Emmanuel Aare A. Ben
Types of Verbs There are four main types of verbs in English. These are: 1. Lexical verbs 2. Anomalous verbs 3. Primary auxiliary verbs and modal auxiliary verbs 4. Regular verbs and irregular verbs We are now going to learn each verb, one after the other, with examples, so that we can recognize and be able to differentiate them. 1.
Lexical Verbs These are the verbs that express real actions. They point out specific doing words in sentences. There are many verbs like this in English. In fact, they are too numerous to mention. A few examples are given here below: go cry come shout sit weep stand laugh cook smile eat play write work read give buy take sell collect
2. Anomalous Verbs There are only three verbs in this category. The anomalous family includes: “has”, “have” and “had”. 8
Tenses!
3.
Primary Auxiliary Verbs and Modal Auxiliary Verbs Primary Auxiliary Verbs These verbs are called supporting verbs. They support other verbs for full meanings. There are eight primary auxiliary verbs. am is (present)
be are (present)
singular
plural
was (past) been
were (past) being
singular
plural
Modal Auxiliary Verbs They are supporting verbs. They are determiners of other verbs for full meanings. They express future aim or the intention. There are eight modal auxiliary verbs. They are put side by side in present and past tenses: Present can will shall may
Past could would should might
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Emmanuel Aare A. Ben
4.
Regular Verbs and Irregular Verbs
Regular Verbs They are also lexical verbs because they express real actions, but they form their past tense and past perfect (participle) by adding “ed”, “d” or “t” to the present tense. They are generally called weak or irregular verbs. Examples are given here: Addition of “ed” Present work walk open start play
Past worked walked opened started played
Perfect worked walked opened started played
Past closed hoped danced surprised traced
Perfect closed hoped danced surprised traced
Addition of “d” Present close hope dance surprise trace
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