Verbs
Subject English
Grade VIII
- A verb is a word used for saying something about some person or thing.
- A verb is a word that tells or asserts something about a person or thing.
- A verb is a word that denotes being, having or doing something.
- Verbs are words which express action, existence or condition.
- A verb may tell us about an action, a state of being or existence or possession.
- A verb may tell us—
- What a person or thing is: as;
- Mr Ali is a teacher.
- The cow is brown.
- Her shirt is white.
- What a person or thing has: as;
- Manila has a pet dog.
- A chair has four legs.
- Some of the buried workers are still alive.
- This old car is on its last legs.
- What a person or thing does: as;
- Latif kicks a football.
- The clock strikes ten.
- They danced till three in the morning.
- They washed the room in the evening.
- Other words indicate a condition: as;
- Nadia is miserable after losing her dog.
- The new car looks beautiful.
- Some verbs may be used without any helping verbs before them: as;
- The baby sleeps.
- Birds fly.
- Boys play.
- Verbs, such as sleep, fly, play, etc. are called /main’ verbs
- Sometimes the ‘main’ verbs take another kind of verb before them: as;
- The bay may sleep for one hour more.
- Birds can fly high in the sky.
- Boys will play football after 4 p.m.
- Verbs, such as May, can, will etc., are called auxiliary or helping verbs. Auxiliary verbs give a special meaning to the main verbs they go with.
- Thus, there are two classes of verbs in English: as;
- Auxiliaries: may, can, will, have, must etc.
- Ordinary verbs: run, sleep, fly, play, etc.
Kinds of Verbs
- Verbs are classified in four different ways: as;
