Download What is a Verb

What is a Verb?
The verb is perhaps the most important part of the sentence. A verb or compound verb asserts
something about the subject of the sentence and express actions, events, or states of being. The verb or
compound verb is the critical element of the predicate of a sentence.
In each of the following sentences, the verb or compound verb is in bold:
Dracula bites his victims on the neck.
The verb “bites'' describes the action Dracula takes.
In early October, Giselle will plant twenty tulip bulbs.
Here the compound verb “will plant'' describes an action that will take place in the future.
My first teacher was Miss Crawford, but I remember the janitor Mr. Weatherbee more vividly.
In this sentence, the verb “was'' (the simple past tense of “is'') identifies a particular person and
the verb “remembered'' describes a mental action.
Karl Creelman bicycled around in world in 1899, but his diaries and his bicycle were destroyed.
In this sentence, the compound verb “were destroyed'' describes an action which took place in the
past.
Compound Verbs
You construct a compound verb out of an auxiliary verb and another verb.
In particular, you may use an auxiliary verb (also known as a helping verb) with the verb in order
to create the many of the tenses available in English.
In each of the following sentences, the compound verb appears in bold:
Karl Creelman bicycled around in world in 1899, but his diaries and his bicycle were destroyed.
The compound verb in this sentence is made up of the auxiliary “were'' and the past participle
“destroyed.''
The book Seema was looking for is under the sofa.
Here the compound verb is made up of the auxiliary verb “was'' and the present participle
“looking.''
They will meet us at the newest café in the market.
In this example the compound verb is made up of the auxiliary verb “will'' and the verb “meet.''
That dog has been barking for three hours; I wonder if someone will call the owner.
In this sentence the first compound verb is made up of the two auxiliary verbs (“has'' and “been'')
and a present participle (“barking''). The second compound verb is made up of the auxiliary verb “will''
and the verb “call.''
Auxiliary Verbs
The most common auxiliary verbs are “be,'' “do,'' and “have'', and you may also use these verbs
on their own. You use “Will'' and “shall'' to express future time.
In each of the following examples, a verb commonly used as an auxiliary verb appears as a
simple predicate:
She is the chief engineer.
The tea cups are in the china cabinet.
Garth does this kind of thing frequently.
My roommates and I do the laundry every second week.
I can't complete my assignment because he still has my notes.
They have several kinds of gelato in the display case.
Other common auxiliaries are “can,'' “could,'' “may,'' “might,'' “must,'' “ought,'' “should,'' “will,''
and “would.'' A verb like these is called a modal auxiliary and expresses necessity, obligation, or
possibility.
The word in bold in each of the following sentences is a modal auxiliary:
Zora was pleased to learn that she could take several days off.
The small freckled girl told her neighbours that she would walk their dog for an appropriate fee.
Henry told Eliza that she ought to have the hole in the bucket fixed.
The principal told the assembled students that the school board might introduce a dress code
next autumn.
According to the instructions, we must leave this goo in our hair for twenty minutes.
Several words may intervene between the auxiliary and the verb which goes with it, as in the
following sentences:
They have not delivered the documents on time.
The treasure chest was never discovered.
The health department has recently decided that all high school students should be immunised
against meningitis.
Will you walk the dog tonight?
The ballet corps was rapidly and gracefully pirouetting about the stage.
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Depending on the type of object they take, verbs may be transitive, intransitive, or linking.
The meaning of a transitive verb is incomplete without a direct object, as in the following
examples:
INCOMPLETE
The shelf holds.
COMPLETE
The shelf holds three books and a vase of flowers.
INCOMPLETE
The committee named.
COMPLETE
The committee named a new chairperson.
INCOMPLETE
The child broke.
COMPLETE
The child broke the plate.
An intransitive verb, on the other hand, cannot take a direct object:
This plant has thrived (on the south windowsill).
The compound verb “has thrived'' is intransitive and takes no direct object in this sentence. The
prepositional phrase “on the south windowsill'' acts as an adverb describing where the plant thrives.
The sound of the choir carried (through the cathedral).
