VerbsAngela Caban, Wyatt Durney, Matthew Giardino, and Kamari Ross

Types of Verbs• Action

• A word that expresses a physical or mental activity

• Jessica bought a new book.

• Occurrence• Winter holidays end the fall semester.

• State of being • Max is the new manager.

Transitive and Intransitive Verbs• Transitive verb: a verb expressing an action directed toward a

person or thing, needs a noun or pronoun as well. • Employees made suggestions.

• Intransitive verb: an action verb that does not require an object to complete its action. • Meaghan worked in our department last year.

Linking and Helping Verbs• Linking Verbs: link to the subject words that rename or describe

the subject.

• A noun, pronoun, or adjective that renames or describes the subject is called a complement. • Mohamad is the new researcher.

• Helping Verbs: added to main verbs, which can be action or linking, to form verbal phrases. • Alicia is scanning all incoming files for viruses.

Verb Voices: Active and Passive• Active Voice: when the verb expresses an action directed by

the subject toward the object of the verb. • Technicians scan our computers for viruses.

• Passive Voice: when the action in a verb is directed toward the subject. • Our computers are scanned for viruses by technicians.

Primary Tenses • Present Tense: expresses

current or habitual action. • We celebrate employees’

birthdays once a month.

• Past Tense: show action that has been completed.• The report focused on changes in

our department.

• Future Tense: show actions that are expected to occur at a later time.• You will receive the contract

before June 5.

Verbals• Verbals are words that function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. • There are three kinds. 1. Gerund: verb ending in –ing that is used as a noun. Often

described as adjectives. • Marketing our products on the Web is necessary.

2. Infinitives: when a present form of a verb is preceded by to. • Try to call when you arrive.

3. Participles: A verb form that is used with helping verbs to form the present-participle and the past-participle tenses.

Present and Past Participles • Present Participle: formed by adding ing to the present tense of a

regular or irregular verb.

• The present participle must be preceded by one or more helping verbs. • Madison is preparing for her interview.

• Past Participle: formed by adding a d or ed to the present tense of a regular verb. • Madison has researched the company thoroughly.

Irregular Verbs• A verb that forms the past tense by varying the root vowel and,

commonly, adding en to the past participle.

Other commonly misused irregular verbs