VERBS

VERBS  VERB DEFINITION: Verb shows an action or an ongoing condition. It is considered as the heart of a sentence. Example: Alex is going home. He loves his home.     A verb is a word or more than one word that is used to express an action or a state of being. Every sentence cannot be complete without a verb, thus making the verb the most important word as far as sentence construction is concerned. In a sentence, a verb has a subject who does the action and an object who receives the action. A verb shows what action has taken place whether the subject performs the action, called active voice (Example: Somebody stole my wallet) or receives the action called passive voice (Example: My wallet was stolen.). Verbs express tense, that is the time the action happens, and also the continuance or completion of the action at the time of speaking. The verb tenses are past, present, and future. These tenses have continuous and perfect forms.

Let’s go step by step:

1. Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
2. Linking Verbs
3. Auxiliary Verbs
4. The Finite Verb and The Infinitive
5. Action Verb/State Verb
6. Regular and Irregular Verbs

1. Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

A transitive verb needs an object to complete the meaning of the sentence. An intransitive verb does not require an object to make its meaning clear. The Transitive verb A transitive verb must have an object. Without an object, it does not convey a clear meaning. Example: He bought. The question inevitably arises: "What did he buy?" No one knows the answer to this question as there is no direct object to receive the action of the verb 'bought'. The meaning becomes clear when an object is added as follows: Example: He bought a cake. The subject of the verb 'He' performs the action: bought. The object of the action verb 'bought' is a ' cake' A transitive verb may take an indirect object. An indirect object is something or someone for whom the action is carried out. Example: He bought her a cake. The indirect object is 'her' as it's for her that the cake was bought. The indirect object usually precedes the direct object. The Intransitive verb An intransitive verb does not require an object. Without an object, its meaning is not affected. Example: She swims. The intransitive verb 'swims' does not need an object to make the meaning clear. Example: The villagers caught a boar yesterday but it escaped this morning. The verb 'caught' is transitive as it has the direct object: boar; the other verb 'escaped' is intransitive since it is not followed by an object.

2. Linking Verbs

Linking verbs link a subject to a word or phrase that describes or identifies the subject. They help to complete the expression about the subject. Linking verbs do not take on a direct object but are followed by an adjective. Any verb that expresses an action is not a linking verb. The following are the characteristics of a linking verb: Linking verbs are not action words. He looked at me. (It tells us what he did = action verb) She looked as if she was going to cry. (It doesn't tell us what she did, only how she appeared to be = linking verb) Linking verbs tell us what state the subject is in, what the subject is, etc. He looked tired. She is a nurse. Linking verbs are followed by an adjective, but not a direct object. He feels fine. (‘Feels' is not an action verb because it's followed by an adjective.) He feels the fine sand of the beach. ('feels' is an action verb.) A pronoun following a linking verb should be in the subjective, not objective. It was he they were looking for. (he = subjective pronoun) NOT: It was him they were looking for. (him = objective pronoun) Linking verbs can be identified by replacing the verb with 'to be' and see if it makes sense. If it does, it is a linking verb. Otherwise, it isn't. Let's use the following two sentences and replace the verb 'feels' with 'is'. He feels fine. = He is fine. (It makes sense, so the verb is a linking verb.) He feels the fine sand of the beach. = He is the fine sand of the beach. (Not a linking verb.) Adverbs modify action words. Using adverbs instead of adjectives with linking verbs will result in incorrect sentences, as shown here: Example: Some common linking verbs: appear, become, feel, grow, look, seem, smell, sound, taste. Andy appears calm. (NOT: Andy appears calmly.) He became anxious about working for the first time. (NOT: He became anxiously about working for the first time.) She feels sad. (NOT: He feels sadly.) Cindy grew impatient with his strange behavior. (NOT: Cindy grew impatiently with his strange behavior.) Diane looked beautiful in her new dress. (NOT: Diane looked beautifully in her new dress.) Eddy seemed angry to me. (NOT: Eddy seemed angrily to me.) The pizza smelled delicious. (NOT: The pizza smelled deliciously.) The idea sounds bad. (NOT: The idea sounds badly.) The drink tastes sweet. (NOT: The drink tastes sweetly.)

