bie - what are verbs

8/12/2019 BIE - What Are Verbs

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What are Verbs?

The verb is king in English. The shortest sentence contains a verb. You can make a one-word sentence witha verb, for example: "Stop!" You cannot make a one-word sentence with an other tpe of word.

!erbs are sometimes described as "action words". This is partl true. an verbs give the idea of action, of"doing" something. #or example, words like run, fight, doand workall conve action.

$ut some verbs do not give the idea of action% the give the idea of existence, of state, of "being". #orexample, verbs like be, exist, seemand belongall conve state.

& verb alwas has a sub'ect. ()n the sentence "*ohn speaks English",Johnis the sub'ect andspeaksis theverb.+ )n simple terms, therefore, we can sa that verbs are words that tell us what a sub'ect doesor is% thedescribe:

action(am plas football.+

state(&nthon seems kind.+

There is something ver special about verbs in English. ost other words (ad'ectives, adverbs, prepositionsetc+ do not change in form (although nouns can have singular and plural forms+. $ut almost all verbschange in form. #or example, the verb to workhas five forms:

to work, work, works, worked, working

f course, this is still ver few forms compared to some languages which ma have thirt or more formsfor a single verb.

Main Verbs

ain verbs are also called "lexical verbs".

ain verbs have meaning on their own (unlike helping verbs+. There are thousands of main verbs, and wecan classif them in several was:

Transitive and intransitive verbs

& transitive verb takes a direct ob'ect: Somebody killed the President.&n intransitive verb does not have adirect ob'ect:He died.an verbs, likespeak, can be transitive or intransitive. ook at these examples:

transitive:

) sawan elephant. /e are watchingT!.

0e speaksEnglish.

intransitive:

0e has arrived.

*ohn goesto school.

1he speaksfast.
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-what_classification-helping.htmhttp://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-what_classification-helping.htm


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Linking verbs

& linking verb does not have much meaning in itself. )t "links" the sub'ect to what is said about the sub'ect.2suall, a linking verb shows e3ualit (4+ or a change to a different state or place (5+. inking verbs arealwas intransitive (but not all intransitive verbs are linking verbs+.

ar isa teacher. (mar 4 teacher+

Tara isbeautiful. (tara 4 beautiful+ That soundsinteresting. (that 4 interesting+

The sk becamedark. (the sk 5 dark+

The bread has gonebad. (bread 5 bad+

Dynamic and stative verbs

1ome verbs describe action. The are called "dnamic", and can be used with continuous tenses. therverbs describe state (non-action, a situation+. The are called "stative", and cannot normall be used withcontinuous tenses (though some of them can be used with continuous tenses with a change in meaning+.

dynamic verbs (examples):

hit, explode, fight, run, go

stative verbs (examples):

be

like, love, prefer, wish

impress, please, surprise

hear, see, sound

belong to, consist of, contain, include, need

appear, resemble, seem

Regular and irregular verbsThis is more a 3uestion of vocabular than of grammar. The onl realdifference between regular and irregular verbs is that the have different endings for their past tenseand past participle forms. #or regular verbs, the past tense ending and past participle ending isalwas the same: -ed. #or irregular verbs, the past tense ending and the past participle ending isvariable, so it is necessar to learn them b heart.

regular verbs:base, past tense, past participle

look, looked, looked

work, worked, worked

irregular verbs:base, past tense, past participle

bu, bought, bought

cut, cut, cut

do, did, done

0ere are lists of regular verbsand irregular verbs.

ne wa to think of regular and irregular verbs is likethis: allverbs are irregular and the so-called regularverbs are simpl one ver large group of irregular
http://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/regular-verbs.htmhttp://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/regular-verbs.htmhttp://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/irregular-verbs.htmhttp://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/regular-verbs.htmhttp://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/irregular-verbs.htm


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verbs.

ften the above divisions can be mixed. #or example, one verb could be irregular, transitive and dnamic%another verb could be regular, transitive and stative.

