Overview

Verbs are words that tell what's happening.

An action verb names an action. A transitive verb has a direct object, which tells whom or what is receiving the action. An intransitive verb does not have a direct object.

A linking verb tells what the subject is or is like. Common linking verbs are seem, feel, and look. Words that follow a linking verb are part of the predicate. A predicate noun tells what the subject is. A predicate adjective tells what the subject is like.

A verb changes its form or tense to show when an action takes place. Present, past, and future tenses name actions that happen in the present, actions that happened in the past, and actions that will happen in the future. The present progressive form names an action or condition that is continuing in the present. The past progressive form names an action or condition that continued for some time in the past. The present perfect tense names an action that happened at an indefinite time in the past. The past perfect tense names an action that took place before another action or event in the past. The future perfect tense names an action that will be completed before another future event begins.