Lights, Camera, ACTION!

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Lights, Camera, ACTION!

• Action and Linking Verbs
• World Literature

ELA10C1 The student demonstrates understanding
and control of the rules of the English language,
realizing that usage involves the appropriate
application of conventions and grammar in both
written and spoken formats. The studenta.  
Demonstrates an understanding of proper English
usage and control of grammar, sentence and
paragraph structure, diction, and syntax. c.  
Demonstrates an understanding of sentence
construction (e.g., subordination, proper
placement of modifiers, parallel structure) and
proper English usage (e.g., consistency of verb
tenses, agreement).
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Action Verbs vs. Linking Verbs

• Action Verbs
• Show action or state they are not linking verbs.
• Ralph bought a new car. (action)
• Ralph loves his new car. (state)
• Linking Verbs
• Link subject to a predicate (noun or adjective).
• Sam is my brother.
• The soup smells good.

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Common Linking Verbs- To Avoid in your writing

• Be am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been,
  will be
• (overuse weakens writing style)
• shows existence or nonexistence
• To be or not to be, that is the question.
• shows that something occupies a particular place
• The book is on the shelf.
• Improved version---The book lies on the shelf.
• shows that something takes place ,in happens, or
  will occur in the future
• The meeting is next week.
• Improved version---The meeting takes place next
  week.

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Linking Verbs their Complements

• Predicate Adjectives
• Modifies the subject, follows linking verb
• The day was _____.
• The cat is ________.
• The children were ______.
• The soup tasted ________.
• Predicate Nominatives (Nouns) -- Subject PN
• noun following a linking verb that restates or
  stands for the subject.
• She is my _______.
• You are my _________.
• He became an _______.

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Linking Verbs their Complements

• Predicate Adjectives
• The day was hot.
• The cat is scared.
• The children were noisy.
• The soup tasted weird.
• Predicate Nominatives (Nouns) -- Subject PN
• She is my sister.
• You are my students.
• He became an actor.

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Improved Sentences

• The day was hot.
• On the hot day, we swam in the neighbors pool.
• The cat is scared.
• The scared cat jumped on the table.
• The children were noisy.
• Noisy children play in the park.
• She is my sister.
• My sister Sarah sulks with me.
• You are my students.
• We have very smart students in this World
  Literature class.
• He became an actor.
• Antonio, an aspiring actor in California,
  auditions for sitcoms daily.

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Using the Very test to distinguish between
predicate adjectives and verbs (participles)

• Problem Many adjectives are derived from verbs
  (participles!!) and retain their ing or ed/en
  verb endings. Are they verbs or adjectives??
• The students were sleeping.
• The students were interesting.
• The report was rejected.
• The report was stolen.
• The report was confusing.

Place very before each underlined word. Most
predicate adjectives can be used with very.
Verbs can never be used with very.
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The Very test Is it a predicate adjective?
VERY

1. NO! Verb were sleeping
2. Yes. Predicate adjective interesting
3. NO! Verb was rejected
4. NO! Verb was stolen
5. Yes. Predicate adjective confusing

1. The students were very sleeping.
2. The students were very interesting.
3. The report was very rejected.
4. The report was very stolen.
5. The report was very confusing.

Do you see any linking verbs to avoid?
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Identify the linking verb and its complement
(predicate adjective or predicate nominative), if
applicable.Example Sam is my brotherSammy
brother

1. My car is a Toyota.
2. Holmes remained calm.
3. The general grew furious.
4. The dinner was a complete mess.
5. The children are amusing.
6. Thanks to his grammar teacher, Leon became a
   better person.

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Identify the linking verb and its complement
(predicate adjective or predicate nominative), if
applicable.

1. My car is a Toyota.
2. Holmes remained calm.
3. The general grew furious.
4. The dinner was a complete mess.
5. The children are amusing.
6. Thanks to his grammar teacher, Leon became a
   better person.

1. My car is a Toyota.
2. Holmes remained calm.
3. The general grew furious.
4. The dinner was a complete mess.
5. The children are amusing.
6. Thanks to his grammar teacher, Leon became a
   better person.

Linking verbs to avoidis, was, are, became
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Helping Verbs

• A helping verb modifies a verb in mood or tense
• There are three main types be, have, do
• Helping verbs include
• can, could, may, might, must, shall, will, would,
  ought, had better, ought to, would rather, have
  to, have got to, be supposed to, be able to, used
  to

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Identify the helping verb and the main verb in
the sentences below

• 1.) They can go now.
• 2.) I have finished my homework.
• 3.) I could swim all day.

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Identify the helping verb and the main verb in
the sentences below
Helping verb
Main verb

• 1.) They can go now.
• 2.) I have finished my homework.
• Improved version--- I completed my
  homework.
• 3.) I could swim all day.

MAIN VERB
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• Identify in the paragraph from The Hunger
  Gameslinking verbs- (helping verbs)
  action verbs
• The sky is still dark, but I can feel the first
  signs of dawn approaching. I am beginning to
  think we---meaning the person whose death I am
  now devising and I----we might actually have gone
  unnoticed. Then I hear it (159).
• List the linking verbs to avoid---

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• Identify in the paragraph from The Hunger
  Gameslinking verbs- (helping verbs)
  action verbs
• The sky is still dark, but I (can) feel the first
  signs of dawn approaching. I (am) beginning to
  think we---meaning the person whose death I (am)
  now devising and I----we might actually (have)
  gone unnoticed. Then I hear it (159).
• List the linking verbs to avoid---is, am

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Look at your own papers and highlight the
linking verbs to avoid-

• to be (is, am, are, was, were, has been, have
  been, had been,  is being, are being, was being,
  will have been, etc.)
• to become (become, becomes, became, has become,
  have become, had become, will become, will have
  become, etc.)
• to seem (seemed, seeming, seems, has seemed, have
  seemed, had seemed, is seeming, are seeming, was
  seeming, were seeming, will seem)

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Some Power verbs to use in your paper