VERBS

Introduction to Verbs
VERBS
• are the most essential part of speech;
• express action or being;
• serve as the backbone of a sentence;
• provide crucial information about what the subject is doing
OR what is happening to the subject;
• are categorised into different types based on their function in
the sentence; and
• are essential for both grammar and communication — and
also for the NDA exam.
 Main Types of Verbs
1. Action Verbs
2. Linking Verbs
3. Auxiliary (Helping) Verbs
4. Modal Verbs
5. Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
6. Regular and Irregular Verbs

Verbs also include topics such as

Subject–Verb Agreement, Phrasal Verbs,
Verbals, and Active & Passive Voice.
 1. Action Verbs
• describe an activity or action performed by the subject of the sentence;
• show what the subject is doing;
• are usually the MAIN verbs of the sentence;
• can be IMAGINED, and you can think about them;
• always create a picture in your mind;
• can be physical (e.g., run and jump) or mental (e.g., think and believe).

• Examples:
✓ She runs every morning.
✓ They play cricket on Sundays.
✓ The dog barked loudly.
 2. Linking Verbs
• do not show action;
• are used to connect the subject with its complement;
• cannot be imagined, and you can’t create a picture of them;
• express equivalency, as in, ‘I am a car’.

• The most common linking verb : 'to be' (am, is, are, was, were, etc.).

• Examples:
✓ He is a doctor. (‘is’ connects the subject to its complement)
✓ The flowers are beautiful. (‘are’ also connects the subject to its complement)

• Other linking verbs include seem, appear,

become, feel, look, sound, taste, etc.
 3. Auxiliary (Helping) Verbs
• help the main verb in a sentence by extending its meaning;
• are used to form questions, negatives, and continuous tenses.

• The primary auxiliary verbs : do, have, and be.

• Examples:
✓ She is reading a book. ('is' helps us form the present continuous tense)
✓ I have finished my homework. ('have' forms the present perfect tense)
✓ Do you like coffee? ('do' is used in forming a question)
 4. Modal Verbs
• are auxiliary verbs that express necessity, possibility, permission, ability, or likelihood.
• do not change according to the subject;
• are followed by the base form (V1) of the main verb;
• don’t follow Subject–Verb Agreement;
• are as follows : can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must, ought to, etc.

• Examples:
✓ She can swim very well. (Ability)
✓ You must finish your work by tomorrow. (Necessity)
✓ We may go to the park later. (Possibility)
✓ Should I call her now? (Advice)
 Modal Concept Example

CAN Ability, Permission, Offers Alex can swim. Can I borrow this? Can I help you?

That story could be true — who knows!

Possibility, Past ability, Permission,
COULD Charlie could swim at the age of four.
Requests
Could I use your phone, please? Could you pass me the salt, please?

BE ABLE TO Ability My brother was able to find his way home.

I have to stop at a red light. That’s the law.
HAVE TO Obligation
Children have to arrive on time at school.
It may rain today — it’s a bit cloudy.
MAY Possibility, Permission
May I borrow your dictionary, please?

MIGHT Slight possibility, Past form of ‘may’ We might win a prize but I doubt it. I said it might rain — but I was wrong.

Airline officials must wear a uniform.

MUST Obligation, Logical deduction
The heating is off; you must be cold.
MUSTN’T Prohibition You mustn’t tell dad — it’s a surprise.
You should take your medicine regularly.
SHOULD Advice, Logical deduction
He has revised, so he should pass the test.
You ought to write to your grandmother.
OUGHT TO Advice, Logical deduction
$30 ought to be enough for the taxi.
Future tense auxiliary, I shall be in London on Friday.
SHALL
Offers/suggestions Shall I order a taxi?
WILL Future auxiliary, Invitations/offers The ticket will cost about $50. Will you join us for coffee?
 5. Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
• Transitive Verbs are verbs that require an object to complete their meaning.
The object receives the action of the verb.

• Examples:
✓ She reads the book. (The verb 'reads' requires the object 'book.’) (SHE READS WHAT?)
✓ He eats an apple. (The verb 'eats' requires the object 'apple.’) (HE EATS WHAT?)

• Intransitive Verbs do not require an object. The action is complete in itself.

