Welcome to the Wonderful World of Basic Verbs!

Hello, Super Students! Are you ready for an adventure? Today, we're going to learn about one of the most important parts of any sentence: verbs!

Verbs are like the superheroes of English. They bring sentences to life by showing action and telling us what's happening. Without them, our sentences would be very boring! Learning about verbs will help you become an amazing writer and speaker.


Part 1: What is a Verb?

A verb is a word that shows an action or a state of being. Think of them as "doing" words or "being" words.

Action Verbs: The "Doing" Words

These are the easiest verbs to spot! They tell you what someone or something is doing. It's like watching a movie in your head!

Analogy Time!
Think of a sentence as a car. The verb is the engine. It's the part that makes the car GO! Without an engine, the car just sits there. Without a verb, a sentence doesn't do anything!

Here are some examples:

• The dog runs across the grass.

• I eat an apple for my snack.

• We play in the park.

• She sings a happy song.

State of Being Verbs: The "Being" Words

Some verbs don't show action. Instead, they tell us what something is or what state it's in. The most common "being" verbs are forms of the verb 'to be': am, is, are, was, were.

Examples:

• I am a student.

• The sky is blue.

• They are my friends.

• It was cold yesterday.

Key Takeaway:
Verbs are amazing words that show action (like jump, read) or a state of being (like am, is, are). Every complete sentence needs a verb!


Part 2: Verb Tenses - Time-Travelling Words!

Did you know verbs can travel in time? A verb's tense tells us WHEN the action is happening. Is it happening now, in the past, or in the future? Let's find out!

The Simple Present Tense (Happening Now or Always)

We use the simple present tense for a few important jobs:

1. For things that happen again and again (habitual actions):
• I brush my teeth every day.
• We go to school on weekdays.

2. For facts and simple truths that are always true:
• The sun rises in the east.
• Cows eat grass.

3. To talk about feelings and opinions:
• I like swimming.
• She is afraid of snakes.

Watch out for this common mistake!
When we talk about one other person or thing (like he, she, it, the cat), we usually add an -s to the verb!
• He likes pizza. (NOT He like pizza.)
• The cat plays with the yarn. (NOT The cat play with yarn.)

The Present Continuous Tense (Happening Right This Second!)

This tense is for actions that are happening RIGHT NOW, at the exact moment we are speaking. It's easy to build! Just use am/is/are + a verb ending in -ing.

• They are singing in the playground now.
• Look! I am drawing a picture.
• He is reading a book.

The Simple Past Tense (It Already Happened!)

We use the simple past tense to talk about actions that are finished. They happened in the past.

For many verbs, we just add -ed to the end:
• Yesterday, Daddy washed the dishes.
• Alice opened the pink box.
• A little fairy jumped out.

Don't worry if this seems tricky at first! Just remember, the tense of a verb tells us about the time of the action.

Quick Review Box:
• Present Tense: For now or always. (I walk.)
• Present Continuous: For right this second! (I am walking.)
• Past Tense: For actions that are finished. (I walked.)


Part 3: Special Verbs - Helpers and Superpowers!

Sometimes, our main verbs need a little help from their friends. Let's meet some of these special verbs!

Helper Verbs for Questions (Auxiliary Verbs)

To ask a question, we often need a "helper verb" at the beginning of the sentence. These helpers are words like am, is, are, do, does, did.

• Are they playing basketball?
• Does he like sweets?
• Did he cry?
• Have you any pets?

Superpower Verbs (Modal Verbs)

Modal verbs like can, may, and will are special helpers that give superpowers to the main verb!

• can shows ability: I can dance. I cannot play the piano.

• may asks for permission: May I go out?

• will makes a request or talks about the future: Will you help me, please?

Key Takeaway:
Helper verbs like do, does, have, is help us ask questions. Modal verbs like can, may, will add special meanings like ability or permission!


Part 4: Bossy Verbs (Imperatives)

Imperatives are verbs that give an order, an instruction, or a request. They are often the very first word in the sentence. We call them "bossy verbs" for fun, but they are very useful!

1. To give instructions and directions:
• Switch on the lights.
• Turn left.

2. To stop someone from doing something (prohibitions):
• Don't walk on the grass.

3. To make requests (often with 'please'):
• Give me a crayon, please.

Did you know?
When you use a bossy verb, the subject of the sentence is secretly 'You'! We just don't say it. When a teacher says, "Listen carefully," they mean, "(You) listen carefully." It's our little secret!


Part 5: Verb Teams (Phrasal Verbs)

Sometimes, a verb teams up with a little word (like up, down, on, off, away) to make a brand new meaning! This team is called a phrasal verb.

Analogy Time!
Think of phrasal verbs like LEGO blocks. The verb 'get' is one block. The word 'up' is another. When you put them together, you create something new: 'get up', which means to wake up and get out of bed!

Look at these examples:

• I get up at seven o’clock. ('get' + 'up' = wake up)

• The mouse ran away. ('ran' + 'away' = escaped)

Key Takeaway:
Phrasal verbs are teams of a verb + a small word that create a new meaning. They are very common in English!


You're a Verb Superstar!

Wow, what a journey! You've learned so much about verbs today. Let's do a super quick recap:

• Verbs are action or being words.

• Tenses tell us when something happens (past, present).

• Helper verbs help us ask questions.

• Modal verbs like can and may give superpowers.

• Imperatives are "bossy verbs" that give commands.

Great job! Keep looking for verbs in everything you read, and soon you'll be an expert. Keep up the amazing work!