Grammar Basics: Verbals

Grammar Basics: Verbals

By Andrew Ashford

Poll

How comfortable are you at explaining verbals?

• I got you!

• No prob, Bob!

• What's a verbal?

• I think I know what they are but it's hard to explain...

Multiple Choice

A gerund functions as what part of speech?

• Noun

• Verb

• Preposition

• Interjection

Multiple Choice

How can you turn a verb into a gerund?

• Put it in the "to" form and use it as an adjective

• Put it in the "ing" form and use it as a noun

• Put it in the "ing" form and use it as an adjective

Multiple Select

Which parts of speech can infinitives be? Select all that apply.

• Nouns

• Adverbs

• Prepositions

• Adjectives

Multiple Choice

What does "to warn" do in the sentence "He called to warn her"?

• It modifies "he"

• It is the predicate or the sentence

• It modifies "called"

• It is the subject of the sentence

Multiple Choice

Participles act as_____

• adverbs

• adjectives

• articles

• interjections

Multiple Choice

What function does "wrecked" play in the sentence "The wrecked sailboat washed up on the shore"?

• It describes "sailboat"

• It modifies "washed"

• It is the subject of the sentence.

• It modifies "shore"

Multiple Choice

When participles have a helping verb like "to be" or "to have", they become verb tenses.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

What role does "thinking" play in the sentence "She is thinking of the children"?

• It is the subject

• It's a verbal

• It's the main verb in the present progressive tense

• It is a conjunction

Multiple Choice

Spot the verbal: Walking is great exercise.

• great

• exercise

• Walking

• is

Multiple Choice

Spot the verbal: Martha likes to cook Thai food.

• Martha

• likes

• to cook

• Thai food

Poll

How comfortable are you with verbals now?

• Much more than I was 10 minutes ago

• About the same as before

• I need more practice

• I'm feeling pretty good about them.

​Source

​A special thank you to Cliff's Notes

​Cliffs Notes

Some text here about the topic of discussion