• Examples:
✓ She sings beautifully. (No object needed after 'sings')
✓ The dog barked loudly. (No object needed after 'barked')
 6. Regular and Irregular Verbs
• Regular Verbs follow a predictable pattern when forming their past tense or past
participle. Usually, this involves adding -ed to the base form of the verb. Examples are:

✓ Walk → Walked → Walked

✓ Talk → Talked → Talked
✓ Play → Played → Played

• Irregular Verbs do not follow the regular pattern and have unique past tense and past
participle forms. Examples are:

✓ Go → Went → Gone
✓ Eat → Ate → Eaten
✓ Buy → Bought → Bought
 The 20 Most-Common Irregular Verbs
V1 V2 V3 V1 V2 V3
1. Be → Was/Were → Been 10. Have → Had → Had
2. Begin → Began → Begun 11. Know → Knew → Known
3. Come → Came → Come 12. Make → Made → Made
13. Read → Read → Read (/rɛd/)
4. Do → Did → Done 14. Run → Ran → Run
5. Drink → Drank → Drunk 15. See → Saw → Seen
6. Eat → Ate → Eaten 16. Take → Took → Taken
7. Find → Found → Found 17. Think → Thought → Thought
8. Give → Gave → Given 18. Speak → Spoke → Spoken
19. Write → Wrote → Written
9. Go → Went → Gone 20. Sleep → Slept → Slept
Verb Complements (Direct and Indirect Objects)

• are the words or phrases that complete the meaning of a verb;

• include direct objects and indirect objects.

• A direct object answers the question 'What?' or 'Whom?' after a transitive verb,
indicating who or what is directly affected by the action.

• Examples:
✓ She reads the newspaper. (She reads WHAT? — 'the newspaper')
✓ He threw the ball. (He threw WHAT? — 'the ball’)
✓ They missed me. (They missed WHOM? — ‘me’)
• An indirect object answers the question 'To whom?' or 'For whom?’, indicating the
recipient of the action.

• Examples:

✓ She gave him the book. (direct object: 'the book’; indirect object: 'him.’)
✓ He sent her a letter. (direct object: 'a letter’; indirect object: 'her.’)

Tip: When both a direct and an indirect object appear in a sentence, the indirect object
typically comes before the direct object.
Phrasal Verbs
 What Are Phrasal Verbs?

• A phrasal verb is a verb combined with a preposition or adverb, forming a

phrase with a meaning that is different from the individual words.

• Syntax: VERB + Preposition

OR
VERB + Adverb

• Examples:
‘Give up’ (adverb) → means, “stop trying"
‘Look after’ (preposition) → means, “take care of"
 Structure of Phrasal Verbs
• Types:
Transitive (requires a direct object) vs. Intransitive (doesn’t require one):
(made using prepositions) (made using adverbs)

❖ Transitive : 'Look after your health.’ (usually WHAT? Or WHOM?)

❖ Intransitive : 'He passed out.’ (usually WHERE? Or HOW?)

• How to identify?
If you can ask "whom" or "what" after the phrasal verb,
then it's transitive. Else, it’s intransitive.
 Common Phrasal Verbs
• Break:
'Break down' → Stop working (machine).
'Break into' → Enter by force.
Phrasal Verbs can also
change their tenses.
• Take:
'Take off' → Remove (clothes); rise (plane). E.g., Broke down or
Broken down;
'Take up' → Start (a hobby). Took off or Taken off;
Went over or Gone over.
• Go:
'Go over' → Review.
'Go on' → Continue.
 Practice Questions
1. Fill in the blanks:

He decided to ___ smoking after 10 years. (give)

The teacher ___ the homework in detail. (went)

2. Match the meanings:

'Put off’ Cancel

'Call off’ Continue
'Carry on’ Delay
 Mixed Examples for Context
1. Go over (Preposition: means, “review”) (usually answers WHAT? or WHOM?)

“The teacher went over the exam answers with the class.”

Explanation: “over” links “went” to its object “the exam answers”.

2. Turn up (Adverb: means, “appear/arrive”) (usually answers HOW? or WHERE?)

“He turned up at the party without an invitation.”

Explanation: “up” modifies “turned”, meaning he arrived unexpectedly.

 Mixed Examples for Context
3. Take out (Adverb: “Remove”)

“Please take out the trash before dinner.”

Explanation: “out” modifies “take”, meaning remove the trash.

4. Put up with (Preposition: “Tolerate”)

“I can't put up with his bad behavior anymore.”

Explanation: "With" links "put up" to the object "his bad behavior," indicating tolerance.

5. Set off (Adverb: “Start a journey”)

“We set off early in the morning to avoid traffic.”

Explanation: “off” modifies “set”. showing the start of the journey.
 Phrasal Verbs with Prepositions Phrasal Verbs with Adverbs
Look after (Take care of) Break down (Stop working)
Run into (Meet unexpectedly) Take off (Rise into the air)
Believe in (Have faith in) Give up (Stop trying)
Depend on (Rely on) Carry on (Continue)
Come across (Find by chance) Pass out (Lose consciousness)
Go against (Oppose) Set out (Start a journey)
Stick to (Adhere to) Turn up (Arrive unexpectedly)
Agree with (Have the same opinion) Put off (Postpone)
Get into (Become interested in) Hold on (Wait)
Deal with (Handle a situation) Keep up (Maintain pace)

Prepositions: These introduce an object and often indicate relationships between elements, using wors
such as "after," "into," and "on.“ They usually answer the questions WHAT? or WHO?

