VERBS

COMPLETE GRAMMAR

What is the verb?

A verb is a word that shows action, occurrence, or a state of being. When written with
the particle ‘to’ the verb is in its infinitive form.

This is where you would write it like this:

To bake
To clean
To cook
To sing

There are many more verbs of course, but the above list shows you what a verb looks
like in its infinitive form, making it slightly easier for you to identify whether or not a
word in a sentence is a verb. Remember, a verb should show that something is
happening, because an action is taking place in some way or another. Many people when
first learning about verbs simply refer to them as ‘doing words’, because they always
show that something has been done, is being done, or will be done in the future
(depending on the tense that you are writing in).

Verbs are the main part of a sentence and one of the nine parts of speech in English.

Verb Examples in Different Tenses

Let’s look at the examples of the verbs above in a sentence so you can see how they
might work. We’ll show them in different tenses too so you can see how they would
need to be changed slightly to make sense.

Verb Examples in the Simple Tenses

I bake everyday – here the sentence works as a simple present tense sentence. Let’s
change it to past.
 I baked everyday – changing it to past simple tense means we say ‘baked’ not ‘bake’. This
shows that ‘I’ used to bake everyday, but don’t any longer.
I will bake everyday – again, changing to the future means you need the word ‘will’
between the subject ‘I’ and the verb ‘bake’. There are other tenses that aren’t simple, but
we couldn’t possibly explain each one thoroughly here, but take a look at some more
examples below and notice the changes that have been made for yourself. We’ll provide a
brief explanation to help you slightly.

Examples of Verbs in the Continuous Tenses

Throughout each of these next three sections, the past tense version will be written on
top, the middle will be present tense, and the future tense will be at the bottom. So that
in this case, the top one is written in the past continuous tense, the middle in the
present continuous tense, and the third in the future continuous tense. It will follow the
same pattern in the following two sections, but continuous will be replaced with
‘perfect’ and ‘perfect continuous’ respectively.

The easiest way to remember continuous tense, is that it’s referring to a verb that was
happening over time, is still happening now, or will be happening in the future. Take a
look at the examples below and see how the sentences change to show what is
happening and how the verb looks different from its infinitive form:

I was cleaning when you arrived.

I am cleaning right now.
I will be cleaning when you get here.

Verb Examples in the Perfect Tenses

The best way to remember the perfect tense, is that it is referring to something that was
completed, has just been completed, or will be completed in the future. Again notice
how the verb looks different this time compared to its infinitive form, and how the
surrounding words are different to accommodate the tense:

I had cooked everything when you arrived.

I have cooked everything.
I will have cooked everything when you arrive.

Verbs Examples in the Perfect Continuous Tenses

The simplest way to remember the perfect continuous tense is that it’s the previous two
combined. So, it refers to something that was happening but has recently been
completed, something that is happening now but will soon stop, and something that will
happen and then be completed. Take a look below:
 I had been singing for an hour when you arrived.
I have been singing for an hour.
I will have been singing for an hour when you arrive.

Verb examples: Walk, is, seem, run, see, swim, stand, go, have, get, promise, invite, listen,
sing, sit, …

He speaks English
I don’t know how to spell the word
She studies hard

There are many different types of verbs in English grammar: irregular verb, modal verb,
dynamic verb, stative verb, auxiliary verb, causative verb,…

Verb Rules
Important Verb Rules
There are many rules surrounding the use of verbs in the English language, let’s take a
look at the most important ones.

When talking in the third person, the verb requires an -es or -s form, for example, he uses
the bathroom.
If the verb and the subject have a long phrase between them, the verb has to agree with
the original subject and not that of the phrase. For example, The sweets which he gave to
his wife were very tasty.
If the subject is preceded by the phrase ‘one of’, the following verb should be singular.
For example, One of the children is crying.
If two nouns are within a sentence and refer to the same thing or person, the following
verb should be singular. For example, The doctor and the nurse are working in the
hospital.
If there are two nouns which are synonymous within a sentence, they should be followed
with a singular verb. For example, His power and might is huge.
Plural nouns on their own will use a plural verb, for example His shoes are too big. I
However, if the plural noun is preceded by the words ‘a pair of’ then a singular verb is
required. For example A pairs of shoes is quite expensive.
If the noun is uncountable then a singular verb should always follow it, for example The
poetry that he writes is very romantic.
When a collective noun is referring to a single entity, it should use a singular verb, for
example The military is very strict. However, if it is being used to refer to an individual
then a plural verb should be used, for example The military are requesting new members.

Subject Verb Agreement Rules

10 subject verb agreement rules in English grammar:

The subject and verb must agree in number. A singular subject takes a singular verb,
whereas a plural subject takes a plural verb.
The subject is separated from the verb by “with”, “as well as”, “together with”, “along
with”. These words and phrases are not part of the subject. The verb agrees with the
subject.
Two subjects joined by “and” are plural.
Two subjects joined by “or/not”, “either…or/neither…nor”, “not only…but also” take the
verb that agrees with the subject closest to it.
With collective nouns, the verb might be singular or plural (UK), depending on meaning.
In sentences beginning with “here” or “there“, the true subject follows the verb.
The verb is singular if the subject is a singular indefinite pronoun. The verb is plural if the
subject is a plural indefinite pronoun. And, some indefinite pronouns (some, any, all,
most) may be either singular or plural, depending upon their use in a sentence.
Use a singular verb for expressions of measurement, time. money and weight when the
amount is considered one unit.
Plural form subjects with a singular meaning take a singular verb.
Titles of single entities are always singular.

10 Subject Verb Agreement Rules in English

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Different Types of Verbs with Examples

Now that we’ve taken a look at verbs, useful verb grammar rules, and all the possible
tenses that you can write them in for you to think about, we’re going to provide you with
some examples of verbs to help you vary your grammar and vocabulary a little bit.

Learn examples of different types of verbs in English with useful grammar rules.

Irregular Verbs Examples

Irregular verbs are common verbs in English that do not follow the simple system of
adding “d” or “ed” to the end of the word to form the past tense (the past simple and/or
the past participle).

Fall – fell – fallen

Feed – fed – fed

Feel – felt – felt

Fight – fought – fought

Find – found – found

Fly – flew – flown

Forbid – forbade – forbidden

Forget – forgot – forgotten

Forgive – forgave – forgiven

Freeze – froze – frozen

Get – got – got

Give – gave – given

Go – went – gone

Grind – ground – ground

Grow – grew – grown

Hang – hung – hung

Have – had – had

Hear – heard – heard

Hide – hid – hidden

Hit – hit – hit

Hold – held – held

Hurt – hurt – hurt

Keep – kept – kept

Kneel – knelt – knelt

Know – knew – known

Lay – laid – laid

Lead – led – led

Lean – leant/ leaned – leant/ leaned

Learn – learnt/ learned – learnt/ learned

Leave – left – left

Lent – lent – lent

Lie (in bed) – lay – lain

Lie (not to tell the truth) – lied – lied

Light – lit/ lighted – lit/ lighted

Lose – lost – lost

Make – made – made

Mean – meant – meant

Meet – met – met

Overtake – overtook – overtaken

Pay – paid – paid

Put – put – put

Read – read – read

Ride – rode – ridden

Ring – rang – rung

Rise – rose – risen

Run – ran – run

Saw – sawed – sawn/ sawed

Say – said – said

See – sawed – seen

Sell – sold – sold

Send – sent – sent

Set – set – set

Sew – sewed – sewn/ sewed

Shake – shook – shaken

Shed – shed – shed

Shine – shone – shone

Shoot – shot – shot

Show – showed – shown

Shrink – shrank – shrunk

Shut – shut – shut

Sing – sang – sung

Sink – sank – sunk

Sit – sat – sat

Sleep – slept – slept

Slide – slid – slid

Smell – smelt – smelt

Sow – sowed – sown/ sowed

Speak – spoke – spoken

Spell – spelt/ spelled spelt/ spelled

Spend – spent – spent

Spill – spilt/ spilled – spilt/ spilled

Spit – spat – spat

Spread – spread – spread

Stand – stood – stood

Steal – stole – stolen

Stick – stuck – stuck

Sting – stung – stung

Stink – stank – stunk

Strike – struck – struck

Swear – swore – sworn

Sweep – swept – swept

Swell – swelled – swollen/ swelled

Swim – swam – swum

Swing – swung – swung

Common Irregular Verbs List in English

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Modal Verbs Examples

Modal verbs are a small class of auxiliary verbs used to express possibility, obligation,
advice, permission, and ability,…

Can: I can speak Spanish fluently.

Could: Could you pass me the salt, please?
May: May I borrow your pencil?
Might: It might rain later, so bring an umbrella.
Must: I must finish this project by tomorrow.
Shall: Shall we go for a walk after dinner?
Should: You should eat more vegetables for better health.
Will: I will help you with your homework.

Modal Verb Examples

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Modal Verbs To Express Ability

Be able to: She was able to complete the marathon in just under four hours.
Managed to: He managed to fix the broken printer just in time for the meeting.
Can: I can play the guitar.
Could: She could swim when she was just five years old.

Modals for Asking Permissions

Can: Can I borrow your pen, please?

Could: Could I use your bathroom, please?
May: May I leave the room for a moment?
Might: Might I ask you a question?
Would: Would it be possible for me to leave work early today?
Shall: Shall I open the window?

Perfect Infinitive with Modals

The structure “have + past participle” is called a perfect infinitive.

Could have: She could have finished the project on time if she had worked harder.
Should have: He should have arrived at the meeting earlier.
Might have: They might have missed the train if they hadn’t run to the station.
Must have: He must have forgotten his keys at home.
Would have: If she had known it was going to rain, she would have brought an umbrella.

Dynamic Verbs Examples

A dynamic verb is a verb that shows continued or progressive action on the part of the
subject. This is the opposite of a stative verb.

Run: She runs in the park every morning.

Dance: They danced all night at the party.
Sing: He sings beautifully in the choir.
Jump: The children jumped over the puddle.
Climb: They climbed to the top of the mountain.
Laugh: She laughed at the funny joke.
Play: The kids played with their toys in the room.
Swim: He swam across the lake to reach the other side.
Fly: The birds flew in the sky.
Read: She reads novels before going to bed every night.

Stative Verbs Examples

Stative verbs are verbs that express a state rather than an action. They usually relate to
thoughts, emotions, relationships, senses, states of being and measurements.

Love: I love chocolate cake.

Believe: He believes in hard work and perseverance.
Hate: She hates spiders.
Know: They know the answer to the question.
Like: I like playing tennis.
Dislike: She dislikes rainy days.
Remember: He remembers his childhood very well.
Understand: She understands the instructions clearly.
Want: He wants a new car.
Need: She needs a cup of coffee in the morning.

Auxiliary Verbs Examples

We briefly mentioned the auxiliary verb when discussing the verb to be, however other
verbs can function as auxiliary verbs and this means that they cannot create a sentence
alone but requires the use of another verb and can help it to demonstrate various
conditions, states or tenses. Let’s look at some examples of this.

When I got there, she had finished the lesson.

After he arrived home, we had eaten dinner.

An auxiliary verb is a verb that adds functional or grammatical meaning to the clause in
which it appears, such as to express tense, aspect, modality, voice, emphasis, etc. An
auxiliary verb is most generally understood as a verb that “helps” another verb by
adding grammatical information to it.

Do: I do not feel like going out tonight.

Have: I have just received his reply.
Be: A model railway mart will beheld on Friday.
Will: He will not play volleyball.

Causative Verbs Examples

Causative verbs are verbs that show the reason that something happened. They do not
indicate something the subject did for themselves, but something the subject got
someone or something else to do for them.

Have: I had the mechanic check the brakes.

Get: I couldn’t get the engine to start.
Make: I like him because he makes me laugh.
Let: If you accept, please let me know.

PinCausative Verb Examples

Transitive Verb Examples

A transitive verb is one which has the ability to have a noun directly attached to it.
Examples of this might be:

Eat: She ate the sandwich.

Write: He wrote a letter to his friend.
Throw: They threw the ball to each other.
Buy: She bought a new dress for the party.
Kick: He kicked the ball towards the goal.
Paint: She painted the picture with watercolors.
Cook: He cooked dinner for his family.
Clean: She cleaned the room thoroughly.
Open: He opened the window to let in fresh air.
 Fix: She fixed the broken vase with glue

Intransitive Verb Examples

This type of verb cannot have a noun directly attached to it and requires the use of a
preposition in order to help it function. Examples of intransitive verbs might be:

Sleep: She sleeps soundly at night.

Laugh: They laughed at the funny joke.
Run: He ran to catch the bus.
Fall: The leaves fell from the trees in autumn.
Dance: She danced gracefully to the music.
Sing: He sang beautifully in the choir.
Swim: They swam in the pool for hours.
Jump: The rabbit jumped over the fence.
Shiver: She shivered in the cold wind.
Smile: He smiled at the children playing in the park

No Action To Be
A no action to be verb means that the verb is not directly referencing an action. The
verb to be can function as both an auxiliary verb as well as a main verb. When it is being
used as a main verb it will join a subject to an adjective for example She is small. It might
also join a subject to another noun, for example James is King.

However, when to be functions as an auxiliary verb it will form the progressive tense. An
example of this would be;

The book is read by the teacher.

He is watching the TV.

Linking Verb Examples

This is a type of verb used to link a subject to a noun, a phrase, or an adjective. For
example:

Seem: He seems tired after a long day at work.

Become: She became a successful businesswoman.
Look: He looks happy today.
Feel: She felt nervous before the presentation.
Sound: The music sounds beautiful.
Smell: The flowers smell sweet.
Taste: The soup tastes delicious.
Grow: The plants grow in the garden.
Remain: The problem remained unsolved
Examples of Different Verb Forms
When we are dealing with main verbs, there are different forms in which they can come.
We are now going to take a look at each of these forms in a little more detail.

