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Verb – Introduction & Forms

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Verb – Introduction & Forms

Verb

shape Introduction

Any word which describes an action being done is called a Verb.
The following image shows some examples of verbs.

shape Categories

Categories of Verbs:
Verbs are of different types which are as explained below.

Action Verbs:
A verb that expresses an activity being done by the person is called an Action Verbs.
For example:
Example Explanation
Bob is throwing the basketball. In the sentence, throwing is representing an action being done.
She rode her new bicycle every day. In the sentence, rode is representing an action being done.

Linking / Copular / Predictive Verbs: A verb that develops a relation between the subject and the predicate without an action is called a Linking Verbs.
For example:
  • I am giving the book to her.
  • Rita felt sleepy after eating the lunch.

Following are some examples using action verbs and helping verbs together in the sentence.
Action verbs with no helping verbs I ate five apples. Here, ate is the action verb.
Action verbs with helping verbs Now my wound will hurt the entire day. Here, will is the helping verb and hurt is the action verb.
Two helping verbs with an action verbs I will be going to the market with my mother. Here, will be are the two helping verbs and going is the action verb.

Auxiliary/Helping Verbs: As the name suggests, these verbs help the action verbs and the linking verbs. Helping verbs cannot be used as alone in the sentence.
  • Rabia is writing an e-mail to her boss.
  • Have you finished your food?

Transitive Verbs: A verb which has direct object is called a Transitive Verb i.e. it has an object to receive the action.
For example:
  • I will give my interview to today.
  • I saw the little boy crying in the park.

Intransitive Verbs: These are action verbs, but do not have an object to receive the action.
For example:
  • The guests drank the lemonade.
  • The boy hit his sister.

Stative Verbs: Verbs which represent a state and not an action are called Stative Verbs. It usually expresses an emotion, a thought, and feeling.
For example:
  • I am with my friend having lunch.
  • He believes in Karma.

Following image shows more examples of stative verbs.

Dynamic Verbs: Verbs which involve different body movements like act, build, complete, justify etc are called Dynamic Verbs. These show continuous action being done.
  • The grandfather was the showing the painting to the guests.
  • The client negotiated the cost of the project.

Some verbs like to be, think, have and see can be used as stative and dynamic verbs depending upon their meaning.
She is an intelligent teacher. In this sentence, ‘is’ is used as a stative verb.
She is teaching intelligent students. In this sentence, ‘is’ is used as a dynamic verb.

Perception Verbs: Those verbs which describe the five sense organs are called Perception Verbs.
For example:
  • I smell the food being cooked.
  • He could see the child creating a mess.

Phrasal Verbs: Verbs which are made up of two words are called Phrasal Verbs. The meaning of phrasal verbs is different from the main verb.
For example:
  • The people are talking about the issue.
  • The thief broke in through the window.

Modal Verbs: Verbs which express the idea of possibility, deduction, speculation etc are called modal verbs.
For example:
  • Dylan can eat the ice cream. Here, idea of ability is being expressed.
  • Aman should give you the cake he bought. Here the idea of obligation is being described.

Regular Verbs: Verbs whose past tense and past participle can be formed by adding ‘d’ or ‘ed’ to the verb are called Regular Verbs.
Regular Verbs Simple Past Tense Past Participle
Love Loved Has loved
Hate Hated Has hated

Irregular Verbs: Verbs which don’t necessarily take the ‘ed’ form to make their past tense or past participle tense are called Irregular Verbs.
Irregular Verbs Simple Past Tense Past Participle
Tell Told Has told
Bleed Bled Has bled

Some instances of irregular verbs are shown below.

Hypothesis Verbs: Verbs which are followed by subjunctives are called hypothesis verbs. In such cases, we wish against the present facts and the past facts.
Wishing against the present fact in the present examples:
  • I wish that she helped her mother. This sentence clearly gives the idea that she does not help her mother.
  • He wishes that he would have accepted the offer letter. This sentence gives the idea that he did not accept the offer letter.

Wishing against the past fact in the present examples:
  • I wish that he had taken the order. This sentence clearly gives the idea that he did not take the order.
  • I wish that I had been in the New York City. This sentence gives the idea that I was not in the New York City.

shape Terminology

The Grammar Terminology attached to the verbs is crucial in understanding the fine usage of verb forms.. Below the most widely used terminologies have been explained.

The Infinitive Form:
A verb is in its infinitive form when the word ‘to’ precedes the verb.
  • I have to do homework. In this sentence, to do is in the infinitive form of the verb.
  • I have to eat dinner. In this sentence, infinitive form of verb is to eat.

The Gerunds: Type of verb ending in ‘ing’ is called gerund. It can either be a subject or the object of the verb. A gerund can also act as an object of preposition.
As a subject of the verb Dancing is one of my hobbies. Here, gerund dancing is the subject of the verb.
As an object of the verb Mike likes playing on the team. Here, gerund playing is acting as the object of the verb like.
As an object of preposition I am thinking of going to a movie. Here, gerund thinking is behaving like the object of the preposition ‘of’.

Indirect object of the verb: The thing or person for whom the action is being done is called an indirect object.
  • My friend is baking a cake for her father. In this sentence, father is the indirect object.

Passive sentence: In some sentences, action is not necessarily done by the object, but it is done to the subject. These types of sentences are known as passive sentences.
  • The thief was arrested. In this sentence, the thief is not doing any action but the action of being arrested is done to him.

Active sentence: In such sentences, action is performed by the subject of the verb.
  • The children broke the vase. Here, children are the subject.

