What is a sentence without a verb? They’re the words that reflect the action in the sentence, and hence, play a very important role. In this English lesson of Elementary Grammar, we shall look into all the basics of this part of speech. The lesson will include the definition, its types, and example sentences. If you want to study more topics on Elementary Grammar, you can find them on our website. You can read our latest one on Pronouns here.
All about Verb
1. What is a verb?
The word that gives a description of what the subject is doing is a verb. It also expresses the state of being of the subject or an occurrence. Therefore, it becomes yet another significant part of a sentence, much like the noun.
For example, The boy laughs loudly.
With the help of the above example, it is necessary to establish here that a sentence cannot do without a verb. A sentence could have more than one action word, which means the main verb and the helping verb.
2. How did researchers derive this word?
The term “verb” comes from the Latin word Verbum. One reason for using this word is because it forms an important part of the sentence.
3. How many types of the verb do we have?
We can divide the action words into five types. They are:
a) Main
b) Helping
c) Linking
d) Transitive
e) Intransitive
4. What is the Main Verb?
When there is just one action in the sentence, that describes the action of a person, animal or thing, we can place them in this category. It is one of the simplest types to understand since every complete sentence requires a main verb. Let us take a look at an example.
The gardener waters the plants.
There is just one action word in the sentence, “waters,” and therefore, it is the main word describing an activity.
5. What are Helping Verbs?
Sometimes, the main action word requires help from other words demonstrating an activity. For example, We are on the way to go fishing. You will find two words showing an action in this sentence- are and fishing. Since fishing speaks about the main activity, it is the main verb, while “are” is the helping verb.
6. Define the Linking action words with examples.
The words that describe the state of being fall in the linking action words category. Identifying them is very simple. Find the word that links the subject and the noun or the adjective in the sentence. The following example will make the concept clearer. I feel scared.
The state of being word, “feel” links the subject “I” with the adjective “scared.”
7. What do we know about Transitive Verbs?
Whenever the placement of the action word in a sentence comes before the object, make a note, only the object, and not the subject, it is transitive. For example, Rebecca wrote the poem. The word that denotes action in this example sentence is “wrote,” the subject is “Rebecca,” and the object (it is always something or someone at the receiving end of the action) is “the poem.”
Therefore, we can conclude that the verb in this sentence is transitive.
8. What are the intransitive action words?
From the term “intransitive,” it is easy to understand that it could be the opposite of the type we read above. These action words definitely show action, but need not require placement before an object. They can be anywhere in the sentence. For example, The train leaves at 08.00 PM.
In this sentence, the action word “train” does not precede any object. Hence, it is intransitive.
9. What does conjugation of verbs mean?
The use of action words also depends of the Tense of the sentence- past, present or future. When we change the Infinitive form based on the tense, and also based on the subject (First person, second person & third person- Singular/plural), it is called conjugation of verbs. Let us conjugate one word “Blow” together to understand better.
Let us Start with First Person Singular- I
- I blew. (Past)
- I am blowing. (Present)
- I will blow. (Future)
Second Person Singular- You
- You blew. (Past)
- You are blowing. (Present)
- You will blow. (Future)
Third Person Singular- He/She/It
- He blew/She blew. (Past)
- He is blowing/ She is blowing. (Present)
- He will blow./ She will blow. (Future)
First Person Plural- We
- We blew. (Past)
- We are blowing. (Present)
- We will blow. (Future)
Second Person Plural- You
- You blew. (Past)
- You are blowing. (Present)
- You will blow. (Future)
Third Person Plural- They
- They blew. (Past)
- They are blowing. (Present)
- They will blow. (Future)
This is how we conjugate the action words to suit the tense and the subject of the sentence.
We hope you found this lesson on verbs very interesting and refresh your school memories. If this helps, will you share it with others to take them through our Elementary Grammar lessons? It is always fun to learn together!
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