Defining & Identifying Verbs

• A verb is a word that expresses action or helps express a state of being.

  Examples of action verbs: run, kick, stare, sprinkle

  Examples of state-of-being verbs: is, are, was, were

• Every complete sentence needs a subject (who/what) and a verb (what they’re doing or being).

• A sentence can be as short as a noun + a verb.
  Examples:

  • Tanya laughed.

  • Snow melted.

  • Dan sneezed.

  These are complete sentences because they have both a subject and a verb.

• Most verbs show action, but some verbs show being instead.

• State-of-being verbs come from the verb “to be”: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been.

  Examples:

  • Henry was shy. (state of being)

  • Genoa kicked the can. (action)

• Writers often use more than one verb in a sentence.
  Example:
  I smeared peanut butter and sprinkled coconut on top.

• Verbs = smeared, sprinkled

• Some sentences even include helping verbs, like is walking or will go.

Verbs change depending on when the action happens.

• Stronger verbs make writing more vivid:
  Instead of She moved, try → She tiptoed or She sprinted
  Instead of He acted weird, → He twirled, spun, stumbled

• Writers choose verbs that show the exact action.