3.1 What is a Verb?

A verb is a word that expresses an action, a state, or an occurrence. It tells us what someone or something does or is.

For example:

• Action verbs: run, eat, write
• State verbs: be, seem, appear
• Occurrence verbs: happen, develop, grow

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3.2 Types of Verbs

1. Action Verbs (Dynamic Verbs)

These verbs express physical or mental actions.

Examples:

• Physical action: She runs every morning.
• Mental action: I believe in you.

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2. Linking Verbs (State Verbs)

These verbs do not show action but connect the subject to more information about it.

Common linking verbs: be (am, is, are, was, were), seem, appear, feel, become

Examples:

• She is happy.
• He seems tired.
• The soup tastes delicious.

👉 Tip: To check if a verb is a linking verb, replace it with “is” or “are.” If the sentence still makes sense, it is a linking verb.

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3. Helping Verbs (Auxiliary Verbs)

These verbs help the main verb form different tenses, moods, or voices.

Common helping verbs:

• Primary Helping Verbs: be, have, do
• Modal Helping Verbs: can, could, shall, should, will, would, may, might, must

Examples:

• She is singing. (helping verb “is” + main verb “singing”)
• They have finished the work.
• I should go now.

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4. Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

• Transitive Verbs require an object to complete their meaning.
  • Example: She wrote a letter. (wrote what? → a letter)
• Intransitive Verbs do not require an object.
  • Example: He sleeps peacefully. (no object needed)

👉 Tip: Ask “what?” or “whom?” after the verb. If you get an answer, it’s transitive. If not, it’s intransitive.

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5. Regular and Irregular Verbs

• Regular Verbs: Form their past tense by adding -ed.
  • Example: walk → walked, play → played
• Irregular Verbs: Do not follow a fixed pattern.
  • Example: go → went, eat → ate, see → saw

Base Form	Past Tense	Past Participle
go	went	gone
eat	ate	eaten
see	saw	seen
run	ran	run
take	took	taken

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3.3 Verb Tenses

Tense tells us when an action happens. There are three main tenses:

1. Present Tense (Happening now)

Type	Example
Simple Present	I write a letter.
Present Continuous	I am writing a letter.
Present Perfect	I have written a letter.
Present Perfect Continuous	I have been writing a letter.

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2. Past Tense (Happened before)

Type	Example
Simple Past	I wrote a letter.
Past Continuous	I was writing a letter.
Past Perfect	I had written a letter.
Past Perfect Continuous	I had been writing a letter.

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3. Future Tense (Will happen later)

Type	Example
Simple Future	I will write a letter.
Future Continuous	I will be writing a letter.
Future Perfect	I will have written a letter.
Future Perfect Continuous	I will have been writing a letter.

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3.4 Modal Verbs

Modal verbs express possibility, ability, necessity, or permission.

Modal Verb	Usage	Example
can	ability	I can swim.
could	past ability	He could run fast.
may	permission	You may leave now.
might	possibility	It might rain today.
shall	future action	I shall return soon.
should	advice	You should eat healthy food.
will	definite future	She will call you.
would	polite request	Would you help me?
must	necessity	You must study for the test.

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3.5 Gerunds and Infinitives

1. Gerunds

A gerund is a verb ending in -ing that acts as a noun.

Examples:

• Swimming is fun. (gerund as subject)
• She enjoys reading. (gerund as object)

2. Infinitives

An infinitive is “to + verb” (e.g., to eat, to sleep).

Examples:

• I want to learn English.
• He decided to leave early.

👉 Tip: Some verbs take gerunds (enjoy reading), some take infinitives (decide to go), and some take both (start running / start to run).

Exercises

A. Identify the type of verb (Action, Linking, Helping):

1. He feels happy.
2. They are going to the market.
3. She writes beautifully.
4. The soup smells delicious.
5. I have finished my work.

B. Choose the correct verb form:

1. She (write / writes) a letter every day.
2. They (was / were) playing football.
3. I (go / went) to the park yesterday.
4. She (has / have) completed her assignment.
5. We (shall / should) respect our elders.

C. Fill in the blanks with the correct modal verb (can, could, may, must, should, will):

1. You ___ wear a seatbelt while driving.
2. ___ I borrow your pen?
3. He ___ speak five languages fluently.
4. When we were kids, we ___ play outside all day.
5. She ___ call you later.

Answers

A. Identify the type of verb:

1. feels – Linking verb
2. are – Helping verb
3. writes – Action verb
4. smells – Linking verb
5. have – Helping verb

B. Choose the correct verb form:

1. She writes a letter every day.
2. They were playing football.
3. I went to the park yesterday.
4. She has completed her assignment.
5. We should respect our elders.

C. Fill in the blanks with the correct modal verb:

1. You must wear a seatbelt while driving.
2. May I borrow your pen?
3. He can speak five languages fluently.
4. When we were kids, we could play outside all day.
5. She will call you later.