1. Verbs, Verbs, and Adverbs
Usage, Irregulars, S-V Agreement, and adverbs

2. Verbs--Usage
Verb: a word that expresses an action or helps to make a statement
Infinitive form—verb before it is conjugated
To ring
To come
Verb Tenses
Present (NOW)
Ring
come
Past (YESTERDAY)
Rang
came
Past participle (had/have)
Rung
Present participle (is)
Ringing
Coming

3. Action Verbs—Transitive and Intransitive
Transitive Verbs: expresses an action directed toward a person place or thing
The Puritans left England.
Intransitive Verbs: expresses an action without passing the action from doer to receiver
They left for religious reasons

4. Linking Verbs
A linking verb connects the subject to a word that identifies or describes it.
The boy is a genius.
The verb is connects the noun genius with the subject boy.
That song sounded familiar.
This air smells fresh.

5. IRREGULAR VERBS Lie/Lay Sit/Set Lie: to recline, to rest
Lie, lay, have lain, is lying
Lay: to put or to place
Lay, laid, have laid, is laying
Sit/Set
Sit: to rest, to be in an upright position
Sit, sat, have sat, is sitting
Set: to put, to place
Set, set, have set, is setting

6. IRREGULAR VERBS 3. Rise/Raise OTHER WEIRD VERBS Rise: to go up
Rise, rose, have risen, is rising
Raise: to force up
Raise, raised, have raised, is raising
OTHER WEIRD VERBS
May—asks permission
Can—refers to ability
Shall—used with 1st person only (I or We)
Will—used with 2nd or 3rd person (You, he, they)

7. SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT RULES
Singular subjects get singular verbs; plural subjects get plural verbs
Examples
The cat is hungry.
The dogs are barking.
Singular Subjects followed by “together with,” “along with,” and “as well as” take singular verbs
Example
The coach, along with his players and managers, was given a loud cheer.

8. SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT RULES
3. Singular Pronouns get Singular Verbs
Singular pronouns
Somebody •everyone •each •either
Any •neither •anybody •everybody
Example
Each of the men was eating a hotdog.
4. Use a plural verb with 2 or more singular subjects joined by AND
The boy and the girl were jumping rope.
Exception
Unless the two items are thought of as a single unit
PB and Jelly
Bread and Butter

9. SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT RULES
5. If two singular subjects are linked by OR or NOR, the verb is SINGULAR.
Example:
Neither the teacher nor the pupil was able to attend the contest.
If one of the subjects is PLURAL, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it in the sentence.
Example
Neither the teacher nor the pupils were able to attend the contest.

10. SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT RULES
6. If the noun “number” is preceded by “A” and followed by “of,” it takes a plural verb.
Example
A number of cars were stolen.
If the noun “number” is preceded by “The” and followed by “of,” it takes a singular verb.
The number of thefts was staggering.

11. SUBJECT/VERB AGREEMENT RULES
7. Words like: team, committee, jury, group, family, and police (collective nouns) are SINGULAR.
Example:
The basketball team is popular.
8. Words ending in “-ics” are usually singular. News, dollars, miles, and cents are all singular.
Example
Statistics is required for all math majors.
Ten dollars is too much for that shirt.

12. ADVERBS
An ADVERB modifies or describes a verb (action), an adjective, or another adverb
Adverbs answer the following questions:
Where? How often? or how long?
When? To What extent?
How? or how much?

13. Examples The sprinter ran swiftly.
The adverb swiftly modifies the verb ran and tells how the sprinter ran.
I read the funny pages early on Sunday morning.
The adverb early modifies the verb read and tells when I read.
Jolene was comforting a very small child.
The adverb very modifies the adjective small and tells to what extent.

14. Examples 4. The fire blazed too wildly for anyone to enter.
The adverb too modifies the adverb wildly and tells to what extent. The adverb wildly modifies the verb blazed and tells how.
Dad will sometimes quote from Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s speech.
The adverb sometimes modifies the verb will quote and tells how often.
6. Put the apples there, and we will eat them later.
The adverb there modifies the verb put and tells where. The adverb later modifies the verb will eat and tells when.

15. WORDS OFTEN USED AS ADVERBS
WHERE?
Away
Here
Inside
There Up
WHEN?
Later
Now
Soon
Then
Tomorrow

16. WORDS OFTEN USED AS ADVERBS
HOW?
Clearly
Easily
Quietly
Slowly
HOW OFTEN OR HOW LONG?
Always
Usually
Continuously
Never
Forever
Briefly