Definition and Types of Verb | Parts of Speech

What is a verb?

A verb is a word that expresses an action, an occurrence, or a state of being. Verbs are essential in constructing sentences as they provide meaning and context, indicating what the subject is doing or what is happening to the subject.

It can show:

If somebody does something; like “this cat sleeps all day.”
If something has done onto someone; like “a stranger patted the stray cat.”
The state of someone or something; like “the cat is alive fortunately.”

Verb is the most important part of any sentence. A sentence does not make sense without a verb in it. There are some instants where a one-word answer can make up for a whole sentence; like, yes or indeed, etc. without the use of verb, but these responses are not used in formal writing.

Verbs can also consist of more than one word, such as “The children were playing in the backyard.”

Types of Verbs:

There are many types of verbs, each serving a specific purpose. The main kinds of verbs are action verbs (transitive verbs, intransitive verbs,) reflexive verbs, auxiliary verbs, linking verbs, and modal verbs.

Some other types of verb are stative verbs, dynamic verbs, regular verbs, irregular verbs, and phrasal verbs.

Action Verbs:

Action verbs describe physical or mental actions. These are the most common verbs and are essential for expressing what the subject does. Examples include “run,” “think,” “jump,” and “write.” For instance:

She runs every morning to stay fit.
He thinks deeply about philosophical questions.

There are two kinds of action verbs: transitive verbs and intransitive verbs.

Transitive Verbs:

The verb in a sentence that has a direct object is known as Transitive verb. The verb should have something on which it is performed. The sentences containing Transitive Verbs can also be converted from Active Voice to Passive Voice.

Look at the examples below:

The batsman hit the ball hard.
She walked the streets alone.

In the first example, we can see that the verb hit has a direct object ball. The sentence can also be converted into passive voice: the batsman hit the ball.

The same case is with the second sentence. The verb walked has direct object streets and the sentence can be converted into passive voice: The streets were walked by her, alone.

Intransitive Verbs:

The verb in a sentence that does not have a direct object is known as Intransitive verb. The sentences containing intransitive verbs cannot be converted from active voice to passive voice. Let us see the examples below:

The lion cub sleeps.
The house is flawed.
He laughed.

In all the above examples, there is no direct object. Sentences cannot be converted into passive voice too. So, the verbs; sleeps, flawed, and laughed are intransitive.

Most verbs can be used both transitively and intransitively. For example:

The child rings the bell. Here, the verb ‘rings’ has a direct object and is used transitively.
The bell rings loudly. Here, the verb ‘rings’ does not have a direct object and is used intransitively.

More Examples:

I stopped the car. (Transitively)
The car stopped suddenly. (Intransitively)

There are some verbs such as go, sleep, die, fall, etc, which show an action that cannot be done to anything or anyone. Hence, these verbs can never be used transitively.

Reflexive Verbs:

Reflexive verbs are used when the subject and the object of the verb are the same person or thing, usually combined with reflexive pronouns like “myself,” “yourself,” “himself,” etc. Let us see the examples below.

She stays home herself.
The cat cleans itself.

In both the above examples, the verbs are referring back to the same person. Their subject and object are the same, hence they are reflexive verbs. The reference back is done in form of reflexive pronouns by which they are being called reflexive verbs.

Auxiliary Verbs or Helping Verbs:

Auxiliary Verbs help the main verb in a sentence and are called helping verbs. Auxiliary verbs, when used with ordinary verbs help in changing the tenses, mood or voice of a sentence. They also help in making negatives and interrogatives of sentences. Auxiliary verbs are also simply called Auxiliaries.

Common words that come under this category are as follows: Is, am, are, was, were, have, do, etc

Examples in sentences:

I was going to the shop.

Here the Auxiliary is used to form a continuous tense.

The car door was opened.

Here it is used in formation of a sentence in passive voice.

I have to reach the airport at 5:00 am.

To form questions, to emphasize on something, or to make a request, the Auxiliary ‘do’ is used.

Do you know where the parking lot is?
You do look great.
Do visit!

Linking Verbs

Linking verb is a verb that connects a sentence together. It connects the subject of a sentence to a subject complement, which can be a noun, pronoun, or adjective that describes or identifies the subject. It does not mean anything on its own, but makes sense when used in a sentence.

Common linking verbs that are used are be, seem, become, appear, etc.

Examples in the sentences:

The birds are flying high up in the sky.
She is always looking fabulous.
He seems tired.

