The past tense forms of irregular verbs like “to show” can be tricky. However, they’re all simple enough once you understand the differences between the simple past tense and the past participle. This article will explore the past tense of show.
Shown or Showed: Which Is Correct?
“Shown” is the past participle of the verb “to show,” while “showed” is the simple past tense. Both past tense forms are correct, and we can use them in different ways to impact the overall meaning of the sentence and how someone interacted with an event in the past.
- I have shown you everything you need to see.
- I showed you that you were worth it.
You should refer to the following to help you understand the forms:
| Verb | Show |
| Past | Showed |
| Past Participle | Shown |
When Is “Showed” Correct?
“Showed” is the simple past tense. We include the word “simple” here to show you that there aren’t a lot of rules that we add on top of it.
“Showed” works when talking about “showing” something in the past. It means the event has already taken place, and there’s nothing more that we can do to impact it in the present.
We always keep the form of “showed” the same. Unlike present tense verb forms, which different pronouns might affect (i.e., “he shows” and “I show”), the past tense stays the same no matter what.
- I showed
- He showed
- We showed
- It showed
Example Sentences Using “Showed”
“Showed” is the past tense form of “to show,” and we call it “simple” for a reason. Here are some examples to show you how it works:
- I showed you everything that I could do already.
- You showed me what I was missing, and I thank you for that.
- He showed me a lot in our short time together.
- We showed them we were made of tougher stuff than they realized.
- She showed me that I didn’t mean much to her at all.
- They showed that it wasn’t just about them, but about the whole family.
“Showed” works when talking about someone “showing” something in the past. Usually, the action has already taken place, and it’s a way of people thinking back to the past and how it happened.
When Is “Shown” Correct?
“Shown” is a little more intricate than the above portion, so you might want to pay attention. However, once you know the past participle rules for one verb, you know them for most verbs.
“Shown” is the past participle of “to show.” We cannot use it on its own correctly in a sentence. Instead, we must use it with an auxiliary verb like “have.” This turns it into a perfect tense, which is the only case where past participles are ever correct.
Just like the simple past tense, there is never a reason to change the form of “shown.” It stays the same no matter what pronoun or tense we use. Instead, we change the form of the auxiliary verb based on the tense we use.
- Past perfect: Had shown
- Present perfect: Have shown
- Future perfect: Will have shown
As you can see, “have” turns into the past tense “had” when using it as the past perfect tense. We also include “will” alongside it when talking in the future perfect tense about events that have yet to take place.
These are the only things you need to focus on when using the past participle. However, it would also help to understand what the perfect tenses mean and how they interact differently with the sentence’s meaning.
Example sentences using “Shown”
Since “shown” comes with a few extra rules, we’ll break this portion into sections. You should have a much better understanding when you can see all the perfect tenses broken down into sections.
Past Perfect
- I had shown that I was willing to put in the work before they hired me.
- He had shown a great passion for the project that was unlike anything we had seen before.
“Had shown” works when someone “shows” something in the past. We use the past perfect tense to show the order of how things took place in the past, and “showing” usually happens before another event when used in this way.
Present Perfect
- I have shown that I’m capable of helping out in a pinch.
- You have shown me a lot of things that I didn’t know were possible!
“Have shown” works when someone “shows” something at some point in the past. The present perfect tense then shows that the action continues or finishes in the present (or only a few seconds ago, depending on the context).
Future Perfect
- I will have shown what I’m capable of if you just give me a little more time!
- You will have shown us everything by the time we’re done if you keep this up.
“Will have shown” works to talk about someone “showing” something in the future. We use the future perfect tense to talk about the likely event of something happening to someone at a future date, and there’s some kind of guarantee of that happening based on our actions.
“Have Showed” Vs. “Have Shown”
Through this article, we’ve shown you that “have shown” is correct. The present perfect tense is useful when saying that something started to happen in the past and continues in the present.
However, is there ever a case where “have showed” works? Can we use the simple past tense with the auxiliary “have?”