Infinitives
The infinitive form of a verb is that state in which it is originally found. In English, this is
often with the word ‘to’ in front of the verb, for example to run, to see, to have, to live.

What is a To-Infinitive?
A to-infinitive is a verbal consisting of to + a verb, and it acts like a subject, direct
object, subject complement, adjective, or adverb in a sentence.

We use the infinitive:

To indicate the purpose of an action

As subject of the sentence
As direct object of the sentence
As subject complement
As an adjective
As an adverb
After adjective
After object that is noun or pronoun referring to a person
Used with question word

Verbs Followed by Infinitives

List of commonly used Verbs Followed by Infinitives

Attempt

Ask

Arrange

Beg

Begin

Care

Choose

Claim
Consent

Continue

Dare

Decide

Demand

Deserve

Dislike

Expect

Fail

Forget

Get

Hesitate

Hope

Hurry

Intend

Learn

Like

Love

Manage

Mean

Neglect

Need

Offer

Plan

Prefer

Prepare
Pretend

Proceed

Promise

Propose

Refuse

Remember

Seem

Start

Stop

Struggle

Swear

Threaten

Try

Zero Infinitive
We use the Zero Infinitive when:

After modal auxiliary verbs

After the object after certain verbs, such as hear, see, make, let
After verbal idioms would rather and had better
Used with WHY

Gerunds
What is a Gerund?
Gerunds are verbals that function as nouns and have an –ing ending.

The gerund form of verbs is used as follows:

Used as subject of a sentence

Used as direct object of a sentence
Used as a subject complement
Used as an object of a preposition
Used after certain expressions
Verbs Followed by Gerunds
A useful list of Verbs Followed by Gerunds in English.

Admit

Advise

Anticipate

Acknowledge

Appreciate

Avoid

Bear

Begin

Complete

Consider

Defer

Delay

Deny

Discuss

Dislike

Enjoy

Entail

Finish

Forget

Hate

Intend

Involve

Justify

Keep
Like

Love

Mention

Mind

Miss

Postpone

Practice

Prefer

Quit

Recall

Recollect

Recommend

Regret

Resent

Resist

Risk

Sanction

Start

Stop

Suggest

Tolerate

Try

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Present and Past Participles

What is a Participle?
A participle is a verbal that is used as an adjective and most often ends in -ing or -ed.
They function as adjectives, thus participles modify nouns or pronouns.

Types of Participles
There are two participles in the English language: the present and past participle.

Present Participle

This is a very simple concept as to create the present participle one must simply add
the letters -ing to the verb stem. This shows that something is happening right now. For
example I am leaving the house or The cat is lying on the rug.

Past Participle

Similarly to the present participle, the past participle shows time, in this case that
something has already happened-or has happened in the past. In order to create the
past participle, one must add the letters -ed to the verb stem. For example the sentence
I decide what happens would become I decided what happens.

Despite the addition of -ed being the regular form of past participle, there are some
irregular verbs which do not follow this pattern. Some examples of this are as follows:

to show – shown
to see – seen
to built – built
to feel – felt

Finite and Non-finite Verbs

Another word for the finite form is the conjugated form. This happens when the verb is
being used within a sentence. By conjugating the verb you are allowing it to
demonstrate tense, number, mood and person. An example of this might be the
sentence ‘he won the tournament.’ The conjugated verb here shows us that this is a past
tense sentence in the third person singular. Learn Finite and Non-Finite Verb Forms in
English.

Finite Verb Forms

A finite verb is controlled by the number of the subject. If the subject is singular, the
verb is singular. If the subject is plural, the verb is plural.

Examples:

They are studying reproduction in shellfish.

I sing with the university chorus.

Non-finite Verb Forms

A non-finite verb is not controlled by the number, person and tense of the subject.

Examples:

I don’ t want to go home in the dark.

She put a blanket over the sleeping child.

Common Verb Examples in Sentences

Learn an extensive list of commonly used verbs in English.

Do: I don’t know.

Doubt: I doubt if it’ll snow.

Drag: I had to drag him out of bed.

Drive: He drives a truck.

Drop: I dropped my sandwich.

Dry: Raisins are dried grapes.

Earn: He earns three times more than me.

Eat: You can’t eat your cake and have it.

Encourage: John encouraged Mary to learn how to speak French.

Engage: We used to be engaged.

Enter: He entered the room.

Establish: The school was established in 1650.

Examine: The doctor examined the patients.

Experiment: They’re experimenting with a new car.

Explore: He explored the Amazon jungle.

Extend: We extended a hearty welcome to them.

Fly: Tom wishes he could fly.

Fold: Tom and Mary folded up the flag.

Follow: We must follow the rules of the game.

Forbid: I forbid you to smoke.

Fry: She fried fish in salad oil.

Generate: This machine generates electricity.

Get: We’ve got to get the economy under control or it will literally eat us up.

Give: The waiter gives me the menu.

Grow: Apples grow on trees.

Hang: Don’t you hang up on me.

Happen: You made it happen.

Hesitate: I hesitate to spend so much money on clothes.

Hide: I’m hiding from Tim.

Hug: I really need a hug.

Hurry: It had to hurry to find a home because I was already on to something else.

Hurt: I hurt my elbow.

Identify: She identified him as the murderer.

Improve: I need to improve my French.

Include: Tom’s lunch includes a sandwich and an apple.

Incorporate: Her business was incorporated.

Indicate: The arrow indicates the way to go.

Involve: This procedure involves testing each sample twice.

Iron: I iron my clothes almost every day.

Jog: I make it a rule to jog every morning.

Jump: Can you jump over the river?

Kiss: Did you kiss anybody?

Kneel: Do not run, stand, kneel or spin in the slide.

Laugh: Tom is laughing.

Lay: He laid on his back.

Learn: Children learn to creep ere they can go.

Leave: Leave me alone!

Lift: He couldn’t lift the table and no more could I.

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What is a verb? Learn verb definition and different types of verbs in English

Conclusion

The verb is an integral part of the English language and there are many rules
surrounding its use. In this article, we have learned the various types of verbs as well as
how to use them by following some simple grammatical rules.

Related Resources
Grammar

Verb Examples

List of Verbs

Irregular Verbs

Regular Verbs

Pronunciation of ED

Helping Verbs

Auxiliary Verbs

Modal Verbs

Modals for Asking Permissions

Modals of Ability

Perfect Infinitive with Modals

Verb Forms

Infinitives

Bare Infinitive
Verbs Followed by Infinitives

Gerunds

Verbs Followed by Gerunds

Participles

Present Participle

Past Participle

Causative Verbs

Stative Verbs

Dynamic Verbs

Action Verbs

Linking Verb

Finite & Non-finite Verb

Transitive Verb

Intransitive Verb

Verbs for Kids

Verb Phrase

Vocabulary

Verbs with Pictures

Action Verbs
Action Words
Movement Verbs
Classroom Verbs
Restaurant Verbs
Household Chores
Cooking Verbs
Sport & Exercise Actions

Verbs from A-Z

Verbs that Start with A

Verbs that Start with B

Verbs that Start with C

Verbs that Start with D

Verbs that Start with E

Verbs that Start with F

Verbs that Start with G

Verbs that Start with I

Verbs that Start with K

Verbs that Start with L

Verbs that Start with M

Verbs that Start with N

Verbs that Start with O

Verbs that Start with P

Verbs that Start with R

Verbs that Start with S

Verbs that Start with T

Verbs that Start with V

Irregular Verbs: Mastering the Exceptions

in English Grammar

What are irregular past tense verbs? In English grammar, there are many rules, and this
applies when it comes to verbs. However, there are some verbs which do not conform to
the usual rules and these are known as irregular verbs. There are many of them and it is
important to remember them and how they work in order to create sentences that are
grammatically correct.

In this article, we will be looking at all the different irregular verbs with a comprehensive
list of irregular verbs so that you can commit them to memory and use them correctly.
Table of Contents

What Are Irregular Verbs?

In English, most verbs (regular verbs) are turned into the past tense by adding ‘-ed’ to
the end of a base form of the verb.

Base Form
Irregular verbs in English are unique in that they do not follow the standard pattern of
regular verbs. Unlike regular verbs, which consistently end in “-ed” for both the simple
past and past participle forms, irregular verbs take on various forms.

Some common irregular verbs include:

Be
Eat
Get
Know
Wear

These irregular verbs diverge from the regular verb pattern in their base form and have
unique conjugations.

Simple Past
The simple past tense of irregular verbs varies from one verb to another. To convey
actions or states in the past, learning each individual irregular verb form is crucial.
Some examples of irregular verbs in their simple past tense are:

Be -> was/were
Eat -> ate
Get -> got
Know -> knew
Wear -> wore

Memorizing these forms is essential for proper communication in past tense, as they do
not follow the “-ed” pattern found in regular verbs.

Past Participle
Similarly, the past participle of irregular verbs also deviates from the regular verb
pattern. The past participle form is commonly used in perfect tenses, passive voice, and
as adjectives. Here are the irregular verbs mentioned earlier in their past participle
form:

Be -> been
Eat -> eaten
Get -> gotten
Know -> known
Wear -> worn

As the past participle forms of irregular verbs differ significantly from regular verbs
ending in “-ed,” it is important to learn and practice these variations to maintain clear
and effective communication in English.

Irregular Verbs List

Irregular verbs in the English language deviate from the standard -ed ending that
regular verbs follow in their past and past participle forms. To better understand and
use irregular verbs, one should familiarize themselves with a list of common irregular
verbs, which includes essential verbs such as be, do, find, go, and have.

Below is a table of irregular verbs, displaying their base form, simple past (V2), and past
participle (V3) forms:

Base Form Past Simple Past Participle

arise arose arisen

awake awoke awoken

be was/were been

bear bore borne/born

beat beat beaten

become became become

begin began begun

bend bent bent

bet bet bet

bite bit bitten

bleed bled bled

blow blew blown

break broke broken

bring brought brought

build built built

burn burnt/burned burnt/burned

burst burst burst

buy bought bought

catch caught caught

choose chose chosen

cling clung clung

come came come

cost cost cost

creep crept crept

cut cut cut

deal dealt dealt

dig dug dug

do did done

draw drew drawn

dream dreamt/dreamed dreamt/dreamed

drink drank drunk

drive drove driven

eat ate eaten

fall fell fallen

feed fed fed

feel felt felt

fight fought fought

find found found

flee fled fled

fling flung flung

fly flew flown

forbid forbade forbidden

forget forgot forgotten

forgive forgave forgiven

freeze froze frozen

get got got/gotten

give gave given

go went gone

grow grew grown

hang hung hung

have had had

hear heard heard

hide hid hidden

hit hit hit

hold held held

hurt hurt hurt

keep kept kept

kneel knelt/kneeled knelt/kneeled

know knew known

lay laid laid

lead led led

lean leant/leaned leant/leaned

leap leapt/leaped leapt/leaped

learn learnt/learned learnt/learned

leave left left

lend lent lent

let let let

lie lay lain

light lit/lighted lit/lighted

lose lost lost

make made made

mean meant meant

meet met met

pay paid paid

put put put
quit quit quit

read read read

ride rode ridden

ring rang rung

rise rose risen

run ran run

say said said

see saw seen

seek sought sought

sell sold sold

send sent sent

set set set

shake shook shaken

shine shone shone

shoot shot shot

show showed shown

shrink shrank shrunk

shut shut shut

sing sang sung

sink sank sunk

sit sat sat

sleep slept slept

slide slid slid

speak spoke spoken

spend spent spent

spin spun spun

spit spat spat

split split split

spread spread spread

stand stood stood

steal stole stolen

stick stuck stuck

sting stung stung

stink stank stunk

strike struck struck/stricken

swear swore sworn

sweep swept swept

swim swam swum

swing swung swung

take took taken

teach taught taught

tear tore torn

tell told told

 think thought thought

throw threw thrown

understand understood understood

wake woke woken

wear wore worn

Irregular Verbs: Formation Rules and Patterns

Irregular verbs are those that do not follow the typical pattern for regular verbs in
English. Regular verbs form their simple past and past participle by adding “-ed” or
sometimes just “-d” to their base form. In contrast, irregular verbs have unique tense
forms and past participles. To understand and use these verbs correctly, it is essential
to be aware of some common patterns and rules.

One approach to learning irregular verbs is to group them based on similarities in their
past simple forms. For example, the verbs ‘buy’, ‘bring’, and ‘think’ all have the “-ought”
ending in their past simple forms: ‘bought’, ‘brought’, and ‘thought’. By identifying such
patterns, one can better memorize and recall irregular verb forms.

Some irregular verbs have identical base and past participle forms, such as ‘run’, ‘come’,
‘become’, and ‘overcome’. These are unique cases and should be noted separately, as
they may be prone to errors when forming the past tense and past participle forms.

While there are no strict rules for forming irregular verbs, understanding and
recognizing common patterns can help. Some patterns and examples include:

Pattern: (Verb / Past Simple / Past Participle)

Ablaut (vowel change)

sing / sang / sung

know / knew / known

Endings (e.g., “-ought”)

buy / bought / bought

catch / caught / caught

Irregular endings without change

hit / hit / hit

 let / let / let

Keep in mind that these patterns are not universal and may not apply to all irregular
verbs. However, they can serve as a starting point for understanding and learning these
verbs more efficiently. As one encounters new irregular verbs, it is crucial to practice
and commit them to memory to use them accurately in conversation and written
communication.

Examples of Irregular Verb Usage

Irregular verbs do not follow the typical -ed ending pattern for the simple past and past
participle. Instead, they undergo various changes in their base, simple past, and past
participle forms.

