Understanding Verbs The heart of a sentence.
The verb shows action. The action can be physical: yell dance kiss
The action can be mental. wish meditate
Let’s practice finding the action verb. Click on the verb in the sentence below. I adore all forms of chocolate.
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Good! Let’s try another. Click on the action verb. Bill sent me a rather rude .Billsentmeratherrude
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Right! Let’s try another. Every morning, Rebecca goes for a run.EverymorningRebeccagoesrun
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You’ve got it! Try another! CoachCoach Johnson benched the startingbenchedstarting quarterbackquarterback.
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Right! Here’s another sentence: Marcus considered all his financial options very carefully.Marcusconsideredfinancial optionsverycarefully
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Correct!! You’re on a roll! Please tell us the joke about the one- legged Martian.Pleasetelljokeaboutone- leggedMartian
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Good! Click on the verb. After work, Jeremy usually takes his dog for a walk.Afterworkusuallytakeswalk
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You’re right! Click on the verb. My psychology class meets every Monday and Wednesday.psychologyclassmeetsevery
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Good! It’s time to move on to another type of verb: the linking verb
The linking verb A linking verb doesn’t show physical or mental action. Instead, the linking verb shows a “state of being.”
Here are some examples: Martin is a carpenter. This bread seems stale. We are Marshall.
Linking verbs don’t show action. Linking verbs “link” a subject to a descriptive word. Here are common linking verbs: Isamwaswerebe Beingbeen
Sensory Linking Verbs The following five verbs, related to our five senses, are also linking verbs: Look Feel Sound Taste Smell
More Linking Verbs The following words can also be linking verbs: Turn Grow Appear Seem Become
Let’s practice! Click on the linking verb in the sentence below: DerrickDerrick is a professional photographer.isprofessional photographer
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Yes! Let’s try another: Chad seems quite unhappy this afternoon.
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Correct! Here’s another: That dog certainly looks mean.Thatcertainlylooksmean
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You’ve got it! Here’s another: The runner was completely exhausted.runnerwascompletelyexhausted
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Right! Here’s one more: The geese were especially aggressive yesterday.geesewereespeciallyaggressive
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Yes!! Let’s try just one more: After the stern lecture, the children became quite obedient.Aftersternlecturechildren becamequiteobedient
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Excellent! Now you have a good understanding of the two main types of verbs. In the next lesson, you will learn about compound verbs and helping verbs.