The verb “carried'' is used intransitively in this sentence and takes no direct object. The
prepositional phrase “through the cathedral'' acts as an adverb describing where the sound carried.
The train from Montreal arrived four hours late.
The intransitive verb “arrived'' takes no direct object, and the noun phrase “four hours late'' acts
as an adverb describing when the train arrived.
Since the company was pleasant and the coffee both plentiful and good, we lingered (in the
restaurant for several hours).
The verb “lingered'' is used intransitively and takes no direct object. The prepositional phrase “in
the restaurant for several hours'' acts as an adverb modifying “lingered''.
The painting was hung (on the south wall of the reception room).
The compound verb “was hung'' is used intransitively and the sentence has no direct object. The
prepositional phrase “on the south wall of the reception room'' acts as a adverb describing where the
paint hung.
Many verbs can be either transitive or intransitive, depending on their context in the sentence. In
the following pairs of sentences, the first sentence uses the verb transitively and the second uses the
same verb intransitively:
transitive
According to the instructions, we must leave this goo in our hair for twenty minutes.
In this example, the verb “leave'' takes a direct object, the noun phrase “this goo''.
intransitive
We would like to stay longer, but we must leave.
In this example, the verb “leave'' does not take a direct object.
transitive
The audience attentively watched the latest production of The Trojan Women.
In this example, the verb “watch'' is used transitively and takes the noun phrase “the latest
production of The Trojan Women'' as a direct object.
intransitive
The cook watched while the new dishwasher surreptitiously picked up the fragments of the
broken dish.
In this example, the verb “watched'' is used intransitively and takes no direct object.
intransitive
The crowd moves across the field in an attempt to see the rock star get into her helicopter.
Here the verb “moves'' is used as an intransitive verb and takes no direct object.
transitive
Every spring, William moves all boxes and trunks from one side of the attic to the other.
In this sentence “moves'' is used as a transitive verb and takes the noun phrase “all the boxes and
trunk'' as a direct object.
Exercise: Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Identify whether the underlined verb or compound verb is used transitively or intransitively:
1.The old woman struggled up the hill, pulling a grocery cart that had lost one wheel behind her.
2.Hermione is editing her uncle's memoirs of his lifetime as a green grocer.
3.Much to the amusement of the onlookers, Paul danced a minuet to the polka music that drifted out
of the beer tent.
4.At the beginning of the play, the entire cast dances manically across the stage.
5.Stella is reading quietly in the upstairs bedroom instead of doing her chores.
Linking Verbs
A linking verb connects a subject to a subject complement which identifies or describes the
subject, as in the following sentences:
The play is Waiting for Godot.
In this sentence, the linking verb “is'' links the noun phrase “the play'' to the identifying phrase
“Waiting for Godot,'' which is called a subject complement.
Some of us thought that the play was very good.
In this sentence, the verb “was'' links the subject complement “very good'' to subject “the play''.
Others thought it became tedious after the first fifteen minutes.
In this sentence, the linking verb “became'' links the subject “it'' to the subject complement
“tedious.'' The phrase “after the first fifteen minutes'' functions as a adverb modifying the clause “it
became tedious''.
The cast appears disorganised and confused; perhaps Beckett intended this.
Here “appears'' is functioning as a linking verb that connects the subject “the cats'' to its subject
complement “disorganised and confused''.
The play seems absurd to me.
The subject “the play'' is joined to its subject complement “absurd'' by the linking verb “seems''.
Linking verbs are either verbs of sensation (“feel,'' “look,'' “smell,'' “sound,'' “taste'') or verbs of
existence (“act,'' “appear,'' “be,'' “become,'' “continue,'' “grow,'' “prove,'' “remain,'' “seem,'' “sit,''
“strand,'' “turn'').
Many linking verbs (with the significant exception of “be'') can also be used as transitive or
intransitive verbs. In the following pairs of sentences, the first sentence uses the in bold verb as a
linking verb and the second uses the same verb as either a transitive or an intransitive verb:
Linking
Griffin insists that the water in Winnipeg tastes terrible.
In this sentence, the adjective “terrible'' is a subject complement that describes a quality of the
water.
