Exploring 17 Essential Types of Verbs in English

Verbs are the backbone of any sentence in the English language. They are dynamic and versatile, serving as the action or the glue that holds the sentence together. Understanding the different types of verbs is crucial for effective communication and constructing well-structured sentences.

In English, verbs can be categorized into various types based on their functions and characteristics. Each type plays a unique role in conveying meaning, and mastering them empowers you to express yourself more precisely and vividly. Here, we introduce you to the diverse world of verbs, providing a roadmap to navigate through the various types:

1. Action Verbs
2. Linking Verbs
3. Helping (Auxiliary) Verbs
4. Modal Verbs
5. Irregular Verbs
6. Regular Verbs
7. Phrasal Verbs
8. Stative Verbs (State Verbs)
9. Dynamic Verbs
10. Transitive Verbs
11. Intransitive Verbs
12. Causative Verbs
13. Reflexive Verbs
14. Reciprocal Verbs
15. Reporting Verbs
16. Gerunds and Infinitives
17. Participles
18. Frequently Asked Questions

Explore each type to harness the full power of verbs and enhance your command over the English language.

1. Action Verbs

Action verbs are verbs that represent either physical or mental actions. They describe what someone or something is doing, has done, or will do. These verbs are action-oriented and help paint a vivid picture of the events taking place in a sentence.

Types of Action Verbs:

Physical Action Verbs: These verbs describe actions that involve bodily movements or activities. They often depict tangible, observable actions. Examples include:

• Run: She runs marathons.
• Swim: They swim in the pool.
• Write: He writes novels.

Mental Action Verbs: These verbs portray actions that occur within the mind or involve cognitive processes. They describe thoughts, feelings, and mental activities. Examples include:

• Think: I think deeply about the problem.
• Imagine: She imagines a world of possibilities.
• Remember: He remembers his childhood.

2. Linking Verbs

Linking verbs are a unique class of verbs in English that serve as connectors, establishing a link or connection between the subject of a sentence and a subject complement. Unlike action verbs that depict physical or mental actions, linking verbs help to describe the state, condition, or identity of the subject.

Common Linking Verbs:

While there are several linking verbs in the English language, some of the most common ones include:

1. be (am, is, are, was, were, being, been): This is the most versatile linking verb in English and is frequently used to express identity, state, or condition.

• She is a teacher.
• They were exhausted.

2. seem: Indicates a state or condition that appears to be true but may not necessarily be so.

• The movie seems interesting.

3. become: Suggests a change in state or condition.

• He became a successful entrepreneur.

4. appear: Suggests that something looks or seems a certain way.

• The painting appears beautiful.

5. feel: Expresses the subject’s physical or emotional state.

• I feel tired.

6. look: Describes how something or someone appears.

• She looks happy.

7. sound: Conveys the auditory perception of something.

• The music sounds soothing.

3. Helping (Auxiliary) Verbs

Helping verbs, also known as auxiliary verbs, are an essential component of English grammar. They work in conjunction with main verbs to form various verb tenses, voices, and moods, helping to convey the full meaning and nuances of an action or state of being in a sentence. Helping verbs do not typically stand alone as the main verb; instead, they assist the main verb in expressing actions, conditions, or relationships.

Examples of Helping Verbs:

Here are some common examples of helping verbs in English:

1. To Be Verbs: am, is, are, was, were, being, been

• She is studying for her exams.
• They were watching a movie.

2. To Have Verbs: have, has, had

• I have finished my homework.
• He had already left when I arrived.

3. To Do Verbs: do, does, did

• We do our best in every competition.
• She did her chores yesterday.

4. To Will Verbs: will, shall

• He will come to the party.
• I shall call you tomorrow.

5. To Can Verbs: can, could

• She can speak Spanish fluently.
• Could you help me with this problem?

6. To May Verbs: may, might

• You may go to the park after school.
• He might arrive late due to traffic.

7. To Must Verbs: must

• You must complete your assignment on time.

4. Modal Verbs

Modal verbs, often referred to simply as modals, are a category of auxiliary verbs in the English language that convey various degrees of necessity, possibility, ability, permission, and obligation. Modals are distinct from regular verbs in that they do not change in form to indicate tense, and they are typically followed by the base form of the main verb.

