examples:
My parents are generous
with me.
We burst out laughing
when he told us his joke.
Additionally,
a main verb can be preceded by one or more helping verbs. But what are
helping verbs?
Helping
Verbs
Helping verbs precede the main verbs. Their role changes the time of when
the action occurs.
example:
She breaks her
right leg.
She has broken
her right leg.
MV = present
tense
HP MV =
the helping verb changes the tense
of the action.
There
are 23 helping verbs: 1) forms of be, do, and have ( which are also main
verbs)
2) the ten following modals -can, could, may, might, must, shall, should,
will, would, and ought to.
examples:
He is helping
the neighbors.
The house would have burned
in a second.
HV MV
HV HV MV
Linking
Verbs
These verbs are main verbs that link the subject with a word
that describes the subject. The most common linking verb is to be.
Other linking verbs are the ones that refer to the senses (sound, smell,
taste, look, feel) and to becoming or existing things (seem, remain, become,
appear, get, turn, stay, prove).
examples:
Bill
Clinton is the
President of the United States.
LV
He seems sad.
LV
Tip!!!!!
To
recognize a linking verb, you can replace the verb by an equal
sign or the verb to be.
examples: In two years my son grew
tall. -
my son =
tall
It tastes good.
- it is good
He seems silent.
- he is silent
but:
She smells the flowers.
- she is the flowers
WRONG
because
she is a human
being and not a flower.
Attention!!!
All the verbs mentioned above can be either main or helping verbs, but
not
both at the same
time. So, remember that if you read the verb "to seem," it is not necessarily
a helping
verb.
HP= Helping Verb
MV= Main Verb
LV= Linking Verb
Exercise
1.
The students should have studied for their test.
2. President Chirac arrived at the White House today.
3. This restaurant seems quiet and relaxing.
4. The Writing Center opens everyday at 8 a.m.
5. The professor has been lecturing for three hours.
6. The young nanny ought to call the child's parents and 911 in case of
emergency.
7. You must look at both sides of the street before crossing.
8. My grandfather's beard grows so long.
9. This country is beautiful and wealthy.
10. He is not
coming tonight because he feels poorly.