Is the word has a verb


Asked by: Jacynthe Wilderman

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The verb have has the forms: have, has, having, had. The base form of the verb is have. … The present and past forms

past forms

The preterite or preterit (/ˈprɛtərɪt/; abbreviated PRET or PRT) is a grammatical tense or verb form serving to denote events that took place or were completed in the past. … In English it can be used to refer to the simple past verb form, which sometimes (but not always) expresses perfective aspect.

are often contracted in everyday speech, especially when have is being used as an auxiliary verb.

Is has a verb or a noun?

Has is a verb — Word Type.

What kind of verb is the word has?

In this sentence, the word has is being used as an auxiliary verb (also called a helping verb). An auxiliary verb is a verb that is used together with a main verb to express an action or state of being.

Why is have a verb?

1. The verb to have as a main verb. The verb to have is one of the core verbs of the English language, and can be used to express possession ownership or acquisition. In this usage, it is a transitive verb, and must therefore be followed by a direct object.

Has or have plural?

The short answer when comparing has vs. have is that has is used with the third person singular. Have is used with the first and second person singular and plural and the third person plural.

20 related questions found

When to use have and has in a sentence?

A simple and easy tip to memorize the difference is that, whenever you create sentences with I, you, we, they or any other plural noun, use ‘have‘, whereas if you are making a sentence with he, she, it or any singular noun, use ‘has’.

Has or had meaning?

Has‘ is the third person singular present tense of ‘have’ while ‘had’ is the third person singular past tense and past participle of ‘have. ‘ 2. Both are transitive verbs, but ‘has’ is used in sentences that talk about the present while ‘had’ is used in sentences that talk about the past.

What is v1 v2 v3 v4 v5 verb?

Answer: v1 is present ,v2 past ,v3 past participate ,v4 present participate, v5 simple present.

Do verbs form?

The verb do is irregular. It has five different forms: do, does, doing, did, done. The base form of the verb is do. … The present simple tense do and the past simple tense did can be used as an auxiliary verb.

What is the verb form of go?

go moving or leaving. (goʊ ) Word forms: 3rd person singular present tense goes , present participle going , past tense went , past participle gone In most cases the past participle of go is gone, but occasionally you use ‘been’: see been. 1. verb.

What are types of verb?

There are four TYPES of verbs: intransitive, transitive, linking, and passive. Intransitive and transitive verbs are in the active voice, while passive verbs are in the passive voice. Intransitive verbs are verbs that express action but that do not take an object.

Is a helping verb?

Helping verbs are verbs that are used in a verb phrase (meaning, used with a second verb) to show tense, or form a question or a negative. Helping verbs are used to show the perfect verb tenses, continuous/progressive verb tenses, and passive voice. Helping verbs are always followed by a second verb.

Is the verb went?

Yes, ‘went’ is the preterite (or simple past tense) of the verb ‘to go‘. It is an irregular verb. The past participle of ‘to go’ is ‘gone’.

Is it to be an adjective?

The word “TO” can be used as a Preposition and as an Adverb. Take a look at the definitions and examples below to learn how “TO” works as these parts of speech. “To” can be considered as a preposition if it is used to indicate that a noun/pronoun is moving towards something.

Is Happy a verb?

«happy» is an adjective that qualifies the noun «reading». «Happy» cannot be a verb, there’s no verb in that sentence but the verb «have» is implied: I wish you have a happy reading, meaning : «I wish you enjoy your reading.»

Do it or does it?

“Does” is used for singular subjects like “he,” “she,” “it,” “this,” “that,” or “John.” “Do” is used to form imperative sentences, or commands. Example: Do your homework. “Does” is never used to form imperative sentences.

What is 3rd form?

Do is an irregular verb. Its three forms are do, did, done. The present simple third person singular is does: Will you do a job for me?

Has or had already?

Speakers of British English use already with a verb in a perfect tense, putting it after ‘have’, ‘has’, or ‘had’, or at the end of a clause. Some speakers of American English use already with the simple past tense of the verb instead of a perfect tense. They had already voted for him at the first ballot.

Has had in sentence?

Let’s see how “has had” is used in an example sentence below: David has had a nice car. Depending on the specific context, this sentence can refer to a past experience. In other words, David has had a nice car (in the past).

