Introduction to Verbs
Hello, class! Today, we are going to learn about verbs. Verbs are action words. They tell us what someone or something is doing. For example, in the sentence “The dog runs,” the word runs is a verb because it shows the action of the dog.
What Are Main Verbs?
Let’s start with main verbs. The main verb is the most important verb in a sentence. It tells us the main action.
Examples of Main Verbs:
- jump (in “I jump.”)
- eat (in “They eat.”)
- play (in “She plays.”)
What Are Helping Verbs?
Now, let’s talk about helping verbs. Helping verbs work with the main verb to give more information about the action. They help to form different tenses, questions, or negatives.
Examples of Helping Verbs:
- is (in “She is running.”)
- are (in “They are playing.”)
- will (in “I will eat.”)
Key Rules to Remember
- Main verbs can stand alone in a sentence.
- Example: “He sings.”
- Helping verbs cannot stand alone. They need a main verb to make sense.
- Example: “She is (helping verb) dancing (main verb).”
- A sentence can have more than one verb:
- Example: “I am (helping verb) reading (main verb) a book.”
Tips and Tricks
- Look for the main action: Ask yourself, “What is happening in this sentence?”
- Find the helpers: Look for words that help the main verb. They often come before the main verb.
- Practice with sentences: The more you read and write, the better you will get at spotting verbs!
Questions
Easy Level Questions
- What is the main verb in the sentence: “The cat sleeps.”
- Identify the helping verb in: “She is happy.”
- Find the main verb in: “They play football.”
- What is the helping verb in: “He has a bike.”
- Identify the main verb: “We run fast.”
- What is the helping verb in: “I am swimming.”
- Find the main verb in: “The birds sing.”
- What is the helping verb in: “She was singing.”
- Identify the main verb: “He jumps high.”
- What is the helping verb in: “They are laughing.”
Medium Level Questions
- What are the main and helping verbs in: “She will go to the park.”
- Identify the helping verb in: “He has been working hard.”
- What is the main verb in: “The dog was barking loudly.”
- Find the helping verb in: “I might join you later.”
- What are the main and helping verbs in: “They are playing in the garden.”
- Identify the main verb in: “The teacher is explaining the lesson.”
- What is the helping verb in: “He can run fast.”
- Find the main verb in: “The children have finished their homework.”
- Identify the main and helping verbs in: “I am going to the cinema.”
- What is the helping verb in: “She was reading a book.”
Hard Level Questions
- Identify both the main and helping verbs: “The team has been practicing every day.”
- What are the verbs in: “She could have been a doctor.”
- Find the helping verb in: “They should be studying for the test.”
- Identify the main verb in: “The flowers are blooming beautifully.”
- What is the helping verb in: “He might be the fastest runner.”
- Identify the main and helping verbs: “They will have completed the project.”
- What is the main verb in: “The movie was exciting.”
- Find the helping verb in: “We are going to the concert.”
- Identify both verbs in: “I have seen that film before.”
- What are the main and helping verbs in: “She must have been waiting long.”
Answers
Easy Level Answers
- sleeps
- is
- play
- has
- run
- am
- sing
- was
- jumps
- are
Medium Level Answers
- main verb: go, helping verb: will
- has
- barking
- might
- main verb: playing, helping verb: are
- explaining
- can
- finished
- main verb: going, helping verb: am
- was
Hard Level Answers
- main verb: practicing, helping verbs: has been
- could, have, been
- should
- blooming
- might
- main verb: completed, helping verb: will have
- was
- are
- seen
- main verb: waiting, helping verbs: must have been
Great job, class! Keep practicing identifying main verbs and helping verbs in your reading and writing!
