Verb definition , Example, Exercise
CONTENTS
TOPIC
PAGE
I.
Verb: Definition
It is in primary school that
students are formally given their first glimpse into the field of grammar. At
this educational level, the different parts of speech such as nouns, pronouns, adjectives,
adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, interjections, and verbs are all introduced.
Since you have learned these word types at your mother’s
knee, it is understandable if you need a little review to refresh your
knowledge of basic grammar. This article will focus on answering the question,
“What is a verb?” and discuss its kinds and tenses.
1. What is a Verb?
A verb can be considered as one of
the most important parts of a sentence. You probably already know that a
sentence must be composed of a subject and a predicate, so what makes a verb so
important? Well, the verb is the main component of a predicate. Without it,
there won’t be a sentence, just a bunch of words with an incomplete thought.
Simply defined, the verb is a part of speech which is used to demonstrate
an action or a state of
being.
Your primary school teachers must have defined verb as an
“action word.” That is right, however, verbs are more than just words that
express an action done physically like:
run, jump, dance, write, kick,
etc.
In reality, verbs may also refer to an action done mentally
such as:
think, ponder, guess, imagine,
wonder, etc.
1. Normal Verbs and Non-Continuous
Verbs
The first type of verb used to
express physical action is called a Normal Verb, while
the second one, which refers to an action you can’t see someone do, is called
a Non-Continuous Verb.
Sample Sentences:
§ Jesse Pinkman laughed hysterically.
§ The verb in this sentence is laughed and the subject who does the action
is Jessie Pinkman.
§ Aegon Targaryen and his sisters conquered the Seven Kingdoms.
§ The verb is conquered, while
the subject in this sentence is Aegon Targaryen and his sisters.
§ Darth Vader thought of an evil plan to get rid of Darth Sidious.
§ Thought is
the mental action word done by the subject Darth Vader in
the sentence above.
§ I wonder what
will happen on the next episode.
§ The pronoun, I, is the subject in
the last sentence and the verb is wonder.
2. Linking
Verb
Aside from the Normal Verbs and Non-Continuous Verbs, there
is another type which is called the Linking Verb.
As the name suggests, a linking verb is a kind of verb that
links a subject to the complement. A complement is the part of a sentence which
modifies or provides more information about the subject. Examples of linking
verbs are:
am, is, was, are, were, has
been, might have been, become, etc.
The words listed above are just some of the “true linking
verbs.” They are called that way because they have no other functions but to
serve as linking verbs. However, just like some people, certain verbs also have
dual personalities. Take a look at the two sentences below:
§ Irine tasted the
exotic food.
§ The exotic food tasted great!
In the first sentence, you can
easily say that the italicized word is an action word done by Irine. However,
in the second sentence, the same word has a different function. It serves as
a linking verb that connects exotic food with the word, great.
II.
What are Multi-Part Verbs?
Do not assume that verbs are limited to a single word.
Sometimes, they come in two to four words. The basic formula for verbs with
multiple parts is:
The auxiliary verbs, also called “helping verbs,” allow you
to write in various verb tenses and voices when combined with a base or main
verb.
Take a look at the examples below:
§ I was given a
two-week notice by the sales agent.
§ The sentence above is written in the passive voice. Was is the auxiliary verb and given is the main verb.
|
Past
|
Present
|
Future
|
|
aimed
|
aim/s
|
will
aim
|
|
counted
|
count/s
|
will
count
|
|
marched
|
march/es
|
will
march
|
|
picked
|
pick/s
|
will
pick
|
|
walked
|
walk/s
|
will
walk
|
§ It must have been raining very
hard.
§ The main verb is raining and
the auxiliary verbs are must have been.
III.
What are the Different Forms of
Verbs?
In order to be able to construct a
grammatically correct sentence, it is very important that you know how to write
in the proper verb tense. The three basic forms of verbs are past, present, and future. The first one obviously refers to an action
that was already done, the second is for present action, and the third is for
an action that will be done.
Examples:
You will notice that:
1. The present form is just the
basic form of the verb (add –s or –es for a
singular subject)
§ Example: He marches; Soldiers march
2. The past tense is the basic form
plus –ed.
§ *Note: The past
tense of a verb pertaining to a singular subject and a plural subject is the
same.
§ Example: She walked; They walked
3. The future tense is the
word will plus the basic form of the verb.
§ *Note: The future tense of a
verb pertaining to a singular subject and a plural subject is the same.
§ Example: Andrea will count; The
teachers will count
|
Past
|
Present
|
Future
|
|
drove
|
drive/s
|
will
drive
|
|
read
|
read/s
|
will
read
|
|
felt
|
feel/s
|
will
feel
|
|
taught
|
teach/es
|
will
teach
|
|
thought
|
think/s
|
will
think
|
Although most verbs follow these rules, there are still some
exceptions. Take a look at the examples below:
The verbs presented in the table above are called irregular
verbs. There are actually no specific rules on how to form this kind of verb.
But don’t worry because you can easily find a complete list on the internet.
IV.
Practice Exercise
- I (see) George
last week - he looked very well.
Correct answer: saw
- Seven people (ring) while
you were out.
Correct answer: rang
- I (leave) my
mobile phone at home this morning. I had to go back.
Correct answer: left
- Dinner was great. We (have) pasta.
Correct answer: had
- I (tear) my
shirt when I fell off my bike.
Correct answer: tore
- I think you misunderstood me. I (mean) 'bed'
not 'bird'!
Correct answer: meant
- I (hurt) my
leg playing football yesterday. I can't walk very well today.
Correct answer: hurt
- Pedro (teach) me
to speak Spanish in a year. He was a great teacher.
Correct answer: taught
- I'm sorry that I (forget) to
call you yesterday
Correct answer: forgot
- 10He
(drink) all the wine
last night
Correct answer: drank
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Infinitive
|
Simple Past
|
Past Participle
|
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run
|
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taken
|
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done
|
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read
|
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sung
|
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say
|
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given
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put
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thought
|
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got, gotten
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The End
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