentence, ask yourself: What action does the subject perform?
| ACTION VERBS | The band played all night. |
| The alarm rings loudly. |
LINKING VERBS
A linking verb connects (links) the subject to another word or group of words that describes the subject. Linking verbs show no action. The most common linking verb is be (am, is, are, and so on). Other linking verbs, such as seem and become, can usually be replaced by a form of the verb be, and the sentence will still make sense.
To find linking verbs, ask yourself: What word joins the subject and the words that describe the subject?
| LINKING VERBS |
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Some words can be used as either action verbs or linking verbs, depending on how the verb is used in a particular sentence.
| ACTION VERB | Justine smelled the flowers. |
| LINKING VERB | The flowers smelled wonderful. |
Common Linking Verbs
| FORMS OF BE | FORMS OF SEEM AND BECOME | FORMS OF SENSE VERBS |
|---|---|---|
| am | seem, seems, seemed | look, looks, looked |
| are | appear, appears, appeared | |
| is | become, becomes, became | smell, smells, smelled |
| was | taste, tastes, tasted | |
| were | feel, feels, felt |
HELPING VERBS
A helping verb joins the main verb in a sentence to form the complete verb (also known as a verb phrase — the main verb and all of its helping verbs). The helping verb is often a form of the verb be, have, or do. A sentence may have more than one helping verb along with the main verb.
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Sharon was listening to the radio as she was studying for the test. [The helping verb is was; the complete verbs are was listening and was studying.] |
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I am saving my money for a car. |
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Colleen might have borrowed my sweater. |
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You must pass this course before taking the next one. |
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You should stop smoking. |
Common Helping Verbs
| FORMS OF BE | FORMS OF HAVE | FORMS OF DO | OTHER |
|---|---|---|---|
| am | have | do | can |
| are | has | does | could |
| been | had | did | may |
| being | might | ||
| is | must | ||
| was | should | ||
| were | will | ||
| would |