All About Verbs

03/11/2014: Post by L.B. from C/D block. Verbs are used to describe an action, state, or occurrence. There three different types of verbs are action, linking, and helping. Action verbs are show some show some type of action. An action verb can make up a whole sentence. For example, "Run!" This is considered a sentence. Only action verbs can be a sentence for themselves. Action verbs are divided into two sections, transitive and intransitive. Transitive verbs have an object that receives the action. "I baked cookies." That is an example of a transitive action verb. On the other hand, intransitive verbs are the complete opposite. They do not have an object receiving the action. The sentence, "The boy ran," is an example of an intransitive verb. Another type of verb is linking verbs. Linking verbs connect the subject and the verb rather than express action. Some examples of linking verbs are as follows: any form of be, (am, are, is, etc.) become, and seem. These words are always linking verbs. Some linking verbs, including feel, look, remain, and grow, can be either action verbs or linking verbs depending on the way the word is used. Liking verbs can be substituted with the words "is" or "are," and the sentence should still make sense. Linking verbs are sometimes difficult to tell apart from helping verbs since most linking verbs can double as helping verbs and vice versa. Helping verbs help the main verb, hence the name. These verbs are sometimes called auxiliary verbs as well. They do not have any meaning of their own. There are very few helping verbs in the English language, only 23 to be exact. Here is an example of a helping verb being used in a sentence: "She is brushing her teeth." The word “is” helps “brushing.” Helping verbs do not always come right before the main verb. There are sometimes other words separating the two. For example: "She could not finish all her homework." In this sentence, the word “not” separates the helping verb from the main verb. SOURCE: www.k12reader.com