Julie Tagg| January 3, 2025| Think and Write for English A and B

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High school students typically learn different types of verb types as part of their grammar and language studies. Here’s a breakdown of the main types of verbs they should be familiar with:

1. Action Verbs

• These verbs express physical or mental actions that the subject of the sentence performs.
• Examples: run, think, create, play, dance.

2. Linking Verbs

• Linking verbs connect the subject to additional information about the subject. They don’t show action but rather link the subject to a subject complement.
• Examples: am, is, are, was, were, seem, become, feel, appear.

3. Helping (Auxiliary) Verbs

• Helping verbs are used together with a main verb to create a verb phrase, showing tense, mood, or voice.
• Examples: am, is, are, was, were, has, have, had, do, does, did, can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, must.

4. Transitive Verbs

• Transitive verbs require a direct object to complete their meaning. They “transfer” action to an object.
• Examples: eat (as in “eat the apple”), write (as in “write a letter”), bring (as in “bring the book”).

5. Intransitive Verbs

• Intransitive verbs do not take a direct object. They can stand alone with no additional object to complete their meaning.
• Examples: run, laugh, sleep, arrive, go.

6. Regular Verbs

• Regular verbs follow a predictable pattern in their past tense forms, typically by adding “-ed” or “-d” to the base form.
• Examples: walk → walked, play → played, jump → jumped.

7. Irregular Verbs

• Irregular verbs do not follow a standard pattern in their past tense forms and must be memorized individually.
• Examples: go → went, come → came, eat → ate, sing → sang.

8. Modal Verbs

• Modal verbs are a type of auxiliary verb that express necessity, ability, permission, or possibility.
• Examples: can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would.

9. Phrasal Verbs

• Phrasal verbs consist of a main verb combined with a preposition or an adverb, creating a new meaning that differs from the original verb.
• Examples: look up, break down, run out, give up, come across.

10. Stative (State) Verbs

• Stative verbs describe a state of being, thought, or feeling rather than an action. They’re often not used in continuous forms.
• Examples: know, believe, love, want, need, own.

11. Dynamic Verbs

• Dynamic verbs show an action or process that can often be continuous, meaning it can be in progress.
• Examples: run, swim, grow, change, build.

High school students benefit from learning these different types of verbs, as they help in crafting more precise sentences and developing a deeper understanding of how language works.

Verb Types Quiz

Student Name:
Date:

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Section A: Multiple Choice

Choose the correct answer for each question.

1. Which of the following is an action verb?
   • a) am
   • b) feel
   • c) run
   • d) seem
2. Which of these verbs is an irregular verb?
   • a) jump
   • b) walked
   • c) eat
   • d) played
3. Modal verbs express:
   • a) necessity, permission, or ability
   • b) physical action
   • c) linking between subjects
   • d) past tense
4. Which of these is an intransitive verb?
   • a) read
   • b) break
   • c) sleep
   • d) give
5. Which verb in this sentence is a helping verb?
   She will finish her homework by tonight.
   • a) will
   • b) finish
   • c) her
   • d) by

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Section B: Matching

Match the verb type to the correct example.

Verb Type	Example
1. Linking Verb	a. can, could, might
2. Action Verb	b. am, is, are
3. Modal Verb	c. walk, jump, read
4. Stative Verb	d. know, believe, love
5. Transitive Verb	e. wrote a letter

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Section C: Fill-in-the-Blanks

Fill in each blank with a type of verb from the word bank below.

Word Bank: action verb, helping verb, transitive verb, irregular verb, phrasal verb

1. A verb that does not need a direct object is called an ___________.
2. A verb that changes its form completely in the past tense is an ___________.
3. The verb “look up” is an example of a ___________.
4. “She is singing” – here, “is” functions as a ___________.
5. An example of an ___________ is “run.”

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Section D: Short Answer

Answer the following questions in 1-2 sentences.

1. What is the purpose of a linking verb in a sentence?
2. Provide an example of a stative verb and explain why it is considered stative.
3. How does a helping verb function in a sentence?

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Answer Sheet

Section A: Multiple Choice

1. c) run
2. c) eat
3. a) necessity, permission, or ability
4. c) sleep
5. a) will

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Section B: Matching

Verb Type	Example
1. Linking Verb	b. am, is, are
2. Action Verb	c. walk, jump, read
3. Modal Verb	a. can, could, might
4. Stative Verb	d. know, believe, love
5. Transitive Verb	e. wrote a letter

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Section C: Fill-in-the-Blanks

1. intransitive verb
2. irregular verb
3. phrasal verb
4. helping verb
5. action verb

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Section D: Short Answer

1. A linking verb connects the subject to additional information or description, without showing action.
2. An example of a stative verb is “believe,” because it describes a state of mind rather than an action.
3. A helping verb assists the main verb in a sentence by showing tense, mood, or voice, such as “is” in “is running.”

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This quiz can help high school students assess their understanding of verb types and serves as a helpful study tool.

Advanced Verb Types Quiz

Student Name:
Date:

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Section A: Multiple Choice

Choose the best answer for each question.

1. Which of the following sentences contains a linking verb?
   • a) The chef tastes the soup.
   • b) The soup tastes delicious.
   • c) The chef is tasting the soup.
   • d) The chef tastes expertly.
2. Which of these verbs functions as a transitive verb?
   • a) The audience laughed.
   • b) The director yawned.
   • c) The writer crafted a novel.
   • d) The flowers bloomed.
3. Dynamic verbs are used to describe actions or processes that:
   • a) link the subject with additional information
   • b) are always in continuous form
   • c) show an action or process that can change over time
   • d) represent mental states
4. Which sentence uses a modal verb to indicate possibility?
   • a) I must finish my project tonight.
   • b) He can speak three languages.
   • c) They might go to the concert tomorrow.
   • d) You should listen to the teacher.
5. Irregular verbs in English:
   • a) always add -ed in the past tense
   • b) change form in unpredictable ways in the past tense
   • c) are not used in formal writing
   • d) do not have participles

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Section B: Fill-in-the-Blanks

Fill in each blank with the most appropriate answer based on your understanding of verb types.

1. In the sentence “They have been studying all night,” “have been” serves as ___________.
2. ___________ verbs describe a state or condition that does not involve an action, such as “know” or “believe.”
3. The verb “look up” in “I looked up the information” is an example of a ___________.
4. “To be” is a common example of a ___________ verb that connects a subject to its complement.
5. Verbs that require an object to receive the action are called ___________.

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Section C: Sentence Identification

Identify the verb types in each sentence by labeling them (e.g., linking, action, modal, etc.).

1. The students might attend the seminar on linguistics.
2. He seems very knowledgeable about ancient history.
3. They ran through the park every morning.
4. She owns several rare manuscripts from the 19th century.
5. The professor is presenting a paper at the conference tomorrow.

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Section D: Short Answer

Answer the following questions in a few sentences.

1. Explain the difference between dynamic verbs and stative verbs, and provide an example of each.
2. Why are helping (auxiliary) verbs essential in English grammar? Give an example sentence showing how a helping verb works with a main verb.
3. What is a phrasal verb, and why can it sometimes be challenging for English learners? Provide an example.

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Answer Sheet

Section A: Multiple Choice

1. b) The soup tastes delicious.
2. c) The writer crafted a novel.
3. c) show an action or process that can change over time
4. c) They might go to the concert tomorrow.
5. b) change form in unpredictable ways in the past tense

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Section B: Fill-in-the-Blanks

1. helping (auxiliary) verbs
2. Stative
3. phrasal verb
4. linking
5. transitive verbs

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Section C: Sentence Identification

1. might attend – modal verb
2. seems – linking verb
3. ran – action (intransitive) verb
4. owns – stative verb
5. is presenting – helping (auxiliary) + action (present continuous)

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Section D: Short Answer

1. Dynamic verbs represent actions or processes that can progress or change, such as “run.” Stative verbs describe states or conditions that don’t involve physical actions, like “know” or “believe.”
2. Helping (auxiliary) verbs support the main verb by showing tense, mood, or voice. For example, in “She is writing an essay,” “is” helps indicate the present continuous tense.
3. A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb with a preposition or adverb, creating a unique meaning (e.g., “give up” means “quit”). Phrasal verbs can be challenging because the meaning isn’t always clear from the individual words.