Types of Verbs

Types of Verbs, The English Learners Guide to Mastering English

Effective English language learning requires commitment, persistence, and a combination of traditional classroom instruction and self-directed learning. Language centers and schools offer opportunities for learners to practice with peers, receive timely feedback, and benefit from expert guidance. Meanwhile, self-study allows learners to acquire fundamental knowledge, expand their vocabulary, develop reading habits, and reinforce their skills. However, finding appropriate self-study materials can be challenging. To address this issue, this grammar hub provides a comprehensive guide to English grammar, with this particular page focusing on the various types of verbs. 

Verb Types Reference Guide for ESL and English Language Students

This guide on Verb Types is a comprehensive resource suitable for English Language learners of all proficiency levels. It offers a wealth of information, from basic to specialized classifications of Adjective Types, and includes real-world sample sentences, rules, and practice exercises.

While the handbook may be particularly helpful for Beginner and Intermediate learners, Advanced students will also find its more in-depth segments valuable. Additionally, there are links to more technical pages that are better suited for learners with higher aptitude. This all-in-one resource is designed to be a convenient reference that can be revisited at any time. As English is a constantly evolving language, the articles are regularly updated, so it is recommended to save or bookmark them for future use.

Intransitive Verbs

Verbs that can complete a sentence without requiring direct objects are called Intransitive Verbs. Direct objects are nouns, pronouns, or noun phrases that receive the action of transitive verbs. Additionally, intransitive verbs cannot be used in the passive voice since the passive voice requires a subject to receive the action, which intransitive verbs do not have. This page includes extensive content about intransitive verbs for all levels of learners, starting with simpler topics like meaning, rules, and usage. Further segments contain a practice exercise, learning strategies, and a table of common errors that learners should avoid.

Be Verbs

Acquiring proficiency in using Be verbs can be challenging because of their varied meanings and usage. This page discusses their forms and uses. It also provides tips for mastering Be verbs and avoiding common errors made by English language learners. Be verbs, also known as Being verbs or To-Be verbs, are irregular verbs that express states of being or conditions. The different forms of Be verbs are: am, is, are, was, were, been, and being. Although they may not have inherent meanings, Be verbs serve a vital role in a variety of grammatical functions. They can function as main verbs, auxiliary verbs, and linking verbs. Moreover, the participial forms of verbs cannot stand alone without the help of Be verbs. Be verbs are also frequently used with modal expressions.

Linking Verbs

Linking verbs are a type of verb that do not express actions. Rather, they describe a subject’s state of being, nature, condition, or appearance. These verbs link the subject to its complement. Linking verbs play a vital role in improving the cohesion and coherence of your speech and writing. They help to create a seamless connection between clauses, sentences, and paragraphs. This is the chief reason English learners should become proficient in the use of linking verbs. This page will guide you to achieving higher levels.

Helping Verbs or Auxiliary Verbs

This page explores helping verbs or Auxiliary Verbs in English grammar. These verbs play an essential role in sentence structure by adding meaning before the main verb. Their primary function is to indicate tense, aspect, or mood. Common examples of helping verbs are “be” (am, is, are), “have” (has, had), “do” (does, did), and “will” (shall, should). English learners across all aptitudes struggle with aspects of verbs. These refer to whether an action in time is completed or perfected (perfective), or in progress or repeated (imperfective). The four aspects of verbs are simple, progressive or continuous, perfect, and perfect progressive or continuous, and auxiliary verbs are needed to express them. This page details all you need to know about auxiliary verbs with useful segments about learning techniques, sample sentences, and rules. 

Modal Verbs

Some auxiliary or helping verbs can indicate necessity or possibility. They include can, could, may, might, would, must, shall, should, and will. These are called Modal Verbs. They add precision and nuance to both written and spoken language. Reaching some level of skill with modal verbs is one important step to mastering English grammar. They can express necessity, possibility, and obligation. This page contains the functions of modal verbs in sentences and how they can impact the meaning of words. It’s a great baseline for Beginner and Intermediate students and a useful refresher guide for Advanced learners. 

Phrasal Verbs

Some words go together to create an idiomatic expression that takes a separate meaning from their individual words. The combination can be the following: (1) verb + preposition, (2) verb + adverb, or (3) verb + verb + adverb + preposition. These are called Phrasal Verbs. Phrasal Verbs can be tricky as they not only require keen memorization or familiarization, but they also have different rules from the words they contain when taken individually. This page details important details regarding the subject, which can benefit all learners at whichever level they are in their English learning journey. The page includes rules, sentence examples, FAQs, a learning guide, and a lot more.

Infinitives

Infinitives are a crucial grammatical structure in English that comprises the base form of a verb with the word ‘to’ before it. Thus, the formula for infinitives is “to + base form of a verb.” Infinitives serve various purposes in sentences and are used in multiple ways. This page teaches the three different functions of infinitives: subject, direct object, and subject complement. It’s vital for learners to study and be updated about the functions of infinitives and know how they are used in sentences. They are a prolific part of language expression. This page also provides examples and exercises for better understanding and several tips on avoiding language errors that many learners make when using them.

Transitive Verbs

Verbs in English can be categorized into various types, including action verbs, stative verbs, auxiliary or helping verbs, linking verbs, and many others based on their voice, mood, form, and phrasal usage. This page focuses on one type of verb that necessitates direct objects to form complete sentences. Transitive Verbs are those verbs that require direct objects to convey a complete thought. Direct objects, which can be nouns, pronouns, or noun phrases, typically follow the verb and receive the action. To identify direct objects, you can ask the questions “What?” or “What did the subject (verb)?” or “Who/Whom?” or “Who/Whom did the subject (verb)?” This page covers various aspects of transitive verbs, suitable for learners of all levels. It begins with basic topics such as the meaning, rules, and usage of transitive verbs, gradually progressing to more advanced concepts. Moreover, the page features a practice exercise, strategies for learning, and a table of common errors that learners should steer clear of.

Stative Verbs

A verb is classified as Stative Verb if it expresses a condition or state of being rather than an action. They also refer to feelings or opinions. Grammatically, three kinds of verbs are usually compared to each other – stative, action, and linking verbs. Action verbs describe physical movement. Meanwhile, linking verbs serve as links connecting subjects to their subject complements. A great challenge students face is that many verbs have multiple uses and meanings. Depending on the context, there are verbs that can function both as action and stative verbs. There are stative verbs that can function as linking verbs as well, which creates overlap or confusion for English language learners. This page simplifies the differences in further segments, including sample sentences, vocabulary lists, and FAQs.

Action or Dynamic Verbs

Verbs can be categorized as Action or Dynamic Verbs, which signify physical activity or action. They are distinct from stative verbs that indicate a state of being and linking verbs that connect subjects to subject complements. This page clarifies the differences between these types of verbs through examples, vocabulary lists, and frequently asked questions. Learning strategies and advice are valuable to all English learners. This page will aid students in becoming competent at recognizing, understanding, and using action verbs.

Frequently Asked Questions: