Finding Verbs In Sentences

Grammar

Step 1: Ask these questions

What word is an equal sign?

What is happening?

My mother read my result slip and smiled.

What is happening?

What word is an equal sign?

She has been a piano teacher for twenty

years.

What is happening?

What word is an equal sign?

Our English teacher will be Mrs. Tan next

semester.

What is happening?

What word is an equal sign?

The kitten scratched the sofa.

What is happening?

What word is an equal sign?

Infinitives Are Fake Verbs

“to” + “verb”

“to play” [The baby wants to play.]

“to eat” [I want to eat chicken rice.]

He asked Joanne to help out at the shop.

Fake Verb!Real Verb

I don’t like to watch musicals.

Fake Verb!Real Verb

Our teacher advised us

to revise this chapter again.Fake Verb!

Real Verb

Summary

To find the verb(s) in a sentence, ask,

“What is happening?” [Action verbs]

“What word is an equal sign?” [Linking verbs]

Infinitives (“to” + “verb”) are NOT real verbs.