Examples of Modal Verbs:

Here are some common modal verbs in English, along with their typical meanings and example sentences:

1. Can: Indicates the ability or possibility to do something.

• She can speak French fluently.
• Can you help me with my homework?

2. Could: Suggests a past ability, past possibility, or a polite request.

• He could swim when he was five years old.
• Could you pass me the salt, please?

3. May: Expresses permission or possibility.

• You may leave the classroom now.
• It may rain later, so bring an umbrella.

4. Might: Suggests a possibility or a less certain condition.

• She might come to the party if she finishes her work.
• It’s cloudy, so it might rain.

5. Must: Indicates necessity, strong obligation, or a high degree of certainty.

• You must wear a helmet while riding a bike.
• He’s been studying all night; he must be tired.

6. Should: Advises or suggests the right course of action.

• You should eat more vegetables for a balanced diet.
• She shouldn’t be late for the meeting.

7. Would: Often used to express politeness, offers, or hypothetical situations.

• Would you like a cup of tea?
• If I won the lottery, I would travel the world.

8. Will: Typically used for future actions and predictions.

• She will arrive at the airport at 3 PM.
• I think it will rain tomorrow.

9. Shall: Less common in modern English; often used for suggestions, offers, or formal inquiries.

• Shall we go for a walk?
• Shall I book a table for two?

5. Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs are a special category of verbs in the English language that do not follow the standard pattern for conjugation in the past tense and past participle. Unlike regular verbs, which typically form their past tense and past participle by adding “-ed” to the base form, irregular verbs have unique, unpredictable forms for these past tense forms.

Examples of Irregular Verbs and Their Past Tense and Past Participle Forms:

Here are some common irregular verbs along with their past tense and past participle forms:

Go:

1. Past Tense: went
2. Past Participle: gone
   • She went to the store.
   • They have gone to the beach.

6. Regular Verbs

Regular verbs are a fundamental and highly common category of verbs in the English language. Unlike irregular verbs, which have unique and irregular forms for the past tense and past participle, regular verbs follow a predictable pattern when conjugated in these forms.

Examples of Regular Verbs:

Here are some examples of regular verbs, along with their typical patterns for forming the past tense and past participle:

Talk:

1. Base Form: talk
2. Past Tense: talked
3. Past Participle: talked
   • She loves to talk about her travels.
   • They talked for hours about their favorite books.

7. Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs are a distinctive and versatile feature of the English language. They consist of a main verb combined with one or more particles, which can be prepositions or adverbs. Phrasal verbs often have meanings that are different from the individual words that make them up.

Examples of Phrasal Verbs:

Here are some examples of phrasal verbs, along with their meanings:

1. Turn on: To activate or start something, like a device or a light.

• Please turn on the TV; I want to watch the news.

2. Break up: To end a romantic relationship.

• They decided to break up after years of dating.

3. Run out of: To deplete or exhaust a supply of something.

• We’ve run out of milk; I need to buy some more.

4. Look forward to: To anticipate or be excited about something in the future.

• I look forward to meeting you next week.

5. Give up: To quit or stop doing something.

• Don’t give up on your dreams; keep trying.

8. Stative Verbs (State Verbs)

Stative verbs are verbs that describe a state or condition, rather than an action or event. They typically express feelings, emotions, thoughts, possessions, senses, and states of being. Stative verbs are not used in progressive (continuous) tenses because they do not represent actions that can be ongoing or in progress.

Examples of Stative Verbs:

Here are some common examples of stative verbs, categorized by their meanings:

1. Emotions and Feelings:

• Love: She loves her family dearly.
• Hate: He hates broccoli.
• Like: They like going to the beach.

2. Thoughts and Opinions:

• Believe: I believe in the power of positivity.
• Think: He thinks it’s a great idea.
• Doubt: She doubts his sincerity.

3. Senses:

• See: I see a beautiful sunset.
• Hear: They hear music in the distance.
• Smell: He smells freshly baked bread.

4. States of Being:

• Be: I am a teacher.
• Exist: The problem exists within the system.
• Belong: The book belongs to the library.

9. Dynamic Verbs

Dynamic verbs, also known as action verbs, are a fundamental category of verbs in the English language. They describe actions, processes, or activities that someone or something performs. Unlike stative verbs, which express states, conditions, or unchanging situations, dynamic verbs convey actions that can be seen, felt, or observed in progress.

Examples of Dynamic Verbs in Sentences:

Here are some common examples of dynamic verbs used in sentences:

• Run: She likes to run in the park every morning.
• Swim: They often swim in the ocean during the summer.
• Write: He is currently writing a novel.
• Play: Children love to play in the playground.
• Dance: They dance beautifully at weddings.

10. Transitive Verbs

Transitive verbs are verbs that require a direct object to receive the action or show the result of the action. They express an action or a relationship between the subject (the doer of the action) and a direct object (the receiver of the action). Transitive verbs are often used to convey who or what is affected by the action.

Examples of Transitive Verbs:

Here are some examples of transitive verbs in sentences:

• She ate (transitive verb) a sandwich (direct object).

In this sentence, the transitive verb “ate” shows the action (eating), and the direct object “a sandwich” answers the question “what” after the verb, indicating what was eaten.

• He reads (transitive verb) books (direct object).

In this example, the transitive verb “reads” indicates the action (reading), and the direct object “books” specifies what is being read.

• They built (transitive verb) a house (direct object).

The transitive verb “built” denotes the action (construction), and the direct object “a house” tells us what was constructed.

11. Intransitive Verbs

Intransitive verbs are verbs that do not require a direct object to complete their meaning. They express an action or state that is self-contained and does not affect or transfer to an object. Intransitive verbs typically answer the question “what” or “how” after the verb, providing additional information about the action or state.

Examples of Intransitive Verbs:

Here are some examples of intransitive verbs in sentences:

• She slept (intransitive verb).

In this sentence, the intransitive verb “slept” expresses the state of sleep without requiring a direct object.

• The flowers bloomed (intransitive verb).

The intransitive verb “bloomed” conveys the action of flowering without the need for a direct object.

• They laughed (intransitive verb).

In this example, the intransitive verb “laughed” represents the action of laughing without involving a direct object.

• He arrived (intransitive verb).

The intransitive verb “arrived” indicates the action of reaching a destination without requiring a direct object.

12. Causative Verbs

Causative verbs are a specific category of verbs in English that describe the action of causing something to happen. These verbs indicate that the subject of the sentence is causing or making someone or something else perform an action, or they are causing something to exist or occur. Causative verbs are used to show a cause-and-effect relationship and are often accompanied by an infinitive verb, which represents the action being caused.

Here are examples of causative verbs in sentences:

• She got her friend to bake a cake for the party.
• She had her hairdresser style her hair for the wedding.
• The boss made the employees work late to meet the deadline.

13. Reflexive Verbs

Reflexive verbs indicate that the subject of the sentence performs an action on themselves. In other words, the subject both initiates and receives the action of the verb. Reflexive verbs are often used to describe actions related to personal care, daily routines, and emotions.

Reflexive verbs are typically composed of two parts:

1. A reflexive pronoun that matches the subject, such as “myself,” “yourself,” “himself,” “herself,” “itself,” “ourselves,” “yourselves,” or “themselves.”
2. The base form of the verb.

Examples of Reflexive Verbs:

• She combed (reflexive verb) her hair (reflexive pronoun).

In this sentence, the reflexive verb “combed” describes the action of combing, and the reflexive pronoun “herself” indicates that she performed the action on herself.

• I washed (reflexive verb) my hands (reflexive pronoun).

The reflexive verb “washed” conveys the action of washing, and the reflexive pronoun “myself” shows that the subject (I) performed the action on themselves.

• He shaved (reflexive verb) his beard (reflexive pronoun).

In this example, the reflexive verb “shaved” describes the action of shaving, and the reflexive pronoun “himself” indicates that he did it to himself.

• They enjoyed (reflexive verb) themselves (reflexive pronoun) at the party.

The reflexive verb “enjoyed” expresses the action of enjoying, and the reflexive pronoun “themselves” shows that they had a good time on their own.

14. Reciprocal Verbs

Reciprocal verbs are used to describe actions or interactions that occur mutually between two or more people or things. These verbs indicate that the subjects involved in the action are both performing and receiving the action. Reciprocal verbs are essential for expressing actions or relationships that involve more than one participant in a sentence. They help convey the idea of shared actions or interactions.

Structure of Reciprocal Verbs:

Reciprocal verbs are often accompanied by reflexive pronouns to indicate the reciprocity of the action. The reflexive pronouns used with reciprocal verbs include “each other” (for two subjects) or “one another” (for more than two subjects).