Is has a present tense?

While the verb to have has many different meanings, its primary meaning is “to possess, own, hold for use, or contain.” Have and has indicate possession in the present tense (describing events that are currently happening). Have is used with the pronouns I, you, we, and they, while has is used with he, she, and it.

Continue Learning about English Language Arts

Is the word verb a verb?

No, the word «verb» is a noun.


Is the word were a linking verb or helping verb?

the word were is a LINKING VERB.


What is the derived verb of the word method?

a derived verb is a word that has a verb


Is the word went a verb or a noun?

The word went is a past-tense verb.


Is the word carved a verb?

The Word «carved» is not a verb.

Is the word has a verb?

Has is a verb – Word Type.

What type of word is have?

verb (used with object), present singular 1st person have,2nd have or (Archaic) hast,3rd has or (Archaic) hath,present plural have;past singular 1st person had,2nd had or (Archaic) hadst or had·dest,3rd had,past plural had;past participle had;present participle hav·ing.

What kind of verb is the word has?

auxiliary verb

What part of speech is the word has?

“Has” and “have” are both verbs. Verbs are used to indicate action. Along with nouns, adjectives, pronouns and prepositions, they’re one of the basic parts of speech in English.

Is been a word?

Been is a Past Participle. The word “been” is the past participle of the verb “to be.” As such, it can be used with “have” (in all its guises) to form tenses in the perfect (or complete) aspect. For example: The dog has been naughty.

Is had a verb?

had verb (HAVE) past simple and past participle of have , also used with the past participle of other verbs to form the past perfect: When I was a child I had a dog.

Is had a verb form?

The verb have has the forms: have, has, having, had. The base form of the verb is have. The present participle is having. The past tense and past participle form is had.

What is a verb and example of verb?

A verb is the action or state of being in a sentence. It happened in the past, so it is a past-tense verb. Example: You were a great singer. In this sentence, the verb is “were.” It shows a state of being that was in the past, so it is a past tense verb. Example: After lunch, I will call my mother.

Is wanted a verb?

Most uses of want involve the simple forms of the verb (want, wants, wanted). When we are talking about wishes or desires we can also use the continuous form (is wanting, was wanting, will be wanting).

Is started a verb?

[ + -ing verb ] They started building the house in January. [ + to infinitive ] I’d just started to write a letter when the phone rang. If a business or other organization starts, or if someone starts one, it is created and starts to operate: She started her own software company.

Is it to go to a verb?

GO TO (phrasal verb) definition and synonyms | Macmillan Dictionary.

Is speak a regular verb?

Irregular verb: To Speak.

What is the verb of went?

Yes, ‘went’ is the preterite (or simple past tense) of the verb ‘to go’. It is an irregular verb. The past participle of ‘to go’ is ‘gone’.

Is the word down a verb?

down used as a verb: To cause to come down. “The storm downed several old trees along the highway.” To put a ball in a pocket; to pot a ball. “He downed two balls on the break.”

Is was played a verb?

play. verb. played; playing; plays. Definition of play (Entry 2 of 2) intransitive verb.

Is the word went a noun?

verb. simple past tense of go1. Nonstandard. a past participle of go1.

What is the word went in grammar?

Went is the past tense of go. Gone is the past participle of go.

What is the example of main verb?

Main Verb Examples The man quenched the fire. In this example, “quenched” is the main verb. The subject, “the man,” is completing the action. This is the only verb in this sentence; it is also the verb of the main clause.

Can you have two main verbs in a sentence?

There can be more than one main verb within a sentence, depending on the complexity of the sentence. In general, there is only one main verb per clause; but if a sentence has multiple clauses and subjects, then each of those subjects could have its own main verb.

What is difference between main verb and auxiliary verb?

Main verb and auxiliary verb are important parts of sentence. Both of them contribute to make a correct sentence. A main verb is a verb that expresses an action. Auxiliary verbs are used in sentence according to the rules of English tenses in order to give information about the time of the main verb.

What is difference between helping verb and auxiliary verb?

Writing and produced each has another verb before it. These other verbs (is and was) are known as AUXILIARY VERBS, while writing and produced are known as MAIN VERBS or LEXICAL VERBS. Auxiliary verbs are sometimes called HELPING VERBS. This is because they may be said to “help” the main verb which comes after them.