Helping Verbs

0elping verbs have no meaning on their own.The are necessar for the grammatical structureof a sentence, but the do not tell us ver muchalone. /e usuall use helping verbs with mainverbs. The "help" the main verb (which has the real meaning+. There are onl about 67 helping verbs inEnglish, and we divide them into two basic groups:

Primary helping verbs (3 verbs)

These are the verbs be, do, and have. 8ote that we can use these three verbs as helping verbs oras mainverbs. n this page we talk about them as helping verbs. /e use them in the following cases:

be

o to make continuous tenses (0e iswatching T!.+

o to make the passive (1mall fish areeaten b big fish.+

have

o to make perfect tenses () havefinished m homework.+

do

o to make negatives () donot like ou.+

o to ask 3uestions (Doou want some coffee9+

o to show emphasis () dowant ou to pass our exam.+

o to stand for a main verb in some constructions (0e speaks faster than she does.+

Modal helping verbs (10 verbs)

/e use modal helping verbs to "modif" the meaning of the main verb in some wa. & modal helping verbexpresses necessit or possibilit, and changes the main verb in that sense. These are the modal verbs:

can, could

ma, might

will, would,

shall, should

must

ought to

0ere are examples using modal verbs:

) can'tspeak hinese.

*ohn mayarrive late.

ouldou like a cup of coffee9

You shouldsee a doctor.

) reall mustgo now.

ain !erbs;

0elping verbs are also called "auxiliar verbs".
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Semimodal verbs (" verbs)

The following verbs are often called "semi-modals"because the are partl like modal helping verbs and

partl like main verbs:

need

dare

used to

Verb Classification

/e divide verbs into two broad classifications:

1. elping !erbs

)magine that a stranger walks into our room and sas:

) can.


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/e must go now.

) do not want an.

0elping verbs and main verbs can be further sub-divided, as we shall see on the following pages.

!erb lassification @uiA

6The grocer clerk will carr our bags out for ou.

BThe mail arrived after ) left.

C) have alread done m homework.

D

That book ou recommended soundsinteresting.

7) pre#er cream rather than milk.

*err studies for three hours ever da.

F/e looked at all of the art in the museum.

G

/ould ou take a picture for us9

H) don?t want to #ight about who gets the car.

6I 1he seemed like an interesting person.


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esson J aBIFI ----- keword: often

ommon adverbs of fre3uenc, &dverb placement

"10T" &=!E$


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-=o the ever work98o, the never work.8o, the don?t ever work.Yes, the alwas work.

"8L" &=!E$1:

55 /e put "long" adverbs in the beginning or at the end of the sentence:

1E "8L &=!E$1":

a bit, a little, a lot, a ton, all the time, at times, enough, ever da,ever month, ever now and then, ever week, from time to time, in the morning,little, loads, lots, much, now and then, once a da, once a week, plent, some,three times a da, tons, twice a week, twice a ear

(=& !E$+ K 828 K !E$ K 8L &=!E$828 K (=& !E$+ K !E$ K 8L &=!E$8L &=!E$ K 828 K (=& !E$+ K !E$

-/hen do ou stud English9

) stud English ever da.MMM 8T: ) ever da stud English.-=oes she often go to the hair-dresser?s9

Yes, she goes twice a month.MMM 8T: Yes, she twice a month goes.

-=oes he ever shave9Yes, he shaves ever morning.MMM 8T: Yes, he ever morning shaves.

-=o ou go swimming in the summer9MMM 8T: =o ou in the summer go swimming9

Yes, ) often go swimming in the summer.MMM 8T: Yes, ) often in the summer go swimming.

55 /e use "much" and "at all" in 3uestions and negative declarations:

-=oes he visit much9Yes, he visits a lot.8o, he doesn?t visit much.8o, he doesn?t visit at all.

-=o the go to church at all9Yes, the go to church ever da.8o, the don?t go to church much.8o, the don?t go to church at all.

)8TE81)#)E1:


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1he swims in the morning.1he swims once a ear.1he swims when it?s hot.1he swims practicall ever weekend.1he swims at D:II ever Tuesda and Thursda.1he doesn?t swim ver often.1he hardl ever swims.1he doesn?t ever swim.

-1ometimes the go to the librar, and the stud for hours and hours.=o the reall9 /hat a bunch of nerds>

-=oes she stud a lot98o, she doesn?t. 1he ver rarel studies.

-0ow often do ou go to the movies9/e go about once a month.

-&re ou ever in 8ew York9Yes, ) go about once a ear.

-=o ou ever take a bath9Yes, ) take a shower almost ever morning.

