Verbs and Their Types

In the use of English, words are generally classified and categorized based on form and function, and the roles they play in sentences. Parts of speech, also known as word classes are  The Verb is a significant part of speech as sentences are not complete without any verb.

Types of Verbs

Before we go into the types of verbs, we will first need to understand what a verb means, and the role it plays, in our everyday use of English. A verb is an action or a doing word. It connotes an action, occurrence, or state of a noun. Verbs are one of the most important classes of speech as, without them, sentences and clauses cannot be formed.

Here are the types of Verbs-

• Action Verbs

This verb type expresses actions, by describing the behaviour of a noun, or pronoun. It expresses what a noun can do, both physically and mentally.

Examples

1. Andrew plays the keyboard.

2. Christiano thinks about college every time.

In the above-mentioned examples, ‘plays’, and ‘thinks’ express the actions that Andrew and Christiano do, physically and mentally, respectively.

• Stative Verbs

Stative verbs are another type of verb, that express the states of being or condition of the subject. They provide more information about the subject, unlike the action verbs, which just focus on the activity of the subject.

They often relate to, senses and perceptions (appear, be, feel, hear, look, see, seem, smell, taste), thoughts and opinions (agree, believe, doubt, guess, imagine, know, mean, recognize, remember, suspect, think, understand), feelings and emotions ( dislike, hate, like love, prefer, want, wish), and  possession and measurement ( belong, have, measure, own, possess, weigh.)

Examples

1. Precious loves horror movies

  The word love expresses the subject’s state ( feels ), about horror movies.

1. Mr. Louis owns a car 

This shows Mr. Louis’ state as a car owner.

• Transitive Verbs

This type of verb requires an object to receive the action. A transitive verb is only significant when it exercises its actions in an object. It needs to transfer its action to something or someone.

Examples

1. Lilian kicked the ball

2. I appreciate your efforts

• Intransitive Verbs

This type of verb is the opposite of the transitive verb. They don’t need an object to express an action, or for the sentence to make sense. 

Examples

1. Rosemary writes well.

2. The children will play outside today.

• Linking Verbs

Linking verbs, as the name implies, are verbs that link the subject with the rest of the object. They serve as a connection between a subject and more information about the subject. 

Examples

1. My mom is a good cook.

2. The city looks deserted.
   

• Helping Verbs

A helping verb is used with a main verb to help express the main verb’s tense, mood, or voice, thereby broadening its meaning.

The three main helping verbs are 

To be

To have and 

To do.

Examples

1. They are moving to a new city.

2. She is having cereal for breakfast.

• Modal Verbs

Modal verbs are types of helping verbs that further modify the meaning of the main verb in a sentence. They are used to give sentences certain moods and can express possibilities, ability, permission, or necessity.

These verbs do not change their form, and here are a number of them: 

can

could

may

might

will

would

shall

should

must

ought to

Examples

1. I can do all things.

2. We might leave for the states next year.

• Regular Verbs

Regular verbs are verbs that follow the rule of forming their different tense forms, according to an established pattern, for instance, by adding ‘-ed’ or ‘-d’. 

• Irregular Verbs

This type of verb, unlike the regular verb, does not have its different tense forms, following any established pattern.

Types of Verbs with Examples

• Action Verbs

eat, catch, sleep, write, read, listen, cook, run, etc.

• Stative Verbs

Be, love, have, like, know, seem, prefer, understand, hate, etc.

• Transitive Verb

Most types of verbs are transitive verbs. Here are a few examples.

Ate, borrow, bring, buy, clean, discuss, feed, gave, hugged, left, offer, praised, prime, promised, send, tease, etc.

• Intransitive Verb

Agree, appear, arrive, etc.

• Helping Verbs

These type of verbs with examples is categorized into two

 Auxiliary Verbs: To have, To be, and to do

And

Modal Verbs: can, will, may, might, could, would, shall, etc. 

• Regular Verbs

• Irregular Verbs
  

Conclusion

The parts of speech in the English Language is one of the basic things every English learner should understand and be familiar with, as they are used in everyday use of English. The different types of Verbs with examples should be understood so that no mistake is made while using them in spoken or written English.