Simple Steps to Sentence Sense - Step Two - Finding the Verb

Summary

In this instructional video, Charlene Tess, author of 'Simple Steps to Sentence Sets', introduces an 8-step method for English sentence analysis. She emphasizes the importance of identifying prepositional phrases and verbs, explaining how to distinguish between action and linking verbs using a substitution test. Tess also clarifies the role of verb phrases and adverbs within them. The video is aimed at simplifying the process of sentence analysis for students of various levels, with resources available on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Takeaways

• 📝 Sentence analysis is simplified by following a sequence of 8 steps outlined in Charlene Tess's 'Simple Steps to Sentence Sets'.
• 🔍 Step one involves identifying prepositional phrases using a list of prepositions, which helps in finding the sentence's structure.
• 💃 The verb is the most crucial part of a sentence, representing either a mental or physical action, such as 'think' or 'run'.
• 🔄 Some verbs can act as both action and linking verbs, depending on the context, and are indicated with a dot on the SAM (Sentence Analysis Map) sheet.
• ✅ The substitution test can determine if a verb is action or linking by checking if it can be replaced with a form of 'to be'.
• 🔑 All verbs have an -ing form, which is a key identifier for them, such as 'running' from 'run' or 'being' from 'is', 'am', 'are', etc.
• 🔄 A verb phrase includes the main verb and any helping verbs, with a maximum of four words in the phrase.
• 📖 The SAM sheet provides a list of helping verbs, which are essential for identifying verb phrases.
• 📚 Adverbs can modify verbs and may be found within a verb phrase, such as 'quietly' in 'quietly bubbling'.
• 👀 The SAM sheet also includes a list of common adverbs that interrupt verb phrases, helping to identify non-verbs within phrases.
• 📚 Charlene Tess offers a comprehensive program on Teachers Pay Teachers, tailored for different educational levels, including elementary, middle, and high school students.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video presented by Charlene Tess?

The main purpose of the video is to demonstrate the simplicity of analyzing an English sentence by following 8 simple steps, starting with identifying the verb.

What is the first step in sentence analysis according to Charlene Tess?

The first step is to find the prepositional phrases using a list of prepositions and a sentence analysis map.

What are prepositional phrases and why are they important in sentence analysis?

Prepositional phrases are groups of words that begin with a preposition and end with a noun or pronoun. They are important because they help in identifying the parts of the sentence and simplifying it for further analysis.

Why is identifying the verb considered the most important part of sentence analysis?

Identifying the verb is crucial because it expresses mental or physical action and is a key component in understanding the meaning of a sentence.

What are linking verbs and how do they differ from action verbs?

Linking verbs express a state of being and link the subject to the predicate, such as 'is', 'am', 'are', etc. They differ from action verbs, which express physical or mental actions like 'think' or 'run'.

How can one determine if a verb is an action verb or a linking verb using the substitution test?

If a verb can be replaced with a form of 'to be' (is, am, are, etc.) and the sentence still makes sense, it is a linking verb. If it cannot be replaced, it is an action verb.

What is a verb phrase and what is its maximum length according to the script?

A verb phrase consists of the main verb and any helping verbs that accompany it. The maximum number of words in a verb phrase is four.

How can adverbs modify verbs and where are they typically found in a sentence?

Adverbs modify verbs by providing more information about how, when, where, or to what extent the action occurs. They can be found inside a verb phrase, such as 'quietly' in 'the coffee was quietly bubbling'.

What is the 'SAM sheet' mentioned in the video and what does it include?

The 'SAM sheet' is a tool used for sentence analysis that includes a list of prepositions, linking verbs, helping verbs, and common adverbs that interrupt verb phrases.

Where can one find the complete 'Simple Steps to Sentence Sense' program and for which age groups is it available?

The complete program can be found on Teachers Pay Teachers, and it is available for elementary school, ESL students, middle school, and high school students.

What is the significance of the ING form in identifying verbs in a sentence?

The ING form is significant because all verbs have an ING form, which helps in identifying them as verbs, such as 'running' for 'run' and 'being' for forms of 'to be'.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Understanding Sentence Analysis

In this paragraph, Charlene Tess introduces a methodical approach to sentence analysis, emphasizing the importance of following a sequence of 8 steps. The focus is on identifying the verb, which is the most crucial part of a sentence, representing either a mental or physical action. She explains the difference between action verbs and linking verbs, and how to distinguish them using the substitution test. The paragraph also covers the identification of verb phrases, which can include up to four words, and the role of adverbs within these phrases. The goal is to simplify the process of sentence analysis for students by using a structured method and a list of prepositions and helping verbs.

