Verbs are action words that express a state of being, functioning as essential components of every sentence structure and syntax rule.
What is a Verb?
Verbs are action words. they express state of being.
| Run | interpret |
| Feel | are |
| Give |
Forms of Verbs
- The base form: explain, listen, and eat
- The s form or third person singular: explains, listens, eats
- The “in” form or present participle: explaining, listening, eating
- The past tense: explained, listened, ate
Four Kinds of Verbs
1. Regular Verbs form their past tense by the addition of d/ed to the base form. Regular verbs have the same form both for the past tense and the past participle.
| Base Form | 3rd Person Singular | Present Participle | Past and Past Participle |
|---|---|---|---|
| (s-form) | (ing-form) | ||
| act | acts | acting | acted |
| erase | erases | erasing | erased |
| reach | reaches | reaching | reached |
2. Irregular Verbs form their past tense and past participle in the different way.
3. Linking Verbs are used to link or join the subject with the word in the predicate which relates to the subject.
A. Verbs to be (am, is, are, was, and were) are the most commonly used linking verbs.
B. Verbs of the senses:
| Become | sound | seem | remain | look |
| Smell | appear | feel | taste | hear |
- My favorite subject is English.
- He looks great in his green jacket.
- My husband became a lawyer in 2016
4. Verb Phrase a verb be made up of a phrase instead of a single word, the verb form at the end of the verb phrase is always the principal verb.
The others are called auxiliary verbs or helping verbs. List of commonly used auxiliary verbs
| Am | have been | could |
| Is | had been | would |
| Are | has been | should |
| Was | shall | must |
| Were | will | should have |
| Will be | do | would have |
| Shall be | did | must have |
| Could be | does | should have been |
| Have | may | could have been |
| Has | can | must have been |
| Had | might |
| A. has | + past participle |
| Have | |
| Had | |
| B. do | present tense plural |
| Does | present tense singular |
| Did | past tense singular/plural |
| C. will | + simple form of the verb (No s, No d/ed, No ing) |
| Shall |
Three Parts of Verbs (The Principal)
Present Tense
Present tense is used to express an action or condition that is occurring at the present time.
- He eats bread.
- The child plays basketball.
- She is ill.
Past Tense
B. Past tense shows an action or condition in the past.
- He ate bread.
- The child played basketball.
- She was ill.
Past Participle
C. Past participle of the verb is a verb form that is used with has, has or had formed the perfect tenses.
- He has eaten bread.
- The child had played basketball with me.
- She had been ill.
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Key Takeaways
- Verbs are action words that also express a state of being.
- Verbs feature different forms, including the base form, the s-form, the ing-form (present participle), and the past tense.
- Verbs are categorized into regular verbs, irregular verbs, linking verbs, and verb phrases with auxiliary/helping verbs.
- The three principal parts of verbs are present tense, past tense, and past participle.
Quick Practice
Test your understanding of verbs! Write your answers in the comments below:
- Identify the verb and its form in the sentence: “He eats bread.”
- What kind of verb is used in the sentence: “My husband became a lawyer in 2016”?
Frequently Asked Questions
What are verbs in English grammar?
Verbs are action words that express an action or a state of being within sentence structures.
What are the four kinds of verbs?
The four kinds of verbs covered are regular verbs, irregular verbs, linking verbs, and verb phrases containing auxiliary or helping verbs.
How do regular verbs form their past tense?
Regular verbs form their past tense by adding d or ed to the base form, and they maintain the same form for both the past tense and the past participle.
More Lessons to Try
Continue improving your English grammar and writing skills with these related lessons:
- Group of Verbs
- Six Tenses in Progressive Forms of Verbs
- The Tenses of Verbs
- Verbs: Voice (Active and Passive Voice)
- Adjective Clauses
- Explore All Grammar Lessons on english-grammarblog.blogspot.com
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