Verb Test Study Guide

JMJ

Verb Test Study Guide

(8th Grade)

Chapter 4: Pages 319-364

Name: ______Date: ______

1.  Adjective: Describes or limits a noun or pronoun.

2.  Noun: names a person, place, thing or idea.

3.  Pronoun:: takes the place of a noun; takes the place of a person, place, thing or idea

4.  Verb: A word used to express action or being

5.  Verb Phrase: The group of words that does the work of a single verb. It includes the main verb and its helping or auxiliary verbs.

6.  Predicate: The MAIN verb in a sentence. It includes the principal verb and its helping or auxiliary verbs

7.  Principal Verb:: The main verb in a sentence.

8.  Auxiliary Verb:: Any verb used with the main verb.

Common Auxiliary Verbs

9.  Principal Parts of Verbs: The principal parts of the verb are the present, the past, and the past participle

a.  The past NEVER takes an auxiliary verb

b.  The past participle ALWAYS takes an auxiliary verb

10.  Regular Verbs: a regular verb forms its past and its past participle by adding d or ed to the present.

11.  Irregular Verbs: an irregular verb does not form its past and its past participle by adding d or ed to the present.

12.  Linking Verbs: linking verbs show a relationship between the subject of the sentence and a noun or adjective being linked to it. The most common linking verbs are forms of the verb to be: am, is, are, was, were, being, been.

a.  Other common linking verbs include: appear, become, feel, grow, look, remain, seem, smell, sound, stay, taste, and turn.

i.  If left too long, that milk may turn sour.

ii.  I feel refreshed after that nap.

b.  To check if these are being used as linking verbs, try replacing them with the correct form of to be. If they make sense and have almost the same meaning, they are linking verbs.

i.  Laurie appears tired.

ii.  Laurie is tired.

13.  Voice: The Quality of a verb that shows whether the subject is the doer of the receiver of the action.

a.  Verbs can be in the Active Voice: The subject is the doer of the action

b.  Verbs can be in the Passive Voice: The subject is the receiver of the action

14.  Transitive Verbs: a transitive verb expresses an action that passes from a doer to a receiver

15.  Intransitive Verbs: an intransitive verb has no receiver of its action. (Make sure you know exercise 60 on page 333---- HINT HINT, HINT!!!!)

16.  Simple Tense Verbs: Past, Present and Future (know how to recognize them in a sentence) (page 338)

17.  Compound Tenses: Present Perfect, Past Perfect, and Future Perfect (know which auxiliary verbs with the past participle create these verbs (page 341)

18.  Indicative Mood: Used to state, to deny a fact or ask a question.

19.  Imperative Mood: express a command in the second person.

20.  Subjunctive Mood: Expresses a wish or desire, an uncertainty, or a condition contrary to fact.

21.  Verbs must agree with its subject in:

a.  Person

b.  Number

1.  Transitive Verbs: a transitive verb expresses an action that passes from a doer to a receiver

2.  Direct Object: A direct object is a noun or pronoun that receives the action of a verb or shows the result of the action. It answers the question "What?" or "Whom?" after an action verb. An action verb with a direct object is called a transitive verb.

3.  Intransitive Verbs: an intransitive verb has no receiver of its action.

4.  Subjective Complement: A subject complement is the word after the linking verb that renames or describes the subject. It completes (not gives a compliment to) the verb.

5.  Simple Tense Verbs: Past, Present and Future (know how to recognize them in a sentence) (page 339)

6.  Compound Tenses: Present Perfect, Past Perfect, and Future Perfect (know which auxiliary verbs with the past participle create these verbs (page 343)

·  Present Perfect Tense: Shows Action Completed in the Present Time and is formed by the auxiliary “have” or “has” plus the past participle of the verb.

·  Past Perfect Tense: Shows action completed before some definite time in the past and is formed by the auxiliary “had” plus the past participle of the verb

·  Future Perfect Tense: Shows action that will be completed before some specified time in the future and is formed by the auxiliaries “shall have” or “will have” plus the past participle of the verb.

· 

Common Auxiliary Verbs

Pronomials that always get singular verbs:

Verbs—Tense, Mood, Voice

Verbs are arguably the most important words in sentences because they indicate exactly what happens. They also indicate time—when the action takes place. When speaking of verbs and time, we use the word tense. The three basic tenses are past, present, and future. Not all actions fit neatly into those three categories, however. Sometimes actions start in the past and continue into the present, and they may go on into the future. To properly state action, we must sometimes use the helping verbs has and have. Probably no one will ask you to tell whether a verb is in the present tense, past perfect tense, or future progressive tense. You will simply need to use verbs correctly in your writing. The key is consistency; if you start in one tense, you should stay in it and not jump back and forth between tenses.

Mood expresses the attitude of the writer. Verbs have several moods:

· Indicative—used for statements of fact and for asking questions

· Subjunctive—makes a statement contrary to fact

o This is the only mood that may sound strange, so you need to be aware of it.

o Example: If I were you, I would stay in school.

§ I can never be someone else, so this is contrary to fact.

· Imperative—expresses a command

· Conditional—used for statements that depend on each other; one statement is true only if another statement is true

We have one other item to cover regarding verbs: voice. Voice tells us whether the subject of a sentence is the actor or is acted upon. Most of the time in formal writing we want to use active voice because it is more immediate and places the reader closer to the action. Rarely will we use passive voice because it distances the reader from the action. Wouldn’t you rather attend a good party than have someone tell you about it? It is more exciting, more fun to be in the center of the action. Active voice is more exciting, more fun. Passive voice allows us only to hear about the excitement and fun.

· Active voice example: John ate the whole pie!

· Passive voice example: The whole pie was eaten by John.