Transitive
I tasted the soup before adding more salt.
Here the noun phrase “the soup'' identifies what “I tasted.'' “The soup'' is the direct object of the
verb “tasted.''
Linking
My neighbour's singing voice sounds very squeaky despite several hours of daily practice.
In this example, the phrase “very squeaky'' is a subject complement that describes or identities
the nature of the “singing voice.''
Transitive
Upon the approach of the enemy troops, the gate-keeper sounded his horn.
Here the verb “sounded'' takes a direct object, the noun phrase “his horn.''
Linking
Cynthia feels queasy whenever she listens to banjo music.
In this sentence, the adjective “queasy'' is a subject complement that describes Cynthia.
Transitive
The customer carefully feels the fabric of the coat.
Here the noun phrase “the fabric of the coat'' is the direct object of the verb “feels'' and identifies
what the customer feels.
Exercise: Linking Verbs
Identify whether the underlined verb is used as a linking verb:
1.Frankenstein is the name of the scientist not the monster.
2.The oenophile tasted several types of Beaujolais.
3.Francine's uncle grows prize winning dahlias.
4.The cheesecake tastes delicious.
5.After smoking three cigars, Flannery turned green.
Auxilliary Verbs
l. The girls don't go but ihe boys
(A) do
(B) go
.
(C) don't
2. My watch keeps good time, but his
(A) do
(B) doesn't
(D) do too
.
(C) isn't
3. He said he didn't take the money , but I am sure he
(D) won't
.
(A) does
(B) did
(C) is
(D) was
4. I don't know whether he speaka Chinese or not, but he might
(A) be
(B) do
5. You had better
(C) have
(D) speak
there again.
(A) not to go
(B) not go
(C) not going
6. When ihe bell rang, he said he
(A) did
7. You
(D) not be gc
better go and see who i1
(B) had
(C) should
(D) would
your lesson over the weekend, but you didn't.
(A) would study (B) did not study (C) had not studied
8. He went away immediately lest he
(A) will
(B) shall
(A) should be
(C) would
(D) should
10. You ought
(D) needn't have been
your homework last night , but you didn't.
(B) to do
11. At any rate, we
(A) must
(C) did
(D) to have done
be faithful to our friends.
(B) have to
(C) ought to
12. They would rather not
(A) talk
(B) to talk
(A) going (B) to go
(C) talking
(C) go
14. My brother used to
(A) be timid
(D) should .
about it now.
13. I would rather stay at home than
(D) to talking
out.
(D) gone
when he was a schoolboy.
(B) timid
(C) have been timid
15. 1 can't find my bag. It
(A) has
on time morning.
(B) would be
(C) ought to have been
(A)do
(D) should have studied
see me.
9. I am sorry that you were late for the meeting. You
16.It
.
(D) being tim
stolen just now.
(B) must have been
(C) will have been
(D) had
, for the ground is wet.
(A) must rain
17.I
(B) must be going to rain
(C) must have rained
(D) ought to rain
go to the station to pick up my friend now.
(A)must
(B) must to
(C) have to
(D) have got to
18.It was necessary for her to go to Beijing last night.
=She
to go to Beijing last night.
(A) used
(B) has
(C) had
19. We know that a housewife does not need
(A) go shopping
(B) to go shoping
(D) would
for food every day.
(C) to going shop
20. Judging from his accent, he
(A) mustn't
21. I hope
(B) needn't
(D) to go shopping
be a Frenchmsn.
(C) can't
to the party tonight.
(D) will
(A) able to come
(B) I shall able to come
(C) I shall can come
(D) to be able to come
22. He said, "I must go now. " = He said he
at once.
(A) had to go
(B) need to go
(C) has to go
(D) must have gone
23. A rich man
about his next meal.
(A) does not need to worry
(B) does not need worry
(C) needs not worry
(D) needs not to worry
24.The child ought to
(A) put
to bed earlier last night.
(B) be put
25. The door ought to
(A) have fixed
(C) have put
(D) have been put
(C) get fixed
(D) have been fixed
a week ago.