Weak Irregular Verbs

Some irregular verbs are considered weak, which means the main vowel remains the
same even as the verb changes. One example is “sleep,” whose simple past tense and
past participle forms are “slept.” Other weak irregular verbs include:

Bet: bet, bet

Spread: spread, spread
Hurt: hurt, hurt
Put: put, put

These verbs display minimal changes, making it essential for the readers to recognize
and understand their use in different tenses.

Strong Irregular Verbs

Strong irregular verbs experience a vowel change when moving through tenses. A few
examples are as follows:

Swim: swam, swum

Sing: sang, sung
Drive: drove, driven
Write: wrote, written

In these examples, the base form, simple past, and past participle alter significantly,
demonstrating the complexities of strong irregular verbs.

Usage in Sentences
Here are example sentences using several irregular verbs, illustrating their use in various
tenses:

Sleep: She sleeps during the day. (present) / She slept during the day. (simple past) /
She had slept during the day. (past participle)
Bet: He bets on the winning horse. (present) / He bet on the winning horse. (simple
past) / He had bet on the winning horse. (past participle)
Swim: They swim at the beach every summer. (present) / They swam at the beach
last summer. (simple past) / They have swum at the beach before. (past participle)

This section highlights varied examples of irregular verbs, providing context and
demonstrating how these verbs function across different tenses in English.

List of Irregular Verbs | Picture

Irregular verbs list image

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More Examples of Common Irregular Verbs

Be:

I am a student.
She was a teacher.
They have been friends for years.

Have:

I have a car.
She had a headache yesterday.
They have had a lot of success.

Go:

I go to the gym every day.

She went to Paris last year.
They have gone to the beach.

Do:

I do my homework every day.

 She did not like the movie.
They have done a great job.

Eat:

I eat breakfast every morning.

She ate sushi for lunch.
They have eaten at that restaurant before.

Drink:

I drink coffee every morning.

She drank a glass of water.
They have drunk a lot of beer.

Come:

I come from Canada.

She came to the party late.
They have come a long way.

Run:

I run five miles every day.

She ran a marathon last year.
They have run out of time.

Write:

I write in my journal every day.

She wrote a book last year.
They have written many reports.

Break:

I break things easily.

She broke her arm.
They have broken a few rules.

Take:

I take the train to work.

She took a vacation last month.
They have taken many photos.

Speak:

I speak English fluently.

She spoke to the manager.
They have spoken on the phone.
Swim:

I swim in the pool every day.

She swam across the lake.
They have swum in the ocean.

See:

I see my friends every weekend.

She saw a movie last night.
They have seen that show before.

Give:

I give to charity every year.

She gave me a present.
They have given a lot of support.

Tips for Learning and Memorizing

When tackling irregular verbs, it’s important for learners to find effective strategies to
understand and memorize them. Below are some useful tips to improve the learning
experience:

1. Group common irregular verbs together

Some irregular verbs share similar patterns. Instead of learning them alphabetically,
identifying and grouping these verbs can make memorization more manageable.

2. Prioritize the most common irregular verbs

Start with the 10 most common irregular verbs and gradually add more to your list. This
will make learning and memorizing them more efficient and practical.

3. Use flashcards

Create flashcards with the infinitive, past tense, and past participle forms of each verb.
This will not only improve memorization but also make it easier to review and quiz
oneself.

4. Incorporate learning into everyday activities

Turn memorizing into a game or incorporate irregular verbs into songs and rhythms. This
can help make learning enjoyable and increase the likelihood of retaining the
information.
5. Learn in sentences

Use irregular verbs in various sentences and contexts to gain a better understanding of
their meaning and usage. This will also help to strengthen their retention.

6. Display lists in visible locations

Place lists of irregular verbs in locations where they can easily be seen throughout the
day, such as on your desk, fridge, or bathroom mirror. This constant exposure will help
reinforce memorization.

7. Seek feedback from others

Practice using irregular verbs with others and ask them to correct your usage if needed.
This will not only improve your understanding of the verbs but also increase your
confidence in using them.

Regular Verbs: List of 300+ Useful Regular

Verbs in English

Regular Verbs! When constructing a sentence, it is important to know at what tense you
are doing it; in this sense, it is essential to understand how to conjugate verbs well. In
English, we have two types of verbs, irregular verbs, whose conjugation does not obey
any grammar rule, and regular verbs, which are always conjugated with specific
regulations. Today, we will show you the rules that you must consider to conjugate them
correctly.

Table of Contents

Regular Verbs

Definition

Orthography Rules

Pronunciation Rules

List of Regular Verbs

Regular Verbs | Picture

Regular Verbs
Definition
Regular verbs are those that do not modify their stem when they are conjugated. What
does that mean?

This means that we only have to add “ed” or “d” to regular verbs to make them past or
past participle. Yes, the past simple and the past participle of these verbs are the same.

Orthography Rules
To conjugate regular verbs well, you have to take into account the following information:

1.As a general rule, we add “ed” to regular English verbs to make them past. However, if
the verb ends in “e,” we are only going to add a “d” to it.

visit → visited
work → worked
bake → baked

2. End of the verb in consonant + “y,” we are going to change that “y” for an “i,” and we
will add “ed.”

study → studied
apply → applied
dry → dried

3. End of the verb in vowel + “y,” we will only add “ed” to the verb.

enjoy → enjoyed
play → played
destroy → destroyed

4. If the verb only has one syllable and the last three letters of the verb follow the
pattern “consonant + vowel + consonant,” we will double the final consonant and add
“ed.”

ban → banned
mop → mopped
trap → trapped

IMPORTANT! Please do not duplicate the following letters when they appear at the end
of the verb: h, j, q, v, w, x, y.

5. A verb with two syllables and the voice’s force falls on the second syllable; we will
double the last consonant and add “ed.”
 Permit → permitted
commit → committed
compel → compelled

Pronunciation Rules
The ending “ed” in regular English verbs can be pronounced in three different ways. To
better understand these pronunciation rules, we are going to use our hands and throat.

1.If the pronunciation of regular verbs ends with “-t” or “-d,” the ending “-ed” will be
pronounced as /-id /.

Visited
Added

2. If we use our voice to pronounce the last sound of the verb, the ending “-ed” will
sound like a /-d /.

Amazed
Damaged

The most common voiced consonants in English are: / b /, / g /, / z /, / v /, / m /, / n /, / l /, /

s /, / w /, / y /, / r /. They are sonorous because we use our voice to articulate them. If you
touch your throat when saying them out loud, you will feel your vocal chords vibrate.

Remember, every time we use our voice to pronounce the last sound of the verb, the
ending “-ed” will sound like a /-d /. Shall we do a little exercise? Let’s use the verb “beg.”
Say “begggggg” out loud and touch your throat. Isn’t it true that your throat vibrates a
little? Since the / g / sound is voiced, “begged” is pronounced with a /-d / at the end.

3. If we don’t use our voice to pronounce the last sound of the verb, the ending “-ed”
will sound like a /-t /.

Looked
Washed

We do not use our voice when pronouncing some consonants. Which? We do not use
our voice when pronouncing voiceless consonants. If you touch your throat when
pronouncing them, you will find that your vocal cords do not vibrate. The voiceless
consonants of English are: / p /, / s /, / f /, / k /, / h /, / sh /, / ch /, / gh /, / th /, / ss /, / c /, / x
/.

Ready for one last exercise? Read the following verbs and touch your throat (sniffed,
helped). Your vocal cords will not vibrate when you pronounce the final sound of the
verb. Since our vocal cords do not vibrate when pronouncing the last sound of previous
verbs, we pronounce the past tense of such verbs with a /-t / at the end.

List of Regular Verbs

List of Most Used Regular Verbs

BASE FORM SIMPLE PAST/ PAST PARTICIPLE

Accept Accepted

Accuse Accused

Achieve Achieved

Act Acted

Add Added

Admire Admired

Admit Admitted

Adopt Adopted

Advise Advised

Affect Affected

Agree Agreed

Allow Allowed

Announce Announced

Appreciate Appreciated

Approve Approved

Argue Argued
Arrive Arrived

Ask Asked

Assist Assisted

Attack Attacked

Attempt Attempted

Attend Attend

Avoid Avoided

Back (up) Backed (up)

Bake Baked

Banish Banished

Beg Begged

Behave Behaved

Believe Believed

Belittle Belittled

Blame Blamed

Bog down Bogged down

Boil Boiled

Borrow Borrowed

Bother Bothered

Bound Bounded

Brake Braked
Brush Brushed

Bury Buried

Call Called

Carry Carried

Cause Caused

Celebrate Celebrated

Challenge Challenged

Change Changed

Chase Chased

Chat Chatted

Cheat Cheated

Check Checked

Cheer Cheered

Chew Chewed

Clap Clapped

Clean Cleaned

Clear Cleared

Climb Climbed

Close Closed

Coax Coaxed

Coexist Coexisted
Collect Collected
Compare Compared

Compete Competed

Complain Complained

Concoct Concocted

Confess Confessed

Consider Considered

Construct Constructed

Contact Contacted

Continue Continued

Control Controlled

Cook Cooked

Copy Copied

Cough Coughed

Count Counted

Crash Crashed

Create Created

Cry Cried

Curse Cursed

Cycle Cycled

Damage Damaged

Dance Danced
Decide Decided

Deliver Delivered

Demand Demanded

Design Designed

Destroy Destroyed

Develop Developed

Die Died

Disappoint Disappointed

Discover Discovered

Discuss Discussed

Disregard Disregarded

Disturb Disturbed

Divide Divided

Drag Dragged

Dress Dressed

Dry Dried

Dunk Dunked

Earn Earned

Eliminate Eliminated

Emigrate Emigrated

Employ Employed
Encourage Encouraged

End Ended

Enjoy Enjoyed

Escape Escaped

Establish Established

Estimate Estimated

Exercise Exercised

Expand Expanded

Explain Explained

Fake Faked

Film Filmed

Finish Finished

Fish Fished

Fix Fixed

Flush Flushed

Follow Followed

Force Forced

Foster Fostered

Fry Fried

Gather Gathered

Grab Grabbed
Grade Graded

Greet Greeted

Ground Grounded

Guess Guessed

Happen Happened

Harass Harassed

Harm Harmed

Hate Hated

Heal Healed

Heat Heated

Help Helped

Hesitate Hesitated

Hire Hired

Hitchhike Hitchhiked

Hope Hoped

Hunt Hunted

Hurry Hurried

Hush (up) Hushed (up)

Identify Identified

Imagine Imagined

Include Included
Insist Insisted

Intend Intended

Interest Interested

Interrupt Interrupted

Introduce Introduced

Invent Invented

Investigate Investigated

Irritate Irritated

Jinx Jinxed

Join oined

Joke Joked

Jump Jumped

Kick Kicked

Kill Killed

Kiss Kissed

Knock Knocked

Land Landed

Last Lasted

Laugh Laughed

Learn Learned

Lie Lied
Lift Lifted

Like Liked

Link Linked

List Listed

Listen Listened

Live Lived

Locate Located

Lock Locked

Love Loved

Mail Mailed

Marry Married

Measure Measured

Mind Minded

Miss Missed

Mistreat Mistreated

Mix (up) Mixed (up)

Move Moved

Murder Murdered

Name Named

Need Needed

Note Noted
Notice Noticed
Number Numbered

Obey Obeyed

Offend Offended

Offer Offered

Open Opened

Outsmart Outsmarted

Overreact Overreacted

Paint Painted

Park Parked

Phone Phoned

Pick Picked

Pip Ripped

Piss (off) Pissed (off)

Place Placed

Plan Planned

Play Played

Please Pleased

Pluck Plucked

Practice Practiced

Praise Praised

Pray Prayed
Prefer Preferred

Pretend Pretended

Print Printed

Proceed Proceeded

Promise Promised

Pull Pulled

Pull Pulled

Punch Punched

Punish Punished

Purchase Purchased

Push Pushed

Question Questioned

Race Raced

Rain Rained

Rate Rated

Recommend Recommended

Reduce Reduced

Refuse Refused

Regret Regretted

Rehearse Rehearsed

Relax Relaxed
Remember Remembered

Reply Replied

Request Requested

Rescue Rescued

Retire Retired

Return Returned

Rob Robbed

Rub Rubbed

Rush Rushed

Scare Scared

Scold Scolded

Seem Seemed

Select Selected

Share Shared

Shop Shopped

Shout Shouted

Shrug Shrugged

Sign Signed

Skate Skated

Slap Slapped

Slip Slipped
Smoke Smoked

Snatch Snatched

Snore Snored

Sort Sorted

Sound Sounded

Stalk Stalked

Stare Stared

Start Started

State Stated

Stay Stayed

Step Stepped

Stop Stopped

Store Stored

Stroll Strolled

Study Studied

Succeed Succeeded

Sue Sued

Suggest Suggested

Talk Talked

Taste Tasted

Tease Teased
Thank Thanked

Touch Touched

Tour Toured

Trade Traded

Travel Traveled

Trip Tripped

Trouble Troubled

Try Tried

Turn Turned

Twist Twisted

Type Typed

Underline Underlined

Use Used

Vary Varied

Visit Visited

Visit Visited

Vote Voted

Wait Waited

Walk Walked

Want Wanted

Warn Warned
 Wash Washed

Wast Wasted

Watch Watched

Water Watered

Wave Waved

Welcome Welcomed

Wink Winked

Wish Wished

Witness Witnessed

Wonder Wondered

Work Worked

Worry Worried

Wrap Wrapped

Yell Yelled

Pronunciation of ED: Past Tense

Pronunciation for Regular Verbs
ED Pronunciation! Learn useful rules for Pronunciation of ED ending (Past Tense
Pronunciation for Regular Verbs) in English with list of common regular verbs, video and
ESL printable worksheets.

