Hello, super learners! Today, we’re going to learn about one of the most important parts of any sentence—verbs! Verbs are the action words in a sentence. They tell us what the subject is doing, feeling, or even just being. Verbs help make our sentences more exciting because they show us the action!
What Are Verbs?
Types of Verbs
1. Action Verbs
Action verbs show what someone or something is physically doing. These are the easiest to spot because they describe actions you can see.
Examples:
- run, jump, climb
Action Verbs in Sentences:
- She runs to the park.
- They climb the tree.
- We jump over the puddle.
2. Mental Verbs
Mental verbs show what someone is doing in their mind. These actions are happening in your head, so you can’t see them, but they are still verbs.
Examples:
- think, guess, consider
Mental Verbs in Sentences:
- I think about my homework.
- She guesses the answer.
- They consider the options.
3. State of Being Verbs
State of being verbs are a little different. These verbs don’t show actions you can see. Instead, they show that something exists or is in a certain state.
Examples:
- am, is, are, seem, exist
State of Being Verbs in Sentences:
- He is happy today.
- They are excited for the trip.
- The flower seems bright and colorful.
Verb Tenses: When Is the Action Happening?
Verb tenses tell us when something is happening. Verbs change form to show if an action is happening now, happened in the past, or will happen in the future. Let’s look at some common verb tenses and their forms!
- Simple Present: Shows action happening now.
- Form: Base form of the verb
- Example: I play soccer every day.
- Present Continuous: Shows ongoing action (happening now.)
- Form: To be (am/is/are) + present participle (-ing form of the verb)
- Example: I am playing soccer right now.
- Present Perfect: Shows action that has already happened but still matters now.
- Form: Have/has + past participle
- Example: I have played soccer today.
- Present Perfect Continuous: Shows ongoing action that started in the past and is still happening.
- Form: Have/has been + present participle (-ing form)
- Example: I have been playing soccer for an hour.
- Simple Past: Shows action that already happened.
- Form: Past tense of the verb
- Example: I played soccer yesterday.
- Past Continuous: Shows ongoing action that was happening in the past.
- Form: Was/were + present participle (-ing form)
- Example: I was playing soccer when it started to rain.
- Past Perfect: Shows action that happened before another action in the past.
- Form: Had + past participle
- Example: I had played soccer before dinner.
- Past Perfect Continuous: Shows ongoing action that was happening before something else in the past.
- Form: Had been + present participle (-ing form)
- Example: I had been playing soccer before it got dark.
- Simple Future: Shows action that will happen later.
- Form: Will/shall + base form of the verb
- Example: I will play soccer tomorrow.
- Future Continuous: Shows ongoing action that will be happening in the future.
- Form: Will/shall be + present participle (-ing form)
- Example: I will be playing soccer at 3 p.m. tomorrow.
- Future Perfect: Shows action that will be completed before a specific time in the future.
- Form: Will/shall have + past participle
- Example: I will have played soccer by the time you arrive.
- Future Perfect Continuous: Shows ongoing action that will continue until a point in the future.
- Form: Will/shall have been + present participle (-ing form)
- Example: I will have been playing soccer for two hours by then.
Practice Time!
Remember:
Verbs are like the action stars of our sentences! They tell us what’s happening, whether it’s running, thinking, or simply being. Without verbs, our sentences wouldn’t make sense, so they’re super important!
Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be spotting verbs everywhere you go!
Click the verb to highlight!