3. Auxiliary Verbs

Auxiliary verbs are used to combine with other verbs to form tenses, moods, questions, negative and passive forms. The most common auxiliary verbs are: be (I am reading), have (They have arrived.), and do (We don’t want to go.)    Singular                           Plural I am/have/do                  We are/have/do You are/have/do             You are/have/do He is/has/does                They are/have/do She is/has/does               They are/have/do It is/has/does                  They are/have/do In most sentences, you will have noticed that each one has two verbs. EXAMPLE: Jill is riding an elephant. EXAMPLE: Jack has gone with Jill to the zoo. In the two examples, there are two verbs in each sentence – riding and gone are known as the MAIN VERBS, and they each has another verb before it. They are is and has, and these two verbs are known as AUXILIARY VERBS. Auxiliary verbs are also called helping verbs. The word auxiliary means providing help. They help the main verbs riding and gone by combining with them to show their tenses. In the first example, is riding in “Jill is riding an elephant” tells us that the action is still going on, that is Jill is still riding the elephant. Auxiliary verbs do not normally exist alone in a sentence without the main verb. CORRECT: I would like to be rich. / INCORRECT: I would to be rich. (Without main verb) CORRECT: He should try to do it. / INCORRECT: He should to do it. (Without main verb) CORRECT: You must be joking. / INCORRECT: You must joking. (Without main verb) However, auxiliary verbs without the main verbs are commonly used when the meaning is understood. This is often found in replies or responses. Will he help me? Yes, he will. / Can you do this? Yes, I can. / Does she know you? Yes, she does. Here, the auxiliary verbs (will, can, does) are used without the main verbs (help, do, know) The following are types of auxiliary verbs: Passive: This is used to show the passive form. EXAMPLE: The elephant was given a quick bath. Progressive: This shows the action is in progress. EXAMPLE: The old lady is smiling at the elephant. Perfective: This expresses an action completed in the past. EXAMPLE: The monkey has eaten a banana. Modal: Modals are used to express ability, permission or prediction. EXAMPLE: You can use the car if you want. EXAMPLE: She may feed the monkeys. EXAMPLE: He will be a zoo-keeper some day. EXAMPLE: We really should come here again. Question: This is used to form questions. EXAMPLE: Do you like those chimpanzees? Negative statement: This is used to form negative statements. EXAMPLE: I do not like those noisy monkeys. Auxiliary verbs are often used in contracted forms. For instance, have is shortened to ‘ve; is/has to ‘s; and had/would/should/could to ‘d. In the latter case, care must be exercised to distinguish them correctly. I’m quite sure I’ve lost my way. (= I am / = I have) It’s the biggest dog in the neighborhood. (=It is) She’s naturally curly hair. (= She has) They’d already gone home. (=They had) We’d like to go now. (= We would) He’d stop thinking every girl dislikes him. (= He should) I’d speak seven languages. (= I could) We can use auxiliary verb for emphasis. EXAMPLE: I do like you.

