A verb is a word or a combination of words that indicates action or a state of being or condition. A verb is the part of a sentence that tells us what the subject performs. Verbs are the hearts of English sentences.
Examples:
- Jacob walks in the morning. (A usual action)
- Mike is going to school. (A condition of action)
- Albert does not like to walk. (A negative action)
- Anna is a good girl. (A state of being)
Verbs are related to a lot of other factors like the subject, person, number, tense, mood, voice, etc.
Basic Forms of Verbs
There are six basic forms of verbs. These forms are as follows:
- Base form: Children play in the field.
- Infinitive: Tell them not to play
- Past tense: They played football yesterday.
- Past participle: I have eaten a burger.
- Present participle: I saw them playing with him today.
- Gerund: Swimming is the best exercise.
Different Types of Verbs
- Main/Base Verb
- Regular/Weak Verb
- Irregular/Strong Verb
- Transitive Verb
- Intransitive Verb
- Weak Verb
- Strong Verb
- Finite Verbs
- Non-finite Verbs
- Action Verbs
- Linking Verb
- Auxiliary Verbs
- Modal Verbs
- Reflexive Verb
- Ergative Verb
- Phrasal Verb
- Lexical Verb
- Delexical Verb
- Stative/Being Verb
- Dynamic Verb
- Non-continuous Verb
- Participle
- Gerund
- Infinitive
Base Verb
The base verb is the form of a verb where it has no ending (-ing, -ed, -en) added to it. It is also called the Root Verb since it is the very root form of a verb.
Examples:
- I go to school every day.
- You run a mile every morning.
- Do your homework.
Regular Verb
The Verbs that follow the most usual conjugations are considered Regular Verbs. It is regular since it abides by most if not all of the regular grammar rules there are.
Examples:
- Rehan plays cricket.
- Tam called out my name.
- You really walked all the way back?
Irregular Verb
The Verbs that have irregularities in terms of following grammar rules are Irregular Verbs, in general.
Examples:
- Do the dishes.
- I hardly ever drink enough water in a day.
- She drove all the way back.
Transitive Verb
The Main Verb that takes a direct object sitting right after it would be a Transitive Verb. They usually construct the most straightforward of sentences.
Examples:
- She went to the fair.
- We do not like being called out loud in crowds.
- I love visiting my village home.
Intransitive Verb
The main Verb that does not take a direct object specified right afterward and rather there is an indirect one mentioned somewhere along the line is called an Intransitive Verb. These verbs often make the corresponding sentences incomplete.
Example:
- I laughed.
- John ran.
- A ghast of cold wind blew.
Weak Verb
Verbs that end with “-d” and “-t” in their Past Indefinite and Past Participle form are Weak Verbs. There is a tendency to associate Weak Verbs with Regular Verbs but not all Weak Verbs are Regular Verbs in the English language.
Examples:
| Present Indefinite | Past Indefinite |
| Spend | Spent |
| Walk | Walked |
| Book | Booked |
| Learn | Learnt |
| Want | Wanted |
Strong Verb
Strong Verbs are those in which the vowels in the verb stem changes from “i” to “a” to “u” in the Present Indefinite to Past Indefinite to Past Participle form of Verbs.
Examples:
|
Present Indefinite |
Past Indefinite |
Past Participle |
|
Ring |
Rang |
Rung |
|
Drink |
Drank |
Drunk |
|
Cling |
Clang |
Clung |
|
Swim |
Swam |
Swum |
|
Sing |
Sang |
Sung |
|
Wring |
Wrang |
Wrung |
Finite Verbs
Finite verbs are the actual verbs that are called the roots of sentences. It is a form of a verb that is performed by or refers to a subject and uses one of the twelve forms of tense and changes according to the number/person of the subject.
Example:
- Alex went to school. (Subject – Alex – performed the action in the past. This information is evident only by the verb ‘went’.)
- Robert plays hockey.
- He is playing for Australia.
- He is one of the best players. (Here, the verb ‘is’ directly refers to the subject itself.)
Non-finite Verbs
Non-finite Verbs are not actual verbs. They do not work as verbs in the sentence rather they work as nouns, adjectives, adverbs, etc. Non-finite verbs do not change according to the number/person of the subject because these verbs, also called verbals, do not have any direct relation to the subject. Sometimes they become the subject themselves.
The forms of non-finite verbs are – infinitive, gerund, and participle (participles become finite verbs when they take auxiliary verbs.)
Example:
- Alex went abroad to play (Infinitives)
- Playing cricket is his only job. (Present participle)
- I have a broken bat. (Past participle)
- Walking is a good habit. (Gerund)
Action Verbs
Action verbs indicate what the subject of a sentence performs. Action verbs can make the listener/reader feel emotions, see scenes more vividly and accurately.
Action verbs can be transitive or intransitive.
Transitive verbs must have a direct object. A transitive verb demands something/someone to be acted upon.
Example:
- I painted the car. (The verb ‘paint’ demands an object to be painted)
- She is reading the newspaper. (The verb ‘read’ asks the question “what is she reading?” – the answer is the object)
Intransitive verbs do not act upon anything. They may be followed by an adjective, adverb, preposition, or another part of speech.
Example:
- She smiled. (The verb ‘smile’ cannot have any object since the action of ‘smiling’ does not fall upon anything/anyone)
- I wake up at 6 AM. (No object is needed for this verb)
Note: {Subject + Intransitive verb} is sufficient to make a complete sentence but {Subject + Transitive verb} is not sufficient because transitive verbs demand a direct object.
Linking Verb
A linking verb adds details about the subject of a sentence. In its simplest form, it connects the subject and the complement — that is, the words that follow the linking verb. It creates a link between them instead of showing action.
Often, what is on each side of a linking verb is equivalent; the complement redefines or restates the subject.
Generally, linking verbs are called ‘be’ verbs which are — am, is, are, was, were. However, there are some other verbs that can work as linking verbs. Those verbs are:
Act, feel, remain, appear, become, seem, smell, sound, grow, look, prove, stay, taste, turn.
Some verbs in this list can also be action verbs. To figure out if they are linking verbs, you should try replacing them with forms of the be verbs. If the changed sentence makes sense, that verb is a linking verb.
Example:
- She appears ready for the game. (She is ready for the game.)
- The food seemed delicious. (The food was delicious.)
- You look happy. (You are happy.)
Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary verbs are also called helping verbs. An auxiliary verb extends the main verb by helping to show time, tense, and possibility. The auxiliary verbs are – be verbs, have, and do.
They are used in the continuous (progressive) and perfect tenses.
Linking verbs work as main verbs in the sentence, but auxiliary verbs help main verbs.
Do is an auxiliary verb that is used to ask questions, to express negation, to provide emphasis, and more.
Example:
- Alex is going to school.
- They are walking in the park.
- I have seen a movie.
- Do you drink tea?
- Don’t waste your time.
- Please, do submit your assignments.
Modal Verbs
A modal verb is a kind of auxiliary verb. It assists the main verb to indicate possibility, potentiality, ability, permission, expectation, and obligation.
The modal verbs are can, could, must, may, might, ought to, shall, should, will, would.
Example:
- I may want to talk to you again.
- They must play their best game to win.
- She should call him.
- I will go there.