Adverbs: These often modify the action of the verb and include words like "down," "off," and "on.“ They
may or may not require an object. They usually answer HOW? or WHERE?
Subject–Verb Agreement
 What Is Subject–Verb Agreement?
Subject-verb agreement means that the subject (the hero of the sentence) and the
verb (the action or state) must "agree" in number.

For example: The dogs run all day.

The dog runs all day.

• A Singular subject takes a Singular verb.

• A Plural subject takes a Plural verb.
 Key Rules of Subject–Verb Agreement
1. Plural Forms in English
• Nouns : To make a noun plural, we usually add –s or –es:
Singular : girl OR watch
Plural : girls OR watches

• Verbs : To make a verb plural, we usually remove –s:

Singular : She walks.
Plural : They walk.

Examples
• Singular : The member talks.
• Plural : The members talk.
2. Watch the Verb Endings!
• Singular subjects often add –s or –es to the verb.

• Plural subjects drop the –s or –es from the verb.

Singular Examples:

• He runs. I run He runs

• The bird flies. You run She runs
• Maria studies. We run It runs
They run
Plural Examples:

• We run.
• The birds fly.
• Maria and Sam study.
3. Irregular Verbs

Some verbs don't follow regular patterns. Memorise these exceptions:

• DO
Singular : He / she / it does Plural : I / you / we / they do

• HAVE

Singular : He / she / it has Plural : I / you / we / they have

• BE
Singular : He / she / it is Plural : I / you / we / they are
4. Multiple Subjects

A. Subjects Joined by "And“

If two subjects are joined by "and," the verb is plural:
The boy and the girl dance. (They)
Joe and Maria walk to school. (They)

B. Subjects Joined by "Or" or "Nor"

The verb agrees with the subject closest to it:
The professor or the students walk. (They)
The students nor the professor walks. (He)
5. Indefinite Pronouns

• Some pronouns are always singular:

Examples: anyone, everyone, someone, no one, nobody, nothing, everything, etc.
Everybody loves grammar.

• Others can be singular or plural, depending on context:

Examples: all, some, etc.
Some of the cake is gone.
Some of the students are here.
6. Relative Pronouns

Relative pronouns such as who, which, and that, match the word they refer to:

• Singular : The student who studies hard succeeds.

• Plural : The students who study hard succeed.

7. Tricky Situations

• Words Between Subject and Verb:

Ignore any phrases between the subject and verb — as they don't affect agreement:
Example:
The student, though she had problems, succeeds in class.

• Prepositional Phrases:
The subject is never in a prepositional phrase (such as in, with, together with, along
with, and as well as).
Example:
The students in my class study hard.
Some Helpful Tips

1. If the subject ends in –s or –es, the verb won’t.

o Example : The girls dance.

2. If the subject doesn’t end in –s or –es, the verb definitely will.

o Example : The girl dances.

Practice Time!
Identify the subjects and verbs in these sentences, and also check if they agree in number:

1. They goes to the gym after class.

2. Harry and his friends wants to see the new movie.

3. The cat who is meowing at my door wants in.

4. Neither the cat nor the dogs likes the new food.

5. The mayor, as well as his brothers, are going to jail.

6. Nobody wants to dance.

Active and Passive Voice
 Introduction
• What is Voice?
Voice refers to the form of a verb that indicates whether the subject
performs or receives the action.

• Two Types of Voice:

1. Active Voice : The subject performs the action.

2. Passive Voice : The subject receives the action.

• Examples:

1. Active : The dog chased the cat.

2. Passive : The cat was chased by the dog.

 Active Voice

• Definition:
The subject performs the action expressed by the verb.

• Structure: Subject + Verb(s) + Object

• Examples:
She writes a letter.
They are playing football.
 Passive Voice
• Definition : The subject is acted upon by the verb.

• Structure : Object of the Active Sentence + Auxiliary Verb(s)

+ Past Participle (V3) + 'by’ + Subject

• Examples:

✓ A letter is written by her.

✓ Football is being played by them.
Rules for Conversion (Active to Passive)
1. Identify the object in the active sentence.

2. Move the object to the subject’s position.

3. Use the correct form of 'to be’, based on the tense.

4. Use the past participle (V3) of the main verb.

5. Add 'by' before the doer (if necessary).

• Example :

✓ Active : He is eating an apple.

✓ Passive : An apple is being eaten by him.
 Tense-Wise Rules for Conversion
Tense Active Voice Passive Voice
Simple Present She writes a letter. A letter is written by her.
Present Continuous She is writing a letter. A letter is being written by her.

Simple Past She wrote a letter. A letter was written by her.

Past Continuous She was writing a letter. A letter was being written by her.

