Wordly Wise Verbs
To dig up
Exhume
-Ing form of a verb that functions as a noun
Gerund
Lauryn, a barrel racer, prepared her horse.
Appositive
Subject
It causes cancer
Carcinogen
To be next to
Abut
Renames a noun in the sentence, is often set apart by a comma or two
Appositive
I read a book about fishing
Prepositional phrase
Grading papers can be time-consuming.
Subject
Stinking
Fetid
Convoke
Formed with "To" plus a verb
Infinitive
I hoped to get an A grade.
Infinitive
I love drinking coffee.
Direct Object
Belief that luck, good or bad, determines the future
Fatalistic
To condescend
Deign
Serves as an adjective or adverb in the sentence, phrase always contains an object.
Prepositional phrase
Getting ahead was his goal.
I gave filing the papers my full attention.
Indirect Object
A small fault
Foible
To move suddenly as with a spasm or involuntary muscle movement
Convulse
Formed from the -ing or past form of verbs, functions as an adjective
Participle
Removing the wrapper, I dug into the candy bar.
Participle
He liked all his duties except scrubbing the floor.
Object of the preposition
Of the earth
Terrestrial