Reflexive Verb
When the Subject and the Object are the same and the Verb reflects on the Subject, that is the Reflexive Verb. These Verbs are often used with Reflexive Pronouns like — myself, himself, herself, itself etc.
Examples:
- He has done it himself.
- I’ll watch it myself.
Ergative Verb
Ergative Verbs can be used as Transitive and Intransitive Verb. They are also called Labile Verb in English.
Examples:
|
Intransitive Verbs |
Transitive Verbs |
|
The door opens. |
I opened the door. |
|
The bell rang. |
She rang the bell. |
|
The light is fused. |
They fused the lights. |
|
The whistle blew. |
Tom blew the whistle. |
Phrasal Verb
An idiomatic phrase consisting of a Verb and another element, most likely an Adverb or a Preposition is called a Phrasal Verb.
Examples:
- She broke down in tears.
- Don’t look down upon the poor.
- I’ll see to it.
Lexical Verb
Lexical Verb is the main or principal verb of a sentence which typically takes the major responsibility of a Verb that represents the action of the Noun or Pronoun.
Examples:
- He ran to his father.
- I laughed out loud.
- Rina tried her best.
DE-Lexical Verb
Delexical Verbs lack importance when it comes to meaning since these Verbs hardly have meanings of their own when used individually. The meaning is taken out of the Verbs and put into the Noun. Take, have, make, give etc. are Delexical Verbs.
Examples:
- He took a shower.
- I had a cold drink.
- She made some arrangements.
Stative Verb
The Verbs that describe the state of being are called Stative or Being Verbs.
Examples:
- I need some boxes.
- You belong to the pomp and power.
- He smells danger.
- They remember what happened that day.
Dynamic Verb
The Verbs that entail continuous or progressive action of the Subject are called Dynamic or Fientive Verbs. They express the Subject’s state of being on the move.
Examples:
- He’s running fast.
- Keep hitting the ball hard.
- The dog goes for a walk every afternoon.
Non-continuous Verb
The Verbs that are usually never used in their continuous forms are called Non-continuous Verbs.
Examples:
|
I like to swim. |
I’m liking to swim. |
|
I love to do the chords. |
I’m loving to do the chords. |
|
He does not hate you. |
He’s hating you. |
|
She just feels a bit dizzy, no need to worry. |
She’s just feeling a bit dizzy. |
Intensive Verb
The Verbs that focus intensely on just the Subject are called Intensive Verbs. Intensive Verbs are also called Linking or Copular Verbs.
Examples:
- You seem happy.
- It appears to be just perfect.
- She looks stunning.
- He’s become rather irritable.
Extensive Verb
All the Verbs that do not focus intensively on just the Subject (as the Intensive Verbs) of the sentence are Extensive Verbs.
Examples:
- He loves her.
- She runs too fast.
- Ron sells fish.
Participle
A participle is a Verb form where they retain some of the characteristics and functions of both Verbs and adopt those of the Adjectives.
Examples:
Present Participle (Verb + -ing)
- Have I become a laughing stock?
- Cycling is a well-rounded exercise.
Past Participle
- I have taken a hint.
- Have you given it enough thought?
Perfect Participle (Having + Past Participle)
- Having said that, I was quite worried.
- Having stepped out of my comfort zone, I saw a whole new world.
Gerund
The Verbs having -ing endings that function like Nouns in sentences are called Gerunds.
Examples:
- Smoking is injurious to health.
- Walking is good for health.
- I love swimming.
Infinitive
The ‘to + Verb’ forms where the Verbs are at their base or stem forms while they function as Nouns, Adjectives or Adverbs instead of Verbs.
Examples:
- I wanted to help you out.
- Are you trying to go there?
- I just love to flaunt my new Ferarri.
What is a verb?
Verbs are the action words in a sentence that describe what the subject is doing. Along with nouns, verbs are the main part of a sentence or phrase, telling a story about what is taking place. In fact, without a verb, full thoughts can’t be properly conveyed, and even the simplest sentences, such as Maria sings, have one. Actually, a verb can be a sentence by itself, with the subject, in most case you, implied, such as, Sing! and Drive!
When learning the rules of grammar, schoolchildren are often taught that verbs are ‘doing’ words, meaning they signify the part of the sentence which explains the action taking place: He ran away, she eats chocolate cake on Sundays, the horses gallop across the fields. Ran, eats and gallop are the ‘action’ parts of those sentences, thus they are the verbs. However, it can be confusing because not all verbs are easily identifiable as action: I know your name, Jack thought about it, we considered several applications. These are non-action verbs, i.e. those that describe a state of being, emotion, possession, sense or opinion. Other non-action verbs include include love, agree, feel, am, and have.
How to Recognize a Verb
As you can see from the examples above, one clue to help you recognize a verb is its location compared to the subject. Verbs almost always come after a noun or pronoun. These nouns and pronouns are referred to as the subject. The verb thought comes after the noun Jack, so the action Jack (subject) was taking was thinking (verb).
- Mark eats his dinner quickly.
- We went to the market.
- You write neatly in your notebook.
- They thought about all the prizes in the competition.
Here are some other ways to recognize verbs in a sentence:
- If you’re not sure if a word is a verb, ask yourself, “Can I do ______?”
Can I think, wonder, walk, yawn? Yes, so these are verbs.
- You can also ask, ”What is happening?”
In the sentence Mark eats his dinner quickly, what is happening? Eating is happening, so eating is the verb.
In the sentence They thought about all the prizes what is happening? Thought (thinking) is happening, so thought is the verb.
Physical Verbs – Definition and Examples
Physical verbs are action verbs. They describe specific physical actions. If you can create a motion with your body or use a tool to complete an action, the word you use to describe it is most likely a physical verb. For example, Joe sat in his chair, the dog breathes quickly after she chases her ball, and should we vote in the election? Even when the action isn’t very active, if the action is done by the body or a tool, consider it a physical verb.
Physical Verb Examples
The physical verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
- Let’s run to the corner and back.
- I hear the train coming.
- Call me when you’re finished with class.
Mental Verbs – Definition and Examples
Mental verbs have meanings that are related to concepts such as discovering, understanding, thinking, or planning. In general, a mental verb refers to a cognitive state.
Mental Verb – Definition and Examples
Mental verbs have meanings that are related to concepts such as discovering, understanding, thinking, or planning. In general, a mental verb refers to a cognitive state.
Mental Verb Examples
The mental verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
- I know the answer.
- She recognized me from across the room.
- Do you believe everything people tell you?
States of Being Verbs – Definition and Examples
Also known as linking verbs, state of being verbs describe conditions or situations that exist. State of being verbs are inactive since no action is being performed. These verbs, forms of to be, such as am, is, are, are usually complemented by adjectives.
States of Being Verb Examples
The state of being verbs in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
- I am a student.
- We are circus performers.
- Please is quiet.
Types of Verbs
There are many types of verbs. In addition to the main categories of physical verbs, mental verbs, and state of being verbs, there are several other types of verbs. In fact, there are more than ten different types of verbs that are grouped together by function.
List of all Verb Types
Action Verbs
Action verbs express specific actions and are used any time you want to show action or discuss someone doing something. It’s important to remember that the action does not have to be physical.