05:02

🔍 Deep Dive into Verb Phrases and Adverbs

The second paragraph delves deeper into the intricacies of verb phrases and the identification of adverbs that may be embedded within them. Charlene Tess provides an example to illustrate how to extract the action verb and any helping verbs from a sentence, even when adverbs are present. She mentions a list of common adverbs that can interrupt verb phrases, which is available on the 'Sam' sheet. The paragraph concludes with a reminder to complete the steps for sentence analysis, including exercises, tests, and writing activities, and to explore the complete program on Teachers Pay Teachers, which caters to different educational levels.

Keywords

💡Sentence Analysis

Sentence analysis refers to the process of breaking down a sentence into its constituent parts to understand its structure and meaning. In the video, sentence analysis is the main theme, and the author, Charlene Tess, aims to simplify this process by introducing a methodical approach involving eight steps. The script provides a step-by-step guide on how to identify and understand the components of a sentence, such as prepositional phrases and verbs.

💡Prepositional Phrases

A prepositional phrase is a group of words that begins with a preposition and ends with a noun or pronoun, which acts as the object of the preposition. In the script, the author instructs viewers to identify these phrases using a list of prepositions and a sentence analysis map, as part of the first step in sentence analysis. Examples from the script include 'at the party' and 'at the last day of the school year', which are prepositional phrases that provide additional information about the main action of the sentence.

💡Verb

A verb is a word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being. In the context of the video, the verb is identified as the most important part of a sentence. The author explains that verbs can be action verbs, which denote physical or mental actions, or linking verbs, which connect the subject to additional information. The script uses 'danced' as an example of an action verb, showing a physical action.

💡Action Verb

An action verb describes a physical or mental action performed by the subject of a sentence. In the video, the author distinguishes action verbs from linking verbs and provides a method to identify them using a substitution test. The script illustrates this with the example 'the cook tasted the cake', where 'tasted' is an action verb because it cannot be replaced with a form of 'to be'.

💡Linking Verb

A linking verb is used to connect the subject of a sentence to additional information, often describing a state of being. The video script explains that linking verbs include 'is', 'am', 'are', 'was', 'were', 'been', 'being', and provides a test to determine if a verb is linking by substituting it with forms of 'to be'. The example 'the cake tasted good' uses 'tasted' as a linking verb because it can be replaced with 'was good'.

💡Verb Phrase

A verb phrase consists of a main verb and any helping, or auxiliary, verbs that provide additional information about the action. The script mentions that a verb phrase can contain up to four words and provides a list of helping verbs on the sentence analysis map. An example from the script is 'will have been singing', where 'will have' and 'been' are helping verbs and 'singing' is the main action verb.

💡Adverb

An adverb is a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, often providing information about how, when, where, or to what extent something occurs. In the video, the author notes that adverbs can sometimes be found within a verb phrase, as in the example 'quietly bubbling', where 'quietly' is an adverb modifying the verb 'bubbling'.

💡ING Form

The ING form, or gerund, is a verb form that ends in '-ing' and functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb. The script explains that all verbs have an ING form, which is used to identify them, such as 'running' from 'run' or 'taking' from 'took'. This form is crucial in distinguishing verbs from other parts of speech in sentence analysis.

💡Substitution Test

The substitution test is a method used in the video to determine whether a verb is an action verb or a linking verb. If a verb can be replaced with a form of 'to be' and the sentence still makes sense, it is a linking verb. If not, it is an action verb. The script demonstrates this with the examples 'the cook tasted the cake' and 'the cake tasted good'.

💡Sentence Analysis Map

The sentence analysis map is a tool mentioned in the script that helps in identifying the parts of a sentence, such as prepositional phrases and verbs. It serves as a guide for the viewer to follow the steps of sentence analysis more effectively. The map is likely a visual aid that accompanies the author's method.

💡Teachers Pay Teachers

Teachers Pay Teachers is an online marketplace where teachers can buy and sell original educational materials. In the script, the author encourages viewers to visit the platform and search for her name to find the complete 'Simple Steps to Sentence Sense' program, which is available for different educational levels, including elementary, middle, and high school students.

Highlights

Sentence analysis is simple if you follow the correct sequence.

The video shows how to analyze an English sentence using 8 simple steps.

Step 1 is finding the prepositional phrases using a list of prepositions.

Eliminate prepositional phrases to find the verb, the most important part of the sentence.

A verb expresses mental or physical action, like 'think' or 'run'.

