Verb

Definition:

A verb is a word used to express an action or state or being of a person or a thing.

It came from Latin word verbum which means a word. Verb is the most important word of a sentence. Without a verb there is no sentence.

Examples:

1. Usman writes very well. (Action)
2. The child sleeps. (State)
3. He is a wise guy.                 (Being)

Types of verb

There are several types of verbs which are given below.

1. Transitive verbs
2. Intransitive verbs
3. Helping/Auxiliary verb
4. Modal verbs or Modals
5. Linking verbs
6. Finite verbs
7. Non- finite verbs
8. Regular Verbs
9. Irregular Verbs

Now we’ll discuss them one by one in detail.

1. Transitive verbs

Definition:

A verb which passes over an action from subject to an object is called a transitive verb.

Example:

1. Hamza kicked the ball.
2. She received a mail.
3. The students learnt a story.

         In the above mentioned examples, three transitive verbs (kicked, received, learnt) are used.

If we omit the objects in these examples, these sentences would become unclear and vague as the actions are being passed from subjects to objects.

2. Intransitive verbs

Definition:

A verb which does not pass over an action from subject to an object is called an intransitive verb.

Example:

1. The birds fly in the air.
2. The bell rings
3. The baby sleeps at night.

In the above given examples, three intransitive verbs (fly, rings, sleeps) are used. In these sentences verbs are conveying complete sense without objects and there is no need of objects. Words (in the air, loudly, at night) are adverbials not objects.

3. Auxiliary/Helping verb

Definition:

Auxiliary verbs are used to assist main verb in a sentence. These helping verbs are, be (is, am, are, was, were), have (has, have, had) and do (do, does, did).

Example:

1. Mother does not hate her child.
2. I am working hard.
3. My brother has taken tea.

Above given sentences have (does, am, has) as helping verbs in them as they are assisting the main verbs in the sentences.

4. Modal Verbs or Modals

Definition:

Modal verbs are used before main verb to express permission, ability, possibility and necessity etc. in a sentence.

Example:

1. May I come in?
2. Waqas can compete his brother in wrestling.
3. I thought you might be late.
4. We should work for prosperity of our beloved country.

May, might, will, would, shall, should, can, could etc. are the modal verbs. These modals are used to express manner in which an action is done.

5. Linking Verbs

Definition:

Linking verbs connects a subject to an adjective or noun which describes or renames the subject.

Example:

1. Honey tastes
2. My pet looks
3. The boy turned yellow after hitting the wall.
4. She became angry with him.
5. He is an intelligent guy.

In the above given examples, we notice that verbs (tastes, looks, turned, became, is) connect the subjects to their respective subject complement. Hence these are linking verbs.

Honey tastes sweet.

Linking verb

Subject            Subject Complement

The linking verb (taste) connects the subject (Honey) with its complement (Sweet). We observe that the word sweet is renaming the subject honey. Thus it’s a linking verb.

6. Finite Verbs

Definition:

Finite verbs follow tense and have agreement with subject.

Example:

1. I play
2. He plays
3. Messi played
4. Children are playing

We can say that finite verbs are those verbs which change with change in tense and subject.

When we change subject from I into He, the verb play changes into plays.

7. Non-finite Verb

Definition:

Non-finite verbs neither follow tense nor have agreement with subject.

Example:

1. We’ll have to go.
2. I had to go.
3. I have to go.

There is no change in verb with change in tense or subject.

8. Regular verbs

Definition:

Regular verbs are those verbs which are formed by adding –ed to the base form of verb.

Example:

1. Watch, watched, watched
2. Play, played, played
3. Add, Added, Added

All such verbs whose second and third form is made up of by adding –ed at the end of the base form are known as Regular verbs.

9. Irregular verbs

Definition:

Irregular verbs are those verbs which are formed by any other method except by adding –ed to the base form of verb.

Example:

1. Cut, cut, cut
2. Catch, caught, caught
3. Blow, blew, blown

Irregular verbs may be of three types.

1. All three forms may be same.

Put, put, put

Knit, knit, knit

Read, read, read

1. Second and third form may be same.

Buy, bought, bought

Feel, felt, felt

Weep, wept, wept

• All three forms may be different.

Go, went, gone

Lie, lay, lain

See, saw, seen

These were different types of verb and their short description. Now we’ll move towards the difference between Modal verbs and Helping Verbs as both of them become confusing when used alternatively.

Difference between Helping verbs and Modal verbs

Modal verbs are different from helping verb in three ways.