In the above examples, we can see that the linking verbs are connecting the subject with the rest of the sentence. Without linking verbs, the sentences do not have a complete structure.

What is the difference between auxiliary verbs and linking verbs?

Auxiliary verbs and linking verbs serve distinct purposes in sentences. Auxiliary verbs, also known as helping verbs, are used together with a main verb to form various verb phrases that express different tenses, moods, voices, or aspects. For instance, verbs like “be,” “have,” and “do” help convey nuances such as ongoing actions, completed actions, or questions. For example, in “She is running,” the auxiliary verb “is” helps form the present continuous tense.

In contrast, linking verbs connect the subject of a sentence to a subject complement, which can be a noun, pronoun, or adjective that describes or identifies the subject. Common linking verbs, such as “be,” “seem,” “become,” and “appear,” do not show action, but rather serve to establish a relationship between the subject and additional information about it. For instance, in “The cake smells delicious,” the linking verb “smells” connects “The cake” to “delicious,” providing a description rather than showing action. Essentially, auxiliary verbs aid in constructing various verb forms and grammatical structures, while linking verbs connects the subject to descriptive or identifying information, with neither type showing action directly.

Modal Verbs:

Modal verbs are the verbs that are used before the ordinary verbs to show meanings such as possibilities, permission, certainty, ability, etc. They can just simply be called Modals. Modals are mostly put in the category of auxiliaries. Then they are sometimes called Modal Auxiliaries.

Common modal verbs that are used are as follows: can, could, may, might, will, would, shall, should, must, ought. Never and dare are also used as modal verbs sometimes.

Examples in the sentences:

You dare not do such a thing.
You must be Sara’s sister.
You could have stopped them.

Stative Verbs

Stative verbs describe a state or condition rather than an action. They often relate to thoughts, emotions, relationships, senses, states of being, and measurements. Examples include “know,” “believe,” “love,” “hate,” and “own.” For instance:

She loves her family.
He owns a car.

Stative verbs are generally not used in continuous tenses as they describe conditions that are relatively static.

Dynamic Verbs

Dynamic verbs describe actions that can be seen or measured. They indicate an action, process, or sensation. Examples include “run,” “talk,” “eat,” and “grow.” For example:

The plant grows quickly.
They talk loudly.

Dynamic verbs are often used in continuous tenses because they describe actions that are in progress.

Regular Verbs

Regular verbs follow a standard pattern when forming their past tense and past participle by adding “-ed” or “-d” to the base form. Examples include “walk,” “jump,” “talk,” and “bake.” For instance:

She walked to the store.
They jumped over the fence.

Regular verbs have predictable conjugation patterns, making them easier to learn and use.

Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs do not follow a standard pattern when forming their past tense and past participle. Examples include “go,” “see,” “eat,” and “drink.” For example:

He went to the park.
She saw a movie.

Irregular verbs require memorization due to their unique forms, which often differ significantly from the base form.

Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs consist of a verb combined with a preposition or adverb (or both) that changes the meaning of the original verb. Examples include “give up,” “look after,” “run into,” and “take off.” For instance:

She gave up smoking.
He looked after his younger brother.

Phrasal verbs are commonly used in informal speech and writing, often adding idiomatic meaning to the sentence.

Finite Verbs

Finite verbs are verbs that have a specific tense and agree with the subject in person and number. They can express actions or states that are bounded by time and are used to form complete sentences.

For example, in the sentence “She runs every morning,” the verb “runs” is finite because it indicates a present action and agrees with the singular subject “She.”

Non-Finite Verbs

Non-finite verbs, on the other hand, do not show tense or agree with the subject. They include infinitives (e.g., “to run”), gerunds (e.g., “running”), and participles (e.g., “running” as an adjective). Non-finite verbs are often used to create verb phrases or provide additional information about the action or state described by a finite verb.

For instance, in “I like running,” the verb “running” is a gerund and acts as the object of the verb “like.”

Causative Verbs

Causative verbs are verbs that express the action of causing someone else to do something or allowing something to happen. The most common causative verbs are “make,” “have,” and “let.” These verbs are followed by another verb in its base form (without “to”).

For example, in the sentence “She made him cry,” the causative verb “made” indicates that “she” caused “him” to cry.

Causative verbs help to indicate who is responsible for causing an action, adding a layer of meaning to how actions are carried out or experienced.