What is a verb in English grammar?

A verb is a word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being in a sentence. Verbs are the backbone of sentences, indicating what the subject does or what happens to it. Examples include action verbs (run, write, eat), linking verbs (is, am, are, seem, become), and auxiliary verbs (have, will, can). Every complete sentence must contain at least one verb. Verbs change form based on tense (past, present, future), person (first, second, third), number (singular, plural), and mood (indicative, imperative, subjunctive). Understanding verbs is fundamental to constructing grammatically correct sentences in English.

What are the five main forms of verbs?

English verbs have five main forms: (1) Base form/Infinitive: the dictionary form without 'to' (go, write, speak). (2) Simple Present/Third Person Singular: adds -s or -es (goes, writes, speaks). (3) Simple Past: describes completed actions (went, wrote, spoke). (4) Past Participle: used with auxiliary verbs in perfect tenses and passive voice (gone, written, spoken). (5) Present Participle/Gerund: -ing form used for continuous tenses or as nouns (going, writing, speaking). Regular verbs form past and past participle by adding -ed (walked, walked), while irregular verbs have unique forms (go-went-gone, write-wrote-written). Mastering these forms is essential for proper verb usage in all tenses.

What is the difference between finite and non-finite verbs?

Finite verbs are complete verbs that show tense, person, and number, and can stand alone as the main verb in a sentence: 'She walks', 'They walked', 'He is walking'. They change form to agree with the subject and indicate time. Non-finite verbs do not show tense, person, or number and cannot be the main verb alone. There are three types: (1) Infinitives: 'to walk', 'to eat' or bare infinitives 'walk', 'eat'. (2) Gerunds: -ing forms used as nouns: 'Walking is healthy', 'I enjoy reading'. (3) Participles: present participle (walking) and past participle (walked) used in verb phrases or as adjectives. Understanding this distinction is crucial for sentence structure.

What are regular and irregular verbs?

Regular verbs follow a predictable pattern, forming their past tense and past participle by adding -ed or -d to the base form: walk-walked-walked, play-played-played, love-loved-loved, study-studied-studied. They follow consistent spelling rules. Irregular verbs don't follow this pattern and must be memorized. They have unique past and past participle forms: go-went-gone, eat-ate-eaten, write-wrote-written, see-saw-seen, speak-spoke-spoken, break-broke-broken, swim-swam-swum. Some irregular verbs have the same form for all three: cut-cut-cut, put-put-put, hurt-hurt-hurt. English has about 200 commonly used irregular verbs. Learning these is essential for proper past tense and perfect tense usage.

What are auxiliary verbs and how are they used?

Auxiliary verbs (also called helping verbs) work with main verbs to form verb phrases expressing tense, mood, voice, or aspect. Primary auxiliaries are 'be', 'have', and 'do': (1) 'Be' forms continuous tenses (am/is/are/was/were doing) and passive voice (is done, was written). (2) 'Have' forms perfect tenses (has/have/had done). (3) 'Do' forms questions and negatives (do you understand?, doesn't work). Modal auxiliaries include can, could, may, might, shall, should, will, would, must, ought to, expressing ability, permission, possibility, obligation, etc. Auxiliary verbs are essential for forming different tenses and expressing subtle meanings beyond simple present and past.

What are modal verbs and their uses?

Modal verbs are special auxiliary verbs that express modality: ability, possibility, permission, obligation, advice, and necessity. The main modals are: can/could (ability, possibility, permission), may/might (possibility, permission), shall/should (obligation, advice, suggestion), will/would (future, habit, willingness), must (obligation, strong necessity), ought to (advice, moral obligation). Characteristics: (1) They don't take -s in third person singular. (2) They're followed by bare infinitive without 'to'. (3) They don't need auxiliary verbs for questions/negatives. Examples: 'She can swim', 'You should study', 'They must leave', 'We might go'. Understanding modals is crucial for expressing different degrees of certainty, ability, and obligation in English.

What is subject-verb agreement?

