Verb Notes

1. Verb Notes

2. Verb and Action Verbs • A verb is a word that expresses action or state of being. • An action verb expresses physical or mental action. • Physical examples: The owl hooted all night. Gloria plays with the children. • Mental examples: I believe you. She thought about the problem.

3. Transitive Verbs • A transitive verb is an action verb that expresses an action directed toward a person or thing. • Transitive verbs have a direct object that follows the verb. The direct object will be a noun and it will answer the question what? or whom? after the verb. • Subject + Action Verb + What? or whom? = Direct Object

4. With transitive verbs, the action passes from the doer-the subject-to the receiver of the action. • Examples: Derrick greeted the visitors. • Felicia painted her room. • The children play checkers. • What is the verb in this sentence? • Is it transitive? • If it is, what is the direct object?

5. Intransitive Verbs • An intransitive verb expresses action (or tells something about the subject) without passing the action to the receiver. • An intransitive verb does not have a direct object after the verb.

6. Examples: • The train stopped. • Last night we ate on the patio. A verb may be transitive in one sentence and intransitive in another. • Examples: Mr. Lopez is baking bread. Mr. Lopez is baking this afternoon.

7. Linking Verbs • A linking verb is a verb that expresses a state of being. A linking verb connects the subject of sentence with a word in the predicate that explains or describes the subject. • Linking Verbs: am is are was were has been have been had been will be shall be may be might be can be should be would have been appear become feel grow look remain seem smell sound stay taste turn

8. Linking Verb Examples • Howard Rollins is an actor. The verb is connects actor with Howard Rollins. • The children remained quiet during the puppet show. The verb remained connects quiet with children.

9. Linking verbs cannot be transitive, but they do have complements that follow them. • If a noun follows a linking verb and answers the question what?, it is called the predicate nominative. • Example: Bobby is my dog. • Bobby is what? Dog • Dog is the predicate nominative.

10. Helping Verbs • A helping verb helps the main verb to express action or a state of being. The helping verb will come in front of the main verb. • Helping Verbs: am is are was were be been has have had do does did may might must can could shall should will would

11. Verb Phrases • A verb phrase contains one main verb and one or more helping verbs. • Examples: • Many people in Africa can speak more than one language. • Kansas has been named the Sunflower State. • The ball should have been caught by the nearest player. • The longest verb phrase in the English Language is four words. (Extra info! )