Verbs Subject English Grade VIII

 

Verbs

Subject English

Grade VIII

• A verb is a word used for saying something about some person or thing.
• A verb is a word that tells or asserts something about a person or thing.
• A verb is a word that denotes being, having or doing something.
• Verbs are words which express action, existence or condition.
• A verb may tell us about an action, a state of being or existence or possession.
• A verb may tell us---
• What a person or thing is: as;

1. Mr Ali is a teacher.
2. The cow is brown.
3. Her shirt is white.

• What a person or thing has: as;

1. Manila has a pet dog.
2. A chair has four legs.
3. Some of the buried workers are still alive.
4. This old car is on its last legs.

• What a person or thing does: as;

1. Latif kicks a football.
2. The clock strikes ten.
3. They danced till three in the morning.
4. They washed the room in the evening.

• Other words indicate a condition: as;

1. Nadia is miserable after losing her dog.
2. The new car looks beautiful.

• Some verbs may be used without any helping verbs before them: as;

1. The baby sleeps.
2. Birds fly.
3. Boys play.

• Verbs, such as sleep, fly, play, etc. are called /main’ verbs
• Sometimes the ‘main’ verbs take another kind of verb before them: as;

1. The bay may sleep for one hour more.
2. Birds can fly high in the sky.
3. Boys will play football after 4 p.m.

• Verbs, such as May, can, will etc., are called auxiliary or helping verbs. Auxiliary verbs give a special meaning to the main verbs they go with.
• Thus, there are two classes of verbs in English: as;
• Auxiliaries: may, can, will, have, must etc.
• Ordinary verbs: run, sleep, fly, play, etc.

Kinds of Verbs

• Verbs are classified in four different ways: as;