Subject-verb agreement means the verb must match its subject in person (first, second, third) and number (singular, plural). Basic rules: (1) Singular subjects take singular verbs: 'The dog barks', 'She writes'. (2) Plural subjects take plural verbs: 'Dogs bark', 'They write'. (3) Third person singular present adds -s/-es: 'He runs', 'She goes'. (4) Compound subjects with 'and' take plural verbs: 'Tom and Jerry are friends'. (5) Indefinite pronouns like 'everyone', 'nobody', 'each' take singular verbs. (6) Collective nouns can be singular or plural depending on context. (7) In inverted sentences, identify the real subject. Common errors occur with complex subjects, so identify the true subject carefully before choosing the verb form.

What are the different types of verbs in English?

English verbs are categorized into several types: (1) Action Verbs: express physical or mental actions (run, think, write, jump). (2) Linking Verbs: connect subject to complement (be, seem, appear, become, feel, look, taste, smell, sound). (3) Auxiliary/Helping Verbs: help main verbs (be, have, do, can, will, must). (4) Transitive Verbs: require direct object (eat food, write letter). (5) Intransitive Verbs: don't take objects (sleep, arrive, laugh). (6) Regular/Irregular Verbs: based on past tense formation. (7) Finite/Non-finite Verbs: based on tense indication. (8) Phrasal Verbs: verb + particle combinations (give up, look after). Understanding these classifications helps in proper verb usage and sentence construction.

What is the difference between transitive and intransitive verbs?

Transitive verbs require a direct object to complete their meaning - they transfer action from subject to object: 'She reads books' (books = object), 'He broke the window' (window = object), 'They love music' (music = object). Ask 'what?' or 'whom?' after the verb to find the object. Intransitive verbs don't take objects; they express complete action by themselves: 'She sleeps', 'The baby cried', 'Birds fly', 'He arrived'. Some verbs can be both: 'She sings' (intransitive) vs 'She sings songs' (transitive); 'They eat' (intransitive) vs 'They eat rice' (transitive). Understanding this distinction is important for passive voice formation - only transitive verbs can be made passive.

How do you form and use the present participle?

The present participle is formed by adding -ing to the base verb: walk-walking, run-running, study-studying. It has several uses: (1) Continuous/Progressive Tenses: 'I am walking', 'She was studying', 'They will be running'. (2) As Adjectives: 'a running stream', 'the sleeping baby', 'interesting book'. (3) After verbs of perception: 'I saw him running', 'She heard them singing'. (4) To show simultaneous actions: 'Walking home, I met John'. (5) As Gerunds (verbal nouns): 'Swimming is fun', 'I enjoy reading'. Spelling rules: double final consonant after short vowel (stop-stopping, run-running), drop silent -e (come-coming, write-writing), change -ie to -y (lie-lying, die-dying).

What is the past participle and how is it used?

The past participle is the third form of a verb. For regular verbs, it's identical to the simple past (add -ed): walk-walked-walked, play-played-played. For irregular verbs, it's often different: eat-ate-eaten, go-went-gone, see-saw-seen. Uses: (1) Perfect Tenses: 'I have eaten', 'She had gone', 'They will have finished'. (2) Passive Voice: 'The letter was written', 'The house is being built'. (3) As Adjectives: 'a broken window', 'the stolen car', 'cooked food'. (4) With modal + have: 'should have done', 'must have gone'. (5) After 'get' for passive: 'got married', 'get dressed'. Mastering past participles is essential for perfect tenses and passive constructions.

What are infinitives and how are they used?

An infinitive is the base form of a verb, usually with 'to': to walk, to eat, to study. Bare infinitives omit 'to'. Uses: (1) As Nouns: subject ('To err is human'), object ('I want to sleep'), complement ('His goal is to win'). (2) After many verbs: want, need, hope, plan, decide, refuse ('I hope to pass', 'She decided to go'). (3) To express purpose: 'I came to help', 'She studies to learn'. (4) After adjectives: 'easy to understand', 'happy to help'. (5) After question words: 'how to do', 'what to say'. Bare infinitives are used after modal verbs ('can go', 'must study') and verbs of perception ('saw him leave', 'heard them sing'). Understanding infinitive usage is crucial for sentence variety.

What are gerunds and how do they differ from present participles?

