TSA CBT Practice Test

What is the primary function of a verb?

1. To connect ideas within a sentence.

2. To express an action or state of being.

3. To create descriptive phrases.

4. To modify other words.

The correct answer is: To express an action or state of being.

The primary function of a verb is to express an action or state of being. Verbs are essential to sentence structure as they convey what the subject is doing (e.g., "run," "jump," "think") or the condition of the subject (e.g., "is," "seem," "become"). This fundamental role helps to build the core meaning of a sentence by indicating the action performed or the condition experienced. While other options involve functions related to language and sentence construction, they do not capture the primary role of verbs. For instance, connecting ideas within a sentence is more the function of conjunctions and other linking words. Creating descriptive phrases typically involves adjectives and adverbs rather than verbs themselves. Modifying other words is the territory of adjectives and adverbs, which provide additional details about nouns and verbs, respectively, rather than serving as the action or state of being.