Reading and Writing · 05 · Grammar Foundations
Verbs
Notes
Key points
- Every sentence needs a main (finite) verb.
- Check three things: number (agreement), tense, form.
- An -ing word or “to + verb” alone is not a main verb.
- has / have / had + past participle: gone, written, begun, risen, chosen.
- Linking verbs (is, seems, becomes, feels) take adjectives, not adverbs.
Rules
A sentence needs a finite verb, not just an -ing form.
The bridge, built in 1890, still carries traffic.
The bridge, built in 1890, still carrying traffic.
Past participle after has, have, had.
She had already written the report.
She had already wrote the report.
Common traps
- Picking a choice with only -ing or “to” forms — the sentence loses its main verb.
- Losing the subject behind a long modifier between it and the verb.
SAT tip
Verb choices: check for a main verb first, then agreement with the subject, then tense.
Test yourself
10 official SAT questions on Verbs, easiest first.