Regular Verbs
The regular verb is one which conforms to the normal grammar rules surrounding the
use of verbs. In English, there are a huge amount of regular verbs, and its important to
know what these are and the rules that they follow. This will help you to ensure that
your sentences are grammatically correct and easy to understand.

In the English language, most regular verbs are turned into the past tense by adding ‘-
ed’ to the end of a base form of the verb.

Regular verbs examples:

Wait → Waited
Want → Wanted
Ask → Asked
Wash → Washed
Cook → Cooked
Walk → Walked
Hunt → Hunted
Adopt → Adopted

Learn more about Irregular verbs that do not follow the above rules.

For past tense pronunciation for regular verbs, the final -ed ending has three different
pronunciations: /t/, /d/, and /id/.

Pronunciation of ED | The /t/ Sound

Past Tense Pronunciation Rules:

Final -ed is pronounced /t/ after all voiceless sounds.

Voiceless sounds are made by pushing air through your mouth; no sound comes
from your throat.
Voiceless consonant sounds: p, f, k, s, sh, ch, th

Past Tense Pronunciation Examples with regular verbs list.

In this section, we are going to be presenting you with a comprehensive list of the
regular verbs which can be found within the English language.

Announce → Announced

Cook → Cooked

Walk → Walked

Talk → Talked

Finish → Finished
Type → Typed

Dance → Danced

Watch → Watched

Look → Looked

Miss → Missed

Rush → Rushed

Hope → Hoped

Wish → Wished

Dress → Dressed

Practice → Practiced

Cough → Coughed

Help → Helped

Develop → Developed

Knock → Knocked

Snatch → Snatched

Step → Stepped

Punish → Punished

Hush (up) → Hushed (up)

Mix (up) → Mixed (up)

Wrap → Wrapped

Stalk → Stalked

Fish → Fished

Slap → Slapped

Force → Forced

Discuss → Discussed

Hitchhike → Hitchhiked

Laugh → Laughed
Brush → Brushed

Crash → Crashed

Work → Worked

Like → Liked

Attack → Attacked

Lock → Locked

Stop → Stopped

Ask → Asked

Wash → Washed

Brake → Braked

Escape → Escaped

Kiss → Kissed

Trip → Tripped

Jump → Jumped

Promise → Promised

Slip → Slipped

Touch → Touched

Fix → Fixed

Piss (off) → Pissed (off)

Pip → Ripped

Check → Checked

Pluck → Plucked

Coax → Coaxed

Rehearse → Rehearsed

Curse → Cursed

Jinx → Jinxed

Banish → Banished
Dunk → Dunked

Push → Pushed

Fake → Faked

Flush → Flushed

Back (up) → Backed (up)

Place → Placed

Reduce → Reduced

ED Pronunciation | The /d/ Sound

Pronunciation of ED Rules:

Final -ed is pronounced /d/ after voiced sounds.

The /d/ is blended together with the previous consonant and not pronounced as an
extra syllable.
Voiced sounds come from your throat. Touch your neck when you make a voiced
sound, you can feel your voice box vibrate.
Voiced consonant sounds: b, v, g, z, j, th, l, m, n, r
All vowel sounds are voiced.

ED Pronunciation Examples with regular verbs list.

Live → Lived

Climb → Climbed

Phone → Phoned

Wave → Waved

Arrive → Arrived

Clear → Cleared

Study → Studied

Open → Opened

Enjoy → Enjoyed

Copy → Copied

Mail → Mailed

Call → Called
Borrow → Borrowed

Hurry → Hurried

Sign → Signed

Play → Played

Carry → Carried

Move → Moved

Pull → Pulled

Wonder → Wondered

Kill → Killed

Marry → Married

Believe → Believed

Beg → Begged

Prefer → Preferred

Tease → Teased

Close → Closed

Accuse → Accused

Stroll → Strolled

Shrug → Shrugged

Praise → Praised

Follow → Followed

Bog down → Bogged down

Encourage → Encouraged

Listen → Listened

Tour → Toured

Consider → Considered

Travel → Traveled

Stay → Stayed
Rescue → Rescued

Happen → Happened

Destroy → Destroyed

Refuse → Refused

Die → Died

Belittle → Belittled

Question → Questioned

Discover → Discovered

Argue → Argued

Try → Tried

Cry → Cried

Lie → Lied

Use → Used

Clean → Cleaned

Love → Loved

Design → Designed

Change → Changed

Join → Joined

Grab → Grabbed

Seem → Seemed

Explain → Explained

Rob → Robbed

Continue → Continued

Hire → Hired

Store → Stored

Heal → Healed

Foster → Fostered
Learn → Learned

Sue → Sued

Harm → Harmed

Past Tense Pronunciation for Regular Verbs | The

/id/ Sound
Final -ed is pronounced /id/ after “T”, and “D” sounds. The sound /id/ adds a whole
syllable to a word.

Pronunciation of ED Examples with regular verbs list.

Suggest → Suggested

Vote → Voted

Wait → Waited

Want → Wanted

Shout → Shouted

Hunt → Hunted

Adopt → Adopted

Emigrate → Emigrated

Start → Started

Visit → Visited

Investigate → Investigated

Attend → Attended

Affect → Affected

Chat → Chatted

Heat → Heated

Sort → Sorted

Regret → Regretted

Wast → Wasted
Interrupt → Interrupted

Mind → Minded

Sound → Sounded

Count → Counted

Demand → Demanded

Hesitate → Hesitated

Proceed → Proceeded

Succeed → Succeeded

Accept → Accepted

Paint → Painted

Contact → Contacted

Hate → Hated

Include → Included

Land → Landed

Need → Needed

Recommend → Recommended

End → Ended

Grade → Graded

Rate → Rated

Hesitate → Hesitated

Decide → Decided

Interest → Interested

Trade → Traded

Last → Lasted

Insist → Insisted

Avoid → Avoided

State → Stated
Taste → Tasted

Admit → Admitted

Invent → Invented

Create → Created

Compete → Competed

Intend → Intended

Concoct → Concocted

Request → Requested

Disregard → Disregarded

Assist → Assisted

Ground → Grounded

Lift → Lifted

Overreact → Overreacted

Bound → Bounded

Pretend → Pretended

Twist → Twisted

Cheat → Cheated

Outsmart → Outsmarted

Disappoint → Disappointed

Scold → Scolded

Mistreat → Mistreated

Attempt → Attempted

Coexist → Coexisted

What Is A Helping Verb? Great Examples

of Helping Verbs
What is a helping verb? As the name implies, helping verbs support the main verb in a
sentence by adding additional meaning. These verbs are sometimes referred to as
auxiliary verbs. Helping verbs typically precedes the lexical verb (main verb) in a
sentence. When used together in a sentence, they form a verb phrase.

Table of Contents

Helping Verb
What Is A Helping Verb?
Helping verbs are verbs that help elaborate the main verb further in a sentence. They
can also elaborate on how time is conveyed in a text. Consequently, helping verbs are
used to form the most complex sentences in English. Besides, these verbs help deliver
intricate slight differences between words like probability, potential, etc.

Helping Verb Examples

Helping verbs are pivotal because they are necessary for the formation of a sentence
structure. They are designed to support the main help by explaining it further. Helping
verbs are classified into two categories, namely auxiliary and modal.

Auxiliary Verbs

Auxiliary verbs are verbs that add more details to the clause where they are being
applied. Note that the two terms (auxiliary and helping verb) are sometimes used
interchangeably. More often, they are used to add emphasis/stress on a subject.
Auxiliary verbs are classified into three main categories, namely to be, to have, and to
do. Each of the classes has multiple forms. For example:

To do: do, does, did

To be: I’m, is are, was, were, be, been
To have: have, has, had

The verbs “be, do, and have” can be either independent or auxiliary. A verb is termed
auxiliary if it is linked with other verbs to form a verb phrase.

Examples of Auxiliary Verbs

I am planning another BBQ soon.

She is readying herself for the much-anticipated trip.
I do not know the facts about the matter in question.
I have been waiting for her apology for nearly a week.
He was given the scholarship to further his studies abroad.
Modal Verbs

Modal verbs are helping verbs that execute other specific tasks to elaborate on the
meaning of the main verb. Examples of modal verbs include can, will, may, would, must,
might, shall, should, could, ought to.

Modal verbs help in showing likelihood, responsibility, and necessity in a sentence.

Examples of modal helping verbs in sentences:

John can play football for most of the day.

You should take a ride to relieve stress.
When it is your turn, you must leave.
I may not make it to the meeting.
Would you mind if I come with my laptop?

Helping Verbs
Functions of Helping Verbs
As said earlier, helping verbs help express a slight meaning of words or phrases that may
seem confusing due to their similarities. To demonstrate this, let’s explore the following
examples:

I may buy a car soon.

I must buy a car soon.
I should buy a car soon.
I can buy a car soon.
I will buy a car soon.

From these sentences, it is evident that modifying the helping verb alters the whole
sentence’s meaning. In this case, the main verb “buy” alone cannot express the
differences in sentences and thus the need for helping verbs.

Additional Functions of Helping Verbs

Helping verbs can help further express different conditions. For example:

If she could run, she would emerge the winner.

You may watch this fantastic series. In this case, the helping verb allows one to
express permission.
He can play football very well. In this case, the helping verb “can” demonstrates the
ability to do something.

Helping verbs also help us to pose questions. For example:

Do you think she is concerned?

 Will she emerge as the victor in her class?
Do you think he will make it in life?

Changing Active Voice to Passive Voice

If we have an active sentence in the past tense, then the whole verb in the passive state
will be in the past tense.

James built the table → The table was built by James.

1. James is pushed to the end of the sentence, and the prepositional phrase is by
James.
2. The table moves in place of the subject.
3. The helping verb “be” is introduced before the main verb.
4. Past tense indicator shifts off built and onto the auxiliary verb be.
5. Helping verb conforms with the new subject.
6. The main verb built transforms into its past participle form “built”

Auxiliary Verb: Definition, List and

Examples of Auxiliary Verbs
Last updated on February 27, 2023 by 7ESL

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What are auxiliary verbs? The auxiliary verb is a verb which is used as a way of forming
the mood, tense and voice of other verbs within a sentence. This is something which is
commonly seen in the English language and is essential for anyone looking to create
sentences which sound grammatically correct.

Table of Contents

Auxiliary Verb
In this section, we are going to look at the auxiliary verb in a lot more detail and give you
the opportunity to start forming sentences with them that will make you sound much
more like a native speaker of the language.

What is an Auxiliary Verb?

An auxiliary verb (or a helping verb) is a verb that adds functional or grammatical
meaning to the clause in which it appears, such as to express tense, aspect, modality,
voice, emphasis, etc. An auxiliary verb is most generally understood as a verb that
“helps” another verb by adding grammatical information to it.

Auxiliary Verbs Examples

Certain auxiliaries have contracted forms, such as ‘d and ‘ll for had/ would and will/
shall.

Forms of the verb do (do, does, did)

Forms of the verb have
Forms of the verb will
…

Auxiliary Verbs
Learn the useful list of helping verbs in English with rules, example sentences, video and
ESL printable worksheets.

Auxiliary Verbs List

DO

Forms of the verb do (do, does, did), when used with other verbs to enable the
formation of questions, negation, emphasis, etc.

Examples:

Simple Present Tense: He does not play volleyball.

Simple Past Tense: He did not play volleyball.
Simple Present Tense: Does he play volleyball?
Simple Past Tense: Did he play volleyball?

HAVE

Forms of the verb have, when used to express perfect aspect.

Examples:

Present Perfect Simple Tense: He has played volleyball.

Past Perfect Simple Tense: He had played volleyball.
Present Perfect Progressive Tense: He has been playing volleyball.
Past Perfect Progressive Tense: He had been playing volleyball.
When used to express passive voice. Note that have is an irregular verb.

Example: The house has/had been built.

TO BE

We use this verb for compound tenses and the passive voice. Note that “be” is an
irregular verb.

Examples:

They are teachers.

This was a very interesting experience to them.

When used to express progressive aspect.

Examples:

Present Progressive Tense: He is watching TV.

Past Progressive Tense: He was watching TV.
Present Perfect Progressive: He has been watching TV.
Past Perfect Progressive: He had been watching TV.

When used to express passive voice.

Example: A letter will be written.

WILL

Forms of the verb will, when used form the future tenses.

Examples: He will not play volleyball.

Modal Verbs: A Complete Grammar Guide

about Modal Verb

What are modal verbs? A modal verb might also be referred to as a ‘helping’ verb and
these are very common within the English language. Most people will see the word verb
and think “doing words” because verbs are simply action words that show something
happening in some way. However, reading the above article title might leave you
scratching your head wondering what exactly modal verbs are.
Modal Verb
What is a Modal Verb?
Modal verbs are verbs that act very differently to the one’s you might be thinking of
such as ‘work’, ‘play’, ‘eat’, etc. This is because modal verbs don’t actually describe
action per se, instead they provide information about the function of the verb that is to
follow. Modal verbs always come before a traditional verb, but they explain the
modality of the verb. That sounds pretty confusing, so let’s just break down what
exactly modality is!

Modal verb definition

In English, modal verbs are a small class of auxiliary verbs used to express ability,
permission, obligation, prohibition, probability, possibility, advice.

Modality

This is just what the modal verbs can help explain further for the verb that follows.
These include:

Ability
Permission
Obligation
Prohibition
Probability
Possibility
Advice

These will be better understood in the examples that follow later, but it’s important that
you know them now.

