Verb: Definition, Types, Forms and Examples

Verbs are the words in a sentence that express an action, occurrence, or state of being. In this reference, you will explore the different types of verbs such as action verbs, stative verbs, transitive verbs, intransitive verbs, and more. You will also find out how to identify their forms and tenses, which is key to mastering English grammar. This reference will guide you through the nuances of these essential words, making them easier to understand and use correctly.

What Is a Verb? – Created by Englishstudyonline

Table of Contents

What Is a Verb?

A verb, one of the key parts of speech, is a word or group of words that describe actions in their various forms. It can also be defined as a set of words that express three core elements: physical actions, mental actions, and states of being. To better understand these definitions, let’s look at an example.

Jane jumped through the window.

Jane is the noun, and jumped explains the action she took.

The bus overturned at the main bridge on the way to town.

In this example, the bus is the noun, and overturned describes the physical action.

Different Type of Verbs

Verbs are grouped into three main categories, namely, action, modal, and auxiliary. Let’s look at each of them in detail.

Action Verbs

As the name implies, action verbs are verbs that express an action done by someone or something. These verbs are further categorized into two, transitive and intransitive.

Transitive Verbs

This verb usually precedes a noun that is being acted upon, referred to as a direct object.

She patted her dog’s tail.

In this example, “patted” is the verb, and the noun that is being acted upon is “her dog’s tail,” which is the direct object of the action verb.

Intransitive Verbs

An intransitive verb has no direct object, and it precedes an adverb or adverb phrase.

Jason walks swiftly away.

In this example, “runs” is the verb, and “swiftly away” is the phrase that expounds about the verb; however, the action is not directed to any object.

Modal Verbs

These types of verbs help us comprehend entirely pertaining to the verb in question. They give us a clue about the likelihood of something occurring (can, should) or time (was, did). The incorporation of a modal or helping verb in a sentence creates a verb phrase.

Joyce is (helping verb) drafting (main action verb) her biography.
Her experience might (helping verb) be (main verb) traumatizing for some of her buddies.

Some of the words that act as helping or modal verbs include: should, would, could, can, will, must, ought to, may, shall, etc.

Auxiliary Verbs

Also known as linking verbs, auxiliary verbs join a sentence subject to a noun or adjective that gives more information about the subject. The noun or adjective on which a subject is connected is known as a subject complement.

My son is a university lecturer.
We are your new helpers.

The most typical connecting verb is the different forms of “to be” (am, is was, are, were, etc.)

“To seem” and “to become” are normally auxiliary verbs. However, some verbs can act as linking or action verbs on various circumstances. They include: to smell, to remain, to continue, to stay, to turn, to grow, to taste, to grow, etc.

Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal Verbs are combinations of verbs with prepositions or adverbs. They create a meaning different from the original verb. Examples include “give up” (stop trying) and “look after” (take care of).

Verb Forms

Understanding verb forms is essential for grasping English grammar. Verbs can appear in different forms, each serving a unique grammatical purpose. Below are the main categories of verb forms.

Base and Main Forms

The base form of a verb is its simplest form. It’s often referred to as the root form. For example, run, jump, and be are base forms. These forms don’t have any endings like -ed or -ing.

The main form of regular verbs changes based on tense. For example, walk becomes walked in the past tense. Irregular verbs don’t follow this pattern. For instance, go becomes went in the past tense.

Examples:

Base form: see, talk, travel
Past tense (irregular): saw, spoke, went

Participles

Participles are verbs used as adjectives or to form verb tenses. There are two types: past and present participles.

Past participles usually end in -ed for regular verbs. For example, baked in baked cake. Irregular verbs have unique past participles like gone for go.
Present participles always end in -ing, such as running in running water.

These forms are essential for constructing perfect and continuous tenses.

Examples:

Past participle (regular): asked, arrived, believed
Present participle: asking, arriving, believing

Gerunds and Infinitives

Gerunds and infinitives are verb forms that function as nouns.

Gerunds end in -ing and can act as subjects, objects, or complements. For instance, Running is fun uses running as the subject.
Infinitives are the base form of verbs preceded by to. For example, in to run, to eat, and to play, the infinitives act as nouns or complements.

Both are crucial for varied sentence structures and convey specific meanings based on their form.

Examples:

Gerund as subject: Swimming is enjoyable.
Infinitive as object: I love to swim.

Verb Usage

Verbs play a crucial role in sentences, affecting the mood, voice, and agreement with the subject.

Moods in English

Verbs can express different moods that show the attitude of the speaker. In English, there are three main moods: indicative, imperative, and subjunctive.

The indicative mood is used to state facts or ask questions:

She is reading a book.
Are you coming?

The imperative mood gives commands or requests:

Close the door.
Please sit down.

The subjunctive mood expresses wishes, hypothetical situations, or actions that are not real:

If I were you, I would go.
It is important that he be here.

Here are some examples of verbs related to moods in English:

Cheer
Delight
Depress
Elate
Annoy
Frustrate
Irritate
Sadden
Excite
Enrage
Calm
Soothe
Worry
Terrify
Comfort
Inspire
Dishearten
Astonish
Discourage
Motivate

Voice: Active and Passive

Verbs can be in the active or passive voice, depending on how the action relates to the subject.

In the active voice, the subject performs the action:

The scientist conducted the experiment.

In the passive voice, the action is performed on the subject:

The experiment was conducted by the scientist.

Active voice is often preferred for clarity and directness. Passive voice can be useful when the action is more important than who performed it.

Verb Agreement with Subjects

Verbs must agree with their subjects in number (singular or plural) and person (first, second, or third).

For singular subjects, use a singular verb:

He runs every morning.

For plural subjects, use a plural verb:

They run every morning.

When the subject is a collective noun or a plural form like news that is treated as singular, use a singular verb:

The team wins.

Pay attention to compound subjects connected by and or or. With and, use a plural verb:

Jack and Jill are going up the hill.

With or, the verb agrees with the part of the subject closest to it:

Either the cat or the dogs are playing.
Either the dogs or the cat is playing.

Practical Exercises with answers

When practicing verb usage, it’s essential to work through exercises. Here are some practical exercises along with their answers:

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Verb Form

If I ______ (know) it was your birthday, I would have bought you a gift.
- Answer: had known
She ______ (read) that book multiple times.
- Answer: has read
We ______ (eat) all the cookies before dinner.
- Answer: had eaten
I wish I ______ (spend) less money last month.
- Answer: had spent

Exercise 2: Identify and Correct the Verbs Read the sentences below and correct the verb form if needed:

He is go to the store.
- Answer: He is going to the store.
They have saw that movie already.
- Answer: They have seen that movie already.
She wish she has more time.
- Answer: She wishes she had more time.
If he studied harder, he might get better grades.
- Answer: If he had studied harder, he might have gotten better grades.