•Verbs are words that express action or state of being. There are three types of verbs: action verbs, linking verbs, and helping verbs.

Action verb• Action verbs are words that express action (give, eat, walk, etc.) or possession (have, own, etc.). Action verbs can be either transitive or intransitive.

Transitive Verbs• A transitive verb always has a noun that receives the action of the verb, called the direct object.• EXAMPLE:• The batter hit the ball

• Transitive verbs sometimes have indirect objects, which name the object to whom or for whom the action was done.

• EXAMPLE: Abbey gave Becky the pencil. The verb is gave. The direct object is the pencil. (What did he give? The pencil.) The indirect object is Becky. (To whom did he give it? To Becky.)

Intransitive Verbs • An intransitive verb never has a direct or indirect

object. Although an intransitive verb may be followed by an adverb or adverbial phrase, there is no object to receive its action.

• EXAMPLE: • He laughed• The bird sang• Guess the verb: I walked to the park today.

Linking Verbs• A linking verb connects the subject of a sentence

to a noun or adjective that renames or describes the subject. This noun or adjective is called the subject complement. It basically shows the existence of something.

• All forms of the verb "be" are always linking verbs.

• Forms of be: be being been am is are was were• EXAMPLE:• John is nice. (Is links John to an adjective

describing him.)• Lauren was at the theater. (Was links Lauren to a

phrase telling us where she is.)

Helping Verbs

• Helping verbs are used before action or linking verbs to convey additional information regarding aspects of possibility (can, could, etc.) or time (was, did, has, etc.). The main verb with its accompanying helping verb is called a verb phrase.

• EXAMPLES:

• Sara is (helping verb) going (main verb) to Florida.

• The trip might (helping verb) be (main verb) dangerous.

• The following words, called modals, always function as helping verbs:

Can May Must Shall will

Could Might Ought to Should would

EXAMPLES:Samar could learn to fly helicopters. (could helps the main verb, learn)•A modal verb is an auxiliary verb but an auxiliary verb is not necessarily a modal verb. To be(is, was,been), to have(has,had), to do(does,did) are primary auxiliaries. That is, they can function both as main verb (lexical verb) and as auxiliary. Example:I have a car. (lexical use of 'to have', meaning 'to own')I have seen her. (auxiliary use of 'to have', to form the present perfect)They cannot function as main verbs, which means they require a lexical verb to come after them.I will be the best chess player in the world.

• Verb tense

• Verbs are either past, present or future tense. In writing, you should always use the same tense for your verbs within your paragraph or essay.

• Michael had played the piano for an hour.

• past tense

• Cheryl will walk home after school.

• future tense

• Susie is a cheerleader.

• present tense

Subject – Verb Agreement

• The subject and verb in a clause should always agree in number.

• Joey walks. (singular subject/singular verb)

• Joey and Maggie walk. (plural subject/plural verb)

• She runs. (singular subject/singular verb)

• They run. (plural subject/plural verb)

Regular and irregular verbs

• English uses two types of verbs: regular and irregular. The difference between these types can be seen when using the simple past and past participle forms of the verbs. There are no differences in form between regular and irregular verbs when using the simple present, present participle, and infinitive.

• Regular verbs are called such because they are predictable: both the simple past and the past participle forms add –ed and “to” to the infinitive form of the verb.

infinitive Simple past Past participle Present participle

To want wanted wanted wanting

To close closed closed closing

To play Played Played playing

• Irregular verbs do not use -ed and are not predictable. The simple past and past participle forms must simply be learned. If you are unsure what the correct form is, dictionaries will provide these forms under the entry for the infinitive of the verb. The chart below demonstrates the wide variation in how irregular verbs are conjugated:

Infinitive form Simple past Past participle Present participle

To go Went Gone Going

To bring Brought Brought Bringing

To beat Beat Beaten Beating

To hit Hit Hit hitting

To forbid Forbade Forbidden forbidding

VerbalsVerbals are words formed from verbs. Verbals, like verbs often express action. They can add variety to your sentences and vigor to your writing style. the three kinds of verbals are

1. Infinitive: An infinitive is to plus the base form of the verb. E.g.

I love to dance.

I asked the children to clean the kitchen

2. Participle: A participle is a verb that ends in -ing (present participle) or -ed, -d, -t, -en, -n (past participle). Participles may function as adjectives, describing or modifying nouns.

• The dancing parrots entertained the crowd.

• The wrecked sailboat washed up on shore.

• But participles have another function. When used with helping verbs such as to be and to have, they are action verbs and form several verb tenses.

• She is thinking of the children.

• The conference room had been cleaned before they arrived.

3. Gerund: a gerund is the –ing form of verb used as a noun. E.g.

• Swimming is the perfect exercise.

• Eating junk food is my diet downfall