(B) be fixed
26."What has happened to John?" "I don't know. He
lost. "
(A) may have gotten
(B) might get
(C) can have gotten
(D) ought to get
27.To keep the road as pleasant as possible, most of these trees
(A) preserves
(B) must preserve
(C) should be preserved
(D) ought to have preserved
28. Since they aren't answering their telephone, the
(A)should have left
(B) need have left
29. I am surprised that you
(A)act
when the road is widened.
.
(C) would have left
so indiscreetly.
(B) should be acted
(C) should have acted (D) could have been acting
30. Every afternoon at three when Mary was about to start her violi sons, I
(A) would
(B) used to
31. When driving, we
(D) must have left
(C) was used to
go out for a walk.
(D) got used
obey the traffic Iaws thoroughly and absolutely
(A) should
(B) need
(C) ought
(D) must
32. Oh , Jane , you've broken still another glass. You ought
(A)be careful
(B) to careful
when you washed it.
(C) to be careful (D) to have been careful
33. John : Did you go anywhere after supper?
Mary : I
, but I went to the movies instead.
(A) would have studied
(B) should have learned
(C) should have studied
(D) would have learned
34. "I expect you wonder why I've asked you to come back. " " Well , as a matter of fact , yes , I
"
(A) am
(B) have
35. That was a close call, you
(A) could have been
(C) do
(b) can
hit by the car.
(B) can have been
36. Mother has often admonished me that we cannot be
(C) could be
(D) can be
careful in this world.
(A)such
(B) too
(C) very
(D)would rather
37. Six o'clock will be too late to go , you
(A)have better
38. She
stay at home.
(B) may as well (C) msy well
(D) would
die than suff'er disgrace.
(A) would rather
(B) prefers
(C) would like to
(D) no soon
39. Patrick : You may laugh , but I've been thinking of becoming ;,'i tarian.
Mary : Oh , Patrick , you
(A) must
be out of your mind. You will be hungry all the time.
(B) may
(C) will
(D) should
40. "Hey!" Jack complained to the woman, "You said your dog doesn't bite ! " " It
" the
woman said , " but that's not my dog. "
(A)does
(B) did
(C) didn't
(D) doesn't
When you look at our planet from space as the astronauts
planet is called e
3.
be a better name. About three-fourl the earth's surface is covered by
water. Most of this water is thi water f
5.
7.
4.
d in the oceans. The water in rivers , lakes , ponds and
fresh water.
Most 1
O
, you might wonder why our
2.
"Planet Water" m
springs
1.
6.
g things are found in or near water. Some of live in the lakes , ponds , and oceans.
need only to b~ water. A few live in areas , such as desert , w
long period of time. All living things contain water bodies. Your own body
two-thirds v This water is essential for life. It is needed
10.
8.
they go w water for a
9.
carry on a life activities.
Verbs that are confusing
1.The boys were told to
(A) make
2.She
the beds after getting up.
(B) do
(C) put
(D) finish
me that she would not go.
(A) told
(B) said
3.Several books were found
(A) to lie
(C) spoke
(C) laying
4.This watch is dependable , as it always
(A) tells
(B) makes
(D) talked
on my desk.
(B) to lying
(D) lying
good time.
(C) keeps
(D) shows
5.When I went to see the doctor, he first had the nurse
(A)measure
(B) get
6.Don't hurry , you may
(A) keep
(C) find
my temperature.
(D) take
your time writing this letter.
(B) take
7.They plan to build a hall that may
(C) use
instance , is about
(D) lose
two thousand people.
(A) seat
(B) sit
8.I love
(C) set
(D) be sitting
in bed reading my favorite novels in the night.
(A) laying
(B) lain
9.Hurry up or you will
(A) lost
(C) lying
the train.
(B) miss
10.The river has
(A) rose
(C) loose
11.Long ago, news often
12. Don't
(D) lose
several feet because of the heavy rain.
(B) raised
(A) spent
(D) laid
(C) risen
(D) rising
weeks or months to get into the paper.
(B) took
(C) made
(D) cost
so much noise in the public places.
