Verbs

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Verbs
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Verbs

• Verbs are the most important words in a sentence
• Every sentence must have at least one verb
• Verbs can change in several ways
• They can be in the past, present or future tense
• I run, I will run, I ran, I am running, I was
  running, I will be running

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• They can also change depending on who is doing
  the action
• I run
• You run
• He runs
• I am
• You are
• He is
• We are

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Active and passive verbs

• This is another way in which verbs can change.
• They can be in the active or the passive voice.
• Many verbs can be used in both forms.

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• Sentences containing active verbs are clear and
  easy to understand.
• In these sentences the verb is active.
• The dog bit the man.
• The family watched Coronation Street.
• David telephoned Emily.
• In these sentences the subject of the sentence
  performs an action.

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The dog bit the man.

• In this sentence the dog is the subject. The
  sentence is about him.
• The verb is bit.
• The man is the person who has the action done to
  him. This is called the object of the sentence.

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The man was bitten by the dog.

• This sentence is in the passive voice.
• The person who has the action done to him becomes
  the subject.
• He does not do the action (Man bites dog would be
  rather unusual).
• The action is done to him.

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Clues to help you spot a passive verb.

• Look for the words by or by the in the sentence.
• Here are some more passive sentences.
• Coronation Street was watched by the family.
• Emily was phoned by David.
• The computer was repaired by the engineer.

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To change sentences from passive to active

• The computer was repaired by the engineer.

The engineer repaired the computer.
Look for the verb Find the person or thing doing
the action (the word by gives you a clue) Make
that person or thing the subject of the
sentence. Describe what he or she does. Finish
the sentence by saying who or what they do it to.
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Passive to Active.

• The disco was organised by the parents.

• The parents organised the disco.

The goldfish was eaten by the cat.
The cat ate the goldfish.
Active sentences are usually shorter and easier
to understand.
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To change sentences from active to passive
Goldilocks ate the porridge.
The porridge was eaten by Goldilocks.

• Find the verb.
• Find the person or thing having the action done
  to it
• Make that person or thing the subject of your
  sentence.
• Change the verb so that the subject is having the
  action done to it.
• Use by or by the to finish the sentence.