Verbs
Some verbs are action words: swim, realize, explain, taste, include, assure.
Other verbs do not show direct action but instead show abstract feelings or states. These verbs often act as links that add a description to a noun.
These verbs can be either action or linking: taste, feel, smell, sound, look, appear, become, seem, grow, remain, stay. Be aware of whether the word that follows these verbs is actually describing the subject/noun (linking) or the recipient of the action of the verb (action). For example: The soup tasted wonderful (soup = wonderful = linking). I tasted the wonderful soup (soup does not describe the subject "I"; it is receiving the action of tasting = action).
Tip: Action verbs make for a stronger paper.
Example:
George Washington was the first President after he was the army general during the War for Independence.
vs.
George Washington led the newly-formed nation as its first President after he fought as general in the War for Independence.
| Verb | Example of Indirect Link to Noun |
|---|---|
| is | Harold is repetitive. |
| am | Harold said, "I am repetitive, I AM repetitive." |
| been | Harold's mother tells everyone, "He has always been repetitive for all of his adult life, starting at age twenty-two, most likely as a result of a psychological trauma he suffered when his father was sent to jail." |
| was | Harold's repetitiveness was fostered when he got a boo-boo while visiting Bora Bora with the B'nai B'rith. |
| have | I have, for twenty-two years, repeated myself too often not to realize I have a problem, a real problem," Harold whined. |
| feel | "Harold, I feel as though I'm married to two people, both of whom like to eat couscous," his wife, Lulu, said. |
| became | Harold became more willing to go to counseling when he realized that the only breath freshener he purchased was Sen-Sen, the only gum he chewed was Doublemint, and the only candy he ate was Jujubes. |
| seem | Harold seemed to be improving toward singularity in 1996 but experienced a set-back when he went to Walla Walla, Washington, for what was a win-win business deal. |
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