WEEK 8 – 9

VERB

Types of Verbs
Note: This document should only be used as a reference and should not replace assignment guidelines.
Verbs are words that express action or state of being. There are three types of verbs: action verbs,
linking verbs, and helping verbs.

Action Verbs
Action verbs are words that express action (give, eat, walk, etc.) or possession (have, own, etc.). Action
verbs can be either transitive or intransitive.

Transitive Verbs
A transitive verb always has a noun that receives the action of the verb, called the direct object.

EXAMPLE: Laurissa raises her hand.

The verb is raises. Her hand is the object receiving the verb’s action. Therefore,
raises is a transitive verb.

Transitive verbs sometimes have indirect objects, which name the object to whom or for whom the
action was done.

EXAMPLE: Abdus gave Becky the pencil.

The verb is gave. The direct object is the pencil. (What did he give? The pencil.)
The indirect object is Becky. (To whom did he give it? To Becky.)

Intransitive Verbs
An intransitive verb never has a direct or indirect object. Although an intransitive verb may be followed
by an adverb or adverbial phrase, there is no object to receive its action.

EXAMPLE: Laurissa rises slowly from her seat.

The verb is rises. The phrase, slowly from her seat, modifies the verb, but no
object receives the action.

Transitive or Intransitive?
To determine whether a verb is transitive or intransitive, follow these two steps:
1. Find the verb in the sentence.
EXAMPLE 1: Dustin will lay down his book. What is the action? will lay
EXAMPLE 2: His book will lie there all day. What is the action? will lie
2. Ask yourself, “What is receiving the action of the verb?” If there is a noun receiving the action
of the verb, then the verb is transitive. If there is no direct object to receive the action, and if the
verb does not make sense with a direct object, then it is intransitive.
EXAMPLE 1: Dustin will lay Dustin will lay Since the verb can take a
his book.
down his down what? direct object, it is
book. transitive.
EXAMPLE 2: His book will His book will It does not make sense to
nothing.
lie there all lie what? “lie something.” Since the
day. verb has no direct object, it
is intransitive.

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Types of Verbs
Note: This document should only be used as a reference and should not replace assignment guidelines.

Linking Verbs
A linking verb connects the subject of a sentence to a noun or adjective that renames or describes the
subject. This noun or adjective is called the subject complement.
EXAMPLE: Jason became a business major.
The verb, became, links the subject, Jason, to its complement, a business major.

Lisa is in love with Jason.

The verb, is, links the subject, Lisa, to the subject complement, in love with
Jason (describing Lisa).

The most common linking verb is the verb to be in all of its forms (am, are, is, was, were, etc.). This verb
may also be used as a helping verb (see next section). To become and to seem are always linking verbs.

Other verbs may be linking verbs in some cases and action verbs in others:
to appear to feel to look to remain to stay to taste
to continue to grow to prove to sound to smell to turn

LINKING: Libby appeared happy. (Appeared links Libby to the subject complement,
happy.)
ACTION: Deon suddenly appeared. (Here, appeared is an intransitive action verb.)

Helping Verbs
Helping verbs are used before action or linking verbs to convey additional information regarding aspects
of possibility (can, could, etc.) or time (was, did, has, etc.). The main verb with its accompanying helping
verb is called a verb phrase.

EXAMPLES: Teju is (helping verb) going (main verb) to Florida.

The trip might (helping verb) be (main verb) dangerous.

The following words, called modals, always function as helping verbs:

can may must shall will
could might ought to should would

EXAMPLES: Tanya could learn to fly helicopters. (Could helps the main verb, learn.)
Janine will drive to Idaho tomorrow. (Will helps the main verb, drive.)

In addition, the following forms of the verbs to be, to do, and to have sometimes serve as helping verbs.
(Note: In other cases, they may serve as action or linking verbs.)
am be being do had have was
are been did does has is were
HELPING: Jana is moving to a new house.
LINKING: Jana is ready to go.
HELPING: Dustin did eat his vegetables!
ACTION: Dustin did his homework last night.

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Verb Forms and Tenses
Adapted from The Little, Brown Handbook, 11th Edition, Contributors Dayne Sherman,
Jayetta Slawson, Natasha Whitton, and Jeff Wiemelt, 2010, 272-289. Prepared by the Southeastern
Writing Center. Last updated July, 2011.

