Types of Verbs

A verb is a word that denotes an action or a state of being. As a part of

speech in grammar, a verb is an action in a sentence. Along with a noun, a
verb is a critical component of a complete sentence.
English Verbs can be categorized (based on their structure and function) as
follows:
1. Action verbs (which can be transitive or intransitive)
2. Modal or helping verbs
3. linking verbs
4. Regular/Irregular Verbs
5. Finite Verb/ Non-finite Verbs
6. Phrasal Verbs
7. Bare Infinitive
1) Action Verbs (Transitive /Intransitive)
Action verbs are the best ones to use in your writing to move your story
forward and create tension. Action verbs indicate a direct action going on.
Action verbs are split into two categories: transitive and intransitive
verbs.
a) Transitive: A verb that needs an object to complete itself is called a
transitive verb. It is called transitive because it passes its action from
subject to object. A transitive verb is always followed by a noun that
receives the action, called the direct object.
The boy kicks the football.
He loves his mother.
She left the keys on the table.
b) Intransitive Verbs.
When an action verb has no direct object, it’s called an intransitive verb. A
verb that doesn’t need any object to complete itself is called an intransitive
verb. It does not pass its action from subject to object, so there will not be a
direct object. E.g.,
 *Matthew runs away quickly.
The girls sleep.
He died in an accident.
In (*) the verb is “runs,” but there is no object in the sentence to receive the
action.

2) Auxiliary / Helping /Modal Verbs:

a) Helping /Modal Verbs are used with a main verb to show the verb’s
tense or to form a negative or question. The most common auxiliary verbs
are:
have, has, had, do, does, did, and to be
Have they completed the assignment?
Ali is writing an e-mail to a client at the moment.
A helping verb also provides hints on the possibility of something happening
(can, should, would, etc.) or time (has, did, was, etc.).
Laura is (a helping verb) writing (main action verb) her life story.
In addition, you can have auxiliary / helping verbs consisting of the forms
of to be, to do, and to have. Keep in mind that the following words can also
serve as linking verbs (which will be discussed next):
• am • are • be • been • being • did • do • does • had • has • have • is •
was • were
Examples of helping verbs:
Juliet is changing trains at the station.
Daniel had eaten everything on his plate.
b) Modal verbs are words like can, could, may, might, shall, should, will,
would, must, ought to, etc. They are used with other verbs to express ideas
such as possibility, prediction, speculation, deduction, and necessity. Modal
verbs show different moods and attitudes of the speaker.
You should work hard.
The weather may be colder tomorrow.
A modal or helping verb modifies the action in the main verb. The
modifications help readers to understand the main verb. When you add a
modal or helping verb to your sentence, you’ve created a verb phrase.
Her story might (helping verb) be (main verb) embarrassing for some of
her friends.
These verbs always function as modal verbs or helping verbs:
• can • could • may • might • must • ought to • shall • should • will • would
3. Linking Verbs
A verb that acts as a link between two words is called a linking verb. It
connects or links a subject to a noun or an adjective in the predicate.
(Linking verbs connect the subject of your sentence to a noun or adjective
that describes your subject.) The noun or adjective is called the “subject
complement.”
The most common linking verbs can be found in the various forms of “to be”
(am, are, is, was, were, etc.). Sometimes, the forms of “to be” function as
helping verbs (as explained above).
He remained silent.
The matches are full of sticks.
The room is very spacious.
My daughter is a marketing major.
We are your new neighbors.

Some more Linking verbs:

Appear Become Feel

Look Taste Turn

Sound Seem Grow

3) Regular /Irregular Verbs

a) Regular Verbs: A verb that’s past (2nd form) and past participle
(3rd form) is made by adding ‘d’ or ‘ed’ is called a regular verb; for example:
 Present Past Past Participle

Walk Walked Walked

Talk Talked Talked

Clean Cleaned Cleaned

b) Irregular Verbs
If the formation of the verb is otherwise than the regular verb, it is called an
irregular verb. For example,