Have and has are different forms of the verb to have. Even though they come from the same word, there are slight differences in the way they’re used.

While the verb to have has many different meanings, its primary meaning is “to possess, own, hold for use, or contain.” Have and has indicate possession in the present tense (describing events that are currently happening).

Have is used with the pronouns I, you, we, and they, while has is used with he, she, and it.

How do you use have?

Have is the conjugation of to have that’s used when:

  • speaking in the first person (I, we)
  • speaking in the second person (you)
  • speaking in the third person plural (they)

Take, for example, the following sentence: “They have two dogs.” Here, have is the correct choice because the subject (they) is a third person plural pronoun.

How do you use has?

Has is the conjugation of to have that’s used when:

  • speaking in the third person singular (he, she, and it).

This example from And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini shows has used with a third person singular pronoun (he): “He has a slender nose, a narrow mouth, and tight blond curls.”

As noted, this use of have and has only really applies when you’re speaking in the present tense.

How do you use have and has with other verbs?

Indicating possibility

Now that you’ve mastered the basics of have and has, it’s time to talk about how to use them in combination with other verbs. For every sentence that simply indicates possession (I have a cat), there’s going to be another that uses to have in a more complex way. For example, if you say I have to groom the cat, that’s definitely more complicated of an issue … in more ways than one!

One way have and has combine with other verbs is to describe what could happen (but hasn’t yet):

  • You have to call me tonight.
  • He has to do his homework before dinner.

These actions have not occurred yet. As before, have is used with the pronouns I, you, we, and they, while has is used with he, she, and it.

Indicating completed action

Have or has can be used to communicate that the action of a verb was completed prior to the present. To do that, you will create what’s called the present perfect tense, which involves more complex time relationships, and combines a verb with has, have, or had:

  • We have waited for hours in this line.
  • You have finished the job on time.
  • She has learned an important lesson.

In the sentence “She has played banjo for four years,” for example, has is an auxiliary verb (a helping verb used in the construction of verb forms), and played is a past participle. As in the examples mentioned before, has is used with a third person singular pronoun.

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This is complex stuff, so don’t feel bad for not memorizing all of these rules. What’s important to remember is that together, has and a past participle like played form the present perfect tense.

Another example of the present perfect tense is seen in this sentence from The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: “‘I have invited you all here for a reason,’ Chandresh says, ‘as I’m sure you have surmised by now.’”

In the first part of the sentence, have is used because there is a first person subject (I). In the second part of the sentence, have is used again because there is a second person subject (you).

Here’s a recap

Have is used with the pronouns I, you, we, and they. Has is used with he, she, and it.

  • Have and has can indicate possession.
  • Have and has can combine with other verbs to indicate more complex relationships with time.

Want to possess an even better grasp on grammar? Then you have to check out this article on the difference between who and whom.

The difference between verbs, nouns, and adjectives (functions) in English is often not easy to determine because the forms do not often change when the functions of the word changes. In some cases, they do change forms, but not always.

In your examples, «update» is an interesting example. The writer might well have said «has been updated,» which means it is a verb. The verb phrase «is updated» could be a verb plus an adjective, but there is an -ed at the end, which tells us that it’s a verbal form as perfect participle. We often use perfect participles as adjectives, such as to say, «Windows 3.0 is outdated.» But, this could also easily be a passive voice form.

In the example «This is updated in the HRMS,» it isn’t exactly clear how the forms are being used. You are right to feel confused. My inclination is to say that it is an adjectival use of the verb rather than a passive voice use. The reason I say this is the use of the present tense. If the form were meant to communicate passivity, I pretty sure the writer would have written «It has been updated.» To say it is updated» means it has that quality of «updatedness,» the same that Windows 3.0 has the quality of «outdatedness.» There also is the very real possibility that the bureaucrat who wrote this was writing it at 4:00 PM and that last cup of coffee was losing it’s effect and she was doing all she could to keep from collapsing. In this dogged state, she made a typo.

has vs have

By
Last updated:

December 15, 2022

As an English learner, you probably see the English words “has” and “have” frequently.

