Parts of Speech · Today with Vinny

Lights! Camera!! Action Verb!!!

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Lights! Camera!! Action Verb!!! I'm Vinny, and I express action. Every sentence needs a verb, and I'm the one taking action in mine. Watch.

Meet the Verbs! (overview)

An action verb shows what someone or something does. The action can be physical, like run or jump, or mental, like think or decide.

Action Verbs Express Action

An action verb shows what someone or something does. Some action is physical, where the body moves, like run or jump; some is mental, where the mind moves, like think or decide.

Physical Action : Action verbs that name something a body does.
Mental Action : Action verbs that name something a mind does.

In a sentence

Watch the split. Some of these you can watch happen. Some happen entirely inside the skull.

Felipe jumped into the icy mountain lake without flinching. (Physical: the body moves.)

Henry quietly guessed the last answer on the test. (Mental: the mind moves.)

Felix painted an enormous circle on the side of the barn. (Physical.)

Gil wondered about lunch for the entire afternoon. (Mental.)

Now you try

A mental action happens inside the mind, where you cannot watch it. For this plan, you could try pictured, or doubted, or rehearsed.

Transitive Action Verbs

A transitive verb passes its action to an object. Find the verb, then ask 'what?' If the sentence answers, the verb is transitive.

Transitive Action Verbs : Action verbs that pass their action on to a direct object.

In a sentence

Find the verb. Ask 'what?' Then tap the word that catches the action. Watch the arrow connect them.

Sue shot baskets all afternoon. (Shot what? Baskets. Arrow lands on the object. Transitive.)

The detective demanded answers from the cagey receptionist. (Demanded what? Answers. Transitive.)

If you open the door tonight, you will catch a view of the parade. (Open what? The door. Transitive.)

Library

Now you try

A transitive verb needs an object to catch its action. Say your verb, then ask 'what?' If you can name what catches it, the verb is transitive. For the rope, you could try grabbed, or caught, or seized.

Intransitive Action Verbs

An intransitive verb keeps its action to itself. Find the verb and ask 'what?' If there is no answer, the verb is intransitive.

Intransitive Action Verbs : Action verbs that work alone, with no direct object.

In a sentence

Run the same test. Ask 'what?' after the verb. When nothing answers, the verb stands alone.

After we played in the sun, we relaxed in the shade. (Relaxed what? Nothing. Intransitive.)

Kyle wandered all around the neighborhood, and nobody followed. (Wandered what? Nothing. Intransitive.)

Granny laughed as she pointed in my direction. (Laughed what? Nothing. Intransitive.)

Library

Now you try

An intransitive verb works alone. Say your verb, then ask 'what?' If nothing in the sentence answers, the verb is intransitive. For this moment, you could try rested, or paused, or stretched.

Action Verb or Linking Verb?

Some verbs can be an action verb or a linking verb. Swap the verb for an equals sign: if the sentence still works, it is linking (Lucy's); if not, the action is mine.

In a sentence

One verb, two jobs. Use the equals test. If the verb can become 'is' or 'was', it's linking. If it pushes action to an object, it's action.

Billy sounded strange last night. (Billy WAS strange. Equals test fits. Linking, Lucy's job.)

I sounded the alarm in the middle of the night. (Sounded WHAT? The alarm. Action passes to the object. Action verb, my job.)

At the end of a long night, the waiter looked exhausted. (The waiter WAS exhausted. Linking.)

I looked between the couch cushions for my lost wallet. (Looked WHERE, for WHAT? Action. My job.)

Now you try

An action verb shows something happening; if you could swap it for 'is' or 'was' and the sentence still works, that's Lucy's linking territory instead. For the rope, you could try lowered, or tossed, or flung.

Verb Tenses (Past, Present, Future)

Verb tenses show when an action happens. Present tense shows action now (I walk, she walks). Past tense shows action that already happened (I walked, she walked). Progressive tenses show ongoing action (I am walking, she is walking).

Regular Past Tense Verbs : Past tense verbs formed by adding -ed (or -d) to the base verb.

In a sentence

Watch the verb change with the clock. Yesterday, today, tomorrow.

Past: Susan knocked on the door.

Present: Susan knocks on the door.

Future: Susan will knock on the door.

Now you try

Present tense happens now; past tense already happened, and most past verbs add -ed. For yesterday, you could try jumped, or climbed, or hopped.

Irregular Past Tense Verbs

Most verbs form the past tense by adding -ed. However, irregular verbs do not follow this pattern and must be memorized (go/went, eat/ate, see/saw, run/ran, swim/swam, write/wrote, break/broke).

Regular Past Tense Verbs : Past tense verbs formed by adding -ed (or -d) to the base verb.
Irregular Past Tense Verbs : Past tense verbs that do not follow the -ed pattern. The irregular form must be memorized.

In a sentence

Watch each present-tense verb leap into an irregular past. No -ed allowed.

The sailor stood resolutely on the bow of his ship. (stand becomes stood, irregular.)

Our photographer took thousands of pictures at the wedding. (take becomes took, irregular.)

We all thought the movie was amazing. (think becomes thought, irregular.)

Quinton never meant to hurt my feelings. (mean becomes meant, irregular.)

Now you try

Regular verbs add -ed (walk becomes walked). Irregular verbs change shape instead. For the motorcycle, ride becomes rode, drive becomes drove, fly becomes flew. You memorize these.

Modal Helping Verbs

Ability

A modal can show ability.

Vinny can lift the fallen beam.

Possibility

A modal can show possibility.

The storm might reach the harbor by noon.

Permission

A modal can show permission.

You may enter the rescue zone now.

Obligation

A modal can show obligation.

A hero must answer every call.

Now you try

Modals are can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would. For ability, reach for can or could. You could try can, or could.