G r a mm ar

Verbs, Helping
Verbs, & Adverbs
Ma i n Verb
Every complete sentence MUST have a
subject and a main verb.
Subject Main Verb
The topic of the sentence. The verb in the sentence
Who or what the sentence that shows what the
is about. subject does, or shows
what state the subject
The subject is a is in.
noun or pronoun.
Example: “Emily is sad.”
 j ec t /Pr e d i c a te
Sub
Sam loves poetry.

Subject Main Verb

Pra c t i c e 1
On your note sheet, complete PRACTICE 1.
Directions:
Underline the subject and BOLD the main verb
in each sentence:

1. I jumped as high as possible.

2. The sun was brightly shining.
3. Students at KIS love computers.
4. Ms. Georgi moved to South Korea.
He l pi ng Ver b:
The most important verb in the sentence.
Main The verb that shows the action that the
subject is completing.
Verb
Example: Lilly loves her baby.

A word that goes next to a verb that

Helping helps show what tense (past, present,
or future) the verb is in.
Verb
Example: Lilly is going to the store.

Helping Verb Main Verb

He l pi ng Ver b:
Examples of sentences with helping verbs:
“Emily will go to the movies.” Helping Verb
“I am going to the movies.”
“Emily has watched that movie.” Main Verb

“Emily had gone to this theatre before.”

Tense: a category that locates a situation in

time
Helping verbs put the main “ I s w a m ”
Past: i m ”
verb into different tenses. : “ I s w
Present w i m ”
will s
Future: “I
He l pi ng Ver b: Helping Verb Main Verb

“Emily will eat a muffin.”

“Emily is eating a muffin.”

Here, “will” and “is” are helping put each

sentence in a different tense.
The main action falls on the verb "eat" in both
of them.
How do you know the main action is “eat?” Take
out the word “eat” and ask yourself: Does Emily
will a muffin? Is Emily a muffin?
He l pi ng Ver b:
Note:
The same word can be a helping verb
and a main verb. If it is the ONLY
verb in the phrase, it is the main verb.

I am happy.
I am going to the store.

Helping Verb Main Verb

Prac t i c e 2
On your note sheet, complete PRACTICE 2.
Directions:
BOLD the helping verb and underline the main
verb in each sentence:
1. I have seen the ocean.
2. I will run to the store after school.
3. Max was trying to catch the bus.
4. He had broken my heart.
5. They will be surfing tomorrow after school.
A dver b:
The most important verb in the sentence.
Main The verb that shows the action that the
subject is completing.
Verb
Example: Lilly loves her baby.

A word that modifies a verb. An adverb

answers how, when, where, how often, or
Adverb how much an action is completed.
Example: Lilly really loves her baby.

Adverb Main Verb

A dver b:
Adverbs answer these questions:
1.Where did the action happen?
2. When did it happen?
3. How did it happen? (or, in what
way did it happen?)
4. To what extent did it happen? (or,
how often did it happen?)
A dver b: Adverb

Where? She ate the muffin here.

When? She ate the muffin today.

How? She quickly ate the muffin.

To What She completely ate the muffin.

Extent?
A dver b:
TIP:
Adverbs often end in “ly”:
Examples:
Quickly
Sadly
Correctly
Partially
Automatically
Pra c t i c e 3
On your note sheet, complete PRACTICE 3.
Directions:
Bold the adverb and underline the main verb.

1. I visit my friend frequently.

2. I soon saw my friend.
3. My friend was standing there.
4. I hardly recognized my friend.
5. He tragically forgot to shave.
Works h e et
Complete the worksheet that goes
with this lesson.

Good Luck!