VerbsIntroduction to Literature

Action verbs: tell what happens

Can be mental or visible action◦ Ex. visible: We chose two books about China.◦ Ex. mental: We remember the film about China.

Action Verbs

Action verbs can be transitive or intransitive.

Transitive: directs action toward someone/ something in the same sentence

To tell if it’s transitive, ask “Whom?” or “What?” after the verb◦ Ex. Pat carried her books to the lecture on Asia.◦ Ex. Pat carried what? Her books.

Intransitive: does not direct action toward someone/something in the sentence◦ Ex. The temperature fell quickly.

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

1. The camper feared the bears. 2. A guide directed us back to our hotel. 3. The fans shouted their approval. 4. Eric shouted to his friends. 5. We crawled carefully under the fence. 6. The raindrops danced on the pavement. 7. A stray dog followed us home.

Transitive or Intransitive Practice

Do not show action Connects words in a sentence

In English, the most common linking verb is some form of the verb be (ex. is, are, was, etc).◦ See chart on page 366 in Grammar book

Other linking verbs: appear, feel, look, seem, sound, taste, become, grow, remain, smell, stay, turn

Linking Verbs

Sara is an astronaut. He was glad. The situation on board remained serious. The astronauts grew anxious.

Linking Verb Examples

As you may have noticed, many linking verbs can also be action verbs.

To determine whether a verb is linking or action, you can substitute am, are, or is for the verb.

If the substituted word makes sense and connects the two words, then the sentence is using a linking verb. If the sentence doesn’t make sense, it is an action verb.

Linking Verb or Action Verb?

Linking Verbs Action Verbs

The pears taste sweet.The pears are sweet.(linking)

Apollo 13 appears ready.Apollo 13 is ready.(linking)

The runner grew tired.The runner is tired.(linking)

I taste the red pepper.I am the red pepper.(not linking-action)

Apollo 13 appears suddenly.Apollo 13 is suddenly.(not linking- action)

He grew a beard.He is a beard.(not linking-action)

Linking Verb or Action Verb?

1. The milk smells sour. 2. The vegetables tasted salty. 3. Fred smelled the flowers. 4. The crowd became restless. 5. The detective looked closely at the clue. 6. The guard sounded the alarm. 7. Sharon sounds happy about her job. 8. The candidate appears confident.

Linking Verb or Action Verb Practice

Helping Verbs other than the forms of be

do have shall can

does has should could

did had will may

would might must

Helping Verbs• Helping verbs are verbs that can be added to

another verb to make a single verb phrase.• Any of the forms of be as well as some other

verbs can be used as helping verbs

Helping verbs Verbs

amdidcanwill beshould havemight have been

talkingplayWritestudyingseenconsidered

Verb Phrases Examples

Verb phrases are often interrupted by other words.

Only the verb and helping verb are part of the verb phrase.◦ Ex. The will be flying in the morning.◦ The will definitely not be going with us.◦ They will not attend the concert.◦ Have you and the others met our friends?

Finding Helping Verbs