Verb

 

Verb

A verb is a saying or doing word. It is a part of a sentence that tells us what the subject performs.

Example :

•     Ram walks in the morning.
•     Sohan is going to the market.

Verbs are related to other factors also like subject, person, number, mood, voice, tense, etc.

Different Types of Verbs

1.     Action Verbs

2.     Linking Verbs

3.     Finite Verbs

4.     Non-finite Verbs

5.     Modal Verbs

6.     Auxiliary Verbs

Action Verbs

Action Verbs indicates action; something that a person, a thing, or an animal does.

Example :

•     The dog barks.
•     The sun shines.

Action verbs can be transitive or intransitive.

A transitive verb expresses an action directed towards a person, place or thing. A transitive verb demands something/someone to be acted upon.

Example :

•     Sohan is reading a book.
•     I am doing my homework.
•     She loves animals.

An Intransitive verb does not need an object to make complete sense. They may be followed by an adjective, adverb, preposition, or another part of speech.

Example :

•     The wind blew strongly.
•     The baby was crying.
•     The ship sank rapidly.

Note : (Subject + Transitive Verb) is not sufficient to make a complete sentence but (Subject + Intransitive Verb) is sufficient to make a complete sentence.

Linking Verbs

A linking verb connects the subject and the complement – that is, the words that follow the linking verb. They do not show any action; they simply link the subject with the rest of the sentence.

Example :

•     The flowers are bright.
•     Sometimes, kids act foolish.
•     You look happy.

The words : am, is, are, was, and were, belong to the linking verb "be". However, there are some other verbs which can work as linking verbs. Those verbs are : Act, feel, appear, become, seem, smell, remain, sound, grow, look, stay, taste, turn, etc.

Example :

•     I am a good cricketer.
•     He is going to school.
•     You are reading a book.
•     I was planning to go to office.
•     They were winners last year.
•     You look tired.

Finite Verb

Finite Verbs are the actual verbs which show tense, person and number (I go, he goes, we went, etc.):

Example :

•     He plays cricket.
•     Dhoni is playing for India.
•     Rohan went to school.

Non-finite Verb

Finite Verbs are the actual verbs which do not show tense, person or number.

The forms of non-finite verbs are – infinitive, gerund and participle.

Example :

•     He did not know how to solve this question. (infinitive)
•     Please excuse my coming late. (gerund)
•     Seeing the police on the road, the dacoits fled away. (participle)

Modal Verb

A modal verb is a kind of verb that is used to indicate modality – that is: likelihood, ability, permission, request, capacity, suggestions, order, obligation, advice, possibility, expectation, and potentiality.

The modal verbs are can, could, must, may, might, ought to, shall, should, will, would.

Example :

•     I must go now.
•     She should call him.
•     I will go there.
•     May I come in, please?
•     You should stop drinking.

Auxiliary Verb

Auxiliary verbs are also called helping verbs because they help to form the various tenses, moods, and voices of other verbs. The auxiliary verbs are – be, have and do.

Example :

•     I am going to market.
•     We have seen a movie.
•     He is going to school.
•     Do you have a pencil?

Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement

Rule : If two or more singular nouns are joined by ‘and ’ the verb used will be plural.

Example :

i) He and I were going to the market.

ii) Ram and Mohan are friends.

In the above sentence Verb-Subject agreement is as follows.

Subject                         Verb

He and I                         were

(Two singular nouns is joined by and)  (as plural verb)

Ram and Mohan               are

(Two singular nouns joined by ‘and’)

Rule : If two singular nouns joined by ‘and’ point out to the same thing or person, the verb used must be singular.

Examples :

•     Rice and curry is the favorite food of the Punjabis.
•     The Collector and District Magistrate is away.

Rule : In case two subjects are joined ‘as well as’ the verb agrees with the first subject.

Examples :

•     Kanta as well as her children is playing.
•     Children as well as their mother are playing.

Rule : ‘Neither of’, ‘Either of’, ‘ Each of’, ‘Everyone’ and ‘Many a’ are followed by a singular verb.

Example :

•     Either of the plans is to be adopted.
•     Neither of the two brothers is sure to pass.
•     Everyone is going to school.

Rule : If two subjects are joined by ‘Either…or’, ‘Neither…nor’, the verb agrees with the subject near to nor/or.

Example  :

•     Either by brother or I have to do this work.
•     Neither he nor they are prepared to do this work.

Rule : A noun singular in form and collective in sense takes a singular verb.

Example :

•     The committee is unanimous in this opinion.

Rule : A great many ‘is always followed by a ‘plural noun’ and a ‘plural verb’.

Example :

•     A great many students have been declared successful.

Rule : Similarly, if two subjects are joined by ‘with’, ’together with’, ‘no less than’, ‘ along with’, ‘in addition to’, ‘and not’, etc., the verb agrees with the first subject.

Example :

• The boy with his parents has arrived.
• The office together with his subordinates was present in the function.

Rule : Nouns, plural in from but singular in meaning, take a singular verb.

Example :

• These news were broadcast from All India Radio yesterday. (incorrect)
• This news was broadcast from All India Radio yesterday. (correct)

Rule :  When two subjects are joined by Not only…but also; the verb must agree with the second subject.

Example :

•     Not only India but also Pakistan is poor. (The second subject Pakistan is singular)
•     Not only the Principal but also the students were laughing. (The second subject ‘students’ is plural)

Rule : When two subjects are joined by ‘Or’ the verb must agree with the second subject.

Example :

•     Krishna or her sisters were there.
•     Mohan or Sohan is responsible for all this.

Rule : When two subjects of different numbers and persons or both are joined together by ‘And’ the verb used must be plural.

Example :

•     Sachin and his parents have gone to Kolkata.
•     He and I are friends.

Rule : Some nouns which are singular in form but are plural in number take a plural verb.

Example :

•     The people were shouting.
•     The cattle are grazing.

Rule : When a ‘Plural noun’ denotes some particular quantity or amount considered as a whole, it takes a singular verb.

Example :

•     Five hundred rupees is a big amount.
•     Hundred miles is a long distance.

Rule : The title of the books, names of the countries or subjects which look like plural, but actually are in singular number, are followed by singular verb.

Example :

•     Mathematics is a difficult subject.
•     The United States of America is the richest country of the world.

Rule : When the subject is a relative pronoun, the verb agrees in Number and person with the Noun or Pronoun to which the Relative Pronouns refers.

Example :

•     Ramesh who is my friend has a thirst for knowledge.
•     I who an at your service should not be ignored.

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