Examples of Modal Verbs

Thankfully, modal verbs are easier to understand with examples, because there is
actually quite a shortlist of these uniquely behaving verbs. Below is a list of modal verbs
in the strictest sense (there are examples of modal auxiliary verbs, but for now they
don’t need to be looked at because our focus today is on modal verbs). Here they are:

Can
Could
May
 Might
Must
Shall
Should
Will
Would

All of these modal verbs must come before a verb to help express at least one of the
modality examples listed above. In some cases, though they can be used to express
more than one modality, but you’ll see more on that in the following section. So, let’s
take a look at some example sentences and highlight how the modal verb is expressing
modality and adding more information to the verbs that follow them.

Examples Sentences Containing Modal Verbs

Read the following examples and explanations carefully. The function and meaning
behind modal verbs are best understood through sentence examples, rather than
explanation, because you can see for yourself how the modal verb is impacting upon
the verb to make the meaning behind the sentence clearer. We don’t have enough room
to look at every modal verb, but we can give you some examples so that you can see
how different modalities are being expressed, and then you will be able to spot them for
yourself in future. Let’s take a look.

Can

‘I can run’ – is an example of the modal verb ‘can’ impacting upon the verb ‘run’. Here
the modality that it is expressing is ability, because the individual is stating that they are
able to run.

‘Can I borrow your trainers?’ – this sentence shows the modal verb ‘can’ impacting upon
the verb ‘borrow’. But, you may notice that the modality is different. This time the
modality expressed is permission, because the individual is seeking permission to
borrow.

‘Running can make you ache’ – again, ‘can’ is impacting upon a new verb, ‘make’. The
modality expressed this time is possibility, because the individual is stating that it is
possible that running can make you ache.

Could

Often ‘could’ can be used to replace can to express modality in a slightly different way.
Look at the first example for can again – if you changed ‘I can run’ to ‘I could run’ you are
still expressing ability, but you are now expressing past ability instead. Try replacing
could in the other two sentences too. You’ll notice that it can still be used to seek
permission, and express possibility, but it just sounds slightly different and may be
interpreted slightly differently by the reader or listener.

May

‘I may swim tomorrow’ – ‘may’ is being used here to express both possibility and
probability. Because it could be both possible and probable that the individual swims
tomorrow.

‘May I swim tomorrow?’ – in this instance we have simply moved the positioning of the
words to create a new sentence. In this case the individual is seeking permission, so the
modality expressed is permission again.

Might

In much the same was as could related to can, might relates to may. Try changing may in
the above sentences, you’ll notice that might and may are interchangeable and both
can be used to express probability, possibility, and permission.

Must

‘You must raise your hand before you speak’ – the modal verb ‘must’ is being used to
express the modality of obligation by impacting upon the verb ‘raise’. The speaker is
telling somebody what they are obliged to do, so must is being used to show that raising
your hand is an obligation.

‘You must not speak out of turn’ – in this sentence by adding the word ‘not’ between the
modal verb and the verb ‘speak’, the modality that is being expressed is prohibition,
because the speaker is telling somebody what they are prohibited from doing.

Should

‘You should sing more often’ – this sentence is used to express the modality of advice.
This is because the modal verb ‘should’ is being used to indicate that somebody is
giving the advice to sing more to somebody else.

‘I should visit my mother’ – interestingly, should can also be used to express the
modality of obligation, but in a slightly weaker sense than ‘must’ above. Here the
speaker is stating that they ‘should’ visit their mother, which hints at an obligation, but
not whether or not they will meet that obligation.

There are many other examples of modal verbs expressing different modalities towards
different verbs, but hopefully this guide has gone some way to helping you understand
modal verbs enough for you to go and use them, identify them, and understand their
purpose in a sentence.

Modal Verbs
In this section, we are going to take a look at the modal verb in a little more detail as well
as some examples of how it can be used, giving you a greater understanding of its
function.

Modal Verbs List

Modal verbs list: the modals and modal phrases (semi-modals) in English are:

Will

Shall

Would

Should

Ought to

Must

Mustn’t

May

Might

Can

Could

Have to/ Has to

Don’t/ Doesn’t have to

Modal Verbs Rules

There are certain rules which surround the use of modal verbs, for example the word ‘to’
must never be used after a modal verb. Learning these rules and how a modal verb can
function within a sentence can greatly help you in forming grammatically correct
sentences.

Will
The verb “will” is used to express:

Promise: Don’t worry, I will be here.

Instant decision: I will take these books with me.
Invitation/Offer: Will you give me a chance?
Certain prediction: John Smith will be the next President.
Future tense auxiliary: Tomorrow I will be in New York.

Shall

The verb “shall” is used to express:

Asking what to do: Shall I get the phone? Or will you?

Offer: Shall I call a cab?
Suggestion: Shall I call again on Thursday?

Would

The verb “would” is used to express:

Asking for permission: Would you mind if I opened the window?

Request: Would you make dinner?
Making arrangements: Would you be available at 6 pm tonight?
Invitation: Would you like to go out sometimes?
Preferences: Would you prefer the window seat or the aisle?

Should

The verb “should” is used to express:

Advice: You should visit your dentist at least twice a year.

Recommending action: You really should go to the new museum on Main Street.
Uncertain prediction: I posted the cheque yesterday so it should arrive this week.
Logical deduction: I’ve revised so I should be ready for the test.

Ought to

The verb “ought to” is used to express:

Advice: You ought to have come to the meeting. It was interesting.

Logical deduction: 30$ ought to be enough for the taxi.

Must
The verb “must” is used to express:

Obligation/necessity: I must memorize all of these rules about tenses.

Deduction: She lied to the police. She must be the murderer.

Mustn’t

The verb “musn’t” (must not) is used to express:

Prohibition: You mustn’t smoke in this restaurant. It’s forbidden.

May

The verb “may” is used to express:

Possibility: Richard may be coming to see us tomorrow.

Ask for permission: May I borrow your dictionary?

Might

The verb “might” is used to express:

Slight possibility: It looks nice, but it might be very expensive.

The past form of “may” in reported speech: The President said he might come.

Can

The verb “can” is used to express:

Ability: David can speak three languages.

Permission (informal): Can I sit in that chair please?
Offers: Can I carry the luggage for you?

Could

The verb “could” is used to express:

Request: Could I borrow your dictionary?

Suggestion: Could you say it again more slowly?
Ability in the past: I think we could have another Gulf War.
Asking for permission: Could I open the window?

Have to/has to

The verb “have to/has to” is used to express:

External Obligation: You have to take off your shoes before you get into the mosque.
Don’t/ Doesn’t have to

“Don’t/Doesn’t have to” is used to express:

Is not necessary: You don’t have to do all the exercises, only the first one.

Verb Forms: What Are the Forms of a Verb

in English?

Verb forms – learn the 5 forms of English verbs. Verbs are like the beating of a heart,
pulsing life into every sentence. The powerhouse of language, they tell us what is
happening, has happened, or will happen to the subject by outlining a physical action
(for example, “run”), a mental action (eg “think”), or a state of being (such as “seem”).

Combining with other parts of speech such as nouns and adjectives to create a rich
tapestry of meaning, verbs are the building blocks of language and allow us to express
complex ideas and emotions with ease. Every sentence contains a verb; communication
without them would be much like a body without a heartbeat – dull and lifeless.

Verb Forms
What Are Verb Forms?
Have you ever stopped to think about the different forms a verb can take? Each conveys
a distinct message about action, time, and space. Take the verb “to run,” for example: “I
run” conveys a simple action while “I am running” indicates that the action is happening
at this precise moment. “I have run” shows that the action took place in the past, and “I
have been running for” conveys that the action began in the past and continues into the
present.

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Why is It Important to Learn Verb Forms?

Have you ever tried to complete a puzzle without all the pieces? At times, learning a new
language can feel just as frustrating. However, what if we told you that understanding
verb forms is the key to unlocking the secrets of language?

We can think of verb forms as the missing pieces of the language learning puzzle
because they provide the context and meaning needed to fully express thoughts and
ideas. Just as a chef carefully selects spices to enhance a dish, verb forms add flavor
and nuance to sentences.

Imagine trying to describe a scene without verbs – the words would lie flat on the page
and lack the excitement of the moment. But with the right verb form, you can paint a
vivid picture of the action taking place: “I walk” is simple, but “I am walking” adds a
sense of ongoing action. “I walked” conveys a completed action, while “I have been
walking” adds a sense of duration to the scene.

Types of Verb Forms

Understanding the variety of verb forms is key to becoming proficient in English.

Apart from To be, all English verbs have five forms: base, third-person singular, present
participle, past simple and past participle. To be, however, has eight forms, namely: be,
am, is, are, was, were, being, and been. In the case of all other verbs, the way in which
the past simple and past participle are formed differs according to whether the verb is
regular or irregular.

Base
The base form of a verb, also known as the infinitive or root form, is the unchanged verb
that describes basic actions and is used to create all other forms of the verb. This
includes variations such as eat, sleep, run, love, drive, clean, speak, and so on. Example:
I eat eggs almost every day.

Third-Person Singular
The third-person singular form is sometimes referred to as the “form and involves
adding “s”, “es”, or “ies” to the base form of the verb. Example: She sleeps in silk
pajamas.

Present Participle
The present participle is more formally known as the gerund and is formed by adding
“_ing” to the base verb. It is used in the past, present and future tenses to show that the
action or state has been, or is, taking place over a prolonged period. Example: He is
running in the field.

Past Simple
The past simple (also known as the simple past), refers to actions and states that have
taken place and have stopped. The past form of regular verbs are created by adding
“ed” (for example, They loved their pet), while irregular verbs, simple past forms can
differ greatly, for example, drive becomes drove, and do becomes did.

Past Participle
The past participle is used to form various tenses, including the passive and perfect
voices. Regular verbs’ past participles and past tense are identical and are constructed
by adding either “d or “ed”, for example, We cleaned the car and We have cleaned the
car. Irregular verbs depart from this rule, so for the verb speak, we see the conjugations
You spoke with the teacher and You have spoken with the teacher.

Conclusion

Don’t underestimate the power of verb forms! The key to unlocking the secrets of
language is just the right verb form away. Verbs are the life force of language, the words
that resonate with energy and meaning. Without them, sentences would be flat,
uninspiring, and meaningless; with them, sentences are transformed into captivating
tales.

The next time you string words together, take a moment to think about the verbs you
use because they are the heartbeat of language and enrich every sentence you craft. So,
learn more, embrace their versatility, and unleash the full potential of your language-
learning journey!

Infinitives: What Is An Infinitive?

Functions & Examples

Infinitives! What is an infinitive? Learn infinitive definition and when to use infinitives in
English with useful grammar rules, video, example sentences, and ESL worksheet.

Table of Contents

What Is An Infinitive?
What is an infinitive? An infinitive is a verbal consisting of to + a verb, and it acts like a
subject, direct object, subject complement, adjective, or adverb in a sentence.
Infinitives are easy to identify because they’re written with to + a verb.

Infinitive examples:
 To give
To run
To wait

Although an infinitive is easy to locate because of the to + verb form, deciding what
function it has in a sentence can sometimes be confusing.

Keep in mind that though infinitives are verbs, they function differently from verbs, and
instead, they act as a noun, adjective, or adverb.

Here are examples:

I desire to study alone.

Here the verb is “desire” and “to study” is the infinitive.

“To study” is the direct object of “desire” since it’s the receiver of the action of the verb.

Here the infinitive functions as a noun.

We can only extend our conversation if we have something in common to share.

It tells more information about the noun “conversation.”

Here conversation can only be extended if there is something common to share.

Here the infinitive “to share” functions as an adjective.

John left school early to join her mum’s birthday celebrations.

“To join” is the infinitive phrase.

The infinitive phrase describes more information as to why John left school early.

In other words, it modifies “left,” which is the verb.

In this sentence, the infinitive acts as an adverb.

Infinitives as Nouns
Keep in mind that a noun can be a person, place, or thing. When used as a subject or
direct object in a sentence, an infinitive phrase acts as a noun. In such a case, the
subject assumes the role of a verb, whereas the direct object is the receiver of the
action of a verb.

Example:

I like to watch movies alone.

Here “like” is the verb.

“To watch” is the infinitive as it receives the action of the verb (to be liked).

“To watch” acts as a direct object of the sentence.

Here, the infinitive acts as a noun that expresses a thought.

To join hands with others is necessary.

In this sentence, “is” is the verb and “to join” is the infinitive as it answers the question
about what is so necessary?

Here the infinitive phrase “to join” is the subject of the sentence.

This is an indication that the infinitive acts as a noun in this example.

Infinitives as Adjectives
An adjective is a word that describes more information about a noun. An infinitive act as
an adjective if it modifies or describes a noun in a sentence.

Example:

Joyce needs a table to read on.

Here “needs” is the verb, and “table” is the subject (noun).

“To read” is the infinitive, and it acts as an adjective.

Infinitives as Adverbs
An adverb is a word that modifies or describes an adjective, verb, or an adverb. It
provides additional information regarding an adjective, verb, or adverb. At times,
adverbs can answer the question “why.”

Here is an example:

The mourners were surprised to hear that the deceased had resurrected.

Here “to hear” is the infinitive. It gives additional information about the adjective
“surprised.”

When to Use Infinitives?

We use the infinitive:
To Indicate the Purpose of an Action
Infinitive examples:

He bought some flowers to give to his wife.

I will lock the door to prevent theft.

As the Subject of the Sentence

Examples:

To wait seemed foolish when decisive action was required.

To swim in that sea may be dangerous.

As the Direct Object of the Sentence

Infinitive examples:

I like to write in English.

Everyone wanted to go.

As Subject Complement
Examples:

His ambition is to fly.

What is essential is to maintain a healthy diet.

As an Adjective
Infinitive verb examples:

This is the best time to practice.

