Verbs 動詞
BasicVerbs are action words.
- Be verbs: I am / he-she-it is / you-we-they are.
- Third-person verbs take s: He runs, She likes.
- like + -ing for hobbies: I like swimming.
文體小知識：Learn basic grammar.
§Text Passage
1My brother Ben is ten years old. He likes sports very much. Every morning, he runs in the park near our home. He runs fast, and he never feels tired. He wants to be a football player one day.
2I am not good at sports, but I can swim well. Verbs are doing words. They tell us what people do. Run, eat, play and read are all verbs. My sister likes reading. She reads storybooks every night before she sleeps. She reads slowly and enjoys every page. We often play badminton together on Saturdays. We play in the park near our home.
3Ben does not like fish, but I eat it happily. I eat rice and vegetables every day too. Our mother says everyone needs exercise. After homework, we watch a cartoon and go to bed early. Strong verbs make our sentences strong, so we use them every day.
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
My brother Ben is ten years old.
我弟弟 Ben 十歲。
He likes sports very much.
他好喜歡運動。
Every morning, he runs in the park near our home.
每個早上，他都會在家附近的公園跑步。
He runs fast, and he never feels tired.
他跑得好快，而且永遠都不會覺得累。
He wants to be a football player one day.
他希望有一天成為足球員。
I am not good at sports, but I can swim well.
我不擅長運動，但是游泳游得很好。
Verbs are doing words.
動詞是表示動作的字。
They tell us what people do.
他們告訴我們人做些什麼。
Run, eat, play and read are all verbs.
Run、eat、play 同 read 都是動詞。
My sister likes reading.
我家姐喜歡看書。
She reads storybooks every night before she sleeps.
他每晚睡覺之前都會看故事書。
She reads slowly and enjoys every page.
他慢慢地看，享受每一頁。
We often play badminton together on Saturdays.
我們逢星期六常常一起打羽毛球。
We play in the park near our home.
我們在家附近的公園玩。
Ben does not like fish, but I eat it happily.
Ben 不喜歡吃魚，但是我就吃得好開心。
I eat rice and vegetables every day too.
我每日都會吃飯同菜。
Our mother says everyone needs exercise.
媽媽說每個人都需要做運動。
After homework, we watch a cartoon and go to bed early.
做完功課，我們會看一集卡通，然後早些睡。
Strong verbs make our sentences strong, so we use them every day.
有力的動詞令我們的句子都有力，所以我們每天都用他們。
1Summary 重點摘要
Verbs are action words.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
A doing word, like run or eat.
To move fast with your legs.
To move through water.
To put food in your mouth.
To do things for fun.
To look at words and understand.
To enjoy something.
To wish to have or do.
To require something.
To be able to do.
3Step by step Steps
- Verbs are doing wordsVerbs are doing words: run, eat, play and read are all verbs. In Ben likes sports, like is a verb too — feelings and states count as actions. To find the verb, ask what the subject does; the answer is the verb. Tip: one sentence can hold two verbs, as in I run and eat.
- The be verbsThe be verbs have three present forms: I takes am (I am ten); he, she and it take is (He is ten); you, we and they take are (We are friends). Chant: I am, you are, is goes with he, she, it. Tip: English may never drop the be verb — I happy is wrong; write I am happy.
- Third person -sWith he, she, it or one name as the subject, the present verb takes s: He runs in the park, She eats rice, My brother likes sports. Negatives follow the rule too: He does not like fish — does carries the s, like stays plain. Tip: check the second verb as well: She runs and jumps.
- like + -ingFor hobbies and likes, the verb after like takes -ing: I like swimming; My sister likes reading. This -ing form is a gerund — an action treated as a thing. Tip: like + to + base verb is also correct, but like + -ing is the safe pattern here; remember that a singular subject needs likes.
- Base form after canCan means be able to and always takes the base verb: I am not good at sports, but I can swim well. Say can swim, can run, can read — the verb never changes, whoever the subject is. Tip: no to and no s after can: not can to swim, and not he can runs; can and its verb both stay unchanged.
- Negative sentencesPresent negatives use do not or does not + base verb: Ben does not like fish, I do not eat meat. He, she and it take does not; the others take do not; don't and doesn't are the short forms. Tip: does not already carries the s, so the verb after it must go back to the base — does not likes is wrong.
- Sentence practiceWrite a pair to practise: My brother runs every morning is positive, with runs taking s; He does not like fish is negative, with a base verb after does not. Pick a topic you like, sport or food, and write one of each. Tip: check two spots — the s in the positive line, the base verb after does not.
5Worked example Example
Verb rules card: be verbs, third-person -s, can and negatives, all practised in one go.
- Be verbs: I am busy. Ben is good at sports. We are tired. As the subject changes, be changes to am, is, are.
- Third person: Ben runs every morning. My sister likes reading. Both subjects are singular, so both verbs take s.
- Can: I can swim well. Ben can run fast. Both verbs after can stay in the base form.
- Negatives: Ben does not like fish. I do not eat meat. The like after does not stays plain.
- Check: any -s after he/she? Base form after can? Base form after does not?
- Answer: I am busy. Ben is good at sports. Ben runs every morning. My sister likes reading. I can swim well. Ben does not like fish.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1What does Ben do in the park every morning?
Q2I am not good at sports, but what can I do?
Q3What does Ben not like to eat?
Q4Fill in: She ___ (like) reading.
Q5Fix it: He can runs very fast.
8Recap Recap
- Be verbs: I am / he-she-it is / you-we-they are.
- Third-person verbs take s: He runs, She likes.
- like + -ing for hobbies: I like swimming.
- Use the base form after can and does not.
- Write one positive and one negative, then check the s.