Action verb examples:
- Run
- Dance
- Slide
- Jump
- Think
- Do
- Go
- Stand
- Smile
- Listen.
The action verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
I run faster than David.
He does it well.
She thinks about poetry all day long
Transitive Verbs
Transitive verbs are action verbs that always express doable activities that relate or affect someone or something else. These other things are generally direct objects, nouns or pronouns that are affected by the verb, though some verbs can also take an indirect object, such as show, take, and make. In a sentence with a transitive verb, someone or something receives the action of the verb.
Transitive verb examples:
- Love
- Respect
- Tolerate
- Believe
- Maintain.
The transitive verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
Gary ate the cookies.
The transitive verb is ate, Gary is the subject, because it is Gary who is doing the eating, and the cookies are the direct object, because it is the cookies that are being eaten. Other examples:
He kicked John.
John punches him.
They sold the tickets.
Examples of verbs used with both direct and indirect objects:
They sell him the tickets.
In this sentence, the tickets are the direct object while him is the indirect object.
Mary baked her mother a pie.
In this sentence, a pie is the direct object while her mother is the indirect object.
Intransitive Verbs
Intransitive verbs are action verbs that always express doable activities. They are different from transitive verbs because there is no direct object following an intransitive verb.
Intransitive verb examples:
- Walk
- Laugh
- Cough
- Play
- Run
The intransitive verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
We travelled to London.
The intransitive verb is travelled, the subject is we, because we are doing the travelling, but London is not a direct object because London is not receiving the action of the verb. Other examples:
I sneeze in the morning.
He arrived with moments to spare.
Kathryn sat away from the others.
John eats before leaving for school.
The last example shows that the verb eats can be both transitive and intransitive depending on whether there is a direct object or not. If the sentence read: John eats the cookies before leaving for school, eats would be transitive as there is a direct object – the cookies.
By the way, some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive. These verbs include: start, leave, change, live, stop.
Auxiliary Verbs
Auxiliary verbs are also known as helping verbs and are used together with a main verb to show the verb’s tense or to form a question or negative. Common examples of auxiliary verbs include have, might, will. These auxiliary verbs give some context to the main verb, for example, letting the reader know when the action took place.
Auxiliary verb examples:
- Would
- Should
- Do
- Can
- Did
- Could
- May
The auxiliary verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
I will go home after football practice.
The auxiliary verb will is telling us that the action of the main verb go is going to take place in the future – after football practice has ended. If the auxiliary verb will was removed, we get the sentence:
I go home after football practice.
In this case, there is no definite time frame for the action. The sentence suggests that going home after football practice is just something the subject I generally does. Other examples:
I may dance with you later.
We did consider Bryan’s feelings.
Jenny has spoken her final words.
In addition, we can sometimes use the auxiliary very before the pronoun to make a question:
Might you dance with me later?
Did we consider Bryan’s feelings?
Has Jenny spoken her final words?
Also, auxiliary verbs are used to help form negative statements, with the use of words like not and never. These will usually split the auxiliary and main verbs:
I may never dance with you again.
We did not consider Bryan’s feelings.
Jenny has not spoken her final words.
Stative Verbs
Stative verbs can be recognized because they express a state rather than an action. They typically relate to thoughts, emotions, relationships, senses, states of being, and measurements. The best way to think about stative verbs is that they are verbs that describe things that are not actions. The stative verbs are all expressing a state: A state of doubting, a state of believing, a state of wanting. These states of being are often temporary.
The stative verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
The doctor disagrees with your analysis.
Disagree is a stative verb here, as it describes the doctor’s state of being – disagreement.
John doubts the doctor’s opinion.
I believe the doctor is right.
She wanted another opinion.
Modal Verbs
Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that are used to express abilities, possibilities, permissions, and obligations.
Modal verb examples:
- Can
- Must
- May
- Should
- Would
The modal verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
He can shoot a three-point shot easily.
The auxiliary verb can is expressing an ability, suggesting that shooting a three-point shot is a skill the subject possesses.
Please note that in the case of should and must in the examples below, the modal verbs are expressing obligations, whereas would and may are expressing possibilities.
I should go home.
You must not delay.
Sally would not recommend the sushi.
David may be late.
Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs aren’t single words; instead, they are combinations of words that are used together to take on a different meaning to that of the original verb. There are many examples of phrasal verbs, some of which have colloquial meanings, such as make up, hand in, bring up, point out, look forward to. Each time the verb takes the extra word(s) it takes on a new meaning. For example, make without the up expresses that something is being created, whereas with make up, the suggestion is that there are some lies or a fantastical element to the story and make out can mean either to grasp or see something difficult, or to kiss passionately.
Phrasal verb examples:
- Run out
- Go all out
- Make out
- Hand out
- Bring out
- Face up
- Think through
The phrasal verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
Mary looked forward to her high school reunion.
The verb looked has taken on forward to to become a phrasal verb meaning to be excited about or eagerly await something.
He brought up the same points again and again.
Leroy handed in the wallet to the police.
I make up stories all the time.
She pointed out Donald’s mistake.
Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs are those that don’t take on the regular spelling patterns of past simple and past participle verbs. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of irregular verbs in the English language. But don’t worry, while many are used often, the majority are not in common usage – or if they are, you will use them so often you will learn them quickly. Some of the most common irregular verbs include: say, make, go, take, come, know and see.
Irregular verb examples:
- Eat
- Think
- Bring
- Hold
- Bear
- Buy
- Lay
- Catch
- Drive
- Paid
- Feel
- Redo
The irregular verb examples in the following sentences are in bold for easy identification.
I take my time when I go to the shops (present tense)
I took my time when I went to the shops (past tense)
Julie makes cake for the classroom (present tense)
Julie made a cake for the classroom (past tense)
She sees a silhouette shaped like a man in the window (present tense)
She saw a silhouette shaped like a man in the window (past tense)
We come to Aunt Jane’s for Thanksgiving each year (present tense)
We came to Aunt Jane’s for Thanksgiving each year (past tense).
You should also remember that auxiliary verbs ‘do’ and ‘have’ are also irregular verbs:
I do agree.
He does it often.
We have done our homework early.
They do their homework on Fridays.
I have a suspicion about Fran
Fran has a devious look.
We have no money left.
They have had a cough twice this winter.
Many English words have a verb form and a noun form. This can be confusing. The verb form and the noun form are sometimes pronounced differently, which can be even more confusing!
I wrote this blog post to help ESL students use these words with confidence.
Table of Contents
- Verb or Noun Grammar
- Pronunciation
- 72 verb and noun pair examples with audio
- 150 One-syllable Verb and Noun pairs
- 20 Nouns that you didn’t know had a verb form
- Free 14-page PDF Download
Verb or Noun? – Grammar
Let’s start by answering a basic question. What’s the difference between a noun and a verb?
A noun is a person, place, or thing.
A verb expresses an action or existence.
“A dog is running in the park.” – A DOG (thing) is running (action) in the PARK (place).
A basic English sentence will have this pattern. Subject – Verb – Object. The subject and object in a sentence will be nouns. DOG (Subject) is running (Verb) in the PARK (Object).
How can I tell a noun from a verb?