“Have showed” is never correct. “Showed” is the simple past tense, which cannot be correct when paired with an auxiliary verb. Some English learners believe it to be correct, but they would be wrong. “Showed” only works when someone has “shown” something in the past.
You should stick to the expected rules for the past participle and simple past tense. The rules make the following examples correct and incorrect:
- Correct: You have shown great skill today, and I will consider you for the part.
- Incorrect: We have showed that we are worthy of an audience with them.
Final Thoughts
“Shown” is the past participle, while “showed” is the simple past tense. Both tense forms are correct, but we need to understand how they differ from each other. There are no cases where “showed” should be used as the past participle, and only “shown” is correct.
You may also like: Sewed or Sewn? Difference Explained (Helpful Examples)
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.
If you’re lost when it comes to the words showed and shown, don’t worry—we’ll show you the right way to use both!
In this article, we’ll show you how and when to use showed and shown, explain why show is considered an irregular verb, and provide examples of how both words are typically used in sentences.
⚡ Quick summary
Showed and shown are forms of the irregular verb show. Showed is the past tense form, as in I showed you that photo yesterday. Shown is the past participle form, which is used to form the present perfect (has shown) and past perfect (had shown) verb tenses and in passive voice constructions (as in Each person was shown three options). Sometimes, showed is also used as the past participle, as in I have learned from what you have showed me.
showed vs. shown
The words showed and shown are forms of the irregular verb show. Showed is the past tense form and shown is the past participle form.
For example:
- He showed me his collection.
- She had shown me the painting before it was stolen.
Sometimes, the word showed is also used as the past participle form. Shown is typically the more commonly used of the two, but both are considered standard.
For example:
- She had showed me the painting before it was stolen.
A verb is typically considered to be an irregular verb if its past tense and/or past participle is formed without using the standard -ed or -d endings used in regular verbs. This is the case with show: the past participle can be either shown or showed.
Because shown is typically used as the past participle, it is the form used when using show in the passive voice. When used this way, shown is accompanied by one of the forms of the helping verb be (is, was, are, etc.). The form of be that you use is determined by the subject and/or a modal verb.
For example:
- The secret recipe was shown to me by the head chef.
- Guests are shown around the mansion by the butler.
Get more detail on using passive vs. active voice here.
Verbs similar to show
Another irregular verb that follows the same pattern as show is sow. Just like show, the past tense of sow is sowed and the past participle can be either sowed or sown. There are several other irregular verbs ending in -ow whose past participle ends in -own as well. However, these verbs follow a different pattern: their past tense forms end in -ew rather than -ed.
| present tense | past tense | past participle |
| show | showed | shown or showed |
| sow | sowed | sown or sowed |
| blow | blew | blown |
| throw | threw | thrown |
| know | knew | known |
| grow | grew | grown |
Examples of showed and shown used in a sentence
These examples show how showed and shown are typically used in sentences.
- Our realtor showed us several nice homes.
- The manuscript is only shown at certain times.
- So far, he has shown no desire to follow in my footsteps.
- She showed me some jewelry, but I heard that she has only ever shown her most valuable diamond to two other people.
- They have showed the world just how good they can be when they work together.
See how much you have learned with our quiz
Satisfied with what you’ve read about these past tense forms? If so, show off your skills by taking our quiz on these forms of the verb show. You may surprise yourself with what you’ve learned!
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#1
This is my second question today.
I know that the verb «show» has two forms of a past participle. When we use «shown'» as an adjective that modifies a noun, as in «The first TV program shown in
Japan is «Tetsuwan Atom,» can we use «showed»
instead of «shown» ?
Thanks.
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#2
«showed» is the simple past, «shown» is the past participle.
The first TV program shown in Japan was «Tetsuwan Atom»
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#3
«showed» is the simple past, «shown» is the past participle.
The first TV program shown in Japan was «Tetsuwan Atom»
Thank you.
So, «The first TV program showed in Japan was ‘Tetsuwan Atom’.» is not a grammatical expression ?
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#4
The TV program did not show itself, so a passive rather than an active verb is needed: «showed» is active and needs a subject, «shown» can be either active or passive and is used here passively.