Gerunds are -ing forms of verbs functioning as nouns: 'Swimming is healthy' (subject), 'I enjoy reading' (object), 'Her hobby is painting' (complement). Although gerunds and present participles look identical, their functions differ. Gerunds act as nouns: 'Running builds endurance' (subject noun), while present participles form continuous tenses or act as adjectives: 'I am running' (part of verb phrase), 'a running stream' (adjective). Gerunds follow prepositions ('good at swimming'), certain verbs (enjoy, finish, avoid, mind, suggest), and possessive pronouns ('his singing', 'their dancing'). Common verbs followed by gerunds include: enjoy, finish, avoid, mind, suggest, practice, consider, admit. Understanding this distinction prevents grammatical errors.

How do you use verbs in different tenses correctly?

Using verbs correctly across tenses requires understanding when each tense is appropriate. Present Simple: habits, facts, schedules ('I work daily', 'Water boils at 100°C'). Present Continuous: ongoing actions ('I am studying now'). Present Perfect: past actions with present relevance ('I have finished'). Past Simple: completed past actions ('I studied yesterday'). Past Continuous: ongoing past actions ('I was studying when he called'). Past Perfect: actions before another past action ('I had studied before the test'). Future Simple: predictions, decisions ('I will study tomorrow'). Future Perfect: actions completed by future time ('I will have finished by 5 PM'). Choose tense based on time reference and aspect of the action you're describing.

What are stative and dynamic verbs?

Dynamic verbs express actions or processes that can be started, stopped, or progressed: walk, eat, study, build, play. They can be used in continuous tenses: 'I am eating', 'She was studying'. Stative verbs express states, conditions, or situations that are relatively permanent and don't show progression: know, believe, love, hate, own, belong, seem, understand, prefer, want, need. Generally, stative verbs aren't used in continuous tenses. Say 'I know the answer' not 'I am knowing'. However, some verbs can be both: 'I have a car' (stative-ownership) vs 'I'm having dinner' (dynamic-action); 'She thinks he's nice' (stative-belief) vs 'She's thinking about the problem' (dynamic-mental process). Understanding this distinction prevents common errors.

What are common errors in verb usage and how to avoid them?

Common verb errors include: (1) Subject-verb agreement: 'She don't' → 'She doesn't', 'He have' → 'He has'. (2) Irregular verb forms: 'I have went' → 'I have gone', 'He has ate' → 'He has eaten'. (3) Tense consistency: 'Yesterday I go' → 'Yesterday I went'. (4) Double negatives: 'I don't have nothing' → 'I don't have anything'. (5) Incorrect modal usage: 'He cans swim' → 'He can swim', 'She must to go' → 'She must go'. (6) Gerund vs infinitive confusion: 'I enjoy to read' → 'I enjoy reading'. (7) Stative verbs in continuous: 'I am knowing' → 'I know'. To avoid errors: learn irregular forms, understand tense meanings, study subject-verb agreement rules, and practice regularly.

How do you convert active voice to passive voice correctly?

To convert active to passive: (1) Make the object of active sentence the subject of passive. (2) Use appropriate form of 'be' + past participle. (3) The active subject becomes the passive agent with 'by' (often omitted). Examples: Active: 'John wrote the letter' → Passive: 'The letter was written by John'. Active: 'They are building a house' → Passive: 'A house is being built (by them)'. Active: 'She has completed the work' → Passive: 'The work has been completed by her'. Only transitive verbs (verbs with objects) can be made passive. Intransitive verbs cannot. Tense in passive = be (in same tense as active) + past participle. When to use: emphasize action over actor, when actor is unknown, or in formal/scientific writing.

What are verb patterns with infinitives and gerunds?

Some verbs are followed by infinitives, some by gerunds, and some by either with meaning changes. Verbs + Infinitive: want, need, hope, plan, decide, refuse, promise, agree, offer, seem, appear ('I want to go', 'She decided to study'). Verbs + Gerund: enjoy, finish, avoid, mind, suggest, practice, consider, admit, deny, delay ('I enjoy reading', 'Avoid making mistakes'). Verbs + Either: start, begin, continue, like, love, hate, prefer ('I started working/to work'). Different meanings: 'stop doing' (cease action) vs 'stop to do' (pause to do something); 'remember doing' (recall past) vs 'remember to do' (not forget future task); 'try doing' (experiment) vs 'try to do' (attempt). Learning these patterns prevents common errors.

