Without verbs, our sentences would remain static, unable to convey movement, transformation or existence. Actually, they probably wouldn’t make sense at all. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore what verbs are, how they function, their various types and how to identify them in sentences.
What Is a Verb?
A verb is a part of speech that expresses an action, occurrence or state of being. Without verbs, we could name people, places and things (using nouns), but we couldn’t explain what they do or how they relate to one another. That’s why every complete sentence must contain at least one verb.
The Function of Verbs in Sentences
- Expressing Action: Verbs tell us what someone or something does. Example: “The chef prepared an exquisite meal.”
- Indicating State or Condition: Verbs can describe a state of existence or condition. Example: “She seems happy with the results.”
- Showing Relationships: Verbs connect subjects with other elements in the sentence. Example: “This book belongs to Maria.”
- Conveying Time: Through their tenses, verbs indicate when something happens. Example: “They visited Paris last summer” versus “They will visit Paris next summer.”
- Expressing Possibility or Necessity: Modal verbs help express concepts like ability, permission or obligation. Example: “Students must complete the assignment by Friday.”
A sentence relies on the relationship between its subject (who or what the sentence is about) and its verb (what the subject is doing or being). This subject-verb relationship forms the core of English sentence structure.
Types of Verbs
Verbs come in several varieties, each serving different functions.
Action Verbs
Action verbs describe physical or mental activities that someone or something performs. They show movement, process, or change.
Physical action verbs describe observable activities: run, jump, write, eat, throw, dance, swim, climb, push, lift.
Mental action verbs describe cognitive activities: think, consider, understand, believe, wonder, imagine, forget, recognize, decide, learn.
Example sentences:
- “The children played in the park all afternoon.”
- “Scientists discovered a new species in the rainforest.”
- “She contemplated her next career move carefully.”
Linking Verbs
Linking verbs connect the subject of a sentence with information about that subject (often an adjective or noun). They don’t show action, but describe a state of being or condition.
Common linking verbs include:
- Be (am, is, are, was, were, being, been)
- Become, grow, turn
- Appear, seem, look, feel, smell, sound, taste
- Remain, stay
Example sentences:
- “The soup tastes delicious.”
- “She became a doctor after years of study.”
- “That explanation seems reasonable.”
Helping Verbs (Auxiliary Verbs)
Helping verbs work with main verbs to form verb phrases that express tense, voice, or mood.
Common helping verbs include:
- Be (am, is, are, was, were, being, been)
- Have (have, has, had)
- Do (do, does, did)
- Modals (can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must)
Example sentences:
- “They have completed the project ahead of schedule.” (have helps completed)
- “She is studying biochemistry at the university.” (is helps studying)
- “You should consider all options before making a decision.” (should helps consider)
Regular vs. Irregular Verbs
Verbs can also be categorized based on how they form their past tense and past participle forms:
Regular verbs follow a predictable pattern by adding -ed in the past tense and past participle forms:
- Talk → talked → talked
- Walk → walked → walked
- Learn → learned → learned
Irregular verbs don’t follow this pattern and change their form in less predictable ways:
- Go → went → gone
- See → saw → seen
- Eat → ate → eaten
- Bring → brought → brought
What are 20 Examples of Verbs?
Here are 20 common verbs that demonstrate the variety of actions, states and occurrences we can express.
- Run — “The athletes run five miles every morning.”
- Teach — “She teaches mathematics at the local high school.”
- Grow — “These tomatoes grow well in warm climates.”
- Write — “The author writes for three hours each day.”
- Believe — “Many people believe in second chances.”
- Become — “She became the company’s youngest CEO.”
- Listen — “Please listen carefully to the instructions.”
- Create — “Artists create beautiful works from simple materials.”
- Understand — “I finally understand the concept.”
- Help — “Volunteers help at the community center.”
- Sleep — “Babies sleep for most of the day.”
- Consider — “The committee will consider all applications.”
- Provide — “The organization provides meals for homeless people.”
- Exist — “These plants exist only in tropical environments.”
- Appear — “The actor appears in three scenes of the film.”
- Transform — “Education can transform lives.”
- Begin — “The ceremony begins at noon.”
- Remember — “I still remember my first day of school.”
- Discover — “Scientists discover new species every year.”
- Celebrate — “We celebrate our anniversary in June.”
How to Identify a Verb in a Sentence
Identifying verbs is fundamental for understanding sentence structure. Here are five strategies you can use to locate verbs in sentences. It should also be noted that, while languages can handle verbs differently — where they appear in the sentence, which tenses they uses, the relationships the verbs express — these tools can help you not only in English but with any language you’re learning.
1. Ask “What’s Happening?” or “What’s Being?”
Find the word that answers either:
- “What is the subject doing?” (for action verbs)
- “What is the state of the subject?” (for linking verbs)
Example:
- “The cat sleeps on the windowsill.”
- Ask: “What is the cat doing?”
- Answer: “sleeping” → “sleeps” is the verb.
2. Look for Time Indicators
Verbs often change form to indicate when something happens. Words that can be changed to show past, present, or future tense are typically verbs.
Example:
- “She walks to school daily.”
- This can be changed to “She walked to school yesterday” or “She will walk to school tomorrow,” indicating that “walks” is a verb.
3. Find the Words That Can Be Negated
Words that can be negated with “not” or contracted with “n’t” are often verbs.
Example:
- “They understand the concept.”
- This can be negated as “They do not understand the concept” or “They don’t understand the concept,” confirming that “understand” is a verb.
4. Identify Words That Change for Subject Agreement
Verbs often change form depending on their subject (especially in present tense).
Example:
- “I run.” and “She runs.”
- “Run/runs” changes form for different subjects, indicating it’s a verb.
5. Look for Helping Verb and Main Verb Combinations
Many verb expressions consist of helping verbs followed by main verbs.
Example:
- “The team has completed the project.”
- “Has” (helping verb) + “completed” (main verb) form the verb phrase “has completed.”
Verb Tenses: Expressing Time Through Verbs
English has three main time frames (past, present, and future), each with four aspects (simple, continuous, perfect, and perfect continuous), creating twelve possible tense combinations.
Here’s a quick overview using the verb “learn.”
Verb Present Tenses
- Simple: “I learn” (habitual or factual)
- Continuous: “I am learning” (in progress)
- Perfect: “I have learned” (completed action with relevance to present)
- Perfect Continuous: “I have been learning” (ongoing action from past into present)
Verb Past Tenses
- Simple: “I learned” (completed action)
- Continuous: “I was learning” (action in progress in the past)
- Perfect: “I had learned” (action completed before another past point)
- Perfect Continuous: “I had been learning” (ongoing action up to a point in the past)
Future Tenses
- Simple: “I will learn” (action that will happen)
- Continuous: “I will be learning” (action that will be in progress)
- Perfect: “I will have learned” (action that will be completed)
- Perfect Continuous: “I will have been learning” (ongoing action up to a future point)
Conclusion: The Vital Role of Verbs
Verbs are the life force of language, enabling us to express actions, describe states of being and connect ideas. Without them, we could only name things. Or, to imagine this universe: “Without them, we only things.” Understanding verbs and their various types helps us communicate.
This article was created with the assistance of AI.