The first TV program the Broadcasting Corporation showed in Japan was ‘Tetsuwan Atom’.
works because «showed» now has a subject.
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#5
The past participle ‘showed’ is very rare compared to ‘shown’. You do see examples of perfect ‘has showed’ and passive ‘was showed’, but it’s such a minority usage that a foreign learner shouldn’t use it.
The same sort of minority usage occurs when the past-participial phrase post-modifies a noun, e.g. ‘courage shown by . . .’ is much more common than ‘courage showed by . . .’
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#6
Just heard a BBC commentator using »have showed», which I found unusual. It does seem to still be out there.
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#7
I sometimes say «has/have showed», but I don’t use showed in passive constructions.
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#8
The only time ‘showed’ really works is when used in placed of ‘performed’ but can also work in place of ‘aired’. There may be other scenario’s but they are few and ‘shown’ almost always works better. As long as the sentence is structured right, shown can always be used in it’s place and it makes things much simpler.
Still:
The play was first performed in the Apollo Theater in 2002.
could instead be;
The play first showed in the Apollo Theater in 2002.
—-
The first episode of Star Wars was showed last night on Holoboards around the galaxy after seven-centuries since it’s last showing. Fly-in station 77 behind Saturn’s sixth moon had crafts backed up all the way to planetary ring!
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#9
Hi all,
I have a question related to this:
which one of these two is the correct one?
At boot, Live TV is showed for some seconds before the launchpad.
At boot, Live TV is shown for some seconds before the launchpad.
I guess the first one but I was corrected by someone.
Thanks!
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#10
I have a question related to this:
which one of these two is the correct one?
At boot, Live TV is showed for some seconds before the launchpad.
At boot, Live TV is shown for some seconds before the launchpad.I guess the first one but I was corrected by someone.
No: you’ve guessed wrongly, I’m afraid: that first one definitely sounds odd to me. It should be «… live TV is shown…».
Oh, and welcome to the forum, by the way.
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#11
No: you’ve guessed wrongly, I’m afraid: that first one definitely sounds odd to me. It should be «… live TV is shown…».
Oh, and welcome to the forum, by the way.
Thanks!
Then I am a bit confused: according to «Quickfix» the phrase:
«The play was first performed in the Apollo Theater in 2002»
where performed can be replaced by showed, looks the same to me as:
«… Live TV is «performed» for some seconds before the launchpad».
What´s the difference?
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#12
The past participle of ‘perfom’ is ‘performed’, same as the simple past.
‘Show’ has an irregular past participle ‘shown’.
What does this sentence mean?
«At boot, Live TV is shown for some seconds before the launchpad.»
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#13
The past participle of ‘perfom’ is ‘performed’, same as the simple past.
‘Show’ has an irregular past participle ‘shown’.What does this sentence mean?
«At boot, Live TV is shown for some seconds before the launchpad.»
It´s very technical stuff!
The question is, if Quickfix is right about replacing the verb perform?
He´s saying:
«The only time ‘showed’ really works is when used in placed of ‘performed’ but can also work in place of ‘aired’.»
And I guess this is my case?
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#14
No, forget about past participle ‘showed’. It’s so rare that it shouldn’t be used, in any meaning.
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#15
Hi everyone,
interesting comments so far! -Thanks to all the native speakers and experts sharing their intuitions and knowledge!
To me, the question is still not answered though!
-The question to me, first and foremost is: is «showed» a POSSIBLE form of the past participle?
(It CLEARLY is NOT a «nice» or common or most used form — I’m well aware of that!)
But, with people saying, they’ve heard it around, and people mentioning having used it themselves occasionally, my question is: could it be correct? -Language changes and is changed by its users… Could this be a thing that is being changed currently? As changes usually take place gradually, we might actually be in a time frame, where both forms are (still) used?… I learned: «to show — showed — shown» -but that was a while ago. -Could it be possble that there are more and more people using «showed» as a past participle (alongside «shown»-users) in the English speaking world? -Or is this simply viewed as a wrong form (and if so, under all, or only under certain circumstances)?