How do you use verbs with conditional sentences?

Conditional sentences have different verb forms: (1) Zero Conditional (general truths): If + present simple, present simple. 'If you heat water, it boils' (both clauses present simple). (2) First Conditional (real future possibility): If + present simple, will + base verb. 'If it rains, I will stay home'. (3) Second Conditional (hypothetical present/future): If + past simple, would + base verb. 'If I had money, I would travel' (I don't have money). (4) Third Conditional (hypothetical past): If + past perfect, would have + past participle. 'If I had studied, I would have passed' (I didn't study). Mixed conditionals combine timeframes. Understanding these patterns is essential for expressing different types of conditions and their results accurately.

What verb forms are important for WBBSE Class 10 English exams?

For WBBSE Class 10 English exams, master these key areas: (1) Common irregular verbs and their three forms (go-went-gone, do-did-done, write-wrote-written). (2) Subject-verb agreement, especially with tricky subjects like collective nouns, indefinite pronouns. (3) Correct tense usage in context - identifying whether sentences need present perfect, past simple, past perfect, or future tenses. (4) Converting active to passive voice and vice versa. (5) Using appropriate verb forms after modals (must go, not must to go). (6) Choosing between infinitive and gerund after specific verbs. (7) Using the correct form of 'be', 'have', 'do' as auxiliaries. Practice gap-filling exercises, error detection, voice change, and tense-based questions regularly for exam success.

VERB AND VERB FORM

Updated for Madhyamik 2027

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Key Topics & Concepts

1.Rules and Definitions

Verbs express action, occurrence, or state of being
Finite verbs: have tense, person, and number
Non-finite verbs: Infinitives, Gerunds, Participles
Main verbs vs Auxiliary verbs (helping verbs)
Regular and Irregular verb forms

2.Common Examples

Base form: go, eat, write, run, speak
Past tense: went, ate, wrote, ran, spoke
Past participle: gone, eaten, written, run, spoken
Present participle: going, eating, writing, running
Third person singular: goes, eats, writes, runs

3.Usage Guidelines

Subject-verb agreement in person and number
Correct tense selection based on time reference
Using appropriate verb forms with auxiliaries
Infinitives with "to" vs bare infinitives
Gerunds as nouns vs Present participles as adjectives

4.Common Mistakes

Confusing irregular verb forms (e.g., went/gone)
Subject-verb agreement errors
Incorrect tense consistency in sentences
Misusing non-finite verb forms
Wrong verb forms with modal auxiliaries

Important Information

10 study notes available

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Madhyamik VERBS AND VERB FORMS : Last 10 years

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[Madhyamik Examination – 1992] Today India (has been/will be/is) independent, but once India was under the British rule. The Peop...

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[Madhyamik Examination – 2017] Minara Begum, who _____ (was coaching / has been coaching/ is coaching) national-level gymnasts fo...

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[Madhyamik Examination – 2018] Although children _____ (love / has loved / are loving) outdoor games, their parents _____ (is co...

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[Madhyamik Examination – 2019] When Mrs Gupta _____ (return/returned/was returning) home she noticed at once that thieves _____...

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[Madhyamik Examination – 2020] Rina who _____ (have been / has been / is being) ill for a month _____ (will visit/visited / had...

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[Madhyamik Examination – 2022] When I entered the house something _____ (smelling / smells / smelt) aweful. Someone _____ (had b...

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[Madhyamik Examination – 2023] The Tortoise set out to collect all the wisdom in the world, and as he _____ (has been gathering/...

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[Madhyamik Examination – 2024] As the temperature _____ (had soared/soars/has been soaring) so high, it _____ (is advised/advi...

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[Madhyamik Examination – 2025] It _____ (was drizzling/had been drizzling/is drizzling) continually for hours together from morn...

VERB AND VERB FORM

Key Topics & Concepts

1.Rules and Definitions

2.Common Examples

3.Usage Guidelines

4.Common Mistakes

Important Information

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