EME)1E1:

ombine the following sentences with the adverb (in parenthesis+:

I. ) ask ou 3uestions. (hardl ever+) hardl ever ask ou 3uestions.

6. ) wash m car. (once a ear+B. s. arino goes to 1eoul Norea on business. (fre3uentl+C. Timoth plas poker. (practicall never+D. ario visits $arbara. (ever now and then+7. aria and 1umiko fight. (a lot+. /e go sailing. (practicall ever weekend+F. =oes he act like an idiot9 (alwas+G. 0e changes his clothes. (three times a da+H. =o the sing that song9 (ever night+6I. &re ou tired and irritable9 (ever morning+

&nswer the following 3uestions, using an adverb:

I. /hat is the first thing *ack does when he gets to work9*ack gets a cup of coffee when he gets to work.

66. =o women go shopping much96B. /ho does the shopping in our famil96C. /ho cooks at our house96D. /ho washes the clothes at our house967. =o ou ever go bowling96. =oes &lex ever wash the dishes96F. 0ow often do ou brush our teeth96G. 0ow often do ou see our mother9

6H. /hat time do ou get up in the morning9BI. /hen does it snow9B6. 0ow often does our car break down9BB. =o ou drink alcohol much9BC. /hen does our father go to the bank9BD. 0ow often do ou shave9B7. 0ow often do ou go to the movies9B. /hen do ou use the telephone9BF. /hen do ou drive9BG. =o ou walk ver much9BH. 0ow often do ou cut our hair9CI. /hen do ou call the doctor9


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C6. =o men ever fight9CB. =o ou ever watch T!9CC. =o our friends stud much9CD. =oes ark ever pla tennis9C7. =oes ar ever drive to work9C. =oes artha ever visit her grandmother9

ake 3uestions for the following answers:

I. 0ow often do ou go skiing9) go skiing sometimes.

CF. 8o, we almost never speak )talian in English class.CG. ) usuall wash the dishes.CH. 8o, she doesn?t drive at all.DI. 8o, she doesn?t listen to music at all.D6. Yes, ) take a shower ever da>DB. Yes, he goes camping ever summer.DC. 8o, he doesn?t pla the lotter much.DD. Yes, we eat out ever #rida evening.D7. Yes, m brothers fight a lot.D. father almost alwas pas the bills at m house.

55 2sing the words given below and adding or changing a word if necessar,ask one complete 3uestion, and give one complete answer:

I. shopping never her mother he goes with=oes he ever go shopping with his mother9

0e never goes shopping with his mother.DF. is behind ar still sitting *ohn rightDG. alwas on T! 1tar Trek watches =avidDH. artin with 1am works at the restaurant7I. never without sugar drinks coffee Tom76. a cold beer usuall has


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BB. Yes, ) drink alcohol 3uite a bit.BC. father goes to the bank on pada.BD. ) never shave% )?m a girl>B7. /e go to the movies almost ever night.B. ) use the telephone once or twice a da.BF. ) drive to work each da.BG. 8o, ) do not walk much.BH. ) cut m hair about once ever two months.

CI. ) rarel call the doctor.C6. en often fight.CB. Yes, ) watch T! nearl ever da.CC. 8o, m friends don?t stud hardl ever.CD. ark occasionall plas tennis.C7. Yes, ar drives to work ever da.C. artha ver rarel visits her grandmother.CF. =o ou ever speak )talian in English class9CG. &t our house, who washes the dishes9CH. =oes our grandmother drive a car9DI. =oes 1hirle listen to much music9D6. =o ou ever wash9DB. =oes $ill like camping9

DC. =oes Nim pla the lotter often9DD. =o ou ever eat out in restaurants9D7. =o our brothers ever fight9D. /ho pas the bills at our house9DF. )s *ohn still sitting right behind ar9

Yes, *ohn is still sitting right behind ar.DG. =oes =avid alwas watch 1tar Trek on T!9

8o, =avid doesn?t alwas watch 1tar Trek on T!.DH. =oes artin work with 1am at the restaurant9

Yes, artin works with 1am at the restaurant.7I. =oes Tom ever drink coffee without sugar9

8o, Tom never drinks coffee without sugar.76. =oes


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The main verb is alwas the bare infinitive (infinitive without "to"+.

sub$ect auxiliary verb main verb

% 0e should go.

0e should not go.

shouldn't

& Should he go9

8otice that:

Shouldis invariable. There is onl one form ofshould.

The main verb is alwaysthe bare infinitive.

The main verb is alwas the bare infinitive. /e cannotsa:

You should to go.

Use of Should

should: iving advice opinions

/e often useshouldwhen offering advice or opinions (similar to ought to+:

* +,-:

You should see the new *ames $ond movie. )t?s great>

You should tr to lose weight.

*ohn should get a haircut.