(A) do
(B) take
(C) make
(D) talk
13.A: Can I speak to Mary? B; She's not here right now.
A:Oh. May I
(A) take
14.It
a message?
(B) leave
(C) give
(D) say
about one hour to fly from Taipei to Hong Kong.
(A) needs
15.He
(B) takes
(C) costs
(D) spends
good-bye to his good friends at the station.
(A) said
(B) told
(C) spoke
(D) talked
16. The hostess asked her guests to be
(A) sit
(B) sat
(C) set
(D) seated
17. How much money did you
(A) take
(B) spend
18. It
on your reference books?
(C) cost
(D) occupy
a little force to lift the heavy weight.
(A) takes
19. It
(B) is needed
(C) is taken
courage to make a speech in public.
(A) does
20. I
(B) takes
(C) makes
(D) need
like going for a walk in Beihai Park.
(A) feel
(B) felled
(C) fell
(D) fall
21. A large number of trees on the top of the mountain
(A) felled
22. It doesn't
(A) say
(B) had been felled
(A) lent
(C) had felled
(B) make
(B) borrowed
(C) work
(B) be finded
(D) turn
five yuan from me yesterday
(C) gave
24. Please carefully read the directions which can
(A) find
in the
any difference to me whether you are rich or poor
23. As John was broke these days, he
25. It
(D) need
(C) be found
(D) had lent
on page ten.
(D) be founded
from here to the station.
(A)is five minutes' walk
(B) takes five minutes to walk
(D) had fallen
(C) spend five minute walk
26. The short supply did not
(A) catch
(D) is five minute's walk
the increasing demand.
(B) meet
(C) follow
(D) answer
27. As he entered the room, he found many books
(A) laying
(B) to lay
(C) lying
28. The book is on the shelf, where I
(A) lay
scattere on the floor.
(D) lie
it yesterday.
(B) lied
(C) lying
(D) laid
29. At first he took an opposite view, but I managed to
(A) make
(B) tatk
(C) cause
30. Many people think they can
him into agreeing with me.
(D) have
what the weather is going to But they hardly ever agree with
each other.
(A) talk
(B) cry
(C) tell
31.The boy's wayward behavior
(A) cost
(A) spend
his mother many a sleepless night.
(B) took
32. She's gone to
(D) speak
(C) spent
(D) robbed
the weekend with her family.
(B) live
(C) pass
(D) take
33. Modern means of transportation enables man to cover distances in a few hours that used to
him weeks or even months.
(A) cost
(B) spend
(C) waste
34.Mary is looking for a red hat to
(A) color
her red dress.
(B) match
(C) make
35.The teacher explained the lesson by
(A) doing
(D) take
(B) making
(D) compare
examples.
(C) talling
(D) giving
36.Food , drink , clothing , and a roof over one's head-these are the daily necessities that no one can
without.
(A) be
(B) do
(C) make
37. This is exactly what happened.
(A) Take
(D) endure
my word for it.
(B) Make (C) Ask
(D) Believe
38. "Prices keep going up. " "Yes, but the interest on my savings account is certainly not
(A) risen
(B) raise
(C) on the rise
(D) on the raise
39. "What do you need?" "My pen is out of ink, may I
(A) use yours
(B) lend yours
.
?"
(C) borrow yours
(D) borrow you
40. "When did the lecture begin?"
"When all the students
(A) seated
(B) sit
, the professor began his lecture. "
(C) were seated
You probably know why blood is always
get
2.
1.
(D) seat
( to need)in hospitals. Every day, hundreds of people
( hurting)in accidents. Many other people are sick. Many of the hurt and sike are people
( have missed ) a lot of blood. They need new blon away. So at all timea , hospitals must have lots of
3.
new blood '
4.
( by hand ) .
There is no way to "make" new blood for people. Blood can only
That is why someone may ask you to give blood
The first time you give blood, you may be a little
have needles
8.
6.
5.
( came from ) other people.
( some days ) .
7.
(afraid of ) . After all ; people don't like to
(to put into ) them. But the needle doesn't hurt much , and it only
a little time to give blood. You will be
10.
.
