Action Verbs and Verbs of Being Lesson

Teaching students the eight parts of speech in middle school should be a review. However, many students learn the material in earlier grades and then quickly forget it.

Teaching Students Why They Need to Know Their Verbs

Pull examples of run-ons and comma splices from the students' latest papers and write the sentences on the overhead. First, ask students to tell if each sentence is a complete sentence, a run-on or a comma splice. A sentence must have a subject, a verb and a complete thought.

Many or some students will not be able to identify the verb in the sentences on the overhead, especially if a verb of

being was used in the sentence. Show the students that they need to be able to identify verbs to write effective sentences.

Use Resource Book

Use a grammar resource book to show students lists of action verbs and verbs of being. Most students understand that action verbs involve an "act", such as jumping, walking and skipping. However, some students do not understand what a verbs of being is.

First, let them know that verbs of being can be called helping verbs and linking verbs too. This may help some students to remember them. Remind them that these verbs have no action and just "are."

Action Verbs and Verbs of Being Activity

To check for understanding of identification of verbs of being and action verbs, try the following activity.

Step 1 -- Make 40 Post-its with a mix of action verbs and verbs of being on each Post-it.

Step 2 -- On the black board, make two sets of two columns and label the columns: action verbs and verbs of being.

Step 3 -- Select two volunteers to sort the verbs as quickly as they can. Offer a small prize for the first one to sort them correctly in the shortest amount of time. Give each student 20 Post-its.

Step 4 -- When the students are done,

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Step 5 - After the students are done, go through each Post-it and talk about why the Post-it was an action verb or a verb of being.