If you’re a beginner English speaker, you might be confused about how to use them. In that case, you’ve come to the right post.

We’re going to crack the code and solve the mystery of “has” vs. “have.”

Contents

  • What Are “Has” and “Have”?
    • “Has” and “Have” to Mean Possession
    • “Has” and “Have” as Auxiliary Verbs
  • “Has” vs. “Have”: What’s the Difference? 
    • Points of View in English
    • “Has” vs. “Have” in the Present Tense 
      • Using “Has” in the Present Tense
      • Using “Have” in the Present Tense
    • “Has” vs. “Have” in the Present Perfect Tense 
      • Using “Has” in the Present Perfect Tense
      • Using “Have” in the Present Perfect Tense
    • Summary: “Has” vs. “Have”
  • How to Practice “Has” and “Have”


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What Are “Has” and “Have”?

“Has” and “have” are both verbs.

Verbs are used to indicate action. Along with nouns, adjectives, pronouns and prepositions, they’re one of the basic parts of speech in English.

“Has” and “Have” to Mean Possession

When we talk about possessing (owning) something, we use the verb “to have.”

“To have” is the infinitive, or original, form of the verb.

Here are some conjugations of the verb “to have”:

Tense Conjugation
Present has, have
Present progressive is / are having
Past had

“Has” and “have” are both conjugations in the English present tense.

For example, look at the following sentences:

She has the book.

I have the book.

In both sentences, the verb “to have” is conjugated in the present tense.

“Has” and “Have” as Auxiliary Verbs

The verb “to have” has another use. It’s also an auxiliary verb.

An auxiliary verb is combined with another verb to complete the meaning of a sentence. Because of this, it’s also called a helping verb. For example:

She has eaten dinner already.

I have seen that movie.

These sentences both use the perfect tense. Here, “has” and “have” don’t indicate possession. Instead, adding “has” or “have” to another verb creates that verb’s perfect tense form. 

In general, the verb “to have” is important as an auxiliary verb because it creates the past perfect and present perfect tenses for other verbs. 

“Has” vs. “Have”: What’s the Difference? 

Really, the difference between “has” and “have” is all about English points of view:

Points of View in English

In English, anything we read or speak is coming from a particular point of view. The point of view tells you who is speaking, and who is being spoken about.

You can know the point of view by looking at which pronouns are used. Let’s quickly review:

Point of View Meaning Singular Pronoun Plural Pronoun
First Person The speaker is talking about himself or herself (with other people included if plural). I We
Second Person The speaker is talking directly to somebody else. You You
Third Person The speaker is talking about somebody or something else. He (men)
She (women)
It (non-living things)
They (people or things)

Got it? Great! Now that you understand points of view, using “has” and “have” becomes very easy.

“Has” vs. “Have” in the Present Tense 

“Has” and “have” can both be used in the present tense as a main verb to mean possession.

Here’s the difference:  

Type of Sentence Has Have
Affirmative Statement ✓ (he, she, it, singular nouns) ✓ (I, we, you, plural nouns)
Negative Statement 𐄂
Question 𐄂

Using “Has” in the Present Tense

There are two points you have to remember: 

1. In the present tense, “has” is used with the third-person singular point of view.

That means you’ll use it with “he,” “she,” “it,” a name or a singular noun. 

It’s also used with singular pronouns like “everybody,” “anybody,” or “nobody”:

Everybody has a copy of the book.

Nobody has the answer.

I don’t think anybody has coffee.

2. “Has” is only used with affirmative (non-negative) statements. 

If you’re asking a question or if you’re talking in the negative (using the word “not”), you won’t use “has.”

He has brown eyes.

She has the answer to your question.

That book has 400 pages.

Japan has amazing food.

Meena has 45 pencils.

Using “Have” in the Present Tense

1. In the present tense, use “have” in the first- and second-person points of view, and in the third-person plural point of view.

In other words, use “have” with the subjects “I,” “you,” “we” or “they”:

I have a headache.

You have a new laptop.

They have three cats.

We have a big house.

Also, use “have” with plural nouns or when talking about multiple people or things at the same time:

Those dresses have stripes.

Roger and I have a red car.

My dog and Patricia’s cat have brown fur.

