Lesson · G.1.2
Verbs and tense
How HESI A2 tests verb tense and linking verbs, with the subjunctive rule that trips up most test takers, explained through clinic sentences.
ObjectiveG.1.2Read4 minExam weightParts of Speech ≈ 36% of Grammar
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- You can name the three primary tenses and pick the correct form for a given sentence.
- You can tell an action verb from a linking verb and explain why the difference matters.
- You can apply the subjunctive mood correctly in a wish or a formal recommendation.
What the lesson concludes
- A verb expresses either an action or a state of being, and every complete sentence needs one.
- The three primary tenses are present, past, and future, and the HESI A2 expects you to spot the wrong one on sight.
- Linking verbs, including forms of to be and verbs like seem, feel, and become, connect the subject to a description rather than showing action.
- The subjunctive mood swaps were for was in a wish or hypothetical, and uses the bare verb form after a formal demand.