A verb expresses action or a state of being and tells (in active voice) what the subject of the clause is or does. A verb is necessary to make
a complete statement.

All verbs are constructed from three basic forms known as the principal parts of a verb:
• Infinitive (or present) is the base form of a verb, preceded by to: to run, to go, to laugh.
• Past is the simplest form of a verb. Past is used to show action that has already taken place: ran, gone, laughed.
• Past participle is the form a verb takes when it is accompanied by an auxiliary verb (helping verbs using forms of be, have, or
do) to show a more complex past tense form: had gone, will have gone, would have laughed.

Active and Passive Verbs

Active verbs (active voice) tell what the subject (a person, place, thing, or concept) does.

Example: The boy kicked the ball.

Passive verbs (passive voice) tell what is done to the subject.

Example: The ball was kicked by the boy.

Verb Forms
Regular Verbs
A regular verb is used to form the past tense by adding a suffix –d or -ed.

Example: hope, hoped laugh, laughed

Irregular Verbs
An irregular verb does not take the –d or –ed ending. The past tense for irregular verbs is formed by changing the verb
internally. Refer to the Southeastern Writing Center’s handout Irregular Verbs for a list of the most commonly used irregular
verb forms.

Example: run, ran catch, caught

Verb Tenses
Verb tenses are used to show time. Verb tenses tell when events happen, happened, or will happen.
Simple Tense
Present
The present tense may express an action that is repeated or ongoing. It can also express an action that is happening at
this moment or a situation that is always true.

Example: Jane and Sarah jog every morning.

Past
The past tense expresses an action that has already happened. In regular verbs, the past tense is formed by adding –ed
or –d to the base form. In irregular verbs, the past tense takes a variety of forms.

Example: John and Sara hiked to the top of the mountain.

Future
The future tense expresses an action that will take place in the future. The future tense is formed by adding will to the
base form.

Example: I will fly to Atlanta Friday evening.

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Perfect Tense
Present perfect
The present perfect tense is used to express an action that took place at some unspecified time in the past. The present
perfect tense can also be used to express an action that began in the past and continues in the present. The present
perfect tense is formed with the past tense of the verb and the helping verbs has or have.

Example: Sarah has watched the movie.

Past perfect
The past perfect tense is used to show that one action in the past began and ended before another action in the past
started. The past perfect tense is formed with the past participle of the verb and the helping verb had.

Example: Sarah had seen the movie before I watched it.

Future perfect
The future perfect tense is used to show that one action or condition in the future will begin and end before another
event in the future starts. The future perfect tense is formed with the past participle of the verb and the construction will
have.

Example: By the time I finish this semester, I will have read ten novels.

Progressive Tense
Present progressive
The present progressive tense is used to show an ongoing event that is happening at the moment of speaking or
writing. The present progressive tense is formed by using am, is, or are with the verb form ending in –ing.

Example: The children are sleeping.

Past progressive
The past progressive tense is used to show a past event that was happening when another event occurred. The past
progressive tense is formed by using was or were with the verb form ending in –ing.

Example: The children were sleeping when we arrived.

Future progressive
The future progressive tense is used to show an ongoing or continuous event that will take place in the future. The
future progressive tense is formed by using will be or shall be with the verb form ending in –ing.

Example: The children will be sleeping when we arrive.

Present perfect progressive

The present perfect progressive tense is used to show an event that began in the past, continues in the present, and
may continue in the future. The present perfect progressive tense is form by using has been or have been with the
present participle verb form ending in –ing.

Example: The children have been sleeping.

Past perfect progressive

The past perfect progressive tense is used to show a past, ongoing event that was completed before another past event.
The past perfect progressive tense is formed by using had been with the present perfect verb form ending in -ing.

Example: The children had been sleeping when we arrived.

Future perfect progressive

The future perfect progressive tense is used to show a future, ongoing event that will happen before a specified future
time. The future perfect progressive tense is formed by using will have been and the present participle verb form ending
in –ing.

Example: The children will have been sleeping.

