Verbs Definition

Verbs

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Verbs are one of the major grammatical groups, and all sentences must contain one. Verbs refer to an action (do, break, walk, etc.) or a state (be, like, own).

The verb tense shows the time of the action or state. Aspect shows whether the action or state is completed or not. Voice is used to show relationships between the action and the people affected by it. Mood shows the attitude of the speaker about the verb, whether it is a declaration or an order. Verbs can be affected by person and number to show agreement with the subject.

See Also:

Modal VerbParts of Speech

Category:

Verbs and Tenses

Related to 'Verbs'

Related English Articles

Continue to learn about verbs and tenses by browsing our articles on the topic.

Learner Articles

English Tenses and Aspects 7 - The Habitual Aspect

A look at the difficulties of classifying "used to"

English Tenses and Aspect 6 - The Prospective Aspect

A look at the use of the 'going to' form in English

English Tenses and Aspects 5 - The Retrospective Aspect

A look the the forms traditionally known as the perfect aspect

English Tenses and Aspects 4 - The Durative Aspect

A look at the form traditionally known as the continuous or progressive

English Tenses and Aspect 3 - The Marked Tense

This tense, the traditional 'past simple', sometimes referred to as the preterite, like the unmarked tense, can refer to past, present, future and general time.

English Tenses and Aspect 2 - The Unmarked Tense

It is true that the uses of the unmarked tense can present three major problems for the learner

English Tenses and Aspects 1 - Introduction

I believe the tense/aspect system of English verbs is far less complex than many suppose. There is an underlying logic to the system that, when understood, clears away most of the problems that have caused misery to many learners and their teachers.

Using 'Wish' in English

A look at how to use the verb 'wish'.

BY + Agent: Optimising Passive Sentences for Clarity

Explore effective techniques for optimising passive sentences in English grammar, including when to include or omit the agent, ultimately improving clarity and conciseness.

Mastering Verb Agreement: Singular and Plural Usage with 'Number'

Learn how to use singular and plural verbs correctly with the word "number", ensuring grammatical accuracy and clear communication in your writing.

Articles for Teachers

How to teach link verbs/copula verbs

How to teach verbs that take adjectives instead of adverbs, with linking verb games and other copula verb practice activities

How to teach verbs of senses

How to teach sense verbs/ verbs of sensation/ sensory verbs/ verbs of perception, including look like, smell like, etc and verbs of senses games

How to teach used to, be used to and get used to

How to contrast the past verb and adjective meanings of "used to", including used to, be used to and get used to games/ practice activities.

How to teach be used to and get used to

How to present and practise be and get used to for easy and difficult things to be accustomed to, including common student errors/ confusions and be/ get used to games.

How to teach the imperative

Teaching tips and classroom activities for imperatives for offers, emailing, telephoning, presentations, instructions, commands/ orders (and not requests!)

Unreal Past games

Fun classroom activities for past tenses for hypothetical situations, including linking to the same structures in conditionals

How to teach present time expressions

Teaching tips, games and other classroom activities for "at the moment", "often", "once every two weeks" etc with Present Simple and Present Continuous.

How to teach past time expressions

Teaching tips and classroom activities for time expressions with narrative tenses and Used to.

How to teach There is & There are

Teaching tips and interactive classroom activities for "There is/ are" and its negative and question forms.

Video tasks to practise past tenses

Activities to teach past tenses using video

Fun video tasks to practise future tenses and conditionals

Video tasks that can be used when practising future tenses and conditionals

Related Language Quizzes

Test your understanding by taking our language quizzes related to verbs and tenses.

Level Quiz
Beginner Am, Are & Is (15)
Beginner Auxiliary Verbs (15)
Beginner Don't & Doesn't (10)
Beginner Have or Has (18)
Beginner Imperatives (10)
Beginner Need & Needn't (10)
Beginner She's = is or has? (11)
Beginner Simple or Progressive? (10)
Beginner There is or There are (15)
Beginner There Is or There Are ? (18)
Beginner Was or Were (16)
Beginner Will or Would (10)
Intermediate Active or Passive (9)
Intermediate Causative (21)
Intermediate Needn't & Don't Need (8)
Intermediate Passive (15)
Intermediate Passive (2) (14)
Advanced Reflexive Verbs (10)
Advanced Tenses (10)
Advanced Transitive & Intransitive Verbs (10)
Advanced Verb Types (11)
Advanced Verbs of seeing (10)
All Levels Irregular Verbs- Past Participle (50)
All Levels Passive (1) (59)

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