VERBS

Verbs have traditionally been defined as words that show action or state of being.

Verbs can also sometimes be recognized by their position in a sentence. In the following two sentence frames, only a verb can be put into the empty slot. NOUN __________ $verb% !"#" ________ NOUN $verb%

Often, prefi&es and suffi&es $affi&es% will signify that a word is a verb. 'or e&ample, the suffixes -ify, -ize, -ate, or -en usually signify that a word is a verb, as in typify, characterize, irrigate, andsweeten. Prefixes such as be-, de-, or en( may signify that a word is a verb, as in bestow, dethrone, and encourage. hese affi&es, often inconsistent from verb to verb, are called derivational affixes. )dded to a word, they either change the word*s part of speech "&ample+

or change the word*s meaning "&ample+

he base form of a verb is derived from the verb,s infinitive+ to + verb

'our suffixes consistently added to a verb,s base create all forms of a verb used in all tenses+ -. -s 0. -ing talking.% .. -ed 1. -en talked.% creates .rd person singular / present tense $!e talks.% creates the present participle / used with be $!e is

creates the simple past $!e talked.% creates the past participle / used with have $!e has

Note he -en verb ending used with a form of to have as an au&iliary is + generally written -ed, as in has talked.

Unli2e the derivational affi&es, these inflectional suffixes are consistently used with all verbs, even though their form may loo2 different from verb to verb.
3ecause many verbs in "nglish are irregular4 as result, their ed and/or en endings may not follow any obvious pattern.

"&amples+ 5mith writes short stories at home. $-s ending% 5mith is writing short stories at home. $( ing ending% 5mith wrote short stories at home. $-ed ending% 5mith has written short stories at home. $( en ending% 6 7ones buys a newspaper each day. $-s ending% 7ones is buying a newspaper today. $-ing ending% 7ones bought a newspaper yesterday. $ed ending% 7ones has bought newspapers every day. $en ending% 6 5tudents go to the library often. $(s ending% 5tudents are going to the library often. $ing ending% 5tudents went to the library often. $-ed ending) 5tudents have gone to the library often. $en ending%

(to write)

(to buy)

(to go)

he ma8ority of verbs are regular and consistently use -ed and -en to form their simple past tense and past participles. $e.g. talked, has talked) 9any verbs are irregular, however, and follow no consistent pattern in creating their -ed and/or -en forms. ) list of the ma8or irregular verbs is shown below. Present Arise Ask Attack Awaken ear egin low reak ring urst "hoose Past (-ed form) arose asked attacked awakened OR awoke bore began blew broke brought burst chose Past Participle (-en form) arisen asked attacked awakened borne!born begun blown broken brought burst chosen

"ling "o#e $ive $o $rag $raw $rink $rive $rown eat %all %ly %orgive %reeze &et &ive go grow hang 'things) hang 'people) happen know (ay lead (ie loosen lose )ay ride ring Rise Run *ee *et shake shrink sing sink *it speak spin *pit spring steal sting stink

clung ca#e dived OR dove did dragged drew drank drove drowned ate fell flew forgave froze got gave went grew hung hanged happened knew laid led lay loosened lost paid rode rang rose ran saw set shook shrank OR shrunk sang sank OR sunk sat spoke spun spat sprang OR sprung stole stung stank OR stunk

clung co#e dived done dragged drawn drunk driven drowned eaten fallen flown forgiven frozen got OR gotten given gone grown hung hanged happened known laid led lain loosened lost paid ridden rung risen run seen set shaken shrunk OR shrunken sung sunk sat spoken spun spat sprung stolen stung stunk 3

strive study swear swi# swing take tear throw wake wear weave wring write

strove studied swore swa# swung took tore threw woke OR waked wore wove wrung wrote

striven studied sworn swu# swung taken torn thrown woken OR waked worn woven wrung written

) verb phrase is defined as the main verb together with all its au&iliaries $helping verbs%. )u&iliary verbs always precede the main verb. here are two types of auxiliar -. Inflected au&iliary verbs+ 3e have do verbs+

0. 9odal au&iliaries $considered more fully under $au&iliary verbs% present :ill shall ;an may past would should could might no tense must

"&amples of verb phrases+ !e has taken the test. !e is taking the test. !e did take the test. !e has been taking the test. $au&iliary has < main verb take.% $au&iliary is < main verb take% $au&iliary do < main verb take% $au&iliaries has been + main verb take%

Verbs may be divided into three types+ ). !ction verbs ( show an action (( either physical or mental 3

3. Verbs of bein" $forms of be - is, are, was, were, has!have!had been, will be% ( show a state of e&istence+

;. 66#in$in" verbs ( lin2 a sub8ect with its complement $) sub+ective co#ple#ent =completes= / =e>uals= the sub8ect.% ?in2ing verbs+ appear, taste, s#ell, feel, look, sound, grow, see#,

re#ain, beco#e NO "+ 9ost lin2ing verbs can also be used as action verbs.

)ction verbs may be either transitive or intransitive. ). ) transitive verb is one that is followed by a direct ob8ect.

"&ample+

3. )n intransitive verb is one that is NO followed by a direct ob8ect.

"&ample+

;aution+ )n intransitive verb may be followed by ad8ectives, adverbs, and/or prepositional phrases. )s long as the verb is not followed by a noun or pronoun functioning as the direct ob8ect,the verb is intransitive. "&ample+

NO "+ 5ome action verbs may be either transitive or intransitive. "&ample+ $left%

)nother e&ample $read%+

Verbs have three moods+ indicative, imperative, and sub%unctive. ). he indicative mood states a fact, as2s a >uestion, or e&claims.

3. he imperative mood gives a command. understood.

he sub8ect is always =you=

;. he sub8unctive mood occurs in two instances+ -. he sentence indicates a situation contrary to fact.

0. he sentence shows a wish, desire, or demand in a nominal clause beginning with that

following verbs such as desire, demand, request,

suggest