2. If you’re asking a question or making a negative statement, then always use “have,” regardless of the point of view.

Here are some questions in the present tense, all using “have”: 

Does anybody have the answer to the question?

Do you have the book?

Does she have a house?

Does Meena have a best friend?

Do I have your attention?

The same is true for negative statements in the present tense:

She does not have a room.

I do not have a brother.

They do not have time to see you.

The movie does not have a good plot.

We do not have a dog.

To repeat: with a negative statement or a question, use “have” even if the subject is “he,” “she,” “it,” a name or a singular noun.

“Has” vs. “Have” in the Present Perfect Tense 

“Has” and “have” can also be auxiliary verbs that help create the present perfect tense, in combination with other verbs. 

The rules for using them as auxiliary verbs are actually simpler. It just depends on the subject: 

Subject Has Have
Pronoun He, she, it I, you, we, they
Noun Singular Plural

Using “Has” in the Present Perfect Tense

Whatever kind of statement you’re making, whether it’s an affirmative or negative statement or even a question, you’ll use “has” as long as the subject is third-person singular: “he,” “she,” “it,” a name or a singular noun.

John has gone to California four times. (Affirmative statement)

The dog has not eaten today. (Negative statement)

Has she received the letter? (Question)

Has he not told you about this? (Question)

Using “Have” in the Present Perfect Tense

Similarly, with “have,” you use it in the present perfect tense with subjects “I,” “you,” “we” or “they,” as well as plural nouns.

I have watched “Game of Thrones” four times.

You have helped me a lot.

They have asked many questions.

We have thought about this all day.

This is true for any kind of statement or question too:

My friends have not watched “Game of Thrones.” (Negative statement)

You have not helped me at all. (Negative statement)

Have they asked too many questions? (Question)

Have we thought about this enough? (Question)

Summary: “Has” vs. “Have”

Here’s a quick summary of what we’ve learned:

  • “To have” is the verb associated with possession or ownership.
  • “Have” and “has” are both conjugations of “to have” in the present tense.
  • “Have” and “has” are also used as auxiliary (helping) verbs in the present perfect tense

In the present tense…

  • Use “has” with the subjects “he,” “she,” “it,” a name or a singular noun.
  • Use “have” with the subjects “I,” “you,” “they,” “we,” a plural noun or multiple subjects.
  • But, use “have” for any questions or any negative statements—no matter the “point of view.”

In the present perfect tense…

  • Use “has” any time you use the subjects “he,” “she,” “it,” a name or a singular noun.
  • Use “have” any time you use the subjects “I,” “you,” “they,” “we,” a plural noun or multiple subjects.

How to Practice “Has” and “Have”

Practicing English grammar doesn’t need to be hard or boring. There are many amazing resources available on the internet, plus other fun ways to practice.

Take Online Quizzes

You can test your progress by taking free online quizzes.

If you’re curious as to whether you’ve understood the differences between “has” and “have,” try this quiz on EnglishGrammar and this one on EnglishExcercises.

For on-the-go practice, check out this worksheet from Study.com that you can download and print.

Watch Authentic Videos

Think of something you’re interested in, and find English videos about it.

Whether you want to watch vehicle rescues or follow American sports, there’s something out there for you.

Action-packed themes like these often describe people and their qualities/attributes, so you’ll be able to hear the difference between “has” and “have” quite frequently. 

You could also use a virtual immersion platform.

FluentU, for example, has a large library of culturally relevant short videos for different learner levels, along with annotated subtitles. These can make it easier to notice the context that “has” and “have” are used in:

FluentU Has vs. Have Clip

Immersing yourself in English helps you learn and remember grammar rules like the difference between “has” and “have.”

If you listen to enough English, you’ll be able to know which word to use just by knowing what “sounds right.”

Write from Multiple Points of View

If you’re keen to improve both your grammar and writing skills, try this writing exercise. Write a short paragraph about yourself. Be sure to use the verb “have” as many times as you can.

Then, rewrite the paragraph as though it’s about somebody else. As we’ll see below, this will force you to practice the difference between “has” and “have.”

As a warm-up exercise, you can also try changing the pronouns in the example sentences we’ve provided in this article. Once you’ve changed the pronouns, change the verb to match.

