Action Verb: An action verb shows what the subject does or did.

The girl jumped over the hurdle.

Many birds fly south for the winter.

Helping Verb: The helping verb comes before the main verb. It helps state an action or
show time. A main verb can have from one to three helping verbs.
Common helping verbs include:
am are, be, being, been, can, could, did, do , does, had, has, have, is, may, might, must, shall,
should, was, were, will, would.
Everyone was cheering as the team scored the winning goal.
You must practice math facts every day.
The quarterback has scored a touchdown.

Linking Verb:

A linking verb links the subject of the sentence with a word or words in
the predicate. When a word is a linking verb, it does not show action, and it is not a helping
verb. It is followed by a word in the predicate that names or describes the subject.
Anna looks cheerful. (cheerful describes Anna)
Anna is a lifeguard.
(Anna = Lifeguard)
Common linking verbs:
Am, is, are, was, were, will be, look, feel, taste, smell, seem appear

Present tense verb

tells what its subject is doing right now.

You change the form of a verb in the present tense when a singular noun is the subject.
You do not change the form of the verb when they are used with plural subjects or with I
or you.
Rules for forming the present tense
1. Most verbs: add s
Get gets
play - plays
2. Verbs ending in s, ch, sh, x, z;
Pass passes
punch punches
Add -es
Push pushes
mix mixes
Fizz fizzes
3. Words ending with a consonant and
Try tries
empty - empties
Y:
Change the y to i and add -es

Past tense verbs: a verb that shows that something has already happened.

Usually the past tense of a verb is formed by adding ed. However, some verbs must
undergo a spelling change before you add ed.

1.
2.
3.
4.

Rules for forming the past tense

Most verbs
Play --- played
add ed
Suggest --- suggested
Verbs ending with e:
Believe --- believed
Drop the final e and add ed
Hope --- hoped
Verbs ending with consonant & y
Study --- studied
Change the y to i and add ed
Hurry --- hurried
One-syllable verbs ending with a
Stop --- stopped
single vowel and a consonant:
Plan --- planned
Double the consonant and add ed Shop --- shopped

Future Tense

tells that something is going to happen in the future.

Form the future tense of a verb using the helping verb will or shall with the main verb.
Shall is often used with I or we.
I shall make dinner when I get home after work.
She will write her final draft tomorrow.

Subject-Verb agreement:

A present tense verb and its subject must agree in

number.
Rules for Subject-Verb Agreement
1. Singular Subject
The driver trains his dog team.
Add s or es to the verb
He teaches one dog to lead.
He studies his map.
2. Plural Subject
The dogs pull the sleds.
Do not add s or es to the verb
The driver and his team travel far.
They work together.
3. I or You
I like your report on dogs.
Use the plural form of the verb
You write very well.

Agreement with be and have

Singular Subject

Form of be

Form of have

Present

Past

Present

Past

am

was

have

had

You
he, she, it (or singular
noun)

are

were have

had

is

was

had

has

Form of be

Plural Subject

Present

Form of have
Past

Present

Past

we

are

were have

had

you

are

were have

had

they (or plural noun)

are

were have

had

Irregular Verbs:

For some verbs, you do not form the past by adding ed.

Irregular verbs have special forms to show the past.

Irregular Verbs
Verb

Past Tense

Past with helping verb

bring

brought

(has, have, had)

brought

come

came

(has, have, had)

come

go

went

(has, have, had)

gone

make

made

(has, have, had)

made

run

ran

(has, have, had)

run

say

said

(has, have, had)

said

take

took

(has, have, had)

taken

think

thought

(has, have, had)

thought

write

wrote

(has, have, had)

written

Irregular Verbs with patterns

Verb

Past Tense

Past with helping verb

ring

rang

(has, have, had)

rung

sing

sang

(has, have, had)

sung

swim

swam

(has, have, had)

swum

begin

began

(has, have, had)

begun

tear

tore

(has, have, had)

torn

wear

wore

(has, have, had)

worn

break

broke

(has, have, had)

broken

speak

spoke

(has, have, had)

spoken

steal

stole

(has, have, had)

stolen

choose

chose

(has, have, had)

chosen

freeze

froze

(has, have, had)

frozen

blow

blew

(has, have, had)

blown

grow

grew

(has, have, had)

grown

know

knew

(has, have, had)

known

fly

flew

(has, have, had)

flown

Sit, set, can, may, let, leave

These can be confusing verb pairs. (sit & set) (can & may) (let & leave)

Verb

Meaning

Example

sit

to rest

I will sit in the chair.

set

to place or put

Set the book on the table.

can

to be able

I can ride my bike.

may

to be allowed

May I go to the park?

let

to permit

Let Kevin go with us.

to go away

We will leave tomorrow morning.

to let remain in place

Leave the book on the table.

leave