Part II: Verbs

A) Complete each of the following sentences by filling in the blank with an appropriate form of the verb listed as an infinitive in parentheses. Then identify the form (working verb, gerund or participle). If your choice is a gerund or a participle, identify the working verb in the sentence. For a working verb, identify it as active or passive.

   EXAMPLE: They look disgusting, and they ____________ with each step (to groan).

           groan            working verb           active

1. Someone who looks like a _________ zombie might just be a drunk (to stumble).
2. Stories about zombies ______________ to be based on stories about the use of powerful drugs to deprive living victims of their wills (to say).
3. Many people in past centuries _____________ afraid of being buried alive (to be).
4. The phrase "the ____________ dead" is used to describe vampires as well as zombies (to live).
5. I try _______________relationships with people who expect me to do whatever I'm told, and never express an opinion (to avoid)

1. Someone who looks like a _________ zombie might just be a drunk (to stumble).

Stumbling - Gerund

1. Stories about zombies ______________ to be based on stories about the use of powerful drugs to deprive living victims of their wills (to say).

Are said -participle

Based -working verb

1. Many people in past centuries _____________ afraid of being buried alive (to be).

Living - Gerund

Are - working verb - Active

1. The phrase "the ____________ dead" is used to describe vampires as well as zombies (to live).

Living - gerund

used- working verb

1. I try _______________relationships with people who expect me to do whatever I'm told, and never express an opinion (to avoid)

Avoiding - participle

Try -working verb

Step-by-step explanation

A verb refers to a word that shows the action that the subject is doing.

A working verb forms part of the main verb and expresses the tense in which the verb exists as either past, present or continuous tense.

An active working verb focus on the subject in the sentence. The subject is the doer of the action.For example, I bought a pen ;I is the subject and it does he action of buying.

A passive working verb focus on the object in the sentence. The object receives the action in the sentence. The pen was bought by Jane.Then pen is the subject and it receives the action of buying.

A gerund refers to words that are formed with verbs but often used as nouns. They are formed by adding the suffix -ing to the verb. For example; living.

A participle refers to a form of a verb that is often used as an adjective and a verb. They can be used as present participle by adding suffix 'ing' to the verb e.g. -showering, past participle which mostly end in 'ed' e.g. showered. They are often used together with auxiliary verbs e.g. are said.

The difference between gerund and participle is that the gerund only ends in 'ing' and is used as a noun while the participle ends is 'ing','ed','en' and is only used as an adjective or verb.