Now, it’s time to use these important words.

Study all the examples closely. Use “has” and “have” in your daily conversations, and don’t be afraid of making mistakes!


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Recently, I have received a number of questions about the word is. Is is a verb? Is it a preposition? Is it a noun? What exactly is its function in a sentence?

In this post, I will cover everything you need to know about this word and its function in the English sentence. After reading this article, you won’t ever again wonder to yourself, “Is the word is a verb?”

To see the various kinds of verbs in English, see here.

The State of Being Verbs

Is is a verb? Is is what is known as a state of being verb. State of being verbs do not express any specific activity or action but instead describe existence. The most common state of being verb is to be, along with its conjugations (is, am, are, was, were, being, been).

is is a verb or prepositionAs we can see, is is a conjugation of the verb be. It takes the third person singular present form.

  • I am. First person singular present.
  • You are. Second person singular present.
  • He is. Third person singular present.

It can take a bit of practice to spot state of being verbs because they aren’t action oriented and they are wildly irregular in their conjugations. By comparison, look at the verb hit.

  • I hit the ball.
  • You hit the ball.
  • He hit the ball.

Look at how much easier that is than the verb be.

  • I am.
  • You are.
  • He is.

Despite the confusing nature of the verb to be, it is incredibly important to understand how it works with all of its conjugations because it is probably the most common verb in the English language.

Think about how many times you say, I am hungry, I am happy, We are ready to go, etc. To be is a very popular verb that is used all of the time.

Don’t Verbs Describe Action?

is it a verbNow, you might be thinking to yourself, “I thought verbs described action.”

  • John hit the ball.
  • Suzy drives the car.
  • She ran across the finish line.

These are all words that describe an action; they describe something that a person can do. I can drive the car. I can hit the ball.

So, how can is be a verb? What action is taking place?

Verbs describe more than just action: While it’s true that verbs can describe action, they can also describe existence or occurrence, where there might not be any action taking place.

As I said above, verbs can describe a state of being, or mere existence. There is no overt or positive action taking place when you say I am or He is.

These verbs are describing your mere existence, but they are verbs nonetheless.

Is as a Helping Verb

common english verbs isIs is a helping verb? The verb be and its conjugations, is, am, are, etc., are primary helping verbs. This means that they can stand alone in a statement, and they can be used as a helping verb. For example,

  • He is.

This statement has a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought. In this example, is is the main verb.

But, if we look at another sentence, we can see that is can also be a helping verb.

  • He is running a marathon.
  • The All England Club also announced Tuesday that it is increasing spending to fight match-fixing and doping, although it provided no figures. –The New York Times

In this example, is is paired with the verb running and is working as a helping verb.

Is can be paired with all kinds of verbs to act as a helping verb.

  • Is running.
  • Is singing.
  • Is laughing.
  • Is writing.

For more information on helping verbs, see our full helping verbs page.

Summary: Is is a verb?

Is is a verb or a noun? Is it a preposition? In this post, we have learned that the word is a verb and functions solely as a verb to describe a state of being or existence.

  • Is is a verb.
  • Is can also be a helping verb.

Contents

  • 1 The State of Being Verbs
  • 2 Don’t Verbs Describe Action?
  • 3 Is as a Helping Verb
  • 4 Summary: Is is a verb?

What is a verb?

Verb Meaning / Definition

A verb is a doing word that shows an action, an event or a state. A sentence may either have a main verb, a helping verb or both. In other words, a verb is a word that informs about an action, an existence of something or an occurrence. The verb is the main word in a sentence. No sentence can be completed without a verb.

The word ‘verb’ derived from the Latin word ‘verbum‘.

Types of Verbs

  1. Main Verbs (or Action Verbs)
  2. Helping Verbs
  3. Linking Verbs
  4. – Transitive Verbs
  5. – Intransitive Verbs

Main Verbs or Action Verbs

Main verbs or action verbs are used to express action; something that an animal, a person or a thing does. In each of the following sentences, we only have a main verb.

  • The sun shines.
  • The horse neighs.
  • The monkey jumps.

Helping Verbs

As the name suggests, helping verbs help or support the main verb.

