ATI TEAS ENGLISH & LANGUAGE_STUDY GUIDE
ENGLISH & LANGUAGE Section:
V-Verb S-Subject HV-Helping Verb MV-Main Verb VP-Verb
Phrase SV-Singular Verb PV-Plural Verb LV- Linking
Verb
CLAUSE- A group of related words that do have a Subject & a
Verb EXAMPLE of Clauses: The ball flew over the fence.
S V
Wanda ran home and played in the yard.
S V
Although I jumped over the hurdles…….
S V
PHRASE- Lack a subject & predicate (verb)
VERB PHRASES- A group of words working together to create the verb. Consist of a
helping verb(s) and a main verb.
[Helping Verb(s) + Main Verb]= Verb Phrase
***helping verb “helps” the main verb to complete a verb phrase***
Common helping verbs
“To be” “to do” “to have” modals
Am, are, is do have could, would,
should
Was, were does has may, might, must
Be, been did had can, will, shall
VP
EXAMPLE: Dana [was sleeping] on the couch.
HV MV
VP
Dana [might have been sleeping] on the couch.
HV HV HV MV
A VERB PHRASE CAN BE INTERRUPTED BY AN ADVERB.
EXAMPLE: Arnav was preparing for his test.
, Arnav was not preparing for his test.
Arnav was eagerly preparing for his
test.
Arnav was not eagerly preparing for his test.
ADVERB- Modifies a verb, adjective, another adverb, determiner, noun phrase,
clause, or sentence.
LINKING VERBS-Linking verbs connect the subject of the verb to additional
information about the subject (or state of being). A linking verb is a verb that links
(connects) the subject of the sentence to information about that subject. Linking
verbs include the verbs: be, become, and seem. Examples: He is a minister. She
seems very nice. The night became darker.
EXAMPLE: Jermaine was washing his car.
S LV V
Fahim may have arrived this morning.
S LV LV V
Rachel could have been practicing in the backyard.
S LV LV LV V
Present Tense Past Tense
I am we are I was we were
You are you (y’all) are you (y’all) were you (y’all)
were He is, she is, it is they are he was, she
was, it was were
VERB- Action in a sentence or state-of-being.
COMPOUND PREDICATES/ VERBS- 2 or more Predicates (verbs) in a
sentence EXAMPLE: Tyler read and studied.
Tyler read, studied and slept.
-A Note on Three Problem Verbs-
Three common irregular verbs that confuse many writers are be, do, and have. Here
are the correct present tense and past tense forms of these three verbs.
Present Tense Past Tense
Be I am we are I was we were
You are you are you were you
He, she, it is they are he, she, it was were
they
were
Do I do we do I did we did
You do you do you did you
, He, she, it does they do did he, she, it did they did
ENGLISH & LANGUAGE Section:
V-Verb S-Subject HV-Helping Verb MV-Main Verb VP-Verb
Phrase SV-Singular Verb PV-Plural Verb LV- Linking
Verb
CLAUSE- A group of related words that do have a Subject & a
Verb EXAMPLE of Clauses: The ball flew over the fence.
S V
Wanda ran home and played in the yard.
S V
Although I jumped over the hurdles…….
S V
PHRASE- Lack a subject & predicate (verb)
VERB PHRASES- A group of words working together to create the verb. Consist of a
helping verb(s) and a main verb.
[Helping Verb(s) + Main Verb]= Verb Phrase
***helping verb “helps” the main verb to complete a verb phrase***
Common helping verbs
“To be” “to do” “to have” modals
Am, are, is do have could, would,
should
Was, were does has may, might, must
Be, been did had can, will, shall
VP
EXAMPLE: Dana [was sleeping] on the couch.
HV MV
VP
Dana [might have been sleeping] on the couch.
HV HV HV MV
A VERB PHRASE CAN BE INTERRUPTED BY AN ADVERB.
EXAMPLE: Arnav was preparing for his test.
, Arnav was not preparing for his test.
Arnav was eagerly preparing for his
test.
Arnav was not eagerly preparing for his test.
ADVERB- Modifies a verb, adjective, another adverb, determiner, noun phrase,
clause, or sentence.
LINKING VERBS-Linking verbs connect the subject of the verb to additional
information about the subject (or state of being). A linking verb is a verb that links
(connects) the subject of the sentence to information about that subject. Linking
verbs include the verbs: be, become, and seem. Examples: He is a minister. She
seems very nice. The night became darker.
EXAMPLE: Jermaine was washing his car.
S LV V
Fahim may have arrived this morning.
S LV LV V
Rachel could have been practicing in the backyard.
S LV LV LV V
Present Tense Past Tense
I am we are I was we were
You are you (y’all) are you (y’all) were you (y’all)
were He is, she is, it is they are he was, she
was, it was were
VERB- Action in a sentence or state-of-being.
COMPOUND PREDICATES/ VERBS- 2 or more Predicates (verbs) in a
sentence EXAMPLE: Tyler read and studied.
Tyler read, studied and slept.
-A Note on Three Problem Verbs-
Three common irregular verbs that confuse many writers are be, do, and have. Here
are the correct present tense and past tense forms of these three verbs.
Present Tense Past Tense
Be I am we are I was we were
You are you are you were you
He, she, it is they are he, she, it was were
they
were
Do I do we do I did we did
You do you do you did you
, He, she, it does they do did he, she, it did they did
