What are verbs?
A Verb is a word that tells or asserts something about a person or thing. It tells about the person or thing in the state of (a) doing, (b) being or (c) being acted up on. Thus a verb is a doing or being word.
THE TYPES OF VERBS
Lots of Verbs Express Physical Actions
Here are some sentences with the verbs underlined. (These verbs express physical actions.)
She sells pegs and lucky heather.
(In this example, the word sells is a verb. It expresses the physical activity to sell.)
Verbs Express Mental Actions Too
Verbs do not necessarily express physical actions like the ones above. They can express mental actions too:
Example:
She considers the job done.
(The word considers is a verb. It expresses the mental activity to consider.)
Mohan guessed the right number.
(The word guessed is a verb. It expresses the mental activity to guess.)
I thought the same thing.
(The word thought is a verb. It expresses the mental activity to think.)
Verbs Express a State of Being
A small but extremely important group of verbs do not express any activity at all. The most important verb in this group – arguably of all – is the verb to be. As shown in the table above, this is seen in forms like is, are, were, was, will be, etc.
Here are some real examples with the verb to be:
Edwina is the largest elephant in this area.
(The word "is" is a verb from the verb to be.)
It was a joke.
(The word "was" is a verb from the verb to be.)
The Types of Verbs
As we've covered, a verb can be categorized as a physical verb (e.g., to run), a mental verb (e.g., to think), or a state-of-being verb (e.g., to be). However, a verb will be further categorized as one of the following:
Action Verb
An action verb expresses an activity that a person or thing can do.
Example:
Ram eats cake.
(Eating is something Ram can do.)
The bear chased the salmon in the shallow rapids.
(Chasing is something the bear can do.)
Compare those verbs with these:
Ram likes cake.
(Liking is not an activity. It's a state.)
The bear is hungry.
(Being is not an activity. It's a state.)
Stative Verb
A stative verb expresses a state rather than an action. A stative verb typically relates to a state of being, a thought, or an emotion.
Example:
I am at home.
She believes in fairies.
He feels elated.
Transitive Verb
A transitive verb is one that acts on something (i.e., it has a direct object).
Example:
I saw the dog.
(the dog - direct object)
Ram ate the pie.
(the pie - direct object)
The postman will give Sarah the letter.
(the letter - direct object)
Note: The direct object of a transitive verb can be found by finding the verb and asking "what?" For example, "saw what?" (answer: the dog); "ate what?" (answer: the pie); "will give what?" (answer: the letter).
A Transitive verb is a verb that denotes an action which passes over from the doer or agent to an object, Transitive means passing over.
Example:
India won the World Cup.
Intransitive Verb
An intransitive verb is one that does not act on something (i.e. there is no direct object). For example:
The rain fell.
My throat hurts.
The cat sneezed.
Or,
An Intransitive verb is a verb that denotes an action which does not pass over to an object, or that expresses a state of an object, or that expresses a state of being. Intransitive means not passing over.
Example,
The sun shines brightly.
Note: When an intransitive verb is used in a causative sense, it becomes transitive.
He sat in a chair.
He sat me on chair.
An auxiliary verb (or helping verb) accompanies a main verb to help express tense, voice or mood. The most common auxiliary verbs are be, do, and have (in their various forms). Here are some examples of auxiliary verbs:
Ram has eaten all the pies.
(Here, the auxiliary verb has helps to express tense.)
The table has been prepared.
(Here, the auxiliary verbs has been help to express voice (in this case, the passive voice).)
If he were to arrive in the next 10 minutes, we would be on schedule.
(Here, the auxiliary verbs were and would help to express mood (in this case, the subjunctive mood).
Modal Verb
A modal verb is a type of auxiliary verb used to express ideas such as ability, possibility, permission, and obligation. The modal auxiliary verbs are can, could, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should, will, and would.
Example:
Ram can eat a lot of pies.(Here, the modal verb can helps to express the idea of ability.)
Mohan might eat that pie before he gets home.
(Here, the modal verb might helps to express the idea of possibility.)
Ram may eat as many pies as he likes.
(Here, the modal verb may helps to express the idea of permission.)
Phrasal Verb
A phrasal verb is a verb made up of more than one word (usually two words). A phrasal verb has a main verb and another word (either a preposition or a particle). The phrasal verb usually has a meaning different to the main verb.
Example:
A burglar will often break a window to break in.(Here, the phrasal verb break in means to enter illegally, which is different to break.)
If you drop the baton the team will drop back to last place.
(Here, the phrasal verb drop back means to fall behind, which is different to drop.)
All The Above Kinds of Verb In Details In Next Chapters
VERBS IN DETAILS
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Reviewed by www.Englishtricks99.com
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11:45:00 AM
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