  • We are learning about helping verbs. (are: helping verb; learning: main verb)
  • We are in the Green House Club. (are: helping verb)
  • You should complete the work by tomorrow. (should: helping verb; complete: main verb)

State of Being Verbs (Linking Verbs)

State of Being verbs state that something ‘is’. State of being verbs also known as linking verbs. Linking verbs explain a link between the subject of the sentence and a noun or adjective being linked to it.

List of Example Sentences

  • The flowers are bright.
  • Diamond is the hardest substance.
  • I feel scared.

Understanding Verbs

The words: am, is, are, was, and were, belong to the verb “to be”. We use ‘am’ or ‘was’ with the pronoun ‘I’. We use ‘is’ or ‘was’ when the subject of the sentence is singular. We use ‘are’ or ‘were’ when the subject of the sentence is plural.

List of Example Sentences

  1. I was late for school yesterday.
  2. I am twelve years old.
  3. She is a wonderful singer.
  4. These questions are difficult.
  5. He was planning to meet the doctor.
  6. The Hollywood actors are famous.
  7. They were winners last year.
  8. It is a great feeling to win the trophy.

We use ‘is‘ with singular nouns and pronouns ‘he, she, it‘.

List of Example Sentences

  1. My school is near my house.
  2. This restaurant is closing down.
  3. She is writing a postcard.
  4. Dog is a faithful animal.
  5. Ottawa is the capital of Canada.
  6. He is acting strange today.

We use ‘are‘ with plural nouns and pronouns ‘we, you, they‘.

List of Example Sentences

  1. The balloons are colourful.
  2. They are best friends.
  3. The kites are flying high in the sky.
  4. They are planning to go by train.
  5. We are going to win the match.
  6. You are writing so untidily!

We use ‘are‘ when we join two or more nouns.

List of Example Sentences

  1. John and Sam are brothers.
  2. Joseph and we are neighbours.
  3. Anne and Sue are enjoying the play.
  4. Sharon and Jenny are competing for the gold medal.
  5. Mrs. and Mr. Lee are planning to visit New Zealand.

Subject-Verb Agreement

It is very important to take care of the subject and verb agreement while framing a sentence. It is very important that a verb must be compatible and agree with its subject to make a correct and valid sentence.

Let us understand with the help of an example.

If we write:

  • Phil is playing with a ball. (Correct)!
  • Phil are playing with a ball. (Incorrect) X

In the first sentence, the subject (Phil) is singular, so we need a singular verb (is playing). The sentence is correct. In the second sentence, the subject (Phil) is singular, but the verb is plural (are playing). The sentence is incorrect.

Rules of Subject-Verb Agreement

Rule 1 – Subject-Verb agreement with a singular noun
If the subject is a singular noun or a pronoun (he, I, she, it), we must ensure that we use a singular verb to write a correct sentence.

List of Example Sentences

  1. She is playing the guitar.
  2. The postman is asking for your signature.
  3. The movie has caught everyone’s attention.
  4. Does he know the minister well?
  5. She is cheering the team.
  6. He enjoys music.
  7. My mom drives carefully.
  8. The moon revolves round the earth.
  9. Is it raining?

Rule 2 – Subject-Verb agreement with plural noun
If the subject is plural (we, they, those, you), we need a plural verb to write a correct sentence.

List of Example Sentences

  1. The boys were dancing in the corridor.
  2. The children are playing in the garden.
  3. The students were writing their exam.
  4. Two of our girls have won the quiz.
  5. We have finished our homework.
  6. Both the boys have worked hard.
  7. Philip and Luke are swimming.
  8. The teachers are correcting the answer sheets.
  9. Farmers work in the fields.

Rule 3 – Subject-Verb agreement with collective nouns
The collective nouns are considered as singular. We use singular verbs with them.

List of Example Sentences

  1. The crowd was very noisy.
  2. Our team has to win the match.
  3. The audience is having a gala time.
  4. The band is playing the school song.
  5. The choir is singing beautifully.
  6. My family is from Poland.
  7. Our cricket team is the best in the whole town.
  8. A bouquet of flowers was presented to the chief guest.

Rule 4 – Subject-Verb agreement with ‘either/or’ or ‘neither/nor’
The verb must agree with the noun or the pronoun that is closer to ‘either/or’ or ‘neither/nor’.

