Verbs fall into three categories: transitive, intransitive complete, and intransitive linking. You'll learn to distinguish between verbs in these three categories so that you can identify direct and indirect objects in sentences.

 

Mastering direct and indirect objects will help you choose appropriate pronouns. In other words, learning to identify direct and indirect objects will help you solve those sticky issues of whether to use "I" or "me," "she" or "her," or "who" or "whom."

 

Active and passive voice refer to who or what is doing the action of a sentence. You'll learn to identify both active- and passive-voice verbs. Then you'll identify reasons for using passive voice and active voice. In most situations, active-voice verbs will help you write clear, concise, crisp sentences.

 

Verbs must accurately reflect time and mood. You'll learn to use indicative mood for facts or questions, imperative mood for commands, and subjunctive mood for statements contrary to fact and/or expressing a strong wish. You'll learn to avoid unnecessarily switching tenses and moods in sentences so that you don't confuse readers about your meaning.