Grammar: Understanding Verbs.
What are verbs?
A verb is a word that expresses an action,an occurrence or a state of being.
Types of Verbs
1. Action Verbs: They also known as dynamic verbs. They are words that describe physical or mental
actions the subject of a sentence performs. Examples include run, think, paint etc.
2. Linking Verbs: These verbs connect the subject to additional information. Examples include be, seem,
appear etc.
3. Auxiliary verbs:They are also known as helping verbs. These verbs assist the main verb to perform
their function in a sentence. There are two types of auxiliary verbs
i. Primary Auxiliary Verbs:Primary auxiliary verbs are also known as principal auxiliary verbs.They are a
set of verbs that are used to help form the tense, mood, or voice of another verb. They are called
"primary" because they are the most basic and essential auxiliary verbs in the English languag. Examples
of primary auxiliary verbs are: be,have and do,in all their various forms.
ii. Modal Auxiliary Verbs: Modal auxiliary verbs are a type of auxiliary verb that express modality, which
refers to the degree of possibility, necessity, obligation, permission, or ability associated with an action
or state.Examples of modal auxiliary verbs are will/would,can/could etc.
4. Transitive Verbs: They are verbs that can take an object. Examples include buy,eat,bake etc.
5. Intransitive Verbs: These verbs do not take an object. Examples include sleep,laugh,cry etc.
Verb Tenses
Verb tenses are the forms of verbs that express time and duration. They help us communicate when an
action takes place, whether it's in the past, present, or future. Verb tenses in English are:
1.Present Simple Tense: Present tense is used for habitual or routine actions.
Example: I eat breakfast every morning.
2. Present Continuous Tense: It is used for actions happening at the moment of speaking.
Example: I am studying for my exam.
3. Past Simple Tense: Past simple tense is used for completed actions.
Example: I went to the store yesterday.
