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:
Types of verb
There are several types of verbs which are given below.
Now we’ll discuss them one by one in detail.
Definition:
A verb which passes over an action from subject to an object is called a transitive verb.
Example:
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.
Definition:
A verb which does not pass over an action from subject to an object is called an intransitive verb.
Example:
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.
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:
Above given sentences have (does, am, has) as helping verbs in them as they are assisting the main verbs in the sentences.
Definition:
Modal verbs are used before main verb to express permission, ability, possibility and necessity etc. in a sentence.
Example:
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.
Definition:
Linking verbs connects a subject to an adjective or noun which describes or renames the subject.
Example:
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.
Definition:
Finite verbs follow tense and have agreement with subject.
Example:
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.
Definition:
Non-finite verbs neither follow tense nor have agreement with subject.
Example:
There is no change in verb with change in tense or subject.
Definition:
Regular verbs are those verbs which are formed by adding –ed to the base form of verb.
Example:
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.
Definition:
Irregular verbs are those verbs which are formed by any other method except by adding –ed to the base form of verb.
Example:
Irregular verbs may be of three types.
Put, put, put
Knit, knit, knit
Read, read, read
Buy, bought, bought
Feel, felt, felt
Weep, wept, wept
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.
Helping verbs | Modal Verbs | |
1 | Helping verbs can have –s forms, –ed forms, –en forms and –ing forms.
Example: Do – does – did Have – having – had Be – being – been |
Modal verbs do not have –s forms, –ed forms, –en forms and –ing forms.
Example: We never see Mayed or maying
|
2 | Helping verbs may have any form of verb after them.
Example: They have just arrived. Students are working hard. |
Modal verbs take only First form of verb after them.
Example: I can compete him. Pakistan would make progress.
|
3 | Helping verbs do not modify the meaning of verbs but they only used to ask question or describe tense.
Example: Do you run fast?
Do is used mere to ask a question. It’s not modifying the meaning of the verb “run”. |
Modal verbs modify the meaning of verbs.
Example: Ali can run fast. Can modifies the main verb “run” expressing ability. It means Ali is not running rather he has an ability to run |
12 Courses
138 students