The sentence example above is very basic. Natural English sentences will use clauses and conjunctions to tell longer stories in a single sentence. Here is a simple way to tell if a word is a noun or a verb in a longer sentence.
Nouns often follow an article (a, an, the) or the possessive form of a noun or pronoun. (my, his/her, its, John’s, etc.)
Verbs will follow a subject and be conjugated (changed into past, present, future, continuous tense, etc.)
Noun – Happy birthday! I bought you a present.
The noun present follows the article a.
Verb – They will present their findings tomorrow at the meeting.
The verb present follows a subject – “They” – and is conjugated in the future tense. – “will present“
If you know the correct form, you can use the correct pronunciation.
Are all verb and noun pairs pronounced differently?
One-syllable Verb and Noun pairs
Many noun and verb pairs have only one syllable so there is no change in word stress between the verb and the noun. They all sound the same with a few exceptions. (You can find the exceptions in the one-syllable verb and noun list at the bottom of this post.)
Example:
list
noun – a series of names, items, figures, etc., especially when they are written or printed
“I wrote a shopping list this morning.”
verb – to write a list of things in a particular order
“I listed everything I need for my trip.”
Two-syllable Verb and Noun pairs
When noun and verb pairs are two syllables we pronounce them correctly by focusing on the syllable stress. English 2-syllable nouns will put stress on the first syllable. CONduct.
2-syllable verbs will put stress on the second syllable. conDUCT.
Example:
conduct
noun – CONduct – a person’s behavior in a particular place or in a particular situation
“Our school has a strict code of conduct.”
verb – conDUCT – to organize and/or do a particular activity
“My university will conduct a survey on Friday.”
Three-syllable Verb and Noun pairs
There are a few cases where the verb and noun pair is three syllables and ends with the letters -ATE. For these examples, the sound of the last letters will change, not the stress. The stress will still be on the third syllable.
Example:
associate
noun – asso-she-IT ~ a person that you work with, do business with, or spend a lot of time with
“Peter is a business associate of my father.” (asso-she-IT)
verb – to spend time with someone, especially a person or people that someone else does not approve of
“I try not to associate with angry or negative people.” (asso-she-ATE)
Associate audio below ↓
In this post, I will also give you 36 noun/verb pair examples with over 70 natural example sentences. Each example sentence has audio to improve your English listening skills and pronunciation. You can quickly start using the correct word stress with noun/verb pairs.
Noun and Verb Pair Vocabulary LIST
Listen to the correct pronunciation with natural example sentences below. The word definitions used in this post are from Oxford learner’s dictionaries. Links to the definitions are beside each word. N for the NOUN definition and V for the VERB definition.
*Some of the words on this list have multiple definitions, you can find other meanings at the links provided. (N V)
Verb and noun pairs examples with AUDIO
associate N V
Noun – Peter is a business associate of my father. [asso・SHE・IT] Peter works with my dad.
Verb – ①I try not to associate with angry or negative people. [asso・SHE・ATE] I don’t like to spend time with negative people.
Verb – ② I like to associate new grammar with my own real experiences, it makes the grammar easier to remember. [asso・SHE・ATE] I connect new grammar to a real experience in my mind.
compound N V
Noun – They are building a large prison compound in my hometown. [COMpound] They are building a complex that will be surrounded by a wall.
Verb – Cutting the budget will not solve anything. Budget cuts will only compound our problems. [comPOUND] Reducing the budget will make things worse.
conduct N V
Noun – Our school has a strict code of conduct. [CONduct] We are told how to behave when we are at school.
Verb – My university will conduct a survey on Friday. [conDUCT] My university will organize a survey and ask the students some questions.
conflict N V
Noun – Sadly there are many conflicts in the world right now. [CONflict] Many places are having strong disagreements.
Verb – My experiences in Japan conflict with some of the stories I was told before I came. [conFLICT] The stories I was told are the opposite of my experience.
(I was told is the passive voice – learn this grammar HERE)
contest N V
Noun – I entered a break dancing contest when I was 12. [CONtest] I entered a break dancing competition when I was 12.
Verb – After Donald passed away his youngest son contested his will. [conTEST] Donald’s youngest son opposed the will because he felt it was wrong.
contract N V
Noun – I just signed a new 3-year contract with the high school where I teach English. [CONtract] I have an official 3-year agreement to work at the school.
Verb – The company was contracted to build a new 50,000-seat stadium. [conTRACT] The company has made an official agreement to build a stadium.
contrast N V
Noun – There is a big contrast between the customer service in Japan and the service I receive in Canada. [CONtrast] There is a big difference between the customer service at stores in these 2 countries.
Verb – I like to contrast American movies with Japanese movies. The style and pace are quite different. [conTRAST] I like to compare the 2 movie styles and show how they are different.
I make typos sometimes when I write my blog content. I often use voice typing which can also cause simple Grammar errors in my blog post document.
I use Grammarly to help me catch these mistakes. It saves me a lot of time! It can help your English writing too. Get Grammarly for free.
decrease N V
Noun – There was a decrease in school applications last year. [DEcrease] The number of applications was reduced.
Verb – The number of students at my school decreased last year. [deCREASE] The student population became smaller.
delegate N V
Noun – The meeting was attended by delegates from over 100 countries. [del・ah・GIT] People who were chosen to represent their countries attended the meeting.
Verb – I’m so busy at work. I think I will delegate some tasks to my assistant. [del・ah・GATE] I will give part of my work to my assistant.
desert N V
Noun – If you travel in the desert you should bring lots of water. [DEzert] If you travel in a dry area with little water, you should bring your own.
(Be careful of the noun dessert. It is spelled with two ‘S’s.)
– I think I’ll have cheesecake for dessert.
Dessert vs Desert – Pronounce these words CORRECTLY(Audio)
Verb – I was left in the mall by myself. My friends deserted me. [deZERT] My friends left me by myself in the mall.
detail N V
Noun – Édouard Manet’s paintings are beautiful, he pays attention to every detail. [DEtail] Manet pays attention to even the small points or features in his paintings.
Verb – This brochure details all the features of the car. [deTAIL] This brochure gives a list of facts and information about this car.
discount N V
Noun – If I buy one jacket I can get a 30% discount on a second jacket. [DIScount] If I buy 2 jackets there will be a 30% price reduction on the second one.
Verb – Stores usually discount their clothes at the end of the season. [disCOUNT] They take some money off the usual price.
escort N V
Noun – When leaders travel to other countries they often have police escorts. [EScort] World leaders have local police travel with them to protect them.
Verb – It’s getting dark, please let me escort you home. [esCORT] Let me take you home so you are not alone, to make sure you are safe.
export N V
Noun – Lumber is one of Canada’s main exports. [EXport] Lumber is one of the main goods that it sells to other countries.
Verb – Canada exports lots of lumber and oil to the United States. [exPORT] Canada sells some of its resources to America.
impact N V
Noun – Many people are climbing Mt. Everest and this has had a serious impact on the environment of Nepal. [IMpact] Many tourists come to climb the mountain. This has had a powerful effect on the environment.
Verb – The value of the Canadian dollar impacts businesses that export goods. [imPACT] The value of the Canadian dollar affects companies that sell goods to other countries.
import N V
Noun – This store sells lots of exotic furniture and other imports from overseas. [IMport] The store sells furniture and other things that came from other countries.
