An Action Verb Tells What Action Someone Or Something Is Performing

Study Guide

Verbs

KEY CONCEPTS:

·  An action verb tells what action someone or something is performing.

EXAMPLES: Father packed our suitcases

The ship chugged into the harbor

·  Transitive verbs “transfer” their action to a direct object (and sometimes an indirect object). The direct object completes the meaning of the sentences.

EXAMPLES: Some explorers gave kings and queens gold.

·  Direct Object: A direct object receives the direct action of the verb. It answers the questions who? or what? after the verb. Some explorers gave what? (gold)

·  Indirect Object: An indirect object receives the action of the verb indirectly. It tells to whom or for whom something is done. Some explorers gave gold to whom? (kings and queens)

·  An intransitive verb expresses action or tells something about the subject of the sentence but does not direct action toward another noun our pronoun.

EXAMPLES:

Intransitive Verb: Some explorers gave up.

·  No Object: An intransitive verb does not transfer its action. Its action is complete without an object.

Intransitive Verb: Some explorers gave up before finding gold.

·  Object of a Preposition: If an object (gold) follows a preposition (before), it is an object of the preposition; it is not an object of the verb.

Transitive: The captain rang the bell.

Intransitive: The bell rang for dinner.

Transitive: The captain sailed the ship.

Intransitive: The ship sailed out to sea.

Study Guide

LinkingVerbs

·  A linking verb connects a noun or pronoun with a word that identifies or describes it.

COMMON LINKING VERBS: OTHER LINKING VERBS

FORMS OF BE

am can be have been appear look sound

are could be has been become remain stay

is may be had been feel seem taste

was might be could have been grow smell turn

were must be may have been

am being shall be might have been

are being should be must have been

is being will be shall have been

was being would be should have been

were being will have been

Would have been

·  Helping verbs are added before another verb to make a verb phrase.

SOME FORMS OF BE USED AS HELPING VERBS OTHER HELPING VERBS

Helping Verbs Main Verbs do have would will can

am growing does has shall might could

has been warned did had should must may

was being told

could have been reminded

will have been waiting