0e shouldn?t smoke. &nd he should stop drinking too.

/hat should ) wear9

The should make that illegal.

There should be a law against that.


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0e should have been more careful.

1hould ou be driving so fast9

should: -robability expectation

/e useshouldto indicate that we think something is probable (we expect it to happen+:

&re ou read9 The train should be here soon. O6I is enough. )t shouldn?t cost more than that.

et?s call ar. 1he should have finished work b now.

should: *onditionals

/e sometimes useshould(instead of would+ for the first person singular ()+ and first person plural (we+ ofsome conditionals:

)f ) lost m 'ob ) should have no mone.

()f he lost his 'ob he would have no mone.+

/e should be grateful if ou could send us our latest catalogue.

This is not a ver important distinction. (ore about the use of shallPwilland shouldPwould.+

should: (,# , were you , should///)

/e often use the conditional structure ")f ) were ou ) should..." to give advice.

)f ) were ou, ) should complain to the manager.

)f ) were ou ) shouldn?t worr about it.

) shouldn?t sa anthing if ) were ou.

8ote that we can omit ")f ) were ou..." and 'ust sa:

) should complain to the manager.

) shouldn?t worr about it.

) shouldn?t sa anthing.

)n these cases, the phrase ") should" reall means something like "ou should".

should: -seudo sub$unctive

/e often use a special verb form called the sub'unctivewhen talking about events that somebod wants tohappen, hopes will happen or imagines happening, for example:

The president insists that the prime minister attend the meeting.

0owever, this is much more common in &merican English. $ritish English speakers would probablconve the same idea usingshould:

The president insists that the prime minister shouldattend the meeting.

0ere are some more examples:
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-modals_shall-will.htmhttp://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-modals_shall-will.htmhttp://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-modals_shall-will.htmhttp://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-modals_shall-will.htmhttp://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-subjunctive.htmhttp://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-modals_shall-will.htmhttp://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-modals_shall-will.htmhttp://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verbs-subjunctive.htm


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Sub$unctive

typically American nglish0sing should

typically !ritish nglish

The president is insisting that pollution bereduced.

The president is insisting that pollution should bereduced.

The manager recommended that ar 'oin thecompan.

The manager recommended that ar should 'oin thecompan.

)t is essential that we decide toda. )t is essential that we should decide toda.

)t was necessar that everone arrive on time. )t was necessar that everone should arrive on time.

should: hy should//& 1 2ow should//&

)f we don?t understand (or agree with+ something, we ma use "/h should..9":

/h should it be illegal to commit suicide9 )t?s our life.

"/h should..9" and "0ow should..9" can also indicate anger or irritation:

"0elp me with this." Q "/h should )9"

"/here are m kes9" Q "0ow should ) know9"

ould

ouldis an auxiliar verb, a modal auxiliar verb. /e use wouldmainl to:

talk about the past

talk about the future in the past

express the conditional mood

/e also use wouldfor other functions, such as:

expressing desire, polite re3uests and 3uestions, opinion or hope, wish and regret...

Structure of Would

sub'ect K would K main verb



% 1he would like tea.

'd

1he would not like whisk.

wouldn't


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& ould she like coffee9

8otice that:

ouldis never con'ugated. )t is alwas wouldor 'd(short form+.


The main verb is alwas the bare infinitive. /e cannotsa:

) would to like coffee.

Use of Would

would: +alking about the past

/e often use wouldas a kind of past tense of willorgoing to:

Even as a bo, he knew that he would succeed in life.

) thought it would rain so ) brought m umbrella.

2sing wouldas as a kind of past tense of willorgoing tois common in reported speech:

1he said that she would bu some eggs. (") will bu some eggs."+

The candidate said that he wouldn?t increase taxes. (") won?t increase taxes."+

/h didn?t ou bring our umbrella9 ) told ou it would rain> (")t?s going to rain."+

/e often use would notto talk about past refusals:

0e wanted a divorce but his wife would not agree.

Yesterda morning, the car wouldn?t start.

/e sometimes use would(rather like used to+ when talking about habitual past behaviour:

Ever weekda m father would come home from work at pm and watch T!.

Ever summer we?d go to the seaside.

1ometimes she?d phone me in the middle of the night.

/e would alwas argue. /e could never agree.

would: 3uture in past

/hen talking about the past we can use wouldto express something that has not happened at the time weare talking about:

$e careful> ouldand hadhave the same short form'd:

0e?d finished. (0e had finished.+0e?d like coffee. (0e would like coffee.+


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)n ondon she met the man that she would one da marr.