Verb – I was surprised to learn that America imports more than half of its oil from Canada! [imPORT] More than half of The United States’ oil is brought in from Canada.
increase N V
Noun – There has been an increase in blood donations at the clinic. People want to help after the hurricane. [INcrease] There was a rise in the number of people who donated blood after the hurricane.
Verb – I really want to find a girlfriend. If I get out more and try new things I will increase my chances of meeting a nice girl. [inCREASE] If I go out and meet more people the chance that I will meet a nice girl becomes greater.
insert N V
Noun – I bought some inserts for my shoes. They’re soft and make it easier to walk. [INsert] I bought a thin cushion to put inside my shoes.
Verb – I inserted $2.00 in the vending machine but it didn’t give me my drink! [inSERT] I put $2.00 into the money slot of the vending machine but I didn’t get a drink.
insult N V
Noun – Mike said my suit looks cheap. That’s an insult! [INsult] Mike made a remark that was trying to offend me.
Verb – Mike insulted my suit this morning. What a jerk. [inSULT] Mike’s comment about my suit offended me.
invite N V
Noun – I didn’t get an invite to Craig’s party. Maybe he is mad at me. [INvite] I didn’t get a spoken or written request to come to Craig’s party.
Verb – Craig invited many people to his party. But not me. [inVITE] Craig asked many people to come to his party, but he didn’t ask me.
misprint N V
Noun – The ad in the newspaper says the shoes are $1000.00, but I think it’s a misprint. [MISprint] There is a mistake in the (printed) advertisement.
Verb – The printing company misprinted the ad. [misPRINT] Th company printed the ad incorrectly.
object N V ~ there are 4 uses of the NOUN object. Click the N to see them all!
Noun – A basic English sentence has a subject, a verb, and an object. [OBject] One use for the noun object is the thing in a sentence (also a noun) that is affected by the verb of the sentence.
Verb – I object to your question, it’s not relevant to the discussion. [obJECT] I disagree with your question, it is not related to what we are talking about.
permit N V
Noun – You can’t camp here without a permit from the park. [PERmit] You need an official document to be allowed to camp here.
Verb – The park rangers don’t permit fires here. [perMIT] Fires are not allowed in the forest.
present N V
Noun – Happy birthday! I bought you a present! [PREsent] I bought a gift for you.
Verb – They will present their findings tomorrow at the meeting. [preSENT] The company will show us what they found for us to consider.
produce N V
Noun – It’s better to buy local produce. Imported produce is not as fresh. [PROduce] It is better to buy fruits and vegetables grown on farms close to where you live.
Verb – Our goal is to produce more solar batteries than any other company in the area. [proDUCE] Our goal is to make more solar batteries than anyone else in the area.
project N V
Noun – I’m working on a project for school. It’s about renewable energy. [PROject] I am making a piece of work involving the careful study of renewable energy.
Verb – Unemployment is projected to fall next year. That’s good news. [proJECT] The number of unemployed people is expected to drop next year.
protest N V
Noun – There was a large protest in front of the government office. [PROtest] People gathered in a group to express their strong disagreement with the government.
Verb – My class protested loudly when the teacher gave us 6 pages of summer homework. [proTEST] My class told the teacher that they don’t like the summer homework that he gave us.
rebel N V
Noun – James Dean was a popular actor in the 1950s. He had the image of a rebel. [REbel] The characters he played didn’t like rules or authority.
Verb – Teenagers often rebel against their parents. [reBEL] Teenagers often fight against their parents’ rules.
refund N V
Noun – The rain shoes I bought leaked! I took them back to the store and demanded a refund. [REfund] I strongly asked for the money back that I paid for the rain shoes. I brought the leaky shoes back to the store.
Verb – The store apologized and refunded my money. [reFUND] The store returned the money I paid for the rain shoes.
reject N V
Noun – The rain shoes were rejects and shouldn’t have been at the store. [REject] The shoes couldn’t be used and should not have been sold.
Verb – My idea for the new school mascot was rejected by the students. [reJECT] My idea was not accepted.
subject N V
Noun – A basic English sentence has a subject, a verb, and an object. [SUBject] In English grammar a subject is a noun, noun phrase, or pronoun representing the person or thing that performs the action of the verb, about which something is stated, or, in a passive sentence, that is affected by the action of the verb.
Verb – At karaoke last night I subjected everyone to my terrible singing. [subJECT] People were forced to listen to my terrible singing.
survey N V
Noun – My university will conduct a survey on Friday. They want to know how most students get to school. [SURvey] They did an investigation of how students get to school by asking questions.
Verb – The government surveyed the land so they could make a map of the area. [surVEY] The government looked at the land carefully to get an impression of it.
update N V
Noun – Will it rain tomorrow? I’ll check the weather app on my smartphone for an update. [UPdate] I will check my weather app for the most recent information about the weather.
Verb – I have to update the software on my smartphone. I hope it makes my phone faster. [upDATE] I have to make my software more modern by getting the newest version.
upgrade N V
Noun – On my flight to Canada I was given an upgrade to first-class. [UPgrade] I was given a seat of better quality.
Verb – The airline upgraded me to first-class, [upGRADE] The airline moved me to a better seat.
upset N V
Noun – No one thought we would win the game because the other team was too strong, but we beat them easily. It was a total upset! [UPset] We beat the team that was expected to beat us.
Verb – Brenda has been crying all morning. I think something upset her. [upSET] Something happened to Brenda to make her unhappy.
One-syllable Verb and Noun pairs – List
One-syllable words rarely change sounds between the verb and noun forms, but there are a few exceptions. Below is a list of 150 common one-syllable Verb and Noun pairs, 4 word pairs with different pronunciation, and 23 uncommon word pairs that you probably didn’t know.
- The noun and verb forms are often related in meaning. *For example ACHE and JUICE.
- There are some examples where the meaning is totally different. The only thing that is the same is the spelling. *For example BOWL and FLY.
This is not a complete list, there are many one-syllable verb and noun pairs. I tried to include the most common words in this list with a verb and a noun form.
- ache
- act
- age
- air
- back
- bat
- belt
- bet
- bite
- bowl
- call
- block
- book
- box
- brush
- buzz
- dance
- dare
- dip
- dot
- drive
- drum
- dye
- end
- face
- fall
- fan
- feast
- fence
- fight
- file
- fire
- fish
- flame
- flash
- flow
- fly
- fool
- frame
- front
- grid
- glaze
- glow
- grill
- grow
- growl
- grunt
- guard
- guess
- hail
- hand
- harm
- help
- hit
- hope
- hug
- itch
- jam
- judge
- juice
- jump
- kick
- kiss
- lace
- lap
- laugh
- lie
- limp
- link
- list
- look
- love
- mark
- match
- milk
- mop
- nail
- nap
- need
- nest
- nurse
- oil
- ooze
- pain
- paint
- park
- play
- pat
- pen
- pet
- pick
- pin
- pitch
- plan
- plug
- pose
- press
- price
- punch
- quack
- quilt
- quote
- race
- rain
- raise
- rat
- rise
- rock
- rope
- run
- rust
- rest
- sail
- saw
- scale
- set
- shave
- shop
- show
- ship
- sign
- ski
- sleep
- smoke
- snow
- spill
- spray
- spring
- stamp
- stand
- strike
- string
- sweat
- tack
- talk
- tax
- team
- test
- tie
- tip
- toast
- train
- trap
- trip
- view
- visit
- vote
- walk
- work
- wrap
- yawn
- zone
Thanks to https://www.linguasorb.com/ for help making this list.
Four one-syllable Verb and Noun pairs with different pronunciations
use N V
Noun – In Tokyo, I have no use for a car. The public transportation is awesome. [YOU•S] For me a car has no purpose in Tokyo. I don’t need one because public transportation is very convenient.
Verb – If I need a car I can use my friend Kentaro’s, he said I can borrow it anytime. [YUUZ] I can do something {in this case DRIVE my friend Kentaro’s car} anytime. (Learn how to use the verbs LEND and BORROW HERE)
house N V
Noun – I just bought a new house. [HAUS] I just bought a new building to live in.
Verb – People whose homes were flooded were temporarily housed in community centers. [HOWZ] People whose homes were affected by the flood were given a place to live.
lead N V
Noun – Exposure to lead can make you sick. [LED] Lead is a chemical element and a heavy grey metal.
Verb – We hired a tour guide to lead us around Singapore. [LEED] A tour guide showed us around Singapore.
wind N V
Noun – The wind was strong today. It was perfect for sailing. [WIN・D] The air was moving quickly today.
Verb – I have to wind my watch all the time. It’s a pain. [WINE・D] I have to turn the small gear on the side of my watch to make it work.
Noun and Verb pair 14-page PDF E-guide
Download your printable PDF E-guide below. (It’s FREE!)↓
Find more helpful blog posts below.
- How to use Adjectives as Nouns (20 examples, PDF + video)January 30, 2023
- What Are Possessive Nouns? (43 Examples, Video, PDF Guide)January 4, 2023
- 3 Adverbs of Probability – Definitely, Probably, and MaybeNovember 4, 2022
- Past tense of READ and Past Participle of READ (Audio, Quiz, and PDF)October 21, 2022
- Third-Person Singular – Your best Guide (Free 24-page eBook)October 14, 2022
- Singular and Plural nouns – 50 examples (worksheet PDF)October 7, 2022
- Present Perfect Continuous Grammar Guide (w/ Audio and PDF)October 4, 2022
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).
As 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?
Now, 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
Is 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?
В соответствии с моим опытом обучения студентов английскому языку, я бы назвала английский глагол «to be» царем грамматики и разговорных навыков. Изучив случаи и правила употребления глагола to be, вы сможете изъясниться в англоязычной стране с носителями языка.
Материал рассчитан на изучающих английский с нуля и для желающих закрепить свои знания.
Все изложенное в этом уроке можно посмотреть в нашем видео уроке с объяснениями и примерами.
Значение и особенность использования to be в настоящем времени
Глагол to be означает «быть, являться кем-либо/чем-либо, находиться где-либо, существовать». В Present Simple используется в качестве глагола-связки для наименования, описания, характеристики, указания местонахождения лица или предмета. Чтобы лучше понять употребление глагола to be в английском, сравните с высказыванием в старорусском стиле «Я есть студент…«.
В современном русском языке мы продолжаем использовать глагол «быть» в прошлом и будущем времени — «Я был студентом«, «Я буду студентом«, но настоящем мы его больше не употребляем — «Я студент«. Поэтому, в простом настоящем времени на русский язык am, is, are обычно не переводится.
В английском языке глагол to be необходимо употреблять во всех временах, в том числе в настоящем: I am a student. — Я есть студент (подстрочный перевод). Это так непривычно, что часто создает трудности для изучающих английский язык.
Правила спряжения глагола to be
To be — единственный глагол в английском языке, который спрягается (то есть, изменяется по лицу и числу). Глагол to be имеет всего три формы, зависящие от лица и числа: am, is, are. Правило спряжения to be очень простое:
I +AM. Используем форму am для 1-го лица единственного числа (то есть, когда подлежащее будет выражено местоимением I «Я»).
YOU, WE, THEY + ARE. Используем are для 2-го лица и для множественного числа (местоимения You, We, They и все существительные, которые могут быть ими заменены, например, Peter and Lena, schoolmates (одноклассники) и др).
SHE, HE, IT + IS. Используем is для 3-го лица единственного числа (для местоимений She, He, It и всех существительных, которые можно заменить этими местоимениями, например, Lena, Peter, My dog и др).
Посмотрим таблицу спряжения глагола to be:
| # | Лицо | Форма глагола to be | Пример употребления |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I (я) | am | I am Vasia. |
| 2 | She (она), He (он), It (оно) | is | She is Lena. |
| 3 | You (ты/вы), We (мы), They (они) | are | You are a doctor. |
Посмотрим примеры, как изменяется в простом настоящем времени (Present Simple) глагол to be в зависимости от лица и числа.
ЕДИНСТВЕННОЕ ЧИСЛО
I am Tanya.
Я Таня.
She is Nell.
Она Нелли.
He is Ivan.
Он Иван.
It is my dog Rex.
Это моя собака Рэкс.
Peter is a teacher.
Петр учитель.
Vera is kind.
Вера добрая.
МНОЖЕСТВЕННОЕ ЧИСЛО
We are friends.
Мы друзья.
They are Russian.
Они русские.
You are my friends.
Вы мои друзья.
Peter and Vera are friends.
Петя и Вера друзья.
My schoolmates are friendly.
Мои одноклассники дружелюбны.
Построение утвердительных предложений с глаголом to be
Как можно было понять из примеров выше, схема построения утверждения очень проста:
- подлежащее (действующее лицо)
- глагол to be в соответствующей форме: am, are или is
- остальные слова.
ЛИЦО + AM/IS/ARE + ОСТАЛЬНЫЕ СЛОВА.
Потренируйтесь, чтобы запомнить формы to be для 1-го, 2-го, 3-го лица единственного и множественного числа (таблица спряжения дана выше). Примеры:
I am tired.
Я устал.
I am 24 years old.
Мне 24 года.
He is tired.
Он устал.
Bill is 24 years old.
Биллу 24 года.
You are tired.
Ты устал.
They are tired.
Они устали.
Bill and Lena are at home.
Билл и Лена дома.
Построение отрицательных предложений с глаголом to be
Для построения вопроса и отрицания глагол to be работает сам (то есть, вспомогательный глагол do/does не нужен). Чтобы сформировать отрицание, вспомните правило построения утвердительного предложения и добавьте к to be отрицательную частицу not, например: I am not a doctor (я не доктор).
ЛИЦО + AM,IS,ARE + NOT + ОСТАЛЬНЫЕ СЛОВА.
Не забывайте выбирать форму глагола to be, соответствующую лицу и числу подлежащего (таблица спряжения выше). В записи часто используется сокращения: is not — isn’t, are not — aren’t. Посмотрим примеры:
I am not tired.
Я не устал.
I’m not 24 years old.
Мне не 24 года.
He isn’t tired.
Он не устал.
He is not 24 years old.
Ему не 24 года.
You are not tired.
Ты не устал.
Bill and Lena aren’t at home.
Билл и Лена не дома.
