Writing Instruction Tutorial

Grammar

Verbs

Grammar Review Hints

To be a verb, a word or words must combine with a subject in a subject-verb core that makes sense. The function of words in each particular sentence must be ascertained before one can decide what to call them. There is no "parts-of-speech" list that can be provided for you to memorize.

Verbs work with their subjects so that they can agree in number, one verb form being used when the subject is singular (one person or thing) and another verb form being used when the subject is plural (more than one).

Verbs help to set the time of sentences. For this reason it is necessary to know how to change each verb so that it correctly indicates the past, present, future, or the in-between times (the perfect and the progressive tenses).

Types of Verbs

There are four types of verbs:

  1. existence verbs
  2. possessive verbs
  3. action verbs
  4. feeling or sensory verbs

The sentences below indicate the four types and show how the verbs work together with their subjects.

Existence (State of Being) Verbs
  • They are here often.
  • It is dead.
  • That was the end.
  • Many were there before.
  • The scientist will be in New York soon.
Possessive Verbs
  • The company has many subsidiaries.
  • They had more before the depression.
  • The men have stock in the company.
  • She owns property.
  • They possess many admirable qualities.
Action Verbs
  • The soldiers camouflaged their position.
  • He thought about it for days.
  • The pitchman guessed her weight.
  • They slept for hours.
  • The hen sat on its eggs.
Verbs of Feeling or Sensory Reactions
  • The rose smelled sweet.
  • The apple tastes good.
  • Her appearance appeals to him.
  • Heat soothes sore muscles.
  • Everyone appears to be calm.
  • She loves him dearly.
  • He hates her passionately.

Inverted Sentences

The subject-verb pattern is so common that exceptions to the pattern are given a special name. When the verb is placed before the subject, or when the subject is placed between the verb and its auxiliary (helping verb), the sentence is said to be in reverse or inverted order. This occurs in three situations:

  1. In most questions
  2. When the expletive there is used
  3. When the sentence starts with an adverbial phrase
Exceptions

Questions that do not invert:

  1. You ask a question without inverting the sentence by merely raising your voice at the end of the sentence: He is coming? They are here?
  2. Certain question words like who, whose, which, what.
  • What is going on?
  • Who went with him?
  • Which one is guilty?
  • Whose friend disappeared?

Verbs Frequently Confused

Verbs that do not take an object:

sit, sat, sat
  • I sit in the chair now.
  • I am sitting in the chair now.
  • I sat in the chair yesterday.
  • I have sat in the chair for days.
lie, lay, lain
  • I lie on the bed right now.
  • I am lying on the couch right now.
  • I have lain in bed ill for weeks.
  • I lay on the bed for weeks.
rise, rose, risen
  • The sun is rising.
  • I rise now to greet you.
  • The sun rose at six yesterday.
  • The sun has risen at six every day for a week.

Verbs that take an object:

set, set, set
  • I set the books on the shelf now.
  • I am setting the books on the shelf now.
  • I have set the books on the shelf every day.
  • I set the books on the shelf every day this week.
lay, laid, laid
  • I lay the books on the table right now.
  • I am laying the plates on the table at this time.
  • I laid the books on the table for weeks.
  • I have laid the books on the table for weeks.
raise, raised, raised
  • I raise the flag every morning.
  • I am raising the flag now.
  • I raised the flag yesterday.
  • I have raised the flag every day for a week.