Helping Verbs Explained
Introduction to Verbs
Words in Action
Every sentence needs an action word. This special word is called a verb. Verbs are 'doing' words. They tell you what someone or something does.
Think of a verb as the engine of the sentence. It makes things happen!
Verbs can be big, loud actions you can see. For example:
- jump
- run
- shout
- build
They can also be quiet actions that happen in your mind. For example:
- think
- dream
- wonder
- hope
Finding the Verb
To find the verb in a sentence, look for the action. Ask yourself, "What is happening?" or "What is the person or thing doing?"
Let's look at a sentence:
The cat sleeps.
What is the cat doing? It sleeps. So, sleeps is the verb.
Here’s another one:
I eat my breakfast.
What are you doing? You eat. The verb is eat.
Let's practice with a few more examples.
| Sentence | What's the action? | Verb |
|---|---|---|
| The bird sings a song. | The bird is singing. | sings |
| We play after school. | We are playing. | play |
| My dad drives the car. | The dad is driving. | drives |
| The chef cooks dinner. | The chef is cooking. | cooks |
See? Once you start looking for the action, verbs are easy to spot.
Which word is the verb in the sentence: 'The birds sing sweetly.'?
Find the action word in this sentence: 'I think about the answer.'
Now you know how to find the action words that get sentences moving. Keep an eye out for them whenever you read.