Examples of Reciprocal Verbs:

• They hugged (reciprocal verb) each other.

In this sentence, the reciprocal verb “hugged” indicates that both “they” are performing the action of hugging, and “each other” shows the reciprocity of the action.

• We helped (reciprocal verb) one another (reflexive pronoun).

The reciprocal verb “helped” conveys that “we” are both assisting and receiving assistance from each other.

• The two teams competed (reciprocal verb) against each other.

In this example, the reciprocal verb “competed” signifies that both teams are engaged in the action of competition, and “against each other” demonstrates the reciprocity of the competition.

15. Reporting Verbs

Reporting verbs, also known as attribution verbs or communication verbs, are a category of verbs in English that are used to report or convey what someone else has said, written, thought, or felt. These verbs play a crucial role in direct and indirect speech, as they help introduce statements, quotations, or information from other sources. Reporting verbs are often used in journalism, storytelling, academic writing, and everyday conversation to attribute information to a particular source or speaker.

Examples of Reporting Verbs:

• Say: She said, “I’ll be there by 3 o’clock.”
• Tell: He told me that he was feeling unwell.
• Ask: They asked if I could help with the project.
• Explain: The teacher explained the concept in detail.
• Report: The news article reported on the recent events.
• Mention: She mentioned that she might travel this weekend.

16. Gerunds and Infinitives

Gerunds and infinitives are verb forms that function as nouns in sentences. They are used to convey actions or activities in a way that allows them to act as subjects, objects, or complements in sentences.

Gerunds:

• A gerund is a verb form that ends in “-ing” and functions as a noun.
• Gerunds are used to describe an action or activity in a general sense, as a subject, object, or complement.
• They often follow certain verbs or phrases.
• Gerunds can be used to express an action’s ongoing nature or as the subject of a sentence.

Examples of Gerunds:

• Swimming is my favorite summer activity. (Subject of the sentence)
• I enjoy reading. (Direct object of the verb “enjoy”)
• Her hobby is painting. (Subject complement)
• They discussed traveling to Europe. (Object of the verb “discussed”)
• Running a marathon requires training. (As the subject of the sentence)

Infinitives:

• An infinitive is the base form of a verb (e.g., “to + verb”) and functions as a noun.
• Infinitives are used to express the idea of an action in its most basic form.
• They can act as the subject, object, or complement in a sentence.
• Infinitives are often preceded by the word “to.”

Examples of Infinitives:

• I like to read books. (Direct object of the verb “like”)
• He has the ability to play the piano. (Object of the verb “has”)
• Her dream is to become a doctor. (Subject complement)
• We plan to travel abroad next year. (As the subject of the sentence)

17. Participles

Participles are verb forms that are often used as adjectives or to create verb tenses in English. They are derived from verbs and can be in the present participle (-ing form) or the past participle (-ed or irregular form).

1. Present Participles:

• Present participles are formed by adding “-ing” to the base form of a verb.
• They are used to describe ongoing actions, as adjectives, or to create the progressive tense (e.g., “I am running”).
• Present participles can be used to modify nouns (e.g., “a running river”) or as part of a verb tense (e.g., “He is studying”).

Examples of Present Participles:

• The barking dog woke up the neighborhood. (Used as an adjective)
• She is reading a fascinating book. (Part of the progressive tense)
• The falling leaves covered the ground. (Used as an adjective)

2. Past Participles:

• Past participles are the past tense forms of verbs, and they can be regular (-ed) or irregular.
• They are used to form various verb tenses, including the present perfect (e.g., “I have eaten”) and the past perfect (e.g., “She had arrived”).
• Past participles are also used as adjectives to describe conditions or states.

Examples of Past Participles:

• The broken window needed to be replaced. (Used as an adjective)
• She had studied for the exam all night. (Part of the past perfect tense)
• The baked bread smelled delicious. (Used as an adjective)

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore more:

• Predicative Adjective
• Compound Adjectives
• Possessive Pronoun
• Reflexive Pronouns
• Possessive Noun
• Uncountable Noun

Additional Resources & References:

• VERBS – Basic English Grammar – Learn English Lab
• Verbs In English Grammar Examples – Magnet Brains
• Verb | Verbs in English Grammar | Verb Forms in English – Dear Sir
• VERB Master Class By Neetu Singh Ma’am – KD Live
• What Are Verbs? – ClickView