What is a verb? A verb is a word or group of words that describes an action, experience or expresses a state of being.

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. 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.)

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.

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.

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:

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

Examples of verb phrases:

Verbs may be divided into three types:

1. **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.

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

  Example: 

1. 
   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.

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

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

1. The subjunctive mood occurs in two instances: