Types of Verbs, Definition and Examples

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In this article, you will learn about types of verbs, their forms, uses, and functions, with examples for each.

A verb describes an action, occurrence, or state of being. It is often called a “doing” word because it tells what the subject of the sentence is doing or experiencing.

Examples:

  • Action: “She walks to the store.” (The verb “walks” shows what she is doing.)
  • State: “He is happy.” (The verb “is” shows his state of being.)

Verbs can show tense (when an action happens: past, present, or future), mood (the speaker’s attitude: indicative, imperative, subjunctive), and voice (whether the subject performs or receives the action: active or passive).

Verbs form the main part of a sentence’s predicate and are essential to sentence structure.

Common Types of Verbs

  1. Action Verbs
  2. Linking Verbs
  3. Auxiliary (Helping) Verbs
  4. Modal Verbs
  5. Transitive Verbs
  6. Intransitive Verbs
  7. Phrasal Verbs
  8. Stative Verbs

There are several types of verbs in English, including:

Types of Verbs and Their Examples

Action Verb

An action verb describes a physical or mental action performed by the subject in a sentence. It shows what the subject is doing, such as “run,” “walk,” “jump,” “eat,” “think,” or “play.”

Action verbs can appear in different tenses:

  • Present: “I run every day.”
  • Past: “I ran yesterday.”
  • Future: “I will run tomorrow.”

Action verbs can be transitive or intransitive:

  • Transitive: Followed by a direct object. Example: “I ate an apple” (apple is the object).
  • Intransitive: No direct object. Example: “He laughed.”

Understanding action verbs helps clarify who is performing the action and what the action involves.

Linking Verbs

Linking verbs connect the subject of a sentence to a state, condition, or identity, rather than showing action. They link the subject to a predicate or a subject complement. Common linking verbs include “be,” “appear,” “seem,” “become,” “feel,” “look,” “sound,” and “taste.”

Examples:

  • She looks happy. (“Looks” connects “she” to the adjective “happy.”)
  • The cake smells delicious. (“Smells” connects “the cake” to “delicious.”)
  • He became a doctor. (“Became” connects “he” to “a doctor.”)

Here is a list of common linking verbs:

  • am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been
  • become, seem, appear, look, feel, taste, smell, sound
  • remain, grow, turn, stay, prove, get, go, keep, run, stand, lie, sit

These verbs help describe a subject’s state or identity instead of an action.

Linking Verbs
Types of Verbs

Helping Verbs

Helping verbs (or auxiliary verbs) are used with main verbs to indicate tense, voice, mood, or aspect. Common helping verbs include “be,” “do,” “have,” and modals like “will,” “can,” “should,” and “must.”

Common Helping Verbs and Their Functions

Helping VerbFunctionExample
BeIndicates continuous or passive voiceShe is singing. (Present continuous)
HaveForms perfect tensesThey have finished their homework. (Present perfect)
WillExpresses future tenseHe will be going to the party. (Future)
ShouldSuggests obligation or adviceI should have studied more. (Past obligation)
Helping Verbs

Modal Verbs

Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that express the speaker’s attitude toward the action or state of the main verb. They convey meanings like ability, possibility, necessity, permission, advice, and preference.

Common Modal Verbs and Their Functions

Modal VerbFunctionExamples
CanAbility or possibilityI can swim. / It can rain today.
CouldPast ability or possibilityI could swim when I was younger. / It could have been worse.
MayPermission or possibilityMay I borrow your pencil? / It may rain tomorrow.
MightPossibility or uncertaintyHe might come to the party. / I might take a nap.
MustNecessity or obligationI must finish my homework. / You must follow the rules.
ShouldAdvice or recommendationYou should study for the exam. / We should go to bed early.
WouldWillingness or preferenceI would like some tea. / Would you mind helping me?

Modal verbs are essential in English as they help convey different modalities, making sentences clearer and more specific. Understanding the use of modal verbs enriches communication.

Modal Verbs 

Transitive verbs

Transitive verbs are action verbs that require a direct object to complete their meaning in a sentence. The direct object receives the action performed by the subject.

Examples of Transitive Verbs in Sentences

  • He threw the ball.
  • She ate the sandwich.
  • They built a house.
  • I wrote a letter.
  • The dog chased the cat.

Without a direct object, the meaning of a transitive verb is incomplete. Transitive verbs are essential in expressing actions that are performed on specific objects.

Common Transitive Verbs

  • Write, Read, Eat, Drink, Cook
  • Paint, Draw, Play, Throw, Catch
  • Build, Use, Buy, Sell, Wear

Understanding transitive and intransitive verbs helps clarify whether a verb requires a direct object to complete its meaning. This distinction is important for constructing accurate sentences.

Transitive verbs

Intransitive verbs

Intransitive verbs are action verbs that don’t require a direct object to complete their meaning. They describe actions that stand alone, without transferring the action to something else. These verbs can be modified by adverbs or prepositional phrases but don’t have a direct recipient.

Examples of Intransitive Verbs in Sentences

  • She laughed.
  • The flowers bloomed.
  • He ran quickly.
  • The baby slept peacefully.
  • The bird flew away.

Common Intransitive Verbs

  • Run
  • Sleep
  • Laugh
  • Cry
  • Sing
  • Dance
  • Jump
  • Walk
  • Fly
  • Arrive
  • Fall
  • Shine
  • Melt
  • Freeze
  • Explode
  • Collapse

These verbs may be followed by adverbs or prepositional phrases that describe the action, but they do not require an object. For example, “He ran quickly” uses the adverb “quickly” to modify the verb “ran.”

Intransitive Verbs

Phrasal verbs

Phrasal verbs are verbs combined with one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs) that create a unique meaning, often different from the base verb.

