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A Verb

The word verb originally comes from were-, a Proto-Indo-european word meaning "a word" verbal phrase in simple sentences, the verb may be one word: the cat sat on the mat. Verb forms in English and many other languages, verbs change their form. There are two kinds of auxiliary verbs: modal verbs and non-modal verbs.

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42 views

A Verb

The word verb originally comes from were-, a Proto-Indo-european word meaning "a word" verbal phrase in simple sentences, the verb may be one word: the cat sat on the mat. Verb forms in English and many other languages, verbs change their form. There are two kinds of auxiliary verbs: modal verbs and non-modal verbs.

Uploaded by

Ka Ren
Copyright
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The word 'verb'

The word verb originally comes from *were-, a Proto-Indo-European word meaning "a word". It comes to English through the Latin verbum and the Old French verbe.

Verbal phrase
In simple sentences, the verb may be one word: The cat sat on the mat. However, the verb may be a whole phrase: The cat will sit on the mat. Verbal phrases can be extremely difficult to analyse: I'm afraid I will need to be going soon. There seem to be three verbal phrases here, which add to something like: Sorry, I must go soon.

Verb forms
In English and many other languages, verbs change their form. This is called inflection. Most English verbs have six inflected forms (see the table), but be has eight different forms.

Kinds of Verbs
English has two main kinds of verbs: normal verbs (called lexical verbs) and auxiliary verbs. The difference between them is mainly in where they can go in a sentence. Some verbs are in both groups, but there are very few auxiliary verbs in English. There are also two kinds of auxiliary verbs: modal verbs and non-modal verbs. The table below shows most of the English auxiliaries and a small number of other verbs. There are several auxiliary verbs:
To do (do, does, did) To be (am, is, are, was, and were): Creates a progressive tense To have (have, has, and had): Creates a perfect tense

The follow verbs are modal auxiliaries


(Can, Could, May, Might, Must, Shall, Should)

Auxiliary verbs also

inflect for negation. Use of the auxilary do


haven't started yet.
Sometimes the verb do. It does not really change the meaning.

You shouldn't be here.

We

He isn't at home.

I do talk (Present)& I did go (Past)


It is also used in the negative when no other auxiliary verbs are used.

I don't talk (Present) & I didn't go (Past)

Many other languages do not use the verb do as an auxiliary verb. They use the simple present for do, and the simple past or perfect for 'did

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