Conjugation of verbs:
The verb changes its form according to the number, voice, and mood of subject.
Case 1: When the subject is in first person.
  • We will go together.

Case 2: When the subject is in second person.
  • You have to go to the school.

Case 3: When the subject is in third person.
  • They have arrived.

shape Verb Tenses

Verb Tenses:
There are three tenses that are used by the people in daily life; they are past, present and the future.

Past Tense: When the sentence represents an action that has already been done, the sentence is said to be in the past tense.
  • I walked to the beach.
  • My sister ate all the chocolates.

Present Tense: When the sentence represents an action that is being done right now at the moment, is said to be in the present tense.
  • Tina never picks her utensils after eating.
  • The sister kisses her baby sister.

Future Tense: A sentence is in future tense when it represents an action that is still to be done in the future.
  • I will get married to the man of my dreams.
  • I will go to Bali in the summer vacation.

The following image shows some examples of affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences.

shape Rules

Rules for Using Verbs:
There are some rules to be kept in mind while using verbs. These rules are as follows:
  1. A singular verb comes with a singular subject and a plural verb comes with a plural subject. Incorrect: The list of guests are ready. Correct: The list of guests is ready.

  2. Words linking the subject and the verb do not affect the agreement. Incorrect: The dog, who is licking my trousers, are generally very good. Correct: The dog, who is licking my trousers, is generally very good.

  3. Prepositional phrases do not affect the verb and the subject. Incorrect: The flowers in the garden is very beautiful. Correct: The flowers in the garden are very beautiful.

  4. The subject is always placed after the verb when the sentences start with there or here. Incorrect: There were a problem with the landline. Correct: There is a problem with the landline.
  5. It is not necessary that the subjects will come before verbs in questions. Incorrect: where is the pieces of that riddle? Correct: Where are the pieces of that riddle?

  6. When two subjects are linked with ‘and’ the verb taken will always be plural. Incorrect: The dog and cat is pet animals. Correct: The dog and cat are pet animals.

  7. If two subjects that is being separated by ‘and’ is related to the same person, then the verb that will be used is singular. Incorrect: Red beans and rice are my grandmother’s favorite dish. Correct: Red beans and rice is my grandmother’s favorite dish.

  8. Verb used is singular when ‘every’, ‘each’, and ‘no’ is placed prior to the subject. Incorrect: Every student are required to bring this form signed by their parents. Correct: Every student is required to bring this formed signed by their parents.

  9. Singular verb is used when the subject are singular and are linked with ‘or’, ‘nor', ‘neither/nor’, ‘either/or’, and ‘not only/but also’. Incorrect: Mohit or Sumit are given the responsibility of the project. Correct: Mohit or Sumit is given the responsibility of the project.

  10. For units of measurement or time, singular verb is used. Incorrect: Five liters of oil is needed to get the generator running. Correct: Five liters of oil was needed to get the generator running.

  11. Plural verb is used when the subjects are plural and connected by ‘or’, ‘nor’, neither/nor’, either/or’ and ‘not only/but also’. Incorrect: Girls and boys is required to form different queues. Correct: Girls and boys are required to form different queues.

  12. When one subject is plural and the other is singular, and they are linked by ‘or’, ‘nor’, neither/nor’, either/or’ and ‘not only/but also’ then form of the verb depends upon the nearest subject i.e. If the subject is singular then singular verb, if plural subject then plural verb. Incorrect: Neither the tigers nor the monkeys has escaped the cage. Correct: Neither the tigers nor the monkeys have escaped the cage.

  13. Singular verbs are taken by indefinite pronouns. Incorrect: Everybody want to be appreciated. Correct: Everybody wants to be appreciated.

  14. Pronouns like ‘few’, ‘many’, ‘several’, ‘both’, ‘all’ and ‘some’ take plural form of the verb. Incorrect: Few was affected by the Tsunami. Correct: Few were affected by the Tsunami.

  15. When ‘and’ divides two infinitives then plural form of the verb is used. Correct: To rub the head and pat the stomach require great skill.

  16. If gerunds are the subject of the sentence, then verb from will be singular. But plural form of the verb will be used in case they are connected by ‘and’. Incorrect: Swimming and playing guitar is my hobbies. Correct: Swimming and playing guitar are my hobbies.

  17. Singular form will be taken by collective nouns. Incorrect: There are a group of girls chatting near the stand. Correct: There is a group of girls chatting near the stand.

  18. Singular verb will be used with book title, names of the movies etc because they are treated as singular. Incorrect: The Vampire Diaries are a serial about the vampires and the witches. Correct: The Vampire Diaries is a serial about the vampires and the witches.

  19. If the noun after ‘of’ is a singular noun, then singular verb is used. If it is plural, then plural verb is used. Incorrect: A third of the state are uneducated. Correct: A third of the state is uneducated.

Some Other Rules Regarding Spellings:
  1. To make the word ending with E, erase the E and add ‘ing’ to make it a plural verb. For example: The kids are making a chocolate cake.

  2. To make a verb ending in consonant vowel consonant plural, we just add ING and double the final consonant. For example: I think I am getting a gift.

  3. In few cases, we do no double the last consonant of the word ending with consonant + vowel + consonant. For example: The shopkeepers are offering a discount.

  4. When the word is ending with W, X or Y, do not double the consonant. For example: It’s snowing outside.

  5. To make verbs ending with IE to plural, add YING to it. For example: The students are trying very hard to understand trigonometry.

  6. To make a verb ending with consonant vowel and L plural, double the L and add ING to it. For example: I have been travelling to South India for my work.

I hope the topic is clearly understood by all of you and now you can enjoy using verbs while speaking and writing English.