Types of Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are verbs combined with particles (prepositions or adverbs) that create unique meanings. Some phrasal verbs are separable and inseparable phrasal verbs, depending on whether the object can be placed between the verb and particle or must follow the particle directly. Understanding this distinction helps in using these verbs correctly in sentences.

  • Separable: The object can be placed between the verb and the particle or after the particle.
    • Example: “Turn off the lights” or “Turn the lights off.”
  • Inseparable: The object must always follow the particle.
    • Example: “Look after the children.”

Knowing whether a phrasal verb is separable or inseparable helps in using it correctly in sentences.

Common Phrasal Verbs With Meanings

Regular Verb

A regular verb is a verb that forms its past tense and past participle by adding “-ed” to the base form of the verb. For example, the verb “walk” is a regular verb. Its past tense and past participle are formed by adding “-ed” to the base form, resulting in “walked.” Other examples of regular verbs include “talk,” “play,” “smile,” “laugh,” “work,” and “clean.”

Regular Verb List 

Irregular Verb

An irregular verb does not form its past tense by simply adding “-ed” like regular verbs. Instead, it changes in various ways, such as altering vowel sounds or keeping the same form.

Examples:

  • go → went, gone
  • eat → ate, eaten
  • see → saw, seen
  • run → ran, run

Since irregular verbs don’t follow standard patterns, it’s important to memorize their forms.

Irregular Verb List

Stative Verb

A stative verb describes a state or condition rather than an action. These verbs often refer to mental or emotional states, physical sensations, or characteristics of a person or thing. Stative verbs are not usually used in continuous or progressive tenses.

Examples:

  • love, hate, believe
  • know, own, seem
  • appear, weigh, feel

Since stative verbs express non-actions, they are often paired with verbs like “be” or “have” and typically don’t appear in forms like “loving” or “knowing.”

State Verbs
state verbs, types of verbs

Finite Verb

A finite verb is a verb that shows tense, mood, and agrees with its subject. It indicates when an action happens and who performs it. For instance, in “She walks to school,” “walks” is a finite verb because it’s in the present tense and agrees with the subject “she.”

Non-finite verbs, on the other hand, don’t change according to tense or subject. These include infinitives (to walk), gerunds (walking), and participles (walked). Non-finite verbs don’t act as the main verb in a sentence. Understanding these types of verbs is essential for identifying the main action in a sentence and structuring sentences correctly.

Finite Verb

 

 

Infinite Verb

An infinite verb is a non-finite verb that is not bound by tense, mood, or subject agreement. It does not show when an action happens or who performs it.

Types of Infinite Verbs:

  1. Infinitive: The base form of a verb, usually preceded by “to” (e.g., “to walk,” “to eat”). It is often used as the subject, object, or after verbs like “want” or “need.”
  2. Gerund: A verb ending in “-ing” that functions as a noun (e.g., “walking,” “talking”). Gerunds can be the subject or object of a sentence or follow prepositions.
  3. Participle: Verb forms that act as adjectives or help form verb tenses. Present participles end in “-ing” (e.g., “walking”), while past participles often end in “-ed” (e.g., “walked”). Participles are used in tenses like the present continuous (“She is walking”) or past perfect (“He had walked”).

These forms of non-finite verbs are important for creating varied and complex sentences.

Infinite Verb with Example

Common Verb List

WalkIllustrateAcquire
DoubtAdviseCriticize
StartStealInvest
RestorePaintAssure
SleepStopDeduct
RetainBelongPrefer
IntegrateRetainPostpone
CommunicateIntegrateAchieve
PursueCommunicateClimb
ChopDrillDrink
HurryMustBehave
ClingDecideFeel
MindMightRecall
HatePushWhip
ComprehendEnhanceAttribute
LayDeriveReflect
AllocateOccupyOpen
SurveyPointRisk
PreparePerceiveWake
AriseAppreciateClaim
ApplyIndicateCome
PlanInvolveEat
ArriveConsultImply
SeemSpendStruggle
EnjoyStackContradict
LocateSliceRegret
CompensateOweBring
StingReverseStir
DemandSpillDelay
ShouldSinkIntervene
FitWinDrive
FryConsumeInclude
LearnRetireBreed
ShedContainExplore
DetermineExpandGenerate
FallSpitForget
ModifyReplaceLegislate
ProposeWarnSlide
DareReactRely
WashAstonishBlow
InhibitSubmitEmphasize
AvoidLikeSpecify
WaitArgueRealize
BowAnalyzePull
HearAssumeAdjust
LeapShineFunction
RestrictTranslateBegin
AnnounceReceiveVolunteer
CompoundFeedParticipate
SlipMentionWish
InvestigateSetGrow
ExpectSquatScrub
PayDependInteract
ObserveMonitorRefer
ReinforceIdentifyTiptoe
MatterBegAlternate
EvaluateSpellRecommend
RequireHugPrioritize
MeasureOrderRelieve
DesireRememberJustify
PinchGiveFacilitate
CompeteDanceConduct
PromoteAffectBet
CalculateConcernChannel
RingHitStink
LinkCompriseMean
AddAttractCare
CreateRelaxExist
ImagineGetRefuse
MissLightInform
ManageWriteBuy
Lie (not to tell the truth)PreventDrink
DeliverGetFail
ProcessThrowSit
BendBreakValidate
TransferExperimentKiss
OvertakeSpreadProve
RidePracticeInsist
AidRecollectPossess
FollowBindIncorporate
ConsiderInstallAsk
WouldDiscoverGuide
WaveConfineObtain
DemonstrateRidDeviate
ConsentAttemptAttain
ConvinceCan/couldAttach
SwingRepairBuild
ImposeReadSki
StateVarySupply
PromiseMaintainTell
ProceedImproveDeal

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