Итак, чтобы составить отрицание необходимо придерживаться следующего порядка слов в предложении:
- Действующее лицо (подлежащее): I, You, She, It, Peter, dog и т.д.
- Глагол to be с отрицательной частицей: am not, is not или are not.
- Остальные слова.
Построение вопросительных предложений с to be
Для построения вопроса с to be, как говорили выше, вспомогательный глагол do/does не нужен. Просто меняем порядок слов: на первое место ставим to be, затем подлежащее и потом все остальные слова.
AM, IS, ARE + ЛИЦО + ОСТАЛЬНЫЕ СЛОВА
И конечно, не забывайте ставить to be в форму, соответствующую лицу и числу подлежащего (таблица спряжения выше). Посмотрим примеры:
Are you Mr.Grey? – Yes, that’s right. / No, I am sorry.
Вы мистер Грей? — Да. / Нет.
Is she Marry – Yes, that’s right (Yes, she is) / No, I am sorry. She is Rita.
Она Мэри? — Да, верно. / Нет. Это Рита.
Итак, чтобы задать вопрос необходимо придерживаться следующего порядка слов в предложении:
- Глагол to be: am, is или are.
- Действующее лицо (подлежащее): I, You, She, It, Peter, dog и т.д.
- Остальные слова.
Для построения специального вопроса перед to be ставим вопросительное слово — what, where, who и др.:
Who is she? She is Ms. Dobsa.
Кто она? Это мисс Добс.
What is she? She is a doctor.
Кто она по профессии? Доктор.
В нашем уроке на тему прошедшего времени (Past Simple) мы подробно рассмотрели формы глагола to be в прошедшем времени was/were. Поэтому мы переходим к случаям употребления глагола to be, которые вы обязательно должны знать чтобы грамотно строить высказывания и успешно сдать экзамен.
Случаи употребления глагола to be
В английском языке при помощи глагола to be формируется ряд высказываний. Точнее сказать, в ряде речевых ситуаций традиционно используется to be. Не напрасно этот глагол называют царем грамматики и разговорных навыков. Ниже мы рассмотрим самые популярные случаи употребления:
- Сообщаем или спрашиваем о возрасте
- Приветствуем собеседника, отвечаем на приветствие
- Говорим или спрашиваем о национальности
- Спрашиваем из какой ты страны
- Узнаем адрес, телефон
- Сообщаем/спрашиваем о местонахождении человека, предмета, объекта (to be + location)
- Описываем положительные/отрицательные качества личности (to be + like)
Разговор о личности
При помощи глагола “to be” мы можем представиться или задать говорящему вопрос, касающийся его личности: Как тебя зовут? Кто ты? Сколько тебе лет? Твоя национальность? Что ты любишь? Как твое настроение? И др. Примеры ниже с употреблением глагола to be открывают нам широкие возможности для общения.
Говорим о возрасте
Когда надо узнать или сообщить сколько кому лет.
How old are you? I am 24.
Сколько тебе лет? Мне 24.
How old is your mother? She is 50.
Сколько лет твоей маме? Пятьдесят.
Are you 16 or 18? I am 18.
Тебе 16 или 18? Мне 18.
Интересуемся, как у нашего собеседника идут дела
Это может использоваться как приветствие, вроде нашего «как дела?», но можно и действительно поинтересоваться делами, здоровьем, жизнью собеседника.
How are you doing? Fine, thanks.
Как твои дела? Спасибо, хорошо.
How are you?
Как ты?
How is life?
Как жизнь?
How is life getting on?
Как жизнь?
Are you all right? – Yes, I am.
У тебя все хорошо? Да.
Спрашиваем из какой он страны.
Но не путайте «Where are you from? (Откуда ты?)» с “Where do you come from? (Откуда ты родом?)» – I come from Belarus, but a live in Poland.
Where are you from?
Откуда ты?
I am from Russia, from Pskov.
Я из России, с Пскова.
Национальность, адрес, телефон
Стандартные вопросы при знакомстве с человеком из которых можно развить тему общения о работе, стране, хобби и т.д.
What nationality are you?
Кто ты по национальности?
I live in the USA, but I am from Russia.
Я живу в США, но я из России.
What is your address? – My address is Gamarnik street 13 flat 34 Minsk Belarus.
Какой у тебя адрес? — Мой адрес Минск, улица Гамарника 13, квартира 34.
What is your phone number? My phone number is 8-029-0-000000
Какой твой номер телефона? Мой телефон 8-029-0-000000.
When is your birthday? My birthday is on the 3d of May 1998.
Когда у тебя день рождения? Мой день рождения 3-го мая, 1998 года.
What are your likes? – My likes are sports, cycling, composing music.
Что тебе нравится? — Мне нравится спорт, кататься на велосипеде, сочинять музыку.
What are your dislikes? – My dislikes are doing the washing up, cooking, cleaning the flat.
Что ты не любишь? — Я не люблю мыть посуду, готовить и убирать.
What is your hobby? – My hobby is collecting coins.
Какое у тебя хобби? — Собирать монеты.
How large is your family? – My family is not very large. We are four in our family.
Насколько большая твоя семья? — Моя семья не очень большая. Нас четверо.
Местонахождение (to be + location)
Глагол to be используется для того, чтобы сообщить или спросить о местонахождении предмета или человека. Связка “to be + location” – выражает местонахождение чего-либо (предмета, персоны) где-либо (в кармане, на полке, в шкафу, в столике, в комнате, в доме, в театре и др).
Вместо «location» в этой конструкции надо поставить любое местонахождение предмета или лица — bag, room, street, и др., — только правильно используйте предлоги .
Утвердительные, вопросительные и отрицательные предложения с конструкцией to be + location строятся по тем же самым принципам с тем же порядком слов: надо выбрать соответствующее подлежащему спряжение глагола to be — am, is, are и соблюдать порядок слов утвердительного, отрицательного или вопрос ильного переложения.
Утверждение: ЛИЦО (подлежащее) + AM/IS/ARE + LOCATION (местонахождение)
Отрицание: ЛИЦО (подлежащее) + AM/IS/ARE + NOT + LOCATION (местонахождение)
Вопрос: AM/IS/ARE + ЛИЦО (подлежащее) + LOCATION (местонахождение) ?
Примеры предложений:
I am at work.
Я на работе.
My parents are in the country.
Мои родители в деревне.
The book‘s in the bag.
Книга в сумке.
Peter isn’t home.
Питера нет дома.
The keys aren’t in my pocket.
Ключей нет в кармане.
Is your daughter at school?
Твоя дочь в школе?
Are your parents in the country?
Твои родители в деревне?
Наиболее часто используется специальный вопрос с вопросительным словом, в данном случае — “Где?”. В этом случае вопросительное слово ставиться вначале предложения:
Where is your cat? It is in my bag/room/flat.
Где твой кот? В сумке/комнате/квартире.
Where are you?
Ты где?
Альтернативный вопрос с частицей “or” – “или”:
Is your son at school or at home?
Твой сын в школе или дома?
Are the children in the garden or at the cinema?
Дети в саду или в кино?
Is your Father in Rome? – No, he isn’t. He is in Moscow.
Твой отец в Риме? — Нет. Он в Москве.
Where are Mr. and Mrs. Jones? They are in the kitchen.
