Verbs have traditionally been defined as words
that show action or state of being.
Verbs can also sometimes be recognized by their
position in a sentence.
In the following two sentence frames, only a verb
can be put into the empty slot.
NOUN
__________
THERE ________ NOUN
(verb)
(verb)
- I am a student.
- The students passed all their courses.
- Verbs vary by type, and each type is determined by the kinds of words that follow it and the relationship those words have with the verb itself. There are six types: intransitive, transitive, infinitives, to-be verbs, and two-place transitive (Vg- verb give), and two-place transitive
Example
| Infinitive | Simple Past | Past Participle |
|---|---|---|
| alight | alighted, alit | alighted, alit |
| arise | arose | arisen |
| awake | awoke, awaked | awoken, awaked |
| be | was, were | been |