Verb Identification Answer Key
About This Worksheet
This Grade 7 Language Arts worksheet helps students find the verb or complete verb phrase in each sentence and decide what kind of verb it is. Students work with action verbs, linking verbs, and helping verbs in everyday sentences. For example, in “The players have practiced their routine all week,” have practiced is the full verb phrase, and have is the helping verb that works with the main action verb practiced.
Learning Goals
The main goal is to help students understand that verbs do more than show action. Some verbs connect the subject to a description, while others help the main verb show time, possibility, or completion. Students should already be able to locate the subject and basic verb in a simple sentence. This activity moves them toward recognizing full verb phrases and telling action, linking, and helping verbs apart. It supports CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.1, which focuses on standard English grammar and the correct use of verbs.
Student Tasks
On this worksheet, students will read fifteen sentences and underline the verb or verb phrase in each one. They will then write A for action, L for linking, or H for helping on the answer line. The examples include simple actions, linking verbs such as became, seemed, and tasted, and helping-verb phrases such as have practiced, will present, and is sleeping. Some sentences contain more than one action, so students must read carefully and identify the complete verb structure.
Common Challenges
Some students may underline only the main verb and leave out a helping verb that belongs with it. Others may assume that every verb shows action and overlook linking verbs that connect the subject to a description. Words such as felt, looked, tasted, and became can be confusing because they may act differently in different sentences. Encourage students to ask whether the verb shows an action, helps another verb, or links the subject to information about it.
Teaching Suggestions
A teacher can model one sentence from each category and explain the difference in plain language. For example, “The dog barked” shows an action, “The soup tastes delicious” links the soup to a description, and “The students will present” uses a helping verb with the main verb. At home, a parent can ask the child to read each sentence aloud and explain what the verb is doing. Hearing the sentence often makes the verb type easier to recognize.
Worksheet Features
The worksheet includes fifteen varied sentences covering action, linking, and helping verbs. The examples use school, family, weather, animals, and everyday situations, so students can focus on grammar rather than difficult content. The short labeling system keeps the work organized while still requiring careful analysis. This page works well for introductory verb review, homework, tutoring, or a quick grammar assessment.