Myriora Games
English

Myriora English › Grammar and punctuation › Chapter 1: Word classes

Verbs: doing and being words

Ages 5–7Chapter 1 · Lesson 2

In this lesson

Your turn

Which word is a verb?

Show the answer

Swam is a verb: it's something you do, and it shows the past!

The common mistake

Here's a common mistake. Is this a full sentence? Some people think so, because it has a capital letter and a full stop. But it has no verb, so it isn't a full sentence yet. Add a verb, like stopped, and now it is!

Try it at home

Play 'what did you do?': each person says three things they did today, and the others spot the verb and say it in the past (walk, walked; eat, ate).

Read the whole lesson

Hello, and welcome to Myriora English! Last time we met nouns, the naming words. Today we meet verbs: the words that tell you what happens!

Most verbs are doing words. Run, jump, eat, sing. They tell you what someone or something does. The dog runs. The baby sings.

Some verbs are being words. Is, are, was and were. The sky is blue. We were tired.

Here's a test. A verb changes to show when something happens. Today I walk. Yesterday I walked. Today I sing. Yesterday I sang.

Every full sentence has at least one verb. The cat sat on the mat. Sat is the verb!

Let's try one together. Find the verb. Mia kicked the ball. Say it out loud!

Kicked! It tells you what Mia did, and it shows the past. Well done if you said kicked!

Here's a common mistake. Is this a full sentence? Some people think so, because it has a capital letter and a full stop. But it has no verb, so it isn't a full sentence yet. Add a verb, like stopped, and now it is!

Your turn! Which word is a verb? Pick the right card. You've got eight seconds, or pause the video. Go!

Time's up! Swam is a verb: it's something you do, and it shows the past!

Quick review. Verbs tell you what happens: doing words like run, and being words like is. Verbs change to show time, like walk and walked. And every full sentence needs a verb. See you next time!