Introduction
Every complete English sentence needs a verb. Verbs express actions (run, eat, write), states (be, seem, exist), or occurrences (happen, occur).
| Type | Examples | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Action verbs | run, eat, build, write | Express physical or mental actions |
| State verbs | know, believe, own, love | Express conditions or states of being |
| Linking verbs | be, seem, appear, become | Connect subject to a description |
| Auxiliary verbs | be, have, do | Help form tenses and moods |
| Modal verbs | can, could, must, should, may | Express ability, obligation, possibility |
- Mia runs every morning before work.
- Dev knows the answer.
- They are happy.
Main Verbs and Auxiliary Verbs
A main verb carries the core meaning. An auxiliary verb (helping verb) works alongside the main verb to express tense, aspect, voice, or mood.
auxiliary verb+main verb
- She is running.
- He has eaten.
- They will travel.
The three primary auxiliaries in English are be, have, and do. They are also used as main verbs: I am tired. / I have a car. / I do my homework.
Verb Forms
English verbs have at most five forms, and every tense is built from them.
| Form | Name | Example (work) |
|---|---|---|
| Base form | Infinitive (bare) | work |
| Base + -s/-es | Third person singular present | works |
| Base + -ing | Present participle / gerund | working |
| Past simple | Simple past | worked |
| Past participle | Used in perfect & passive | worked |
For irregular verbs, the past simple and past participle forms do not follow the -ed pattern: go went gone, eat ate eaten, write wrote written.
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
A transitive verb requires a direct object - something that receives the action. An intransitive verb does not take an object.
| Transitive (needs object) | Intransitive (no object) |
|---|---|
| She read the book. | She laughed. |
| He bought a car. | The sun rose. |
| They built a house. | The baby cried. |
Some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive depending on context: She runs a business. (transitive) vs She runs every day. (intransitive).
Practice
What is the base form of 'worked'?
Which verb type requires a direct object?
'Go went gone' is an example of a(n) ___ verb.
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