Present Past Past Participle

Shut Shut Shut

Drink Drank Drunk

Break Broke Broken

Beat Beat Beaten

Become Became Become

4) Finite Verb/ Non-finite Verbs

a) Finite verbs mean those verbs which can change their form in
accordance with the subject. It defines the time (past or present) and the
subject. It tells you who is doing the action and when it is being done.
For example,
 I eat rice. / He eats rice. / They eat rice.
 I am a student. / He is a student. / They are students.
b) A nonfinite verb (an infinitive or participle) doesn't show a distinction in
tense and can occur on its own only in a dependent phrase or clause:
I felt it was difficult to comprehend.
"While walking to school, she spotted a strange object."
Being amused, I clapped hard in the theater.
An infinitive is a verb that has “to” before it. It shows infinite action when is
used at the beginning of the sentence. For example,
To see is to believe.
To be weak is miserable.
A participle functions as a noun (Gerund) and sometimes as a verb. In some
cases, it behaves even like an adjective, as in the following sentences.
I do not drink boiled water because of its weird taste.
I have completed the given task.
We ate a lot of roasted meat.
Robert is the most wanted player on the team.

5) Phrasal/Prepositional Verbs: The verb that is formed by the

combination of a preposition or adverbial particle is called a
Phrasal/prepositional verb. Phrasal verbs are very common, and you hear
them in spoken English all the time. Some popular examples include get
out, calm down, give away, and put up with.
Because a preposition always has an object, all prepositional verbs have
direct objects.
I believe in God.
He is looking after the dog.
They are talking about the issue.
Some more Examples of the Phrasal Verbs

pull [x] up Eugene pulled the document up on his

(to retrieve or bring computer. / Eugene pulled up the document
something nearer) on his computer.
put [x] on I always put my backpack on before leaving
(wear or add something the house. / I always put on my backpack
to your person or an before leaving the house.
object)
run out of Isabella ran out of toilet paper at the worst
possible time.
(use all of or drain the
supply of something)
set [x] up Since no one invited me to join their study
group, I set one up myself.
(arrange or organize)
show off John didn’t need to shoot so many three-
pointers; he was just showing off.
(deliberately display
abilities or
accomplishments to
impress people)
throw [x] away Could you throw that old burrito
away? / Could you throw away that old
(dispose of something)
burrito?

5) Bare Infinitive:
A full infinitive is the base form of the verb preceded by “to” (e.g., “to
drink”). A bare infinitive, on the other hand, is simply the base form of the
verb without “to” (e.g., “drink”). Bare Infinitives are used after the
causative verbs 'make', 'have', 'let', and 'help'*, etc. (*‘help’ can also be used
with ‘to’)
 She made the children do their homework.”
 The lawyer had his assistant make copies of the contract.
 Dad wouldn't let me drive his car.
 Can you help me find/to find my keys?
 I heard the bell ring.
Bare Infinitives are also used after verbs of perception (see, watch, notice,
observe, feel, hear…) such as:
 I watched him move to a seat at the back.
 We saw the burglar climb over the wall.
 He heard the teacher call his name.
 We felt the ground shake beneath our feet.
Bare Infinitives are also used after expressions such as, ‘would rather’,
and ‘had better’:
  I’d rather sit here.
 You’d better call a doctor.
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Different Forms of Verbs in Table
Infinitiv Base/ Past/ Past Past /Present Present Verbal Bare
e root Secon Participl Participle Participl Noun/ Infinitiv
Participl verb/ d e/ third (Adjective) e Gerund e
e First Form form of Verb+in Verb+in
form of of Verb g g
Verb Verb
1 To walk walk walked walked walking walking Walking walk
(interview)
2 To jog jog jogged jogged jogging jogging Jogging jog
(Track)
3 To cater cater catere catered Catered catering Catering cater
d (accommodati
on)
4 To cook cook cooked cooked cooked (food) cooking Cooking cook
5 To fry fry fried fried fried (fish) frying Frying fry
6 To come come came come coming coming come
(Friday)
7 To smoke smoke smoke smoked smoked (meat/ smoking Smoking smoke
d flavor)
8 To feel feel felt felt feeling Feeling/s feel
9 To roast roast roaste roasted roasted roasting Roasting roast
d (beef/chicken)
1 To drink drink drank drunk drinking drinking Drinking drink
0 (water)
drunk/
drunken-