4. The Finite Verb and the Infinite

The Finite Verb Finite verbs are those with tenses, that is they have the past or the present form. The finite verb is the verb that changes with the person and number of the subject. Verbs without tense are nonfinite. Note the following: Person Present Tense Singular Plural First Person I play We play Second Person You play You play Third Person He plays They play She plays They play It plays They play The verb "play" changes with the subject (person). When the subject is in the third person singular, that is he, she, or it, the verb changes into "plays". It does not change when the subject is in the first and second person, that is I or you and in the plural subject, that is, we, you, or they. The verb "play" is a finite verb. Example of finite verb: We go to the library. He goes to the library. They go to the library. She goes to the library. I go to the library. (The finite verb is 'go') The Infinitive The infinitive is a verb that comes after the word "to" Note the infinitive does not change with the subject or person. Example: to eat, to run, to see, to take: My fat sister likes to eat spaghetti. I have decided to run away from home. We love to see your face. She wants to take all my candy. Infinitives are also used without 'to'. Example: Let him eat the bigger piece. I think you had better go alone. We see each other only on weekends. Please take this along with you. Infinitives are used without 'to' after helping verbs called auxiliary verbs such as be, have, do, can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might and must Example: He can drive me to the airport. (NOT: He can to drive me to the airport.) I am so hungry I could eat a whole chicken. She will keep asking silly questions Anne phoned to say she would be late again. (NOT: Anne phoned to say she would to be late again.) I shall never say yes to his request. We should eat our dinner earlier tonight. He may come over later this evening. You might have left your keys in the gift shop. We must visit him at the hospital. Where more than one infinitive is used in a sentence, consistency in using the infinitives is essential. The first infinitive is always used with 'to'. If the second infinitive is preceded by 'to', the following infinitives must likewise have 'to' before them, or if the second infinitive is used without 'to', the rest must be without 'to' as well. See the following examples. Correct: Each competitor has to paddle across the lake, cycle five kilometres, climb the steep hill and run down to the finishing line. Correct: Each competitor has to paddle across the lake, to cycle five kilometres, to climb the steep hill and to run down to the finishing line. Incorrect: Each competitor has to paddle across the lake, to cycle five kilometres, climb the steep hill and run down to the finishing line.

5. Action Verb/State Verb

A verb can be an action verb or a state verb An action verb can be used for an action that has happened or that is still taking place at the time of speaking or that is done habitually. He cycled to the shopping mall. He is cycling to the shopping mall. He cycles to work. An action verb conveys the same meaning when used in the simple or continuous tense. John read the newspaper. / John was reading the newspaper. The Queen will meet the President. / The Queen will be meeting the President. Some action verbs cannot be used in the continuous tense. My father owns that building. (NOT: My father is owning that building.) That book belongs to me. (NOT: That book is belonging to me.) A state verb, also known as 'non-action verbs', refers to the condition of someone or the state they are in, and is not normally used in the continuous tense. The two neighbors hate the sight of each other. (NOT: The two neighbours are hating the sight of each other.) She believes everything that is told to her. (NOT: She is believing everything that is told to her.) Some state verbs when used in the continuous tense refer to feelings that occur briefly. We're liking what we are doing. I'm regretting now what I did just now. We're wishing the rain stops suddenly As usual, he's being provocative. There are words which we can use for action as well as state. I see you're very happy with your new glasses. (state) The doctor is not seeing any more patients. (action) I have two dogs, one cat and a goldfish. (state) What are we having for dinner tonight? (action) She thinks you are getting the wrong idea about her. (state) We're thinking of quitting smoking. (action) She looks gorgeous in this new dress. (state) She is looking at a dress on sale. (action)

6. Regular and Irregular Verbs

There are two groups of verbs, termed regular or irregular, and are identified by how their simple past tense and past participle are formed. Regular verbs – in this group of verbs, the simple past tense and past participle end in –d or –ed. EXAMPLE: simple present tense – touch; kill; pass; stop; rub. simple past tense – touched; killed; passed; stopped; rubbed. past participle – touched; killed; passed; stopped; rubbed. Irregular verbs – a verb that does not follow the usual pattern of grammar. If a verb is irregular, the simple past tense and past participle do not end in –d or –ed. They vary as follow: Where all three forms of an irregular verb are the same. EXAMPLE: simple present tense – cost; hurt; put; read; shut. simple past tense – cost; hurt; put; read; shut. past participle – cost; hurt; put; read; shut Where only the simple past tense and past participle are the same. EXAMPLE: simple present tense – carry; die; fit; jump; try. simple past tense – carried; died; fitted; jumped; tried. past participle – carried; died; fitted; jumped; tried. Where all three forms are different. EXAMPLE: simple present tense – begin; choose; do; go; see simple past tense – began; chose; did; went; saw past participle – begun; chosen; done; gone; seen There are verbs which can be regular or irregular as follow: Simple present tense – burn; dream; spell. Simple past tense – burned/burnt; dreamed/dreamt; spelled/spelt. Past participle – burned/burnt; dreamed/dreamt; spelled/spelt.