This week we continue our focus on the sentence, with a close look at verbs, the words which are often described as the muscles of any writing. Years ago, students were taught that verbs were doing words. Now a verb is described as a word which represents different processes such as doing, thinking, saying, relating and being. 

Verbs can express different aspects of our experience:

• what we do – action verbs
• what we say – saying verbs
• what we think, feel and perceive – sensing verbs
• how we create links between pieces of information – relating verbs
• how we refer to things that simply exist – being verbs

Action or doing verbs
Much of our experience consists of physical activity. The following are some common doing or action verbs:

We find examples of action or doing verbs in most texts, but particularly in texts such as stories, recounts, procedures and explanations. 

Saying verbs
Sometimes experience is not represented directly but is reported verbally. The following are some common saying verbs: 

Saying verbs are usually found in stories, where we get to know characters the way they speak and interact with others. In the following passage, for example, J.K. Rowling gives the reader an insight into Dudley’s personality through the choice of saying verbs:

“Make it move,” he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn’t budge. 

“Do it again,” Dudley ordered. Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on. 

This is boring,” Dudley moaned. He shuffled away. 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, J.K.Rowling

Sensing verbs
Sensing verbs reflect processes of our internal world. They describe what we think, feel, desire and perceive. The following are some examples:

In a story, sensing verbs can also give us insight into the characters of a story by describing what is going on in their minds. They are often used when characters reflect on the action or evaluate what is happening in the story. 

“But then,” thought Alice, “shall I never get any older than I am now? Alice knew it was the rabbit coming to look for her…”

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll 

Relating verbs
There are certain verbs which do not represent actions, speaking, thoughts or feelings. Their role is to simply link two pieces of information. We call them relating verbs. The most common relating verbs are the verbs be and have and variations on these.

Being verbs
Another type of verb is where there is no action or relationship being described, simply a state:

There was a brown snake on the oval.
There is a huge pothole in the driveway.
There are many wonderful books in the library. 
There were students reading poetry near the dam on Saturday. 

As I have said over the past few weeks, sentences are the main building blocks of writing. A sentence is a group of words which expresses a complete thought. All sentences must begin with a capital letter and end with a full stop, question mark or exclamation mark. Every conventional sentence contains a verb – the muscles of our writing. 

Mrs Clare Murphy
English Coordinator and Literacy Instructional Coach