Verbs

Verb: a word that expresses an action or makes a statement. In your writing, choose strong, specific verbs. Don't overuse the passive voice. Try not to use the verb to be (is, was, are, etc.) any more than necessary.

Types of Verbs

Action verbs: An action verb tells what something is doing, was doing, or will be doing. The subject is doing something. The subject acts upon the complement. Sometimes takes an indirect object, which precedes a direct object and could be the answer to the question to or for whom? (He gave John a dollar)

Linking verbs: A linking verb tells what something is, was, or will be. The subject isn't doing anything. The most common linking verb is be. The subject is linked with (identified with or described by) the complement. If the complement is a noun or pronoun, it is a predicate nominative (it names the subject); if it describes the subject, it is a predicate adjective. (The skunk is smelly. Uruguay is a country.)

Regular verbs: take only four possible forms (principal parts): present, past, present participle, and past participle. Usually the past and past participle are identical. Example: talk, talked, talking, (have) talked.

Irregular verbs (except to be, which can take many irregular forms) can have at most five possible forms.Some irregular verbs: bear, beat, begin, bite, blow, break, bring, burst, catch, choose, come, creep, cut, dive, do, draw, drink, drive, eat, fall, flee, fling, fly, forget, freeze, get, give, go, grow, hang (execute), hang (suspend), hurt, know, lay, lead, lend, lie (recline), lie (tell falsehood), lose, ride, ring, rise, run, say, see, set, shake, shine (intransitive), sing, sink, sit, slay, speak, spring, steal, sting, swear, swim, swing, take, tear, throw, wear, weep, write. (I write a book, I wrote a book, I have written a book, I am writing a book.)

Verb properties: person, number, tense, voice, and mood.

Person usually only affects a verb (except for to be) in the present tense.

Number can be singular or plural.

Tense indicates time in a verb. There are six standard tenses (for more about tenses, click here.):

Present: I go
Past: I went
Future: I will go
Present perfect: I have gone
Past perfect: I had gone
Future perfect: I will have gone.

There are progressive forms for the six tenses, made of the auxiliary verb be plus the present participle (-ing ending): I am going, etc.

Present tense: verb tense indicating that something is happening now, in the present. Also used for habitual action, past time in narrative, and future time. If the action is continuing, the present progressive is used. I leave for home tomorrow.

Past tense: verb tense indicating that something happened in the past but isn't still happening. He worked here. Past progressive indicates action moving through a specific period in the past. He was falling.

Future tense: verb tense indicating that something will happen in the future. She will alter the clothing.

Present Perfect Tense: verb tense indicating that something happened in a past period but carried up to the present: He has finished. I have worked there for three years. The present perfect progressive emphasizes that the action is still going on: I have been taking vitamin pills.

Past Perfect tense: verb tense used to show that happened earlier than something else in the past: I had been sleeping for hours when the alarm clock rang.

Voice can be active or passive in a verb.

Subjunctive mood: When expressing a condition contrary to fact, in an if clause, or after a verb which expresses a wish. We use the word were instead of was in such an expression: If I were you, I'd quit.

Some other forms verbs can take:

Verbals: a word derived from a verb which can be used as a noun, adjective, or adverb. Includes infinitives, participles, and gerunds.

Infinitives: a form of the verb preceded by to. It can be present or perfect, active or passive. Sometimes, when following certain verbs, the to can be omitted.: see, hear, feel, help, let, help, make, watch. Watch him throw that ball. ("to throw" is understood). Infinitives can be used as a noun (I hate to go.), as an adjective (It's time to go.), and as an adverb (He always plays to win.)

Participles: When present and past participles are used without auxiliary verbs, they are verbals being used as adjectives. A startling statement. A shaken passenger. A participial phrase is usually used to modify a noun, often the subject or direct object of a sentence: The man, pausing for a moment, looked at the train. The tree, decorated with trimmings, shone brightly.

Gerund: A gerund is a verbal that looks like a present participle, always ending in -ing, but is always used as a noun. Swimming is my favorite summer activity.