Action, Linking, and Helping

Action Verbs found in sentences that tell what the subject is doing, has done, or will do Usually found just after the subject and at the beginning of the predicate

Examples of action verbs Ran Thought Wanted Fell Wrote Whisper Jump Sing Walk Smile Laugh Cry Slept Listen Play Leap Scream

Practice sentences The squirrels ate the syrup. The cheerleaders danced to Lady GaGa at the pep rally. Then they chased the wild platypus away. The mongoose laughed and laughed.

Linking Verb found in sentences that describe the subject Link the subject to a word in the predicate that describes it

EXAMPLES OF LINKING VERBS TO BE Examples: am, are, is, was, were, be, being, been Sensory Verbs Examples: feel, look, appear, smell,sound, taste Common LVs Examples: seems, grows, remains, appears,becomes, stays

Practice Sentences (linking) It seems weird that the syrup was salty. After breakfast, the Squirrels became rabid. They felt dizzy and rotund. All is lost!

HELPING VERBS helps other verbs only found in sentences w/ more than one verb Must help an action verb or a linking verb Only in sentences with more than one verb If there is more than one verb one of them must be a helping verb

EXAMPLES OF HELPING VERBS TO BEam, are, is, was, were, be, being, been do, does, did shall, will may, must, might have, has, had can, could, would, should

Practice Sentences (helping) The squirrels will be sorry tomorrow. They should not have eaten the tainted syrup. Now, the mongoose is being chased away. Things could not be worse!