1. Verb: a word used to express an action or a state of being.
The two main kinds of verbs are action verbs and linking verbs.
Both of these kinds of verbs can appear with helping verbs.

2. Action Verb: tells what the subject does
Action Verb: tells what the subject does. The action may be physical or mental.
She rides motorcycles
She = subject
rides = action verb (describes a physical action)
I prefer a bike.
I = subject
prefer = action verb (describes a mental action)

3. Linking Verb: links the subject of a sentence to a word in the predicate
The most common linking verbs are forms of the verb “be”
Ex: be, is, am, are, was, were, been, being
Ex: We are late. I am hungry. He is being silly.
There are other linking verbs, and they express a condition. Note: You can replace them with “is/are.”
Ex: look, smell, feel, sound, taste, seem, grow, appear, become
She sounds great! It feels cold. They seem bored.

4. Be careful! Some verbs may act either as action verbs or linking verbs
You must think about what the verb is doing to figure it out.
She smells the perfume
action verb -- smells is something she is physically doing
It smells flowery
linking -- smell links the subject, I, to the predicate adjective, flowery
I taste cinnamon (action)
This tastes gross (linking)

5. Helping Verb: adds functional or grammatical meaning; for example, to express tense or need/ability
Common helping verbs
Forms of “have”
Has, have, had
Forms of “do”
Do, does, did
Forms of “be”
Be, am, is, are, was, were, been, being
Others…
Could, should, would,
may, might, must,
can, shall, will

6. A few verbs can serve as either helping verbs or main verbs
He has a tractor.
main verb = has
Owning it is an active idea
It’s not a linking verb because it does not link “he” to a noun or adjective that describes “he”
He has eaten today.
main verb = eaten
has = helping verb (it adds meaning to the main verb)

7. Underline the verb/verb phrase, then mark “A, “ “H,” or “L”
Mail travels overseas on airplanes.
Mail can also go overseas by boats.
Boats are slower but less expensive.
Boats might take weeks for the trip.
Boats were once the only form of transportation across the ocean.
The post office can use trucks, trains, and planes to move mail.
In the past, horses have carried mail.

8. Action Verbs and Objects
Action verbs are often paired with “compliments”.
Compliments are words that complete the meaning of the active verb.
Complements fall into two categories, direct objects, and indirect objects.

9. Direct Objects: a word or words that name the receiver of the action
They answer the question “what?” or “whom?” receives the action of the verb.
Larry tells lots of funny stories.
tells = verb
lots= direct object
Tina passed Erin on the way to school.
passed = verb
Erin = direct object

10. Indirect Objects: tells who/what an action is done to or for
It answers the questions to what? to whom? for what? for whom?
Larry tells his friends stories.
Larry tells stories to whom? Friends.
friends = indirect object
Emma gives the flowers water.
Emma gives water to what? Flowers.
flowers = indirect object

11. Important: The indirect object does not follow a preposition
If a preposition is used, then the word becomes the object of that preposition.
For example, “to,” and “for” are prepositions, so in these sentences there is no indirect object:
We will make an offer to the man.
to = preposition
man = object of preposition, NOT indirect object
Get a job for yourself.
for = preposition
yourself = object of preposition

12. Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Transitive verbs take a direct object
Lyle patted the dog’s fur.
patted = transitive
Intransitive verbs don’t take an object
Lyle patted softly.
patted = intransitive

13. Do not confuse adverbs with direct objects!
A word is only a direct object if that word answers the question “what is being verbed” or “who is being verbed.”
Laura danced the Tango.
Gina claps her hands.
An adverb tells how, when, where, or to what extent (it gives more detail about a verb).
Laura danced wildly.
Gina claps loudly.

14. Which verbs are transitive, and which ones are intransitive?
Joe read to the class.
Gordon was writing Katrina a long letter.
Anna spoke indistinctly.
Peter and John presented a little skit.
John played the part of a policeman.

15. Find the direct objects and indirect objects
Joe read to the class.
Gordon was writing Katrina a long letter.
Anna spoke indistinctly.
Peter and John presented a little skit.
John played the part of a policeman.

16. Action Verbs: Two Types
There are two large classes of action verbs -- transitive and intransitive.
A verb is transitive when the action it expresses is directed toward a person or a thing named in the sentence.
Neil rang the bell. [The action of the verb rang is directed toward bell. The verb is transitive.]
Tina mailed the package. [The action of mailed is directed toward package. The verb is transitive.]

17. Transitive Verbs
With transitive verbs, the action passes from the doer -- the subject-- to the receiver of the action.
Words that receive the action of a transitive verb are called “objects.”
Kallie ate the sandwich.
The dog chewed the shoe.
Our boat broke the rope.

18. Intransitive Verbs
A verb is intransitive when it expresses action (or helps make a statement) without reference to an object.
Note: Like intransitive verbs, linking verbs (be, seem, appear, etc.) never take direct objects.
Last Saturday we stayed inside.
The children laughed.
The band marched past the crowd.

19. Note: The same verb may be transitive in one sentence and intransitive in another!
Marcie studied her notes.
Marcie studied very late.
The poet wrote a sonnet.
The poet wrote carefully.

20. Write the verb and whether it is transitive and intransitive:
Carl Lewis won four Olympic gold medals.
Mr. Ling works for an import company in California.
Robert Hayden taught at our school.
The scouts rescued the girl from an island.
Even good friends sometimes disagree.