Verbs : essential part of speech.

 

Definition of a Verb

The Oxford Learners’ Dictionary defines a ‘verb’ as “a word or group of words that express an action (such as eat), an event (such as happen) or a state (such as exist)”. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a ‘verb’ is defined as “a word or phrase that describes an action, condition, or experience”. The Collins Dictionary provides a much more elaborate definition of a verb. According to them, “A verb is a word such as ‘ sing’, ‘ feel’, or ‘ die’ which is used with a subject to say what someone or something does or what happens to them, or to give information about them”.

Types of Verbs 

Verbs can be classified into numerous types according to their function or role in a sentence or context.

 

Auxiliary Verbs/Helping Verbs

Auxiliary verbs or helping verbs, as the name suggests, is a verb that is used to help another verb sound sensible and meaningful. It is used to change the other verb’s tense, mood or voice. So, every time an auxiliary verb is used, you always have one more verb, which acts as the main verb in a sentence.

Examples of auxiliary verbs are as follows:

• Am
• Is
• Are
• Was
• Were
• Have
• Has
• Do

Modal Verbs

Modal verbs are those verbs that are used to denote the possibility, probability, capability or necessity of something happening. Modal verbs, unlike other auxiliary verbs, cannot be used as a main verb in a sentence.

Examples of modal verbs are as follows:

• Can
• Could
• Will
• Would
• May
• Might
• Should
• Must
• Ought to

Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs include phrases that are formed by combining two or more parts of speech that performs the same function as a verb in a sentence. In most cases, a phrasal verb results from a combination of a verb and a preposition.

Some examples of phrasal verbs are as follows:

• come over
• Turn off
• Log in
• Get off
• Run out of
• Go out
• Think of
• Feed up
• Give back
• Act on
• Run away
• Back up
• Look up
• Mix up
• Look after
• Look for
• Search for

Linking Verbs

A linking verb, just like the name suggests, is a type of verb that is used to link the subjects in a sentence to the other parts of the sentence so that it is meaningful. It connects the subject to the object, an adjective and even a prepositional phrase. All ‘to be’ forms of verbs and verbs like ‘seem’ and ‘become’ can act as linking verbs.

Example 1: Connecting Nouns to Other Nouns in a Sentence

Diana is mysister.

In the above example, the verb ‘is’ is used to connect the subject ‘Diana’ as the ‘sister’ of the speaker. In this sentence, the words ‘Diana’ and ‘sister’ are used to refer to the same person.

Example 2: Connecting a Noun to a Prepositional Phrase in a Sentence

The children were in the amusement park.

In Example 2, the verb ‘were’ is used to connect the subject ‘the children’ to the prepositional phrase ‘in the amusement park’.

Example 3: Connecting a Noun/Subject to an Adjective

Your presentation of the rain cycle  was stunning.

In the above example, the verb ‘was’ is used to link the subject ‘Your presentation of the rain cycle ’ to the adjective ‘stunning’.

Example 4: Connecting the Subject/Noun to the Predicate using Seem/Become

This story about adventures in Wonderland seems awesome.