I have some jeans to wash.

As an Adverb
Examples:

We must carefully observe to understand.

I can’t wait to see.

After an Adjective
Subject + to be + adjective + (for/of someone) + to-infinitive + (rest of sentence)
Examples:

It is important to be patient.
It is wonderful to have close friends.

After an Object that Is a Noun or Pronoun Referring to a

Person
Infinitive examples:

Can I ask you to help me with something?

I invited a friend to attend the ceremony.

Used with the Question Word

Examples:

Do you understand what to do?

Tell me when to press the button.

Gerunds: What Is A Gerund? Useful List &

Examples

Gerunds! What is a gerund? Learn how and when to use Gerunds in English with useful
grammar rules, example sentences.

What Is A Gerund?
What is a gerund? Gerunds are verbals that function as nouns and have an –ing ending.

Gerund examples:

I am waiting. (Present Participle)

(This is the present continuous. “Waiting” here is part of the verb. It is not a gerund.)

I don’t like waiting. (Gerund)

(This is present simple, but it contains a gerund. “Waiting” is the direct object of this
sentence.)

How to Use Gerunds with Examples

The gerund form of verbs is used as follows:

The Gerund Can be Used as Subject of a Sentence

Examples:

Writing in English is difficult.

Watching TV is my favorite pastime.

The Gerund Can be Used as Direct Object of a Sentence

Examples:

I like writing in English.

I love going out to restaurants.

The Gerund Can be Used as a Subject Complement

Gerunds Examples:

My cat’s favorite activity is sleeping.

One of his duties is doing homework.

The Gerund Can be Used as an Object of a Preposition

Gerunds examples:

We shall be interested in hearing your comments.

Would you like to walk instead of taking the bus?

The Gerund Can be Used after Certain Expressions

It’s no use, it’s no good, there’s no point in…

Gerunds examples:

It’s no use tying it; you have to glue it.

There’s no point in wasting time.

Gerunds Examples
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Verbs Followed by Gerunds List

Learn useful list of Verbs Followed by Gerunds in English with example sentences.

Miss

He had missed being elected by a single vote.

Postpone

He postponed returning to Paris.

Practice

Today we’re going to practice parking.

Prefer

Chantal prefers travelling by train.

Quit

She quits worrying about the problem.

Recall

I don’t recall seeing any cars parked outside.

Recollect

I recollect seeing Ryder some years ago in Bonn.

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Recommend

I would never recommend using a sunbed on a regular basis.

Regret
I regret leaving school so young.

Resent

Many conscripts resent having to do their military service.

Resist

She can never resist buying new shoes.

Risk

He risked being caught.

Sanction

They will not sanction copying without permission.

Start

He started tipping the pea pods into a pan.

Stop

I hoped he would stop asking awkward questions.

Suggest

Tracey suggested meeting for a drink after work.

Tolerate

We don’t tolerate smoking in the library.

Try

They decided they would try living in America for a while.

Participles: What Is A Participle? Present &

Past Participle

Participles! What is a participle? Learn participle definition and how to use Present Participle
and Past Participle in English with examples and ESL worksheets.
What is a Participle?
What is a participle? A participle is a verbal that is used as an adjective and most often ends in -
ing or -ed. They function as adjectives, thus participles modify nouns or pronouns.

There are two participles: The present participle and the past participle. They can both be used
as adjectives.

The Present participle, always ending in -ing.

Present participle examples:

A crying baby

The smiling girl is my sister.

The past participles of all regular verbs end in -ed. For example:

Harry has worked in this company for 5 years

Irregular verbs, however, have various past participle endings – for instance, thrown, ridden,
built, and gone

Present Participle
Present participle, always ending in -ing, is created from the form of a verb used with the verb
to be (am, is, are, was, were, been) as an auxiliary verb (progressive tense).

The Present participle is used:

As a part of the continuous form of a verb

They are playing football at the moment.

He is reading a book.

As an adjective

A crying baby

The smiling girl is my sister.

As a gerund

Mary is interested in reading books.

After verbs of perception

I saw them crossing the street.

I could hear them playing in the garden.

With the verbs: Spend & Waste: verb + time/money expression + present participle

Don’t waste time playing computer games!

I’ve spent the whole weekend revising for my exam.

With the verbs Catch & Find: verb + object + present participle

(With catch, the participle always refers to an action which causes annoyance or anger. This is
not the case with find, which is unemotional.)

Don’t let him catch you reading his letters.

I found him sitting on a park bench reading a book.

For two actions at the same time

He left the room laughing.

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NOTE: You may be thinking that present participles look just like gerunds because they are
verbs ending in -ing, but the big difference is that gerunds are used like nouns, while present
participles are used as adjectives to modify nouns or pronouns.

Past Participle
The past participles of all regular verbs end in -ed. Irregular verbs, however, have various past
participle endings – for instance, thrown, ridden, built, and gone.

The Past Participle is used:

As an adjective

A broken vase

Spoken words cannot be revoked.

With the auxiliary verb “have” to form the perfect aspect

Harry has worked in this company for 5 years.

When I came, he had left.

With the verb “be” to form the passive

This house was built in 1815.

The book was given to me.

To make one of the past forms for the modal verbs (modal auxiliaries). These forms use a
modal + have + the past participle.

The police could have charged them with threatening behaviour.

I should have finished by the middle of the week.

Used to replace a “subject+passive verb” construction

She entered, accompanied by her daughters.

Used after Want, Make, Have and Like+direct object

I want this text translated by noon.

He made his presence felt.

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Present Participle vs. Past Participle

Learn the differences between present participle and past participle with examples.

The present participle has an active meaning:

He found the house burning.

The past participle has a passive meaning:

He found the house burned.

The past participle is active in such examples:

A retired teacher

The fallen angels

An escaped prisoner.

The present participle is used to replace constructions of the type “subject+active verb”:

He opens the door and looks inside → Opening the door, he looks inside.

The past participle is used to replace constructions of the type “subject+passive verb”:

She entered and she was accompanied by her daughters → She entered, accompanied by
her daughters.

In nominative absolute constructions:

The present participle is used if the absolute phrase is active:

The weather being fine, nobody wanted to stay at home.

The past participle is used if the absolute construction is passive:

All things considered,/This done, I think we should start immediately.

Causative Verbs in English: Let, Make,

Have, Get

Causative Verbs! What is a causative verb? The causative verb is an excellent way of creating
a much more detailed sentence when speaking or writing in the English language. This type of
verb is used to talk about an action performed by another person to you or someone else. This
might sound like a complicated process but it is in fact, quite easy to master.

In this section, we are going to be looking at the causative verb in a lot more detail allowing you
to grow your vocabulary and form much more grammatically correct sentences.

What Is A Causative Verb?

What is a causative verb? The causative verb is a common structure in English. It shows that
somebody or something is indirectly responsible for an action. The most common causative
verbs are Make, Get, Have, Let.

Causative Verb Examples:

Why did you let him swear at you like that?

He made his son clean his room.
I had Peter fix my car.
We couldn’t get her to sign the agreement.

Causative Verbs List

Learn how to use English Causative Verbs (Let, Make, Have, Get) with useful rules, video,
examples and ESL worksheet.

Have
Form: Subject + Have + Person + Base Form of Verb
This construction means “to authorize someone to do something”.

Examples:

The president had his secretary make copies of the report.

I’ll have Hudson show you to your room.

Get
Form: Subject + Get + Person + To + Verb

This construction usually means “to convince someone to do something” or “to trick someone
into doing something.”

Examples:

The students got the teacher to dismiss class early.

We couldn’t get him to sign the agreement.

Make
Form: Subject + Make + Person + Base Form of Verb

This construction means “to force or require someone to take an action“.

Examples:

My parents always make me do my homework before I go out.

It seems unfair on him to make him pay for everything.

Let
Form: Subject + Let + Person + Base Form of Verb

This construction means “to allow someone to do something.”

Examples:

I don’t let my kids watch violent movies.

If you need any help, let me know.

Move up, John, and let the lady sit down.

Have Something Done vs. Get Something Done

HAVE is slightly more formal than GET in “Have something done” and “Get something done”.

“Have something done” Examples:

I had my hair cut last Saturday.

She had the car washed at the weekend.

“Get something done” Examples:

I really must get my eyes tested. I´m sure I need glasses.

She got her hair cut.

Stative Verb: Definition, List and Examples

of Stative Verbs
Last updated on February 27, 2023 by 7ESL

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Stative Verbs (State Verbs)! What is a stative verb? When you are looking to refer to a state of
being rather than an actual physical action, you will need to employ the use of a stative verb.
This is something that is very common in the English language and is an important aspect of
grammar to have in your arsenal.

In this section, we are going to be looking at what a stative verb is, how it functions and a
variety of examples to further show how they are used. This will enable you to form more
complex sentences and begin to sound much more fluent in your conversations and writing.

Table of Contents

What is a Stative Verb?

What is a stative verb? In English grammar, a “stative verb” means that the verb describes a
state rather than an action.

Stative verbs are sometimes known as “state verbs.”

Look at these state verb examples:

I hate this song.

The report contains a great deal of statistical information.
I appreciate John’s helping in time.
I want you to meet my parents.
The above examples describe someone or something’s state of being in a particular situation.
These verbs often describe states that last for some time.

Another point to remember is that stative verbs are not used in continuous tenses (like the
present continuous, or the future continuous).

For example, you might say the following with a non-stative verb:

The two children are walking side by side.

However using the same form for a stative verb is incorrect:

I hating being treated as an invalid.

Instead, you’d simply use the present form:

I hate being treated as an invalid.

List of Stative Verbs

Learn a useful list of stative verbs in English with example sentences and ESL picture.

State Verbs of Possession

have
own
possess
lack
consist
involve
include
contain

State Verbs of Mental States

know

believe

understand

doubt

think (have an opinion)

suppose
recognise

forget

remember

imagine

mean

agree

disagree

deny

promise

satisfy

realise

appear

astonish

please

impress

surprise

concern

State Verbs of Emotions

Love

Like

Dislike

Hate

Adore

Prefer

Care for

Mind
Want

Need

Desire

Wish

Hope

Appreciate

Value

State Verbs of Senses

Sound
Hear
Smell
See
Taste
Touch
Feel
Look

Stative Verb of Measure, Cost and others

cost
measure
weigh
owe
seem
fit
depend
matter

Dynamic Verbs: Verbs Can be Both Stative

and Dynamic Verbs

Stative and Dynamic Verbs! What is a dynamic verb? learn list of verbs that can be both stative
and dynamic verbs with examples and ESL pictures.
Verbs in English can be classified into two categories: stative and dynamic verbs.

Table of Contents

Dynamic Verbs
What is a dynamic verb? In English grammar, a “dynamic verb” means that the verb describes
an action rather than a state. In contrast, a “stative verb” means that the verb describes a
state rather than an action.

Dynamic verbs are sometimes known as “action verbs.”

Dynamic verb examples:

She acts as a teacher in this movie.

He ran up to get his schoolbag.
He ate a whole pot of jam.

Pin

Verbs Can be Both Stative and Dynamic Verbs

Some verbs can function as BOTH stative verbs and dynamic verbs:

Look
Stative:

You look fantastic in that dress.

Dynamic:

She is looking at her reflection in the mirror.

Appear
Stative:

He appears to be unhappy.

Dynamic:

She was appearing in concert at Carnegie Hall.

Think
Stative:
I think that Mr. Peter is a good teacher.

Dynamic:

I am thinking about my family right now.

Feel
Stative:

I feel that we ought to accept his proposal.

Dynamic:

I’m feeling a bit dozy this afternoon.

Have
Stative:

They have a Mercedes Benz.

Dynamic:

We’re having a party on Saturday.

See
Stative:

Do you see that bird?

Dynamic:

The doctor is seeing a patient now.

Taste
Stative:

Mmm! This tastes good!

Dynamic:

My mother is tasting the potato soup.

Smell
Stative:
The stew smells delicious.

Dynamic:

Ann is smelling the perfume to see if she wants to buy it.

Be
Stative:

He is immature.

Dynamic:

He is being immature.

Weigh
Stative:

The suitcase weighs 20 pounds.

Dynamic:

The butcher is weighing the meat on the scale.

Measure
Stative:

The surfboard measures 2 meters by 55 centimeters.

Dynamic:

The architects were measuring the distance between the pillars.

Mind
Stative:

I don’t mind if we watch a movie tonight.

Dynamic:

I’m not being nosy. I’m minding my own business.

Action Verb | Examples of Action Verbs
Used in English Grammar
March 1, 2021 by 7ESL

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Lights, Camera, Action Verbs! English can feel overwhelming sometimes, but breaking it down
into smaller pieces makes it easier to manage! Verbs are one of the most important parts of
English. Some of the most basic sentences are made up of a subject and a verb, and the
subject can even just be implied sometimes. For example, “Go,” is a complete sentence, with
“You” as the implied subject.

This lesson focuses specifically on action verbs.

Table of Contents

Action Verb
What Is An Action Verb?
A verb is a word that tells what’s being done in a sentence. An action verb is a verb that shows
action. Most verbs that people think about when they name verbs are action verbs. Other types
of verbs include linking verbs and helping verbs, both of which tend to have smaller parts in
sentences. Action verbs are the ones that really tell what’s happening. Action verbs are the
ones that show what a person or animal is doing.

Why Learn Action Verbs?

Action verbs exist everywhere, so they’re very important to know. They’re all over, in many
sentences, including ones in this lesson. Learning to use them, and learning to use them
correctly, is a fantastic way to improve your English and expand your vocabulary.

Action Verbs
There are two types of action verbs: transitive and intransitive. These are determined by how
the verb is used more than by what the verb is.

