Verb

One of parts of speech is verb. A verb, from the Latin verbum meaning word, is a word (part of speech) that in syntax conveys an action (bring, read, walk, run, learn), or a state of being (be, exist, stand). In the usual description of English, the basic form, with or without the particle to, is the infinitive. In many languages, verbs are inflected (modified in form) to encode tense, aspect, mood and voice. A verb may also agree with the person, gender, and/or number of some of its arguments, such as its subject, or object. (wikipedia.com)

English only has five verb forms.

Simple form (infinitive)

Simple form (infinitive) Third person singular Present participle Past tense Past participle

work works working worked worked

give gives giving gave given

sing sings singing sang sung

Verbs

The main word in the predicate is called the verb.

Example:

1. The temperature dropped rapidly.

PREDICATE: dropped rapidly

VERB: dropped

Without a verb, the predicate cannot tell or ask anything about the subject. For instance,

if the verb dropped is left out of the first sentence above, the resulting sentence cannot convey any clear meaning:

The temperature . . . rapidly.

Action and Linking Verbs

ACTION VERBS

An action verb is a verb that expresses action.

There are two kinds of action verbs:

1. Verbs that express physical action—action that can be seen or heard:

The car skidded, left the road, and smashed into a telephone pole.

(Skidded, left, and smashed express physical action.)

2. Verbs that express mental action—action that takes place in the mind and therefore cannot be seen or heard:

We believed and trusted them because we knew them.

(Believed, trusted, and knew express mental action.)

LINKING VERBS

Not all verbs are action verbs. The verb is in the following sentence does not expressaction. It is a linking verb.

In the preceding sentence, the verb is has little meaning of its own. Its main function is to link (connect) Jordan with angry. For this reason, we call is a linking verb.

A linking verb links (connects) the subject with a word in the predicate that describes or identifies the subject.

What Are Some Common Linking Verbs?

1. The most frequently used linking verb is be, whose forms include the following: am, are, is, was, were. Of course, verb phrases ending in be, being, and been are also linking verbs: will be, would be, are being, have been, could have been, etc.

2. In addition, each of the following verbs can be either an action verb or a linking verb, depending on the way it is used.

VERB USED AS ACTION VERB USED AS LINKING VERB

appear >> Fred appeared tired.

become >> My room becomes messy.

feel >> I feel nervous.

How Can a Linking Verb Be Recognized?

If a verb can be replaced with some form of the verb be, it is a linking verb.

Question 1: Is feels a linking verb in the following sentence?

Jordan feels angry.

Answer: We can replace feels with is (a form of the verb be).

Jordan is angry.

Therefore, feels, in the above sentence, is a linking verb.

Question 2: Is feels a linking verb in the following sentence?

The patient feels pain.

Answer: In this sentence, we cannot replace feels with is.

Therefore, feels here is not a linking verb. It is an action verb.

Summary: An action verb expresses action, either physical or mental.

A linking verb connects the subject with a word in the predicate that

describes or identifies the subject.