Some verbs can be action or linking, depending on the sentence.

Use the substitution test to determine if a verb is action or linking.

If a verb can be replaced with a form of 'to be', it is a linking verb.

All verbs have an -ing form, which helps identify them.

A verb phrase consists of the main verb and any helping verbs.

The maximum number of words in a verb phrase is 4.

Adverbs that modify verbs can sometimes be found inside a verb phrase.

There is a list of common adverbs that interrupt verb phrases.

After finding prepositional phrases and the verb, you have completed steps 1 and 2.

The Simple Steps to Sentence Sense program offers editions for different grade levels.

The program includes lessons, exercises, tests, and writing connection pages.

Visit Teachers Pay Teachers to find the Simple Steps to Sentence Sense program.

The author, Charlene Tess, provides a clear and easy-to-follow guide for sentence analysis.

Transcripts

sentence analysis is simple if you

follow the correct sequence hello

everyone I'm Charlene Tess

author of simple steps to Senate sets in

this video I want to show you how easy

it is to analyze an English sentence if

you follow the 8 simple steps in order

this is step to finding the verb

remember in step one you learn to find

the prepositional phrases by using the

list of prepositions on the sentence

analysis map or as my students referred

to it Sam at the party on the last day

of the school year at my high school for

two hours those were all prepositional

phrases after the five prepositional

phrases are eliminated only two words

remain we danced the verb is the most

important part of the sentence it is a

word that expresses mental or physical

action like think or run so in this

sentence dance shows physical action so

dance is the verb a verb can also

express a state of being and be a

linking verb that links the subject to

the predicate the linking verbs include

is am are was were be been being and

then there's a group of verbs that can

be action or linking depending upon the

sentence appear become became feel grow

look remain seem smell sound stay taste

and turn verbs can be classified as

action or linking verbs and if you refer

to your Sam sheet you'll see the list of

linking verbs that I just read to you

some verbs can be action in one sentence

and linking in another such verbs are

indicated by a dot on the Sam sheet if

there is a dot by the verb use the

substitution test below to see if the

verb is action or linking if you can

replace the verb with a form of to be

such as is M are was were been or being

then the verb in the sentence is a

linking verb if you cannot replace it

then the verb in the sentence is an

action verb let's try it the cook tasted

the cake the cake tasted good taste is

one of the verbs that has a link a dot

by it so we know that we have to test it

let's see if we can say the cook was the

cake of course not that doesn't make

sense so since you cannot replace this

verb with a linking verb this verb is

action in the second sentence the cake

tasted good can you say the cake was

good yes of course you can so since you

can replace the verb with a linking verb

this I this is a linking verb it isn't

difficult to determine if a word is a

verb because all verbs have an ING form

for example the ing form of run is

running the ing form of took is taking

because took is the past tense of the

verb take the ing form of love is loving

the ing form of all the forms of to be

is the word being so is am are was were

being been all have the same ing form

being a verb phrase consists of the main

verb and any helping verbs that go with

it

you will find a list of the helping

verbs on the Sam sheet the maximum

number of words in a verb phrase is 4

will have been singing is a verb phrase

will have and been our helping verbs the

main verb singing is an action verb the

coffee was bubbling in the pot was is a

helping verb bubbling is an action verb

and you can see that once you remove the

prepositional phrase the sentence only

has four words and it's easy to find the

action verb and then look in front of it

and find the helping verb

sometimes adverbs that modify verbs will

be found inside a verb phrase for

instance the coffee was quietly bubbling

in the pot if you eliminate the phrase

in the pot you've got the coffee was

quietly bubbling bubbling is an action

verb was is a helping verb but in the

middle of the verb phrase is an adverb

quietly that tells you how the coffee

was bubbling there is a list of common

adverbs that interrupts verb phrases on

the Sam sheet but just be on the lookout

for adverbs that are in a verb phrase

but they are not verbs it's easy to tell

that quietly is not a verb because it

does not have an ING form there is no

such thing as quietly in so first you do

step 1

where you find the prepositional phrases

and then you look for the most important

word in a sentence which is the verb be

sure to find the entire verb phrase and

notice any adverbs that interrupt the

phrase now you have completed steps one

and two

four complete lessons exercises tests

and writing connection pages be sure to

take a look at the complete simple steps

to senate sense program on teachers pay

teacher's comm there's an edition for

elementary school and ESL students for

middle school students and for high

school students just visit Teachers Pay

Teachers comm and search for my name

thank you for listening I hope you're

having a great day