Verb rules
By: Emma Tuss
Irregular verbs
Irregular verbs do not add ed to the past tense (fall-fell). Usually the past tense and the past particle form are not the same (spoke-spoken).
Examples:
Infinitive: To run, to know
Present: Run(s), know(s)
Past: Ran, knew.
Past particle: (Had) run, (had) known.
Common mistakes:
Example: I give ice cream to a panda. (INCORRECT)
Example: I gave ice cream to a panda. (CORRECT)
In regular verbs, the past and the past particle are the same. The past tense is formed by adding ed to the verb (bank- barked)
Examples:
Infinitive: To walk, to jump.
Present: Walk(s) and jump(s)
Past: Walked and Jumped. Past participle: (Had) walked, (had) jumped.
Regular Verbs
Common mistakes:
Example: To woke, to jumped. (INCORRECT)
Example: To walk, to jump. (CORRECT)
Transitive verbs
A Transitive verb will have a direct object. D.O.T or DOT is a very easy way to remember that a transitive verb will have a direct object.
Examples: The child threw the Ball.
Common mistakes:
Example: The child throw the ball. (INCORRECT)
Example: The child threw the ball. (CORRECT)
Intransitive verbs
Example: The Cat is up on the sink. (intransitive Verb- no direct object)
Example: We ran after the ice cream truck. (intransitive Verb- no direct object. Even though ran is an action verb, there is no direct object in the sentence.
An Intransitive verb will NOT have a direct object.
Text
Subject-Verb agreement
If the subject is singular (only one), the verb will be singular. In a regular verb (one that adds ed to form past time, e.g. walk/ walked), you add s to the verb when the subject is singular.
Examples: Our maid cleans the room. (CORRECT)
Example: Our maid cleans the room. (INCORRECT)
Linking verbs
Linking verbs DO NOT SHOW ACTION. They link the subject with a noun or pronoun, or they link the subject with an adjective (describing word).
Examples: His mother is an accountant.
Examples: The winners
These are three easy aspects of linking verbs:
A. Linking verbs never show action
B. Linking verbs always link the subject with something.
C. Linking verbs appear as a separate list.
Linking verbs
The following is a list of linking verbs that must be memorized. To feel, to taste, to look, to smell, to become, to seem, to sound, to grow, to remain, to appear, to stay, to be.
Action Verbs
There are two main types of verbs: Action and linking. Action verbs do exactly what the term implies. Action verbs show action. You will note that in order to have a direct object, the sentence must contain an action verb.
Examples: Jenny cut down the old oak tree. (Correct)
Example: Jenny cut down the old oak tree. (INCORRECT)
Old is an adjective and not a verb.
Verb Phrases
Sometimes two or more words make up a verb. This is called a verb phrase. The last word in a verb phrase is called the main verb; other words are called auxiliary (helping) verbs.
Verb phrase example:
Should go.
Should = helping verb
Go = main verb.
Verb Phrases
In a declarative (statement) sentence, the verb phrase is usually together.
Example: That window must have been broken by a rock.
Must have been + broken.
In an interrogative (question) sentence, the verb phrase is often split.
Example: Have my jeans been washed yet?
Helping verbs
List of helping verbs:
Do, does, did, has, have, had, is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been, may, must, might, should, could, would, shall, will, can.
-Helping verbs are words that support the rest of the sentence.
(CORRECT)
Example: Do have my scarf?
Example: Does have my scarf?
(WRONG)
Sources:
- My grammar book
Verb rules
By emmaanntuss
Verb rules
- 880
