Understanding
Verbs
From total beginner to confident speaker — no tutor needed!
What is a Verb?
A verb is the most important word in a sentence. Every complete sentence must have a verb. Think of the verb as the engine of a sentence — without it, nothing moves!
Verbs come in many types. Let's explore each one step by step.
Action Verbs
Action verbs describe something that a person, animal, or thing physically or mentally does. These are the most common verbs in English.
Things you can see happening.
Things happening inside the mind.
Linking Verbs
Linking verbs don't show action. Instead, they connect the subject of a sentence to a word that describes it. They are like an equal sign (=) in a sentence.
Click to see →
"looked" = she turned her eyes
Click to see →
"looked" = connects her to "sad"
💡 Tip: If you can replace the verb with "is/was" and it still makes sense, it's a linking verb!
Helping Verbs
Helping verbs (also called auxiliary verbs) work together with a main verb to add meaning — like showing time, possibility, or question form. They help the main verb!
Forms: am, is, are, was, were, been, being
Used with continuous/progressive tenses and passive voice.
Forms: have, has, had
Used with perfect tenses to show completed actions.
Forms: do, does, did
Used for questions, negatives, and emphasis.
Transitive & Intransitive Verbs
This is about whether a verb needs an object (a receiver of the action) or not.
The action transfers to an object. You can ask "whom?" or "what?" after the verb.
The action does NOT transfer. No object needed. The sentence is complete without one.
Regular & Irregular Verbs
When we talk about the past tense, verbs fall into two groups based on how they change.
Just add -ed to make the past tense. Simple!
| Base | Past | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| walk | walked | walked |
| play | played | played |
| jump | jumped | jumped |
| love | loved | loved |
| open | opened | opened |
These change completely. You must learn them!
| Base | Past | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| go | went | gone |
| eat | ate | eaten |
| write | wrote | written |
| see | saw | seen |
| break | broke | broken |
Phrasal Verbs
A phrasal verb is a verb combined with a small word (called a particle — usually a preposition or adverb) that creates a completely new meaning!
Verb Tenses
Verbs change their form to show when an action happens. There are 3 main tenses, each with 4 aspects.
Quick Quiz 🎉
Let's test what you've learned! Answer all 8 questions to see your score.