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 List of Irregular Verbs
Base form - past simple - past participle

abide abode abode dream dreamt dreamt

arise arose arisen drink drank drunk
awake awoke awoken drive drove driven
be was/were been dwell dwelt dwelt
bear bore born eat ate eaten
beat beat beaten interweave interwove interwoven
become became become fall fell fallen
befall befell befallen feed fed fed
beget begot begotten feel felt felt
begin began begun fight fought fought
behold beheld beheld find found found
bend bent bent flee fled fled
bereave bereft bereft fling flung flung
beseech besought besought fly flew flown
beset beset beset forbid forbad(e) forbidden
bespeak bespoke bespoken forecast forecast forecast
bestride bestrode bestridden forget forgot forgotten
bet bet bet forgive forgave forgiven
bid bade/bid bidden/bid forsake forsook forsaken
bind bound bound foresee foresaw foreseen
bite bit bitten foretell foretold foretold
bleed bled bled freeze froze frozen
blow blew blown get got got
break broke broken give gave given
breed bred bred go went gone
bring brought brought grind ground ground
broadcast broadcast broadcast grow grew grown
build built built hang hung hung
burn burnt burnt have had had
burst burst burst hear heard heard
buy bought bought hide hid hidden
can could hit hit hit
cast cast cast hold held held
catch caught caught hurt hurt hurt
choose chose chosen keep kept kept
cling clung clung kneel knelt knelt
come came come know knew known
cost cost cost lay laid laid
creep crept crept lead led led
cut cut cut lean leant leant
deal dealt dealt leap leapt leapt
dig dug dug learn learnt learnt
do did done leave left left
draw drew drawn lend lent lent

https://www.e-grammar.org/

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 List of Irregular Verbs
Base form - past simple - past participle

let let let speak spoke spoken

lie lay lain speed sped sped
lose lost lost spend spent spent
make made made spin spun spun
mean meant meant spit spat spat
meet met met split split split
pay paid paid spoil spoilt spoilt
mistake mistook mistaken spread spread spread
overhear overheard overheard spring sprang sprung
oversleep overslept overslept stand stood stood
put put put steal stole stolen
read read read stick stuck stuck
rend rent rent sting stung stung
rid rid rid stink stank stunk
ride rode ridden stride strode stridden
ring rang rung strike struck struck
rise rose risen string strung strung
run ran run strive strove striven
say said said swear swore sworn
see saw seen sweep swept swept
seek sought sought swim swam swum
sell sold sold swing swung swung
send sent sent take took taken
set set set teach taught taught
shake shook shaken tear tore torn
shed shed shed tell told told
shine shone shone think thought thought
shit shit/shat shit/shat throw threw thrown
shoot shot shot thrust thrust thrust
show showed shown tread trod trodden
shrink shrank shrunk understand understood understood
shrive shrove shriven undertake undertook undertaken
shut shut shut undo undid undone
sing sang sung upset upset upset
sink sank sunk wake woke woken
sit sat sat wear wore worn
slay slew slain weave wove woven
sleep slept slept weep wept wept
slide slid slid win won won
sling slung slung wind wound wound
slink slunk slunk withdraw withdrew withdrawn
slit slit slit withstand withstood withstood
smell smelt smelt wring wrung wrung
smite smote smitten write wrote written

https://www.e-grammar.org/

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 EXERCISES
Regular and Irregular verbs

Exercise 1
Write the past simple form of each verb.

1. do - ___________
2. buy - ___________
3. come - ___________
4. hear - ___________
5. feed - ___________
6. hurt - ___________
7. forget - ___________
8. write - ___________
9. think - ___________
10. speak - ___________

Exercise 2
Write the past participle form of each verb.

1. begin - ___________
2. find - ___________
3. tell - ___________
4. steal - ___________
5. swear - ___________
6. take - ___________
7. let - ___________
8. keep - ___________
9. freeze - ___________
10. do - ___________

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Exercise 3
Complete the chart.

Base - Simple Past - Past Participle

● Teach - Taught - Taught
● Shoot - (1) ___________ - Shot
(2)
● ___________ - Ran - (3)___________
● Fight - (4)___________ - (5)___________
(6)
● ___________ - (7)___________ - Had
● Win - (8)___________ - Won
● Take - Took - (9)___________
(10)
● ___________ - Shook - Shaken
● Drive - Drove - (11)___________
● Bring - (12)___________ - Brought

Exercise 4
Fill in the blanks with the past simple form of the verb in parentheses.

