<p> NOTES ON VERBS</p><p>Action Verbs *Action verbs show action. They tell what the subject of the sentence is doing.</p><p>Jonathan ran around the field. The baby cried last night. Several students walk around the field. ______Linking Verbs *Linking verbs don’t show action. Linking verb sentences describe the subject; they tell what the subject is. Most common linking verbs: am, is, are, was, were</p><p>Why are they called “linking verbs”? They link the subject of the sentence to one of two things. 1. Linking verbs can link the subject of the sentence to a noun that means the same thing as the subject. S LV Mr. Tolbert is the principal. (Principal and Mr. Tolbert are the same person.)</p><p>S LV Abraham Lincoln was the president during the Civil War. (President and Abraham Lincoln are the same person.)</p><p>2. Linking verbs can link the subject of the sentence to an adjective that describes the subject. S LV The cat is fluffy. (Fluffy describes cat.) S LV The clouds were dark. (Dark describes clouds.)</p><p>Some verbs can be ACTION or LINKING—smell, look, grow, feel I smell the pizza. (Action verb—smell is the action I am doing)</p><p>The flower smells good. (Linking verb—the flower can’t do an action) ______Helping Verbs *When there are two or more verbs in one sentence, the verbs in front are helping verbs. *The main verb and the helping verb together are the verb phrase. </p><p>HV V They have gone to the movies.</p><p>*Sometimes there is a word that comes between the helping verb and the main verb. HV V I could not finish my work. (could finish is the verb phrase)</p><p>*Sometimes the helping verb comes at the front of the sentence to make the sentence a question.</p><p>HV V Will Tom’s friend go to our school? (will go is the verb phrase)</p>