Verbs: Action and State Words

Verbs are words that express actions, states, or occurrences.

Action Verbs

Action verbs describe what someone or something does.

Physical actions:

• run, walk, jump, eat, write, build

Mental actions:

• think, believe, understand, remember, consider

Examples:

• She runs every morning.
• I think this is correct.
• They built a house.

Linking Verbs

Linking verbs connect the subject to more information about the subject.

Common linking verbs:

• be (am, is, are, was, were)
• seem, appear, become
• feel, look, sound, smell, taste

Examples:

• She is a doctor.
• The soup smells delicious.
• He became famous.

Auxiliary (Helping) Verbs

Auxiliary verbs help the main verb express tense, mood, or voice.

Primary auxiliaries:

• be, have, do

Modal auxiliaries:

• can, could, may, might, must
• shall, should, will, would

Examples:

• She is working. (progressive)
• I have finished. (perfect)
• He can swim. (ability)
• You should study. (advice)

Verb Forms

Base Form (Infinitive without “to”)

• go, eat, write, be

Infinitive (with “to”)

• to go, to eat, to write, to be

Present Participle (-ing)

• going, eating, writing, being

Past Participle (-ed or irregular)

• gone, eaten, written, been

Regular vs. Irregular Verbs

Regular Verbs

Add -ed for past tense:

Irregular Verbs

Change form unpredictably:

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