VERBS

I. Parts of Speech and Other Rudiments

VERB - used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, forming the main part of the predicate of a sentence.

  • defined as a word that has five forms:

a.) base form

b.) s-form (third person singular)

c.) -ing form (present participle)

d.) past tense

e.) past participle

  • may be signaled by one or more auxiliaries

  • occurs in the following positions; follows a noun or precedes the noun

  • stands alone or follows a request signal in a request or command sentence

KINDS OF VERBS

  1. Transitive Verb - expresses an action that has a direct object or receiver of the action

  2. Intransitive Verb - expresses an action but does not have a direct object that receives the action. Subject of the sentence performs an action but not to, for, or against anything or anybody.

  3. Linking Verb - connects the subject with a word that gives information about the subject, such as condition or relationship. They do not show any action; they simply link the subject with the rest of the sentence.

  4. Auxiliary (Helping) Verb - used together with a main verb to show the verb’s tense or to form a negative or question

  • TWO TYPES OF AUXILIARY VERB:

  1. Primary Auxiliary Verb: ‘be,’ ‘have,’ and ‘do.’

  2. Modal Auxiliary Verb: special verbs that behave irregularly in English. They are different from typical verbs like dance, sing, swim, etc. They give additional information about the function of the main verb that follows it.

  • CHARACTERISTICS:

  1. always followed by an infinitive without “to” (i.e., the bare infinitive)

  2. used to indicate modality allowing speakers to express certainty, possibility, willingness, obligation, necessity, ability.

  3. never change their form. You can’t add s, ed, ing.

  • Modal verbs are can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, must. The verbs or expressions dare, ought to, had better, and need not behave like modal auxiliaries to a large extent and can be added modal verbs mentioned previously.