Classification of Verbs

Menonimus

June 17, 2023

Mind the underlined words in the following sentences:

They read the Purans.

Kamal and sita play badminton.

You learn English.

It may rain.

They can do the work.

The underlined words in the above sentences say something (actions) about the subjects. These i.e. read, play, learn, may, can are verbs.

A word that is used for saying something (some action) about the subject in a sentence is called a Verb.

There are many verbs in the English language. According to their function in sentences, English verbs are divided broadly into two classes, as: 1. Principal (Main) Verb and 2. Auxiliary Verbs.

A Principal Verb is a verb that can express a sense independently. In other words, to say, a verb that has a meaning of its own is called a Principal Verb (Main Verb or Full Verb).

The verbs read, play and learn in the above sentences are Principal Verbs.

On the other hand, an Auxiliary Verb is a verb that helps a Principal Verb (Finite Verb) in completing its action.

Again Verbs are divided into two classes, as: Transitive Verbs and Intransitive Verbs. Let us discuss them as below:

Classification of Verbs

Transitive Verbs

Mind the verbs in the following sentences:

She likes apples.

They play football.

Alice learns Latin.

In the above sentences the actions of the verbs likes, play and learn pass to apples, football and Latin (objects) respectively. They are Transitive Verbs.

A verb that has an object is called a Transitive Verb.

In a transitive verb the action does not stop with the agent (Subject) but passes from the agent to something else.

Classification of Verbs

Intransitive Verbs

Mind the verbs in the following sentences:

Rana runs.

Dogs bark.

We sleep.

In the above sentences, the verbs have no objects to describe them. They are Intransitive Verbs.

An Intransitive Verb is a verb that has no objects. In the case of an Intransitive Verb, the action does not pass on to affect an object but stops with the agent.

There are some Intransitive Verbs that take some words or a group of words to complete the sense. Mind the following sentences:

Heera runs in the sun.

Birappan begs in the evening.

Birds fly in the sky.

The italicized groups of words in the above sentences are used to complete the sense of the verbs runs, begs and fly respectively. They are complements of the verbs.

A Complement is a group of words that complete the sense of a verb. (‘Complement’ means something that completes.) A complement generally begins with a preposition.

Classification of Verbs

EXERCISE

Classification of Verbs

1. What is called Principal Verb? Write ten sentences using a principal verb.

2. Underline the Principal Verbs in the following sentences:

a. Edward works hard in the factory.

b. Manika drinks apple juice in the morning.

c. Deepika learns Hindi in the Eastern Institute.

d. Fahad was a good player.

e. Navanita kills a snake.

f. Farid presided over the meeting.

g. William goes to Italy every week.

3. Underline the Intransitive Verbs in the following sentences:

a. Kanak drinks.

b. We sleep at night.

c. The baby cries.

d. The dove flies.

e. The cat mews.

f. He laughs.

g. Dravid runs in the field.

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Classification of Verbs

N.B. The article ‘Classification of Verbs’ originally belongs to the book ‘School English Grammar Part- I‘ by Menonim Menonimus. Classification of Verbs

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Classification of Verbs