Simple Future She will write a letter. A letter will be written by her.
Present Perfect She has written a letter. A letter has been written by her.

Past Perfect She had written a letter. A letter had been written by her.

Future Perfect She will have written a letter. A letter will have been written by her.
Rules for Converting Imperative Sentences
Rule 1 : Commands/Requests

• For commands — “Let” + object + “be” + past participle (V3)

• For polite requests/advice — “You are requested to” or “You are advised to”

• Examples:

Active : Close the window. Active : Please help me.

Passive : Let the window be closed. Passive : You are requested to help me.
Rules for Converting Imperative Sentences

Rule 2 : Negative Imperatives

• Use "Let not“ + object + be + past participle (V3)

• Example:

✓ Active : Do not touch the wires.

✓ Passive : Let the wires not be touched.
 When to Use and Avoid Passive Voice
• The passive voice focuses on the action or recipient rather than the doer.

• It is often criticised but has valid uses:

1. When the doer is unknown or irrelevant.
2. To emphasise the action over the actor.
3. In scientific, formal, or legal contexts.

• Common uses : crime reports, generalisations, or stylistic emphasis.

• Avoid it when the doer is essential OR to have clearer, stronger sentences.

 Passive Voice Summed Up
• The passive voice isn’t a grammatical error; it’s a matter of style.

• Use the active voice if it makes your sentence sound clearer and more
natural.

• Forming the passive voice requires the verb to be and a past participle.

• The passive voice is your friend when the thing receiving an action or the
action itself is the important part of the sentence — especially in
scientific and legal contexts, times when the performer of an action is
unknown, or cases where the subject is distracting or irrelevant.

• When it comes to good writing, don’t be passive — even if your sentences

sometimes need to be.
Verbals
 VERBALS
• are words that are derived from verbs but do not function as the main verbs
in a sentence;
• act as different parts of speech — such as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs;
• originate from verbs, but they don't show ‘action’ in the way regular verbs do;
• can play various roles in a sentence.

• There are three main types of verbals:

1. Infinitives
2. Gerunds
3. Participles
 1. Infinitives
An infinitive
• is the base form of a verb;
• is often preceded by the word ‘to’;
• functions like a noun, adjective, or adverb in a sentence.

• Examples:

1. As a noun : “To run is my passion.” (bhaagna hai passion)

(Here, “to run” is the subject of the sentence, acting as a noun.)

2. As an adjective : “He has a plan to study abroad.” (study wala plan)

(Here, “to study” modifies the noun "plan," describing what kind of plan it is.)

3. As an adverb : “She went to the library to read.” (gai kis liye? padhne ke liye)

(Here, “to read” explains the purpose of her going to the library.)
 2. Gerunds
• A gerund is the “-ing” form of a verb, which functions as a noun.
• Unlike infinitives, gerunds cannot take the base form of a verb;
they always have the -ing suffix.

• Examples:

1. As a subject : “Swimming is a great way to stay fit.”

(In this sentence, “swimming” is the subject — a gerund used as a noun.)

2. As an object : “She enjoys reading.”

(Here, “reading” is a gerund functioning as the direct object of the verb “enjoys.”)

3. As the object of a preposition : “I am interested in learning new languages.”

(The gerund “learning” is the object of the preposition “in.”)
 3. Participles
• A participle is a form of a verb that functions as an adjective.
• They often end in “-ing” (present participle) or “-ed” (past participle);
but there are irregular participles as well.

• Types of Participles:
1. Present Participle (-ing form) : shows an ongoing action or state and acts as an adjective.
Example : “The running water is cold.”
(“Running” modifies the noun “water”, describing it as active or in motion.)

• 2. Past Participle (-ed or V3 form) : refers to a completed action/state and works as an adjective.
Example : “The broken window needs repair.”
(“Broken” describes the window, indicating it is damaged or in a state of having been broken.)

Examples:
• Present participle as an adjective : "The shining star caught my attention."
• Past participle as an adjective : "The frozen lake was beautiful."
Key Differences Between the Types of Verbals

1. Infinitives (to + V1) can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs.

They show action in an abstract way.

2. Gerunds (-ing form) always function as nouns, even though they are derived
from verbs.

3. Participles (present or past form) act as adjectives, describing nouns in a

sentence.
 Questions on Verbals
1. Identifying Types of Verbals:
Question: Identify the infinitive in the following sentence:
“She likes to read novels in her free time.”
A) She likes B) To read C) In her free time D) None of the above

2. Usage of Gerunds:
Question: Choose the correct gerund to complete the sentence:
“He is fond of _______ in the evening.”
A) Run B) Running C) Ran D) To run

3. Participles:
Question: Identify the participle in the sentence. Also identify its tense:
“The barking dog scared the stranger.”
A) Barking B) Scared C) Stranger D) The