Harnessing the Power of Verbs in Writing

1. Verbs

2. A VERB is… • …the HEARTTHROB of a sentence. Without a verb, it is only a fragment. • …where the action is or a sentence’s reason for being. • …what gives a sentence ENERGY. Without a VERB, there is nothing going on…just a lot of nouns standing around with their hands in their pockets!

3. Q: What is a verb? A: A verb is a word used to express an action, condition, or a state of being.

4. There are two main kinds of verbs… 1. action verb- tells what its subject does cheer sob laugh

5. “The trip wire activated a stun grenade.” ~Stormbreaker “Like magic, the machine spit some green bills through a slit, and the man snatched them and started counting.” ~ The Angel Experiment

6. 2. - link the subject to a word in the predicate. The most common linking verbs are the forms of be. linking verbs

7. subject renames the subject “His name is Herman E. Calloway and he plays the biggest doggone fiddle you’ll ever see.” ~ Bud, Not Buddy “The smile she offered him was wobbly .” ~ Among the Hidden subject describes the subject

8. Let’s try a few together… • Mrs. Smith seems tired today.

9. 2. My gold watch is my most valued possession.

10. Our brains were drained after the test. • The outdated soup tastes odd. • Mr. Lewis is the darts champion. • I am a very impatient person. • The haunted house looks so scary.

11. The forms of be are helping verbswhen they are paired with an action verb. “Mark was making a big ceremony out of bringing the bread to his mouth.” ~Among the Hidden.

12. Why should you use vivid action verbs in your writing?

13. pizzazz Strong and lively action verbs add to your writing and help your reader create a vivid image in his or her mind. Using too many linking verbs makes your writing boring. Action verbs show the reader, while linking verbs tell the reader. Show, don’t tell!

14. Action verb or linking verb? Number 1-5 on today’s DTAP page and write action or linking for each of the verbs in the following sentences.

15. 1. We were here for three hours after school.

16. 2. Emily sauntered into class three minutes after the bell rang.

17. 3. After hearing the good news, Bill jumped for joy.

18. 4. Tom was student of the month last month.

19. 5. Mrs. Jones is my guidance counselor this year.

20. Verbs are to sentences what engines are to cars- they drive them, energize them and pull them along. The power that a verb generates is what really matters, like the horsepower in a car matters.

21. verb: :: engine: car • verb:sentence :: engine:car

22. Think of weak verbs as a one horsepower engine. They don’t give your sentences much power.

23. Think of vivid action verbs as a 500 horsepower engine. They rev up your sentences and give them more power.

24. One horsepower verb: “Let me in,” I said. 500 Horsepower verb: “Let me in,” I bellowed.

25. One horsepower verb: We walked through the park. 500 Horsepower verb: We sauntered through the park.

26. Tip # 2: Add pizzazz to your writing by replacing boring verbs with vivid action verbs. The Maine coon cat gobbled down its food. The Maine coon cat ate.

27. Number your opposite DTAP page 1-3. Rewrite these sentences, changing the one horsepower verbs to 500 horsepower verbs.

28. 1. Johnny Manziel threw the ball down the field.

29. 2. Mr. Smith lifted the lid and looked in the box.

30. 3. After school he put his books on his bed.

31. Every activity has its own set of movements and behaviors. VERBSdescribe these movements and behaviors

32. Think about baking cookies… • What action verbs might you use if you were writing about this topic? • Talk to a partner and list as many ACTION verbs (related to baking cookies) as you can in 3 minutes. • GO!

33. Dump Pour Mix Stir Roll Flatten Shape Grease Bake Watch Cool Remove Gobble Did you come up with these verbs?

34. Now you try it!