List of Example Sentences

  1. Neither he nor I am guilty.
  2. Neither Bob nor his friends want the party.
  3. Either you or your sister is telling a lie.
  4. Either Nancy or Mary is typing the letter.
  5. Neither Julia nor her parents know the way to the passport office.

Rule 5 – Subject-Verb agreement with indefinite pronouns
Indefinite pronouns like ‘nobody’, ‘everybody’, ‘someone’, ‘somebody’, ‘one’ are always singular.

List of Example Sentences

  1. Everybody is liking the new car.
  2. Someone is calling for you.
  3. Nobody is allowed to enter that room.
  4. Everybody likes Mrs. Ola, the new History teacher.
  5. One of the passengers was asking for tomato soup.
  6. Somebody is knocking at the door.

Rule 6
We use singular verbs for uncountable nouns.

List of Example Sentences

  1. There is sufficient food in the refrigerator.
  2. Cold weather is a problem in this part of the country.
  3. Sugar is yet to get over in the container.
  4. Salt is obtained from sea water.
  5. Milk with cornflakes is one of my favourite breakfast options.

Rule 7
A plural noun takes a singular verb when it is a name such as Paris, China, Arabian Nights, and so on.

  1. China is the most densely populated country.
  2. Norway is a very cold country.
  3. ‘The Power of Positive Talk’ is a good book.

Types of Action Verbs

There are two types of action verbs:

  1. Transitive Verbs
  2. Intransitive Verbs

Transitive Verbs

A transitive verb expresses an action directed towards a person, place or thing. The action expressed by a transitive verb passes from the doer or the subject to the receiver of the action. Words that receive the action of a transitive verb are called objects.

For example:

  1. The teacher made the question paper.
  2. Peter cut the cake.

In the above two sentences, we can see that the words in green colour ‘the question paper‘ and ‘the cake‘ complete the sense of the sentence or work as objects. The two sentences would not make complete sense without the objects.

  1. The teacher made ……………….. what? (the question paper)
  2. Peter cut ……………….. what? (the cake)

In the above sentences, the verbs ‘made‘ and ‘cut‘ are transitive verbs. A transitive verb needs a direct object to complete its meaning.

Example Sentences of Transitive Verb

  1. Birds have feathers.
  2. The teacher praised the pupil.
  3. She is eating a pear.
  4. I like English.
  5. They are playing football.
  6. The potter has made a beautiful pot.
  7. Dennis bought a bicycle.
  8. She is writing an essay.

Intransitive Verbs

A verb which does not need an object to make complete sense is called an intransitive verb. An intransitive verb expresses action (or tells something about the subject) without the action passing to a receiver or object. It can stand alone in the predicate because its meaning is complete.

Example Sentences of Intransitive Verb

  1. Mr. Becker jogs every day.
  2. The wicked hunter was hiding.
  3. Anne looks very beautiful.
  4. Mr. John speaks loudly.
  5. The ship sank rapidly.
  6. The department store opens at six o’clock.
  7. Mr. Ben is driving carefully.
  8. The wind blew strongly.

Interesting Grammar Facts about Verbs

To determine if a verb is transitive, ask yourself ‘Who?’ or ‘What?’ after the verb. If you can find an answer in the sentence, the verb is transitive.

Some verbs are always intransitive, such as: to snore or to fall. It is incorrect to say: She snores her nose.

For example: She snores a lot. In this example ‘a lot’ is not an object but an adverb. It doesn’t represent what the person snores but rather how or how much she snores.

Some verbs are always transitive, such as to recognise or to merit. It is somewhat incorrect to say: “Ah, yes, I recognise” or she certainly does merit.

Double Object

Some transitive verbs have two objects. Those things that you do for someone or you give to someone are called direct objects. The person who receives the thing is called the indirect object.

Examples of Double Object

  1. The manager gave her the money.
  2. Mother is reading Michael a story.
  3. Nancy baked a cake for me.
  4. Can you fetch me a cup and a plate?

In above examples:

  • Verbs: ‘gave, reading, baked and fetch’.
  • Indirect object: ‘her, Michael, me, me’.
  • Direct object: ‘money, story, cake, cup and a plate’.

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