( Ask is the verb and the noun phrase the neighbor is the direct object.) “Can you ask the neighbor when the yard sale will be?” ( Like is the verb and pickles are the direct object.)

The direct object typically answers the question what? or who? Here are some examples: Transitive verbs require a direct object, meaning a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that receives the action of the verb and so completes the sentence’s meaning. There are two main kinds of verb: transitive verbs and intransitive verbs. Almost every sentence requires a verb, or else nothing happens! Transitive Verbs Is is a verb or a noun? Is it a preposition? In this post, we have learned that the word is a verb and functions solely as a verb to describe a state of being or existence.A verb is a word that shows an action (‘I will jog to the store’), occurrence (‘The bananas ripened overnight’), or state of being (‘I have the same right to exist as you’). Is can be paired with all kinds of verbs to act as a helping verb.įor more information on helping verbs, see our full helping verbs page. In this example, is is paired with the verb running and is working as a helping verb.

The All England Club also announced Tuesday that it is increasing spending to fight match-fixing and doping, although it provided no figures.

In this example, is is the main verb.īut, if we look at another sentence, we can see that is can also be a helping verb. This statement has a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. This means that they can stand alone in a statement, and they can be used as a helping verb.

Is is a helping verb? The verb be and its conjugations, is, am, are, etc., are primary helping verbs. These verbs are describing your mere existence, but they are verbs nonetheless. There is no overt or positive action taking place when you say I am or He is. Verbs describe more than just action: While it’s true that verbs can describe action, they can also describe existence or occurrence, where there might not be any action taking place.Īs I said above, verbs can describe a state of being, or mere existence. So, how can is be a verb? What action is taking place? These are all words that describe an action they describe something that a person can do.

What is a verb in a sentence