3 Types of Verbs

verbs those essential words every sentence needs to make sense some are easy to find those simple action verbs that tell you what subject does like Sarah ran through the jungle or Sam slept all night but what about this sentence Sarah is happy where is the verb in that sentence we know it must be there somewhere before we go any further will tell you about the two other types of verbs the first is the linking verb it is called linking verb because it links the subject to more information about the subject for example the dog is smelly the dog is subject the word is is the linking verb to tell you more about the subject that it is in fact smelly there are lots of these words is are was am have were the list goes on let's go back to the first example Sarah is happy in this sentence Sarah is the subject the additional information is that she's happy the linking verb is the word is the sense just wouldn't make sense without it see if you can pick the linking verb in the next sentence the lamp was Antiquated well let's break it down the subject of the sentence is the lamp the extra information is that it was Antiquated that means really really old so the linking verb is was it's that necessary piece of the puzzle to make this sentence make sense then there's the humble helper verb they are hidden in sentences everywhere and you probably haven't even noticed them let's take look am jumping as high as can the subject in this sentence is and it's quite clear the verb is jumping but what about this little word in the middle let's try reading the sentence without it jumping as high as can now the sentence just sounds silly that's why we need the helper verb it helps sentence make sense the list of helper verbs is very similar to the list of linking verbs am is were being was being does do didn't once again the list goes on there can even be two or three helper verbs included in sentence let's go through some examples Sally was running on concrete Sally is the subject of the sentence and running is the action verb she was taking will the sentence Sally running on concrete make sense without the word in the middle no that must mean was is the helper here's another one Sam is running through the crowd Sam is the subject of the sentence and he's running so that's the action verb the word is is the helper verb to help the sentence make sense here's one more the boy has been crying the boy is the subject of the sentence and the ction he is taking is that he is crying the helper verbs are has and being it wouldn't make sense without them so there you have it the three types of verbs the action verb the linking verb and the helping verb all very important in our Mighty sentences