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Verbs: Action State of Being

Verbs show action or state of being. They can be identified by their position in a sentence or by certain prefixes and suffixes. Verbs have different forms (infinitive, present, past, etc.) that are created using inflectional suffixes like -s, -ing, -ed, and -en. Many verbs are irregular. Verb phrases contain auxiliaries and the main verb. Verbs can be action, linking, or forms of be. They can also be transitive or intransitive. Verbs have three moods: indicative, imperative, and subjunctive.

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472 views

Verbs: Action State of Being

Verbs show action or state of being. They can be identified by their position in a sentence or by certain prefixes and suffixes. Verbs have different forms (infinitive, present, past, etc.) that are created using inflectional suffixes like -s, -ing, -ed, and -en. Many verbs are irregular. Verb phrases contain auxiliaries and the main verb. Verbs can be action, linking, or forms of be. They can also be transitive or intransitive. Verbs have three moods: indicative, imperative, and subjunctive.

Uploaded by

leah ruales
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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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 __________                            THERE ________ NOUN


                            (verb)                                                        (verb) 
         

Often, prefixes and suffixes (affixes)  will signify that a word is a verb.  For example,
the suffixes -ify, -ize, -ate, or -en usually signify that a word is a verb, as in typify,
characterize, irrigate, and sweeten.  Prefixes such as be-, de-, or en-  may signify that
a word is a verb, as in bestow, dethrone, and encourage.  

These affixes, often inconsistent from verb to verb, are called derivational affixes.
Added to a word, they either change the word's part of speech

     Example: 

      

or change the word's meaning


     Example: 

The base form of a verb is derived from the verb’s infinitive:  to  +  verb

                

          

Four suffixes consistently added to a verb’s base create all forms of a verb used in all
tenses:

1. -s          creates 3rd person singular / present tense  (He talks.)

2. -ing       creates the present participle / used with be  (He is talking.)

3. -ed        creates the simple past  (He talked.)

4. -en        creates the past participle / used with have  (He has talked.)

Note: The -en verb ending used with a form of to have as an auxiliary is generally
written -ed, as in has talked.
      

Unlike the derivational affixes, these inflectional suffixes are consistently


used with all verbs, even though their form may look different from verb to
verb.

Because many verbs in English are irregular; as result, their –ed and/or –en  endings


may not follow any obvious pattern.

 
Examples:
Smith writes short stories at home. (-s ending)
Smith is writing short stories at home. (-ing ending)
(to write) Smith wrote short stories at home. (-ed ending)
Smith has written short stories at home. (-en ending)
*
Jones buys a newspaper each day.  (-s ending)
Jones is buying a newspaper today.  (-ing ending)
(to buy) Jones bought a newspaper yesterday. (-ed ending)
Jones has bought newspapers every day.  (-en ending)
*
Students go to the library often. (-s ending)
Students are going to the library often. (-ing ending)
(to go)
Students went to the library often. (-ed ending)
Students have gone to the library often. (-en ending)

    

      

The majority of verbs are regular and consistently use -ed and -en to form their simple


past tense and past participles. (e.g. talked, has talked)

    

Many verbs are irregular, however, and follow no consistent pattern in creating their -
ed and/or -en forms.  A list of the major irregular verbs is shown below.

Present Past (-ed form) Past Participle (-en form)


arise arose arisen
ask asked  asked
attack attacked attacked
awaken awakened OR awoke awakened
bear bore borne/born
begin began begun
blow blew blown
break broke broken
bring brought brought
burst burst burst
choose chose chosen
cling clung clung
come came come
dive dived OR dove dived
do did done
drag dragged dragged
draw drew drawn
drink drank drunk
drive drove driven
drown drowned drowned
eat  ate eaten
fall fell fallen
fly flew flown
forgive forgave forgiven
freeze froze frozen
get got got OR gotten
give gave given
go  went gone
grow grew grown
hang (things) hung hung
hang (people) hanged hanged
happen happened happened
know knew known
lay laid laid
lead led led
lie lay lain
loosen loosened loosened
lose lost lost
pay paid paid
ride rode ridden
ring rang rung
rise rose risen
run ran run
see saw seen
set set set
shake shook shaken
shrink shrank OR shrunk shrunk OR shrunken
sing sang sung
sink sank OR sunk sunk
sit sat sat
speak spoke spoken
spin spun spun
spit spat spat
spring sprang OR sprung sprung
steal stole stolen
sting stung stung
stink stank OR stunk stunk
strive strove striven 
study studied studied
swear swore sworn
swim swam swum
swing swung swung
take took taken
tear tore torn
throw threw thrown
wake woke OR waked woken OR waked
wear wore worn
weave wove woven
wring wrung wrung
write wrote written

    

A verb phrase is defined as the main verb together with all its auxiliaries (helping
verbs).

Auxiliary verbs always precede the main verb.

There are two types of auxiliary verbs:

1. Inflected auxiliary verbs: 

be have do

2. Modal auxiliaries (considered more fully under (auxiliary verbs)

present past no tense


will would must
shall should  
can could  
may   might  

    

Examples of verb phrases:

He has taken the test. (auxiliary has  +  main verb  take.)


He is taking the test. (auxiliary is  +  main verb  take)
He did take the test. (auxiliary do  +  main verb take)
He has been taking the (auxiliaries has been + main verb take)
test.

 
Verbs may be divided into three types:

A.     Action verbs - show an action -- either physical or mental

          

     

B.   Verbs of being (forms of be - is, are, was, were, has/have/had been, will be) -


show a state of existence: 

          

  

C.  **Linking verbs - link a subject with its complement 

            (A subjective complement "completes" / "equals" the subject.)


            Linking verbs:  appear, taste, smell, feel, look, sound, grow, seem, remain,

become

    

        NOTE:  Most linking verbs can also be used as action verbs.

    

            

Action verbs may be either transitive or intransitive.

A.  A transitive verb is one that is followed by a direct object.

  Example: 
  
        

B.  An intransitive verb is one that is NOT followed by a direct object.

   Example: 

   

              

Caution:  An intransitive verb may be followed by adjectives, adverbs,


and/or prepositional phrases.  As long as the verb is not followed by a
noun or pronoun functioning as the direct object, the verb is intransitive.

   Example:   

    
          

NOTE:  Some action verbs may be either transitive or intransitive.

  Example:  (left) 

         

        

          Another example (read):                   


               
             

          

Verbs have three moods:  indicative, imperative, and subjunctive.

A. The indicative mood states a fact, asks a question, or exclaims.

        

B. The imperative mood gives a command.  The subject is always "you" understood.


          

C. The subjunctive mood occurs in two instances:

1. The sentence indicates a situation contrary to fact.

          

2. The sentence
 shows a wish, desire, or demand 

 in a nominal  clause beginning with that  

 following verbs such as desire, demand, request, suggest

            

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