1. A mosquito ___________ (bite) me!

2. Grandpa ___________ (catch) eight fish on our fishing trip.
3. When Whitney stepped in the gum, her flip-flop ___________ (stick) to it.
4. They ___________ (wake) up at 4:30 a.m. to catch their 7:00 flight.
5. We ___________ (fly) from New York to Atlanta for the conference last month.
6. My stomach ___________ (feel) strange for hours after I ate that old bread.
7. Stephanie ___________ (give) her sister a CD for her birthday.
8. Ben and Matt ___________ (make) a movie about a really smart janitor at Harvard.
9. The dog ___________ (dig) a hole in the yard.
10. I stepped in the hole and ___________ (break) my ankle.

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Exercise 5
Fill in the blanks with the past participle of the verb in parentheses.

1. Have you ___________ (see) my keys? I can’t find them anywhere.

2. I have never ___________ (be) to New Orleans.
3. We hadn’t ___________ (grow) tomatoes before last summer.
4. Has she ___________ (hold) hands with her new boyfriend yet?
5. Our team hasn’t ___________ (lose) a game yet this season.
6. Have you ever ___________ (meet) a celebrity?
7. Has he ___________ (sell) his car yet?
8. They haven’t ___________ (speak) in years.
9. He hadn’t ___________ (throw) a baseball in ages, but he still remembered how.
10. Have you ___________ (find) your keys yet?

Exercise 6
Fill in the blanks with the past simple form of one of the following verbs:

go, be, see, drink, swim, eat, fall, get, blow, hit.

Some verbs may be used more than once.

(1) (2)
Alicia’s birthday party ___________ a lot of fun. We ___________ all so happy to be
(3) (4)
together. We ___________ for a walk on the nature trail, where we ___________ a
(5) (6)
snake! Then we ___________ in the lake. That ___________ fun until Joey
(7)
___________ off of the rope swing and (8)___________ his head. Then we decided to stop
swimming, and Alicia opened her gifts. She (9)___________ lots of great presents. After that,
(10) (11)
she ___________ out the candles on her cake, and we ___________ cake,
(12)
___________ soda and played games until dark.

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Exercise 7
Fill in the blanks with the past participle of one of the following verbs:

see, go, ride, get, throw, be, have, eat, make.

Some verbs may be used more than once.

Dear Mom,

Camp has (1)___________ a blast! This week, I’ve (2)___________ some cool crafts,
(3)
___________ a horse, (4)___________ kayaking, and (5)___________ about 30 hot dogs!
We’ve (6)___________ all kinds of snakes and bugs, and I paid Nathan 5 dollars to eat a
spider. He’s (7)___________ up 4 times since then! I think I’ve (8)___________ the most
mosquito bites of all the kids in my cabin. It’s sort of a contest, so I haven’t (9)___________
using the bug spray you sent. Sorry! I miss you and Dad, but I’ve (10)___________ so much
fun. See you soon!

Love, Adam

Exercise 8
Fill in the blanks with the verb in parentheses in either past simple or present perfect.

1. I ___________ (see) three movies this week.

2. Rob ___________ (crash) his car last year.
3. We ___________ (live) in California for five years before we ___________ (move)
to Oregon in 1999.
4. The Titanic ___________ (sink) in 1912.
5. Eden ___________ (fall) off her bike 3 times this month.
6. ___________ you ever ___________ (have) the chicken pox?
7. I ___________ (not/drink) any coffee yet today.
8. I ___________ (not/drink) any coffee yesterday either.
9. We ___________ (not/go) to Grandma’s house at all this year.
10. We ___________ (play) piano at the concert last year.

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Exercise 9
Circle the Modals!

1. can is
2. may are
3. am shall
4. will go
5. play might
6. would does
7. must did
8. were ought to

Exercise 10
Circle the Helping Verbs!

1. are work
2. want has
3. have cook
4. were went
5. was why
6. been bad
7. did dad
8. is us

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