Transitive Action Verbs

Transitive action verbs tell what the subject of a sentence does to the object of a sentence. A
good little trick for remembering this is that transitive verbs transfer the action.

Here are some examples of transitive action verbs in sentences:

The cat ate the food.

You could say, “The food was eaten by the cat.” This would be passive voice, but it’s a good
way to spot a transitive verb, because it’s doing something to the object.

The child reads a book.

The princess kisses a frog.

Intransitive Action Verbs

With intransitive verbs, the verb only tells what the subject is doing. The sentence doesn’t need
an object, and any extra description still applies to the subject and verb.

Here are some examples of intransitive action verbs in sentences:

The boy whispered with caution.

Unlike the transitive verbs, this one doesn’t have an object that the verb is affecting. Even
though the sentence goes on past the verb, “with caution” only describes how the boy
whispered, not to whom he was whispering.

The dog barked.

The student laughed gleefully.

Action Verbs List

There are too many different action verbs to list in a single lesson, but what follows is a list of
many different action verbs.

Go

Stop

Run

Walk

Jump

Swim

Dig

Throw
Catch

Sleep

Play

Avoid

Dress

Undress

Look

Purr

Bark

Whisper

Shout

Overwhelm

Break

Fix

Repair

Make

Imply

Infer

Create

Destroy

Learn

Forget

Sing

Dance

Jog

Drive
Pack

Arrive

Leave

Stay

Lift

Drop

Fall

Give

Take

Lie

Roll

Slide

Kick

Poke

Smile

Frown

Action Verb Tenses

Now that you’ve looked at some of the different action verbs, it’s important to learn how to use
them in different tenses. There are actually twelve different tenses in English. The three
simplest and most common are what we’re going to focus on here: past simple, present simple,
and future simple. People often refer to these as just past, present, and future tense.

Regular Verbs
Let’s start with the action verb “jump.” “Jump” is a regular verb, which means it’s a verb that
follows the standard rules for conjugation. The easiest is usually present tense since that can
match the infinitive. An infinitive is when the verb has “to” in front of it, so here, it’s “to jump.”
The present tense for “jump” is “jump.”

Past tense on a regular verb means adding “-ed” to the end of the word. In this case, we get
“jumped.”

For future tense, we need a helping verb, usually “will,” to tell us that it’s happening in the
future. This turns “jump” into “will jump.”

Ready to see these in action?

Past: I jumped into the pool.

Present: I jump into the pool.
Future: I will jump into the pool.

Keep in mind that the verbs can also change based on who is doing them.

Past: I jumped, he jumped, they jumped.

Present: I jump, he jumps, they jump.
Future: I will jump, he will jump, they will jump.

As you can see, many of them stay the same in regular action verbs, but the present tense for
third-person singular nouns (he, she, it) changes slightly, so it’s important to know who is doing
the action if you’re making a complete sentence.

Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs are tricky because they have no real pattern. Some irregular verbs may work the
same way as other irregular verbs, but that doesn’t mean they all follow the same rules. That’s
why they’re called irregular. Basically, to properly turn irregular verbs into past, present, and
future tenses, you’ll need to memorize the tenses for that particular verb.

This doesn’t mean it has to be overwhelming! It might take a minute, but most English speakers
will know what you are trying to say if you treat an irregular verb like it’s a regular one. They
might correct you or need to clarify, so this isn’t a permanent solution, but it helps take some of
the stress off while still learning.

An example of an irregular action verb is “drive.” Here’s what “drive” looks like in different
tenses:

Past: I drove, he drove, they drove.

Present: I drive, he drives, they drive.
Future: I will drive, he will drive, they will drive.

Other Tenses
The other tenses that action verbs can take have less to do with the verb and more to do with
what’s added to it. As a quick reference, these will include first person examples using the
action verb “jump.”

Present Continuous/Progressive: I am jumping.

Present Perfect: I have jumped.
Present Perfect Continuous/Progressive: I have been jumping.
Past Continuous/Progressive: I was jumping.
Past Perfect: I had jumped.
Past Perfect Continuous/Progressive: I had been jumping.
Future Continuous/Progressive: I will be jumping.
Future Perfect: I will have jumped.
Future Perfect Continuous/Progressive: I will have been jumping.

These are less common and for more complicated situations, and it’s good to study them when
you’re ready to study tenses in further depth.

What Is A Linking Verb? Linking Verbs List

with Useful Examples

Linking Verbs
We use many parts of speech in language to express our ideas. In English, verbs are used to
express actions. Even though verbs have one job, they can perform it in a variety of ways. For
example:

Mary picked a bouquet of flowers.

Here “Mary’ is the subject of the sentence, “picked” is the verb, and “a bouquet of flowers” is
the object. This type of verb is known as an action verb. Action verbs are popular in writing
because they sound direct. Alternatively, we can use a different form of the verb like this:

Mary is picking a bouquet of flowers.

“Mary” is still the subject, but “is picking” sounds more like a state of being than just the action
itself. “A bouquet of flowers” is still our object. This is a gerund, presenting Mary as currently
doing the action now. We can also use verbs to associate the subject of a sentence to a specific
identity. When used this way, they are called linking verbs.
What Is A Linking Verb?
Linking verbs, also called copulas or copula verbs, connect the subject of a sentence with an
adjective, noun, or descriptive phrase. To distinguish a copula verb remember that they do not
indicate action in a sentence. Rather they describe a state of being, a result, or one of the five
senses. In other words, linking verbs do not have an object.

In grammar we understand that the object is whatever is receiving the action of the subject.
Since linking verbs do not suggest action, there is no receiver. Instead, what follows a linking
verb is known as the subject complement.

Subject Complement

The subject complement is the descriptive word or phrase that the linking verb connects to the
subject of the sentence. It can be a noun, adjective, or phrase. Generally, the structure of a
sentence with a linking verb will be:

(Subject) + Linking Verb + Subject Complement

Let’s take a look at a quick example:

Example 1: Harold is sleepy.

“Harold” would be the subject, “is” would be the linking verb, and “sleepy” would be the subject
complement. Notice how “is” refers to Harold’s state of being, rather than an action he is
performing.

Example 2: Everything seemed normal.

This example is very similar to the first sentence. “Everything” is the subject, “seemed” is our
linking verb, and “normal” is the subject complement, describing “Everything.”

Starting to get it? How about this next one:

Example 3: Ice feels cold to the touch.

“Ice” is the subject here, “feels” becomes our copula verb, and the phrase “cold to the touch”
would be our subject complement. Working with linking verbs really is that painless.

List of Linking Verbs

These are a few common linking verbs found in English:

appear

look

seem
indicates

grow

go

stay

remain

smell

taste

feel

sound

fall

get

come

become

prove

act

is/was/will be

Some of these verbs can be used as action verbs. It’s important to be able to distinguish
between action verbs and linking verbs so you can understand what the author is trying to
convey.

Testing for Linking Verbs

Remember that linking verbs are themselves not action words. Compare the usage of
“appeared” in both the sentences below:

Sentence A: Daisy appeared onstage in a princess’s attire.

Sentence B: Daisy appeared troubled by the commentator’s remark.

In both A and B, “Daisy” is our subject.

Look at how “appeared” is being used in sentence A. It’s describing an action that Daisy has
accomplished. “Onstage” is where Daisy appeared, and the prepositional phrase afterwards
adds some more detail of the scene.
However, “appeared” in sentence B is describing Daisy’s current state of being, how she is
perceived by others. The subject complement, “troubled” describes more about how Daisy
appears.

A simple way to identify a linking verb is to replace the verb in question with “seems.” If the idea
makes sense, then the verb is a copula; if not, then the verb is something else. Let’s try this
technique with the above sentences:

Sentence A: Daisy seems onstage in a princess’s attire.

Sentence B: Daisy seems troubled by the commentator’s remark.

Although sentence A makes sense grammatically when we use “seems,” this verb is not a
linking verb because “onstage” is not modifying Daisy’s identity. Instead “onstage” is a location
and Daisy took action, or “appeared”, to get there, which is the proper idea of sentence A. With
sentence B, the original idea of the sentence is kept intact. “Seems” links Daisy’s state of
being to “troubled.”.

This is an easy way to identify what you should be looking for after the verb. For more complex
sentences, you can replace the verb with any of the linking verbs from the list above and read
to see if it clarifies its status.

Try it out

Now’s the time to practice what you have learned so far. See if you can identify which words in
the following sentences are the subject, the linking verb, and what the subject complement
is. Check the end of the article for the answers.

A. Our backyard became a playground for the children’s entertainment.

B. The speaker appeared confident but stumbled on her points.
C. Jackie became a master at dancing because he practiced every day.
D. Mistletoe Jack was a very mild-tempered fellow.
E. Distilled water tastes refreshing and clean.
F. Even after all the training, the final physical exam remains a challenge to the veterans.

Practice with finding out whether the verb is a linking verb first, then find the subject
complement. If you can do this, you’ll feel more confident in reading and writing in one of the
hardest languages to learn.

Answers

A: “backyard” = subject; “became” = linking verb; “playground” = subject complement

B: “speaker” = subject; “appeared” = linking verb; “confident” = subject complement
C. “Jackie” = subject; “became” = linking verb; “a master at dancing” = subject complement
D: “Mistletoe Jack” = subject; “was” = linking verb; “a mild-tempered fellow” = subject
complement
E. “water” = subject; “tastes” = linking verb; “refreshing and clean” = subject complement
 F. “exam” = subject; “remains” = linking verb; “a challenge” = subject complement

Finite Verbs & Non-finite Verbs: Useful

Rules & Examples

Finite Verbs
A finite verb is controlled by the number of the subject. If the subject is singular, the verb is
singular. If the subject is plural, the verb is plural.

Finite verb Examples:

The girl runs slowly. (Subject is singular)

The girls run slowly. (Subject is plural)

A finite verb is controlled by the person.

Examples:

I visit my grandparents at least once a month. (I – First Person)

She visits her grandparents at least once a month. (She – Third Person)

A finite verb is controlled by the tense. It can be in the past, present or future tense.

Examples:

Mary studies Spanish. (Present Tense)

Mary studied Spanish. (Past Tense)

Non-finite Verbs
A non-finite verb is not controlled by the number, person and tense of the subject.

Examples:

I enjoy shopping for clothes and shoes.

You enjoy shopping for clothes and shoes.

They enjoy shopping for clothes and shoes.

(The verb shopping remains unchanged whatever be the person, number and tense of the
subject.)
 Non-finite verbs are of three kinds: Infinitives, Participles or Gerunds.

Examples:

She can’t go out . (Zero Infinitive)

I want to go to the cinema. (To-Infinitive)

I like going to the cinema. (Gerund)

I wish I had gone to university. (Past Participle)

I’m going to a concert tonight. (Present Participle)

Transitive Verb: Definition, Types of

Transitive Verbs with Useful Examples

Transitive Verb
Transitive Verb Definition
Every verb that accepts one or multiple objects in a grammatical structure, more often than not
a sentence, is called a transitive verb. Like any other thing in nature or in grammar, transitive
verbs have their opposite mirror image, the intransitive verbs. These types of verbs have a long
tradition. They were first discovered and regularly used in ancient times. The first grammarian
or philosophical school that studied them and used them regularly were the Stoics of Ancient
Rome and Athens. Those are verbs that do have objects in their grammatical structures.

A basic example of a verb discussed above would be:

Maya sent candy from Switzerland

My mother took me to the ZOO last week.

Types of Transitive Verbs

Based on the number of objects that they need, they can be separated into a few categories.

Monotransitive Verbs

The first ones that we are going to talk about are monotransitive. The monotransitive verb is a
type of verb that only comes with two arguments, a subject, and a direct object.
An example of a monotransitive verb would be:

He accomplished his mission in life.

They finished cleaning their room.
They are maintaining a romantic relationship.
The match ended after overtime.

Ditransitive Verbs

Verbs that come with two arguments, or two objects, one direct and one indirect are called
ditransitive verbs. The most used verb of this kind in the English language is probably the verb
give.

Examples of a ditransitive would be:

He told Jennifer his darkest secret.

Mark passed Joseph his cigarette.
He is baking Ronda something delicious
I am mailing my girlfriend the romantic poetry I wrote for her.
The bank granted him a massive loan.

This type of verb can also come in a lot of passive voice sentences, not only active ones. For
example:

The toys were given to us by the Red Cross.

Another kind of ditransitive verb is the attributive ditransitive verb. These kinds of verbs attribute
a single object to each other. Examples of such verbs would be:

The United States made George Bush Senior the President.

We will name her Sarah, after her late grandmother.

Tritransitive Verbs

Verbs that have three objects in their grammatical structures are called tritransitive verbs.
Since there are not three different kinds of objects in the English language, this type of verb
structure uses, an indirect, a direct and a prepositional phrase to form this type of structure.
There is still debate in the field of language studies as to this definition. Many still think that this
type of verb doesn’t really belong to the translative verb family. Since we respect all sides of the
coin, we have decided to include it in our article. In addition, clauses that behave like a
grammatical argument can also be sued to form this type of verb structure.

Examples of tritransitive verbs would be:

I will trade you my share in the company for your share in the hotel business out west.
I bet that you that he will not accomplish the task at hand.
Pseudo-transitive Verbs

In the case that a prepositional phrase alone acts like a or similar to an object, some grammar
experts call that structure a pseudo-transitive. They are more common in other languages, and
not English. In some cases, one could combine a single direct object with a prepositional
phrase. Some call that type of construction a complex transitive. This type of structure can be
created with not just prepositional phrases but also dependent clauses etc. Grammarians still
debate if these structures should and could be included in this family of verbs.

Intransitive Verbs
The contrast to transitive verbs, as we have mentioned earlier, are intransitive verbs. Those are
the kinds of verbs that do not necessitate objects. Another key to recognizing those types of
verbs is that they are primary action verbs. Examples of such verbs and their sentences would
be:

Anna went home.