Exercise: Subject Verb agreement
(A)is
2. There
(A) are
some very bad atorms recently.
(B)are
(C) have
(C) were
3. Collecting stampes
(A) is
(D) have been
sixty minutes in an hour.
(B) is
4. Chatting with them
(A) improves
(C) wae
(D) were
my mind.
(B) have improved
5. Learning to use machines
(A) is
(D) shall be
a good hobby.
(B) are
(C) impmve
(C) are
6. "How much do you need?" "Ten pounds
(A) are
(B) is
7. Ten thousand yuan
(A) is
10. Bread and butter
(A) is
(B) are
(B) are
(B) do
13. Neither he nor I
(A) are
(C) have been
(D) were
easy to repair.
(C) am
(D)been
(C) is
(D) are
what he needs for breakfast.
(B) are
(B) like
12. Early to bed and early to rise
(A) make
(D) have been
not true.
11. Many a student in the school
(A) likes
enough. "
a large sum of money.
9. Much of what he says
(A) does
(D) were
(C) has been
8. The majority of the damage
(A) is
(D) improv ing
very important today.
(B) was
(B) makes
(C) being
(D)was
summer vacation very much
(C) had liked
(D) liking
a man healthy , wealthy
(C) is
(D) are
willing to live there.
(B) were
(spends )
(pride) that you did it. The second time you
give, you won't mind it at all.
1. There
9.
(C) be
(D)am
14. Mary as well as her two younger sisters
(A) is
(B) were
fond of swimming
(C) are
(D) have been
15. He is the only one of the students who
(A) speaks
English fluentl
(B) speak
(C) speaking
16, She is interested in anything that
(A) is to do
(D) spoke
history.
(B) has to do with
(C) must be a
(D) concentrate on
17.The old house with its besutiful furniture and pictures
(A) have sold
(B) have.been sold
18. Whether I go or I stay
(A) depends
me.
(C) has sold
(D) has been sold
upon the news we get about Mother's health.
(B) depending
(C) dependent
19.This tool is used for smoothing edges
(D) depend lg
.
(A) who are not smooth
(B) which is not amooth
(C) what are not smooth
(D) that are not smooth
20.The teacher with all his atudents
(A) are/going
21.
looking forward to
(B) is/going
on a picnic.
(C) is/gone
(D) are/gone
are right in this matter.
(A) Both you and he
(B) You as well as he
(C) Not only you but also he
(D) Both of you
22. Among the passengers
(A)was
the judge of our district, Mr. J. C. Smith.
(B) were
(C) are
(D) be
23. The news coming from different parts of the world
often extremely diacouraging
these days.
(A)are
(B) were
(C) am
24.Hockey and football, not bowling,
(D) is
most athletic injuries.
(A) is the sport that cause
(B) is the sport that is causing
(C) are the s rts that cause
(D) are the sports that is the cause of
25.
are specialized in engineering.
(A)Most of my time
(B) Part of his wisdom
(C) Half of my family
(D) The rest of her life
Although
1.
many diff'erent sizes and types of vending machines,
the same way. The cust
3.
a coin into the machine and then
door to receive the merchandise. Some macl will return
chang~ paper money. But the basic idea
willing to
8.
6.
2. (A) both
all work asically in
a button , pu lever, or opens a
to the customer, and a few will make
the same. Customers to save time and
7.
a higher pric this convenience. The sale of snacks in vending machines
been very successful. However, machines now
1. (A)there are
5.
4.
2.
(B) there have
(B) they
10.
meals with only limited success.
(C) it has
(C) which
(D) it is
(D) and it
usually
9.
always
3. (A) is put
(B) has put
(C) puts
(D) put
4. (A) pushes
(B) is pushed
(C) has pushed (D) pushed
5.(A) charge
(B) chance
(C) change
6. (A) has
(B) to be
(C) being
g
(D) chart
(D) is
7. (A) have
(B) are
(C) like
(D) will
8. (A) be paid
(B) be paying
(C) pay
(D) have paid
9. (A) have
(B) has
(C) having
(D) had
10. (A) are sold
(B) sell
(C) has sold
(D) selling
g