Verbs

A verb is a word that tells something about a person or a doing.

In another word, Doing words are known as verbs.

  1. Harish Laughs.
  2. The window pane is broken
  3. The camel is dead

In the above examples the words in bolds are all verbs. They are conveying that something is being done or has been done to the Nouns associated with them in the sentence.

Classification of Verbs

Verbs can be further classified into different categories.

1. Transitive verbs

The verbs that denote an action which passes over from the doer or subject in the sentence to the object are called transitive verbs.

  1. The boy hits the ball.
  2. Rajiv pushed the door.

In the above examples number (i) the action hits passes over from the doer (the boy) to the object (the ball).Thus the verb is a transitive verb.

Same is the case with the verb in the second example ie doer Rajiv pushed the door.

2. Intransitive Verbs

The verbs that denote an action which does not pass over from the doer or subject in the sentence to the object are called transitive verbs.

  1. The boy laughs.
  2. Rajiv sleeps soundly.

In the above examples number (i) the action laughs stops to the doer (the boy) .Thus the verb is an intransitive verb.

Same is the case with the verb in the second example i.e doer Rajiv sleeps soundly.

Important:-

1.In real sense most of the verbs can be used both as Transitive and Intransitive verbs thereby making the distinction a bit vague. Therefore it is prudent to say that a particular verb is used transitively or intransitively rather than that it is Transitive or Intransitive. Following example will make it clear to you.

  1. The snakes fought the eagles.
  2. Some snakes fight fiercely.

In the above example verb fight/fought is being used as transitive in the first sentence and as intransitive in the second sentence.

2. Some verbs like come, go, fall, die denotes action which cannot be done to anything else thus they can never be used in transitive form.

  1. Rakesh fell down.
  2. Hament died in the accident.

The verbs given in the above examples cannot be used in intransitive form at all.

3. In some sentences where the subject and object are one and the same thing the verbs used is said be used reflexively.

  1. The women killed herself.

In the above example the subject (women) and the object (again the women) is same person. Thus the verb killed is said to be used reflexively.

Form of Verbs

There are three forms of verb commonly known as first, second and third form and literally known as Base-Past-Past participle.

Ex:-

  1. Walk-----Walked-----Walked
  2. Sit-----Sat-----Sat
  3. Beat-----Beat-----Beaten

On the bases of forms the Verbs can be further classified in two different forms as given:-

1. Regular Verbs

Those verbs that form their past and past participle by adding –ed-  are known as regular verbs.

Ex:-

  1. Laugh-----laughed-----laughed
  2. Call-----Called-----Called

In the above examples the past and past participle form is obtained by just adding -ed- to the base form.

2. Irregular Verbs

Those verbs that form their past and past participle by any other way except adding –ed- at the end are known as irregular verbs.

Ex:-

  1. Bet-----bet-----bet
  2. beat-----beat-----beaten
  3. Be-----was-----been

In the above given examples Type1 consists of same three forms, Type 2 consists of two of the form as same and Type3 consists of all the three forms as the different. Thus all the forms are of Irregular verbs.

Verb Exercises