0e left 7 minutes late, unaware that the dela would save his life.

would: *onditionals

/e often use wouldto express the so-called second and third conditionals:

)f he lost his 'ob he would have no mone. )f) had won the lotter) would have bought a car.

2sing the same conditional structure, we often use wouldwhen giving advice:

) wouldn?t eat that if ) were ou.

)f ) were in our place )?d refuse.

)f ou asked me ) would sa ou should go.

1ometimes the condition is "understood" and there does not have to be an "if" clause:

1omeone who liked *ohn would probabl love *ohn?s father. ()f someone liked *ohn the would

probabl love *ohn?s father.+ You?d never know it. (for example: )f ou met him ou would never know that he was rich.+

/h don?t ou invite ar9 )?m sure she?d come.

* +,-:&lthough there is alwas a main verb, sometimes it is understood (not stated+ as in:

)?d like to sta. Q ) wish ou would. (would sta+

=o ou think he?d come9 Q )?m sure he would. (would come+

/ho would help us9 Q *ohn would. (would help us+

would: Desire or inclination

)?d love to live here.

/ould ou like some coffee9 /hat )?d reall like is some tea.

would: -olite re4uests and 4uestions

/ould ou open the door, please9 (more polite than: pen the door, please.+

/ould ou go with me9 (more polite than: /ill ou go with me9+

/ould ou know the answer9 (more polite than: =o ou know the answer9+

/hat would the capital of 8igeria be9 (more polite than: /hat is the capital of 8igeria9+

would: .pinion or hope

) would imagine that the?ll bu a new one.

) suppose some people would call it torture.

) would have to agree.

) would expect him to come.

1ince ou ask me )?d sa the blue one is best.

would: ish

) wish ou would sta. () reall want ou to sta. ) hope ou will sta.+

The don?t like me. )?m sure the wish )?d resign.

* +,-:8ote that allof these uses of wouldexpress some kind of distance or remoteness:


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remoteness in time (past time+

remoteness of possibilit or probabilit

remoteness between speakers (formalit, politeness+

would: -resumption or expectation

That would be *o calling. )?ll answer it.

/e saw a police helicopter overhead esterda morning. Q eall9 The would have been looking

for those bank robbers.

would: 0ncertainty

0e would seem to be getting better. (less certain than: 0e seems to be getting better.+

)t would appear that ) was wrong. (less certain than: )t appears that ) was wrong.+

would: Derogatory

The would sa that, wouldn?t the9

*ohn said he didn?t steal the mone. Q /ell, he would, wouldn?t he9

would that: Regret (poetic5rare) with clause

This rare, poetic or literar use of woulddoes not have the normal structure:

/ould that it were true> ()f onl it were true> /e wish that it were true>+

/ould that his mother had lived to see him become president.

*an *ould 6e able to 7ui8

6he understand what ou were talking about9

B sister pla tennis now.

C) walk when ) was less than a ear old.

D(


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6I /ill an live forever one da9

Could

*ouldis an auxiliar verb, a modal auxiliar verb. /e use couldto:

talk about past possibilit or abilit

make re3uests

#tr$ct$re o% &o$ld

sub'ect K could K main verb



% grandmother could swim.

1he could not walk.

couldn't

& *ould our grandmother swim9

8otice that:

*ouldis invariable. There is onl one form of could.


The main verb is alwas the bare infinitive./e cannot sa:


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'se o% &o$ld

could: Past Possibility or Ability

/e use couldto talk about what was possible in the past, what we were able or free todo:

) couldswim when ) was 7 ears old.

grandmother couldspeak seven languages.

/hen we arrived home, we could notopen the door. (...couldn'topen the door.+

*ouldou understand what he was saing9

/e use could(positive+ and couldn't(negative+ for general abilit in the past. $ut whenwe talk about one special occasion in the past, we use be able to(positive+ and couldn't(negative+. ook at these examples:

-ast

eneral Speci#ic .ccasion

K grandmother couldspeak1panish.

& man fell into the river esterda. The policewere ableto save him.

- grandmother couldn'tspeak1panish.

& man fell into the river esterda. The policecouldn'tsave him.

could: Requests

/e often use couldin a 3uestion to ask somebod to do something. The use of couldinthis wa is fairl polite (formal+:

*ouldou tell me where the bank is, please9

*ouldou send me a catalogue, please9

bie - what are verbs

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