Derrick swims.
John dies at the end.
The dog lies in front of the house.
Children sit in the classroom.

Ambitransitive Verbs
There are verbs that go both ways, verbs that can be both intransitive and transitive. We call
such verbs ambitransitive. The verb usually associated with being ambitransitive is to eat.

She eats – Would be intransitive

She eats oranges that she helped pick three days ago at her grandparents’ farm. – This
would be transitive.

Intransitive Verb: Definition, Types and

Useful Examples of Intransitive Verbs

Intransitive Verb
Intransitive Verb Definition
An intransitive verb is a verb that can express a complete thought without necessarily exerting
its action on an object. A sentence composed of the intransitive verb does not have any single
word that describes the object that received the action of the verb.

Intransitive verbs are either followed by a word or phrase, and such words or phrases typically
answer the question “how”? Intransitive verbs don’t require a direct object to express a
complete thought. The following is an example in a sentence:

She moved on.

Here the subject is “she” and the intransitive verb is “moved on”. You can add an adverb such
as “immediately” to describe how she moved on, and it’s still not a complex sentence.

They jumped.

Here the subject is “they” is followed by the intransitive verb is “jumped”. You can add an
adverb phrase “so high” to describe how they jumped.

Intransitive Verbs and Prepositions

A prepositional phrase or an adverb comes after an intransitive verb in a sentence to add more
information to the thought being expressed. A noun no longer follows intransitive verbs because
it acts as an object.

Examples of prepositions that follow intransitive verbs include:

She was brought up on a ranch.

In this sentence “on a ranch” is not a direct object but a prepositional phrase. “On” is a
preposition that tells more information about the prepositional phrase.

He grew up to be a preacher.

Here the prepositional phrase is “to be a preacher” and “grew up” is the intransitive verb.

He sat at the bank of the river.

He trained before it rained.

“On the bank of the river” is a prepositional phrase that answers the question “Where did he
sit?”. “Before it rained” is a prepositional phrase that describes when he trained.

Common Intransitive Verbs

Based on their usage, verbs can be transitive or intransitive. It is rare to find a sentence
composed of intransitive and transitive verbs. An example of this might be:

She sang a song.

 She sang for hours.

Both sentences use transitive and intransitive verbs forms of the verb “sang.” Most English
verbs often occur in an intransitive form, like continue, smile, arrive, occur, happen, etc.

These verbs occur in an intransitive form.

The phrase “occur in an intransitive form” is a good example of a prepositional phrase following
an intransitive verb.

Intransitive Verbs vs. Transitive Verbs

How to differentiate transitive verbs from intransitive verbs?

A transitive verb exerts its action on a direct object to express a complete thought. A direct
object is the recipient of the action, and it can be either a word or a phrase. These objects
answer the question “what?”. Let’s look at the examples of sentences with direct objects:

I saw a lion in action many years ago

Here the verb “saw” comes after the subject “I.” In such a case, we can ask the question “saw
what?” and find the answer to the question. Here the subject saw the lion. “Saw” therefore
qualifies to be a transitive verb.

Let’s consider the following contrasting example:

I saw out the bin.

Here we don’t know what the subject saw. There is no direct object in the sentence, and this
makes “saw” qualify as an intransitive verb.

We renovated the old bathroom.

Here “old bathroom” is a direct object which makes “renovated” a transitive verb. In this
sentence we can find an answer to the question “what was renovated?” and in this case, the
answer is “old bathroom”. For instance, consider the following contrasting sentence “They
renovated all day.” Renovated what? That sentence does not provide an answer to what was
renovated, thereby making “renovated” an intransitive verb.

It’s straightforward to identify a transitive verb and intransitive verb in a sentence since they are
opposite of each other. Transitive verbs are followed by direct objects which may be a noun or a
phrase, unlike intransitive verbs which do not contain a direct object. Intransitive verbs are
complete on their own, unlike transitive verbs which require to exert their action on a direct
object to express a complete thought.

Transitive and intransitive verbs are a bit confusing to even writers themselves. This leads to
incomplete or unclear sentences. Proper use of these verbs is crucial in your writing is essential
to your target readers. This will help them to understand the message you are trying to convey
and even encourage them to read more of your content.

Verb Phrase: Definition, Functions and

Useful Examples

Verb Phrase
What Is a Verb Phrase?
Verbs are words that are used to describe an action, like swim, drive, teach, and walk. A
sentence can only be considered complete it has at least one verb. The verb can either be an
action verb or a linking verb that links the sentence subject to additional information regarding
the subject. The information tells more about the subject.

Active verbs are used to demonstrate doable activities, whereas linking verbs define conditions.
The illustrated by the following examples:

She teaches English lessons.

He drives to school every day.
James seems angry.
The boy was thoroughly beaten.

Here the first two examples comprise of active verbs, i.e., “teaches” and “drives.” The other two
examples comprise of linking verbs.

Verb phrases move the verb one step further by including the verb, complement, adverb, or
object. A verb phrase like “He was walking quickly to the bank” has a verb (walking) and a
compliment (to the bank).

Functions of Verb Phrases

A verb phrase can also be defined as part of a clause or sentence comprising a verb and, at the
same time, describes more information about the subject. It can also be described as a phrase
that acts as an adverb or adjective and comprises a verb and its complements, which may be
either modifiers or objects.

As a Predicate of the Sentence

Let’s look at some of the examples of verb phrase where the verb phrase functions as a
predicate of a sentence. Here, the verb phrase comprises of the main verb and auxiliary verbs
(also known as helping verbs).

He was walking quickly to the bank.

He should wait before he can practice driving.
You must wash your clothes now.
The graduate is writing a CV.
These shoes may be worth thousands of dollars.
Those employees are not trying very hard.
James might eat chapatti.

As an Adverb or Adjective

Verb phrases with a single function can either act as an adverb or an adjective. The phrase
would comprise of verb, modifiers, complements, or even objects. This is illustrated in the
following examples:

At last, we can afford to buy a brand new car.

The brown boy was reluctant to learn new English terms.
David opened the window to let in the fresh air.
When he comes, we will visit my dad.
To send money, you need some credit in your account.
As the teacher watched, two boys fought over a book.
Walking in the rain, James slipped and fell.

Categories of the Verb Phrase

Verb phrase comes in two categories; finite and non-infinite verb phrase. Let’s define the two.

Finite Verb Phrase

A verb phrase is said to be finite if there is only one verb phrase in a sentence. The head verb,
which is categorized as finite, can either be in the present or past tense. For example:

Every Sunday morning, I go to church.

Non-infinite Verb Phrase

This kind of verb phrase has the head verb as an infinitive, participle, and can even be a
gerund.

An example of this might be:

She is witnessing the two fights.

Typical Applications of the Verb Phrase
In spite of being sick, he went to school.

Here “went” is the verb phrase.

We are going with her to church.

Here “are going” is the verb phrase.

Helen may need our support to raise the hospital bill.

Here the verb phrase is “may need”.

Her hobby is traveling overseas.

“is traveling” is the verb phrase, and “overseas” is the complement of the subject.

He is concerned about learning new languages.

Here “is concerned” is the verb phrase acts as a compliment of the objective phrase “about
learning new languages.”

Verb Exercises
Verb Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
1. I like __________ (swim) early in the morning.
2. It’s important __________ (be) polite to everyone.
3. The children were excited __________ (see) the parade.
4. She has been __________ (read) that novel for a week now.
5. We plan __________ (start) our journey at dawn.
6. The athletes are __________ (train) for the upcoming Olympics.
7. __________ (not enter) the room without knocking.
8. Having __________ (complete) his homework, he went out to play.
9. The building __________ (construct) last year is now open.
10. I can’t help __________ (feel) a bit nervous before the interview.
11. They are considering __________ (move) to a new city.
12. The cake needs __________ (cool) before we can decorate it.
13. I remember __________ (meet) her at the conference last year.
14. The documentary was __________ (fascinate) from start to finish.
15. To __________ (win) the championship is his ultimate dream.
16. __________ (drive) in heavy traffic can be very stressful.
17. The teacher encouraged the students __________ (participate) in the discussion.
18. The curtains need __________ (wash) soon; they’re getting dusty.
19. She avoided __________ (answer) the question directly.
20. __________ (learn) a new language is always a rewarding experience.

Answers:

swimming (Gerund) moving (Gerund)

to be (Infinitive) to cool (Infinitive)
to see (Infinitive) meeting (Gerund)
reading (Present Participle) fascinating (Present Participle)
to start (Infinitive) win (Infinitive)
training (Present Participle) Driving (Gerund)
Do not enter (Imperative Finite Verb) to participate (Infinitive)
completed (Past Participle) to be washed / washing (Infinitive or
constructed (Past Participle) Gerund)
feeling (Gerund) answering (Gerund)
Learning (Gerund)

Verb Exercise 2: Identifying Different Types of Verbs

1. She runs every morning before breakfast.
2. The cake smells delicious.
3. He has finished his homework.
4. The children were playing in the park.
5. She is a talented musician.
6. They can perform well under pressure.
7. The dog barked loudly last night.
8. The soup tastes too salty.
9. She will be attending the conference next week.
10. The audience was captivated by the performance.
11. He does not understand the question.
12. The flowers look beautiful in the spring.
13. They have been waiting for over an hour.
14. She seems upset about the news.
15. The teacher is writing a new lesson plan.
16. He could hear the distant sound of the festival.
17. The baby has slept through the night.
18. The sun sets in the west.
19. I am feeling a bit under the weather today.
20. The company will launch a new product next month.

Answers:
1. Action Verb
2. Linking Verb
3. Helping (Auxiliary) Verb + Action Verb
4. Helping (Auxiliary) Verb + Action Verb
5. Linking Verb
6. Helping (Auxiliary) Verb + Action Verb
7. Action Verb
8. Linking Verb
9. Helping (Auxiliary) Verb + Action Verb
10. Linking Verb
11. Helping (Auxiliary) Verb + Action Verb
12. Linking Verb
13. Helping (Auxiliary) Verb + Action Verb
14. Linking Verb
15. Helping (Auxiliary) Verb + Action Verb
16. Helping (Auxiliary) Verb + Action Verb
17. Helping (Auxiliary) Verb + Action Verb
18. Action Verb
19. Helping (Auxiliary) Verb + Action Verb
20. Helping (Auxiliary) Verb + Action Verb

Verb Exercise 3: True or False

Sentences True False

1. The verb “is” in the

sentence “She is happy” is
an action verb.

2. In the sentence “They

have been studying for
hours,” “have been” are
helping verbs.

3. The verb “taste” in “The

apples taste sweet” is a
linking verb.

4. “Will go” in the sentence

“I will go to the store”
consists of a helping verb
and an action verb.

5. “Seem” is an action verb

when used in the sentence
“You seem tired.”

6. In the sentence “He can

swim very fast,” “can” is an
action verb.

7. The verb “were” in “They

were champions” is a
linking verb.

8. “Had left” in the sentence

“She had left before the rain
started” consists of two
action verbs.

9.”Am writing” in the

sentence “I am writing a
novel” consists of a linking
verb and an action verb.

10. The verb “grow” in

“Plants grow” is a linking
verb.

11. In the sentence “She

does not like the movie,”
“does” is a helping verb.

12. “Has been” in the

sentence “The project has
been completed” consists of
an action verb and a linking
verb.

13. “Are feeling” in the

sentence “They are feeling
better” consists of a linking
verb and an action verb.

14. The verb “turned” in

“The milk turned sour” is an
action verb.
 15. In the sentence “We
were running late,” “were” is
a helping verb.

16. “Should have been” in

the sentence “They should
have been informed earlier”
consists of three helping
verbs.

17. The verb “smells” in

“The flower smells fragrant”
is an action verb.

18. “Was dancing” in the

sentence “She was dancing
all night” consists of a
linking verb and an action
verb.

19. In the sentence “He

does his homework
diligently,” “does” is an
action verb.

20. “Might be” in the

sentence “It might be
raining outside” consists of
two action verbs.

Answers:

1. False (Linking Verb)

2. True
3. True
4. True
5. False (Linking Verb)
6. False (Helping Verb)
7. True
8. False (Helping Verb + Action Verb)
9. True
10. False (Action Verb)
11. True
12. False (Two Helping Verbs)
13. True
14. False (Linking Verb)
15. True
16. True
17. False (Linking Verb)
18. False (Helping Verb + Action Verb)
19. True
20. False (Two Helping Verbs)

Verb Exercise 4: Error Identification in Verbs

1. The children plays in the park every evening.
2. She have been studying for her exams all week.
3. They was going to the movies when it started raining.
4. The cat lays on the bed all day long.
5. I am not understanding the instructions clearly.
6. The team have won the championship three times in a row.
7. He don’t like spicy food.
8. The birds flies south for the winter.
9. She have been working on this project since last month.
10. The sun raises in the east every morning.
11. They is planning a surprise party for their friend.
12. The baby is sleeping peacefully in the crib.
13. The company are planning to expand their business internationally.
14. The students have completed their assignments on time.
15. He don’t want to go to the party tonight.
16. The train leaves at 9:00 AM sharp.
17. She has been working hard to achieve her goals.
18. The dog is barking loudly in the backyard.
19. They was playing football when it started raining.
20. The company have announced a new product launch.

Answers:

Error Correction

1. plays play

2. have has

3. was were

4. lays lies

5. am not understanding do not understand

6. have has

7. don’t doesn’t

8. flies fly

9. have has

10. raises rises

11. is are

12. No error

13. are is

14. No error

15. don’t doesn’t

16. No error

17. No error

18. No error

19. was were

20. have has