Где мистер и мисс Джонс? Они на кухне.
Смотрите также наш урок 6 типов вопросов в английском языке.
В незнакомом городе
Если вы находитесь в незнакомом месте или городе, то вам нужно знать как спросить где вы находитесь и где интересующие вас объекты.
Where am I? — You are in Gorky street in Moscow.
Где я? Вы находитесь на улице Горького в Москве.
Where is the nearest bank? – It is in Krasnaya street.
Где находится ближайший банк? На улице Красная.
Where is the nearest supermarket? – Look! It’s over there.
Где ближайший супермаркет? Смотри! Вон там.
Where is the nearest post office?
Где находится ближайшее отделение почты?
Where is the nearest restaurant?
Где ближайший ресторан?
Where is the nearest subway?
Где находится ближайшее метро?
В доме/квартире
Конструкция to be + location активно применяется, чтобы выяснить местонахождение предметов в помещении.
Where are the cups? – They are on the shelf.
Где кружки? На полке.
Where are the plates? – They are in the cupboard.
Где тарелки? В кухонном шкафу.
Where is your new PC? – It is in the living room on the coffee table.
Где твой новый компьютер? В гостиной на журнальном столике.
В отдельном уроке мы подробно рассмотрели еще одну конструкцию с употреблением глагола to be – оборот there is/there are. Этот оборот широко используется для указания местонахождения предмета или лица (в статье мы объяснили в чем смысловое отличие между конструкцией «to be + location» и оборотом there is/there are).
Употребление глагола “to be” в структуре be + like
Данная структура – глагол to be + like — употребляется, когда необходимо задать вопрос о характере или способностях человека, как положительных, так и отрицательных. Строится по схеме:
ВОПР.СЛОВО + AM, IS, ARE + ЛИЦО + LIKE ?
Форма to be зависит от числа и лица подлежащего (таблица спряжения выше). Примеры:
What is he (she/it) like?
Какой он человек?
What are they like?
Какие они?
В этом вопросе нас интересуют качества человека, характеризующие его как личность и важные для общения с ним, ведения бизнеса или устройства на работу:
What is he like? – He is clever and hard working. I like him.
Какой он? Он умный и трудолюбивый. Мне нравится.
What is she like? – She is honest and patient.
Какая она? — Честная и терпеливая.
What are they like? – They are rude and unpleasant.
Какие они? — Грубые и неприятные.
При помощи структуры to be + like мы можем также узнать информацию о неодушевленных предметах, вещах. Например, человек идет с рынка с покупками, встречает знакомого, который интересуется продуктами и ценами на товары:
What are the meat prices like at the market today?
Какие сегодня цены на мясо на рынке?
What are the dress prices like today?
Каковы цены на платья сегодня?
What are the merchants like today?
Какие сегодня продавцы?
Попробуйте перевести самостоятельно:
- Что за человек ваш главный инженер? – остроумный и с широким кругозором.
- Какая твоя подруга? – Скрытная и жадная.
- Какой твой парень? – Спокойный и щедрый. Мне нравится.
- Какая твоя секретарь. – Глупая, ленивая и безразличная. Я собираюсь уволить ее.
- Какой твой новый охранник? – Храбрый и деликатный.
- Какая сегодня погода? – What is the weather like today? It’s sunny and pleasant.
Как видно из примеров выше, зная и умея употреблять глагол to be в вышеизложенных структурах мы уже не растеряемся в любой стране, так как английский язык стал практически международным и открывает двери для общения, работы, путешествий и зачастую для создания семьи.
Устойчивые выражения с глаголом to be + таблица
Заканчивая тему, о которой можно говорить бесконечно, хочу дать ряд примеров устойчивых сочетаний с глаголом to be, которые невозможно перевести дословно, их необходимо запомнить и практиковать в речи.
Устойчивые выражения с глаголом to be (am, is, are) — это сочетание с какой-нибудь частью речи:
- to be + adjective (прилагательное)
- to be + adverb (наречие)
- to be + preposition (предлог)
- to be + V3 (причастие прошедшего времени).
I am in (to be + preposition).
Я на месте.
He is out (to be + preposition).
Его нет на месте.
I am cold (to be + adjective).
Я замерз.
They are married (to be + adjective).
Они муж и жена.
I am single (to be + adjective).
Я холостой.
She is rich in her kind heart (to be + adjective).
Она богата своим добрым сердцем.
I am lost in your city (to be + V3 ).
Я заблудилась в вашем городе.
They are tired of the discussion (to be + V3 ).
Они устали от обсуждения.
Примеры построения диалогов с этими конструкциями:
Peter and Helen aren’t only good friend, they are married.
Питер и Лена не только хорошие друзья, но муж и жена.
Is Belarus rich in natural resources? – No, it isn’t. It is rich in water ways.
Беларусь богата природными ископаемыми? Нет. Но богата водными путями.
Excuse me, sir officer. I am a stranger here. I am lost in your city. Look! Here is my hotel card. Where is my hotel?
Прошу прощения, офицер. Я путешественник. Я заблудился в вашем городе. Посмотрите, вот мой пропуск в отель. Подскажите, где мой отель?
Все устойчивые выражения с глаголом to be широко употребимы, поэтому настоятельно рекомендуем выучить их. Вот таблица с основными устойчивыми выражениями:
| Выражение | Выражение |
|---|---|
| to be about — накануне | to be interested in — интересоваться |
| to be on duty — дежурить | to be sorry (for smb., about sth.) — сожалеть |
| to be present — присутствовать | to be aquatinted with — быть знакомым с |
| to be back — вернуться | to be out — отсутствовать |
| to be absent / away — отсутствовать | to be late — опаздывать |
| to be good at — иметь способности к | to be in / on time — быть вовремя |
| to be ready (for) — быть готовым | to be right / wrong — быть правым / неправым |
| to be up — закончиться | to be mistaken — ошибаться |
| to be well — чувствовать себя хорошо | to be at home — быть дома |
| to be ill — чувствовать себя больным | to be thirsty — испытывать жажду |
| to be busy — быть занятым | to be on — идти (о фильме) |
| to be free — быть свободным | to be in / out — быть / не быть на месте |
| to be glad — быть довольным | to be on pension — быть на пенсии |
| to be married — быть женатым (замужней) | to be tired — быть усталым |
| to be engaged — быть помолвленным | to be afraid of — бояться |
| to be widowed — быть овдовевшей | to be over — окончится |
| to be fond of — увлекаться | to be 18 years old — быть 18-летним |
| to be going + Infinitive — собираться (сделать что-то) | to be sure — быть уверенным |
| to be hungry — быть голодным | to be worth doing — стоит делать |
Видео урок
Заключение
В этом уроке мы показали правила спряжения глагола to be в настоящем времени (употребление am, is, are); дали схемы и примеры построения утвердительных, вопросительных и отрицательных предложений с глаголом to be; показали основные случаи употребления, привели примеры и устойчивые словосочетания (be-constructions).
Чтобы хорошо усвоить материал, внимательно изучите примеры и сформулируйте свои собственные предложения. Желаем успеха!
Thanks for reading my lessons!
Если у Вас есть вопросы по теме, то задавайте их в комментариях ниже. Мы постараемся ответить в течение суток. Желаем успехов!