THE VERB COMMON linking VERBS
Forms of BE
COMMON HELPING VERBS
Main Verbs and Helping Verbs
Am be will be had been
Forms of BE am been was
A main verb and one or more helping verbs (auxiliary verbs)
Is can be could be shall have been
make up a verb phrase. Are being were
Are may be should be will have been
EXAMPLES: Be is
Was might be would be could have been
Daniel has played. (Has is the helping verb; played is the Forms of HAVE had has have
main verb.) Were must be has been should have been
Forms of DO do does did
Simon will be going. (Will and be are the helping verbs; going Being shall be have been would have been
MODALS can might should
is the main verb.) OTHERS
Could must will
A modal is a helping verb that is joined with the main verb to Appear grow seem stay
May shall would
express an attitude such as necessity or possibility.
Become look smell taste
EXAMPLES:
Feel remain sound turn
We must win this game to reach the playoffs. (Necessity)
We may go to perform the role play for the whole school.
(Possibility) Physical Speak sleep carry throw
Mental Think imagine dream know
Action Verbs
An action verb expresses either physical or mental activity.
Examples: The horse galloped across the field.
Do you ever wonder what dogs dream? Linking Verbs
A linking verb connects the subject to a word or word group
that is identifies or describes the subject. Such a word or word
group is called a subject complement.
EXAMPLES:
Macy looks serious. (SC- serious; S-Macy)
Some of the verbs listed as OTHERS in the chart can be used
as either linking or action verbs, depending on the context of
the sentence.
LINKING The alarm sounded shrill.
ACTION I sounded the alarm.
Note: The forms of be are not always used as linking verbs.
That is, they are sometimes used as state-of-being verbs but are
not used to connect subjects to subject complements. In such
cases, words that tell where or when are generally used to
complete the meaning of the verb forms.
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
A transitive verb has an object, a word or word group that Regular verbs are action words which follows the usual
tells who or what receives the action of the verb. adding of ‘-d’ or ‘-ed’ to make the verb in the past tense and
past participle pattern.
EXAMPLES: The rain lashed the windows.
We closed and bottled the shutters. Base Form Present Past Tense Past Participle
Participle Form Form
On the other hand, an intransitive verb doesn’t have an object.
Walk Walking Walked Walked
EXAMPLES: The rain fell.
Dance Dancing Danced Danced
My cousin arrived yesterday.
Change Changing Changed Changed
Note: Many English verbs can be either transitive or
Arrange Arranging Arranged Arranged
intransitive, depending on how they are used.
Irregular verbs are action words which do not follow these
TRANSITIVE The chorus sang patriotic songs.
patterns but having a unique or different patterns.
INTRANSITIVE The chorus sang beautifully.
Base Form Present Past Tense Past Participle
Note: Action verbs may be transitive or intransitive, linking Participle Form Form
verbs and state-of-being verbs are always intransitive.
Put Putting Put Put
Write Writing Written Written
Become Becoming Became Become
Drive Driving Drove Driven
Regular vs. Irregular Verbs
