homework help needed please

[madsadlibrarian]

Homework sent home asking to highlight the verb in a list of sentences - the list is all like these ones:

Danny is washing the car...
Dilip is winding up the thread
Mary was sleeping ...

am I right in thinking that "IS" and "WAS" are the verbs - not the -ing word in this instance as the "ing" is now the gerund?

DD says she should be highlighting WASHING, SLEEPING, WINDING...I beg to differ, but not too sure really

(...and since when did schools start teaching grammar??)

....and no, my library doesn't have a book about analysing and parsing, sadly.

Ah - I think you've got it Maryz,

tx - or should I say Thank You as it's pedant's corner?

the verb is "is washing" the "is" part of it refers to the tense in which the action "is happening"

Danny washes the car is the same tense, but a slightly different meaning, as it suggests that washing the car is something Danny does frequently, and "Danny is wshing the car" means that Danny is doing it right now

Dilip "is winding up"

Mary "was sleeping"
that's the past particple - it means in this case that she is no longer sleeping (is she might have been woken up) To sleep is the verb, and Was sleeping is the verb using its past tense.

the verb is the 'doing' word, yes? if it is... Danny is washing the car... etc than what danny is doing is washing the car so washing would be the verb in that sentence IMO as "is" is not a doing word. if you substituted the words I.E name is doing something, that shows you where the "doing" word is

HTH

Verbs like- is was are in these type of sentences, are known as auxilliary verbs which are used in what is called continuous tense. This can be present continuous- is/are walking or past continuous- was/were walking.

The verb that follows is the main verb. ing words are verbs but can't really be used on their own- they need the auxilliary verb to support them. I call them helper verbs with my pupils.

HTH

Brigti is correct - "washing" is not a verb on its own "is washing" is the verb.

it wouldn't make sense otherwise - Danny washing the car...

To Wash :
washes
is washing
washed
has washed
had washed
was washing

all are "the verb"

sorry, Brigit is correct- i'm sorry, i didn't notcie it until I'd posted.

It's a bit unhelpful of them to include examples like this just to check that kids understand what a verb is- they could easily get bogged down in wondering whether it's the "is" bit or the "washing" bit. But it's both together, so get your highlighter and go over "is washing".

I suppose they teach verbs as doing words

washing is a doing word and the is/are/were (auxilliary verbs) to a young child would seem not.

Depending on the age of the child I would point out that washing needs a helper verb to support it and that it can also be used as a noun e.g. the washing.

well, it's been an education - (I like the idea of helper verbs btw - so, well helpful-sounding) - but thanks all of you.

Helper verbs:

carrying
tidying
washing
finding
getting (ready)
eating (what I have cooked specially)
going (to school, to sleep)

lol prism!

I would highlight both words, e.g. "is washing", as has been said already.