1. Action and helping verbs

2. Action Verbs What is an action verb?
An action verb tells what action the subject is performing. It’s what you do!

3. How do I find the action verb?
Find the subject.
Ask the question, What did the subject do?
The bat flew silently across the dark sky.
The subject is bat. What did the bat do? Flew is the action verb.

4. Three Types of Action Verbs
Physical
Mental
Ownership

5. Physical Action A bat lives in our barn.
It clings to the rafters during the day.

6. Mental Action Some people believe bats are dangerous.
They fear the small animals.

7. Ownership Bats have poor vision during the day.
They possess a unique type of vision.

8. Helping Verbs
The verb of a sentence is not always written with just one word. Sometimes we use helping (auxiliary) verbs.
They make a verb phrase with the main verb plus one or two helping verbs.

9. Forms of Be Is Am
Are
Was
Were Be
Being
Been

10. Forms of Have
Has
Have
Had

11. Forms of Do Do
Does
Did

12. Others
Shall
Will
Should
Would
May
Might
Must
Can
Could

13. Examples The verb phrases in these examples are underlined.
My dad has promised us a parrot.
We have been asking for one for a long time.

14. More Examples Sometimes a verb phrase is interrupted by other words.
I couldn’t sleep last night.
We are really getting a parrot today!

15. More Examples
To find a verb phrase in a question, make the question a statement.
Question Have you owned a parrot before?
Statement You have owned a parrot before.

16. Your Turn! Find the verb phrase in the following sentences.
Have you ever listened to a parrot?
Actually, parrots don’t talk.

17. A Couple More Many birds can mimic various sounds.
People must train these birds very slowly.

18. Review Action verbs show action. What did the subject do?
They can be physical, mental, or ownership.
Ex. Run, believe, have.

19. Common Helping Verbs Review
Is Am Are Was Were
Be Being been
Has Have Had
Do Does Did
Shall Will Should Would
May Might Must
Can Could