Handout on Verbs

1. A verb is a word that expresses action or a state of being and is necessary to make a statement. 2. An action verb tells what someone or something does. The two types of action verbs are transitive and intransitive. A transitive verb is followed by a word or wordscalled the direct objectthat answer the question what? or whom? An intransitive verb is not followed by a word that answers what? or whom? Transitive: The tourists saw the ruins. The janitor washed the window. Intransitive: Owls hooted during the night. The children played noisily. An indirect object receives what the direct object names. Marcy sent her brother a present. 3. A linking verb links, or joins, the subject of a sentence with an adjective or nominative. The trucks were red. (adjective) She became an excellent swimmer. (nominative) 4. A verb phrase consists of a main verb and all its auxiliary, or helping, verbs. We had been told of his arrival. They are listening to a symphony. 6. Verbs have four principle parts or forms: base, past, present participle, and past participle. Base: I talk. Present Participle: I am talking. Past: I talked. Past Participle: I have talked. 7. Irregular verbs form their past form and past participle without adding -ed to the base form.
PRINCIPAL PARTS OF IRREGULAR VERBS
Base Form Past Form Past Participle Base Form Past Form Past Participle

be beat become begin bite blow break bring catch choose come do draw drink drive eat fall feel find fly freeze get give go grow hang have know lay

was, were beat became began bit blew broke brought caught chose came did drew drank drove ate fell felt found flew froze got gave went grew hung had knew laid

been beaten become begun bitten or bit blown broken brought caught chosen come done drawn drunk driven eaten fallen felt found flown frozen got or gotten given gone grown hanged had known laid

lead lend lie lose put ride ring rise run say see set shrink sing sit speak spring steal swim take tear tell think throw wear win write

led lent lay lost put rode rang rose ran said saw set shrank or shrunk sang sat spoke sprang stole swam took tore told thought threw wore won wrote

led lent lain lost put ridden rung risen run said seen set shrunken sung sat spoken sprung stolen swum taken torn told thought thrown worn won written

Exercises Exercise 1. Draw two lines under each action verb. Many athletes successfully represented the United States in the modern Olympics. 1. African American Jesse Owens broke world records in track and field events. 2. Owens attended The Ohio State University. 3. At a 1935 event in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Owens broke three world records. 4. Many people consider Owens the greatest track-and-field athlete ever. 5. Owens won four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. 6. Owenss strong performance angered Adolf Hitler. 7. Owens wore the victors oak leaf crown during the presentation ceremony. 8. Owens later gave many speeches about values and moral principles. 9. Another African American athlete captured the worlds attention in the 1960 Italy games. Exercise 2. Encircle the verb and identify if its an action verb AV or a Linking verb LV 1. The catcher threw the pitcher a new ball. 2. The football punter kicked the ball to the other team. 3. The car is black. 4. The Book Club president brewed coffee for the members. 5. My cousins were excited to meet our new neighbor. 6. The company sent its employees holiday bonuses. 7. The JNHS English Club was divided into three groups. 8. The curious toddler pulled the puppys ears. Exercise 3. Draw two lines under each action verb. Draw one line under each direct object. In the blank, write T if the verb is transitive or I if the verb is intransitive. T Aaron painted his house white. ____1. Hiroko plays softball and tennis every summer. ____2. The pigeon drank water from the muddy puddle. ____3. The eagle soared higher and higher in the sky. ____4. The stern judge gave a harsh sentence to the defendant. ____5. The happy baby wore a toothless grin. ____6. New Zealand lies about 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) southeast of Australia. ____7. City council meets once a week. ____8. Maria prepares dinner for the family. ____9. The artist paints colorful, geometric designs. ____10. The news reporter lifted her eyebrows in disbelief. Exercise 4. Complete the table by supplying the correct form of the verb asked.
Present Drink Run 3. 1. 2. flew Past 4. Write 6. Present Played 5. listened Past