That’s what I’m wondering about…. I only don’t get enough English input around my place to make any statement about this myself…
So thanks for sharing your ideas and observations on this!
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#16
Hi everyone,
interesting comments so far! -Thanks to all the native speakers and experts sharing their intuitions and knowledge!
To me, the question is still not answered though!
-The question to me, first and foremost is: is «showed» a POSSIBLE form of the past participle?
(It CLEARLY is NOT a «nice» or common or most used form — I’m well aware of that!)
I quote from the entry in Wiktionary:
«Usage notes
- The past participle shown was uncommon before the 19th century, but is now the preferred form in standard English. In the UK, showed is regarded as archaic or dialectal. In the US, it is considered a standard variant form, but shown is more common. Garner’s Modern American Usage favors shown over showed as past participle and claims it is mandatory for passives.
- In the past, shew was used as a past tense form and shewed as a past participle of this verb; both forms are now archaic.»
So, as far as standard BE is concerned, the short answer to your question is ‘no’.
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#17
Thank you very much DonnyB! This totally answers my question! In fact I was wondering about passive constructions mainly — so «No» to that in any case and «possibly» but rarely and only in rather «mediocre» AE active constructions, if I got that right.
OK
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#18
So, when something is visible or evident, grammatically when should we use to show and when to be shown?
The spot showed / was shown on her shirt.
He was upset and it showed / was shown.
About a website: Allow 48 hours for the system to uodate and for the product to show / be shown under this section.
I have been using ‘showed’ as past simple form of the verb ‘show’ and ‘shown’ as past participle.
But recently, I read somewhere that it is used as ‘show’ ‘showed’ and ‘showed’ in UK English and ‘show’ ‘showed’ and ‘shown’ in US English as base form, past simple and past participle respectively.
I am confused now what I have been using, that was correct or the latter part is correct?
Please clarify.
Void
17.8k7 gold badges71 silver badges106 bronze badges
asked Dec 11, 2013 at 17:17
3
Yes, in US English:
I show the picture every day. I will show the picture tomorrow. I showed the picture yesterday. I had shown the picture before you told me not to. I was shown the picture on many occasions.
Saying «was showed» or «had showed» is considered a sign of poor English skills. It is a common mistake for children and poorly-educated people.
I have no idea what the convention is in the U.K., perhaps someone else can address that.
Update:
I think most English verbs use a X/Xed/Xed pattern. But there are many that are irregular.
I try to exercise every day. I tried to exercise yesterday. I have tried to exercise for years.
And: I shave every day. I shaved yesterday. I was shaved by the barber.
Etc.
Irregulars include show/showed/shown as above.
Also: I give compliments every day. I gave a compliment yesterday. I have given compliments often.
I think today. I thought yesterday. I have thought about it often.
I eat today. I ate yesterday. I have eaten many meals.
Etc.
answered Dec 11, 2013 at 17:25
JayJay
59.5k1 gold badge63 silver badges128 bronze badges
1
The Oxford English Dictionary says both past participle forms have existed historically. The one formed with the -ed suffix descends from Old English; the one formed with the -n suffix developed later, in Middle English.
However, the Google Ngram Viewer indicates that the use of «showed» as a past participle has been quite rare in published English writing for at least the past century.
This result held for both the American English and British English sections of the corpus.
Based on this and my own reaction to the sound of «has showed» and «have showed», I would recommend always using «shown» as the past participle of «show».
There may be specific contexts where «showed» as a past participle doesn’t sound as bad as it usually does. For example, «had shown up» is more common than «had showed up», but not to such a great extent:
I don’t think there are any contexts where «showed» would be more common or considered more appropriate as a past-participle form than «shown», though. Or at least, I can’t think of any.
answered Feb 4, 2018 at 9:20
sumelicsumelic
6,7612 gold badges17 silver badges31 bronze badges
«Shew» is just an archaic form (archaic spelling) of «show». I gather the previous respondent has not read the King James Bible, Shakespeare (in the original spelling), and other sources older than the 18th century. Which is not a criticism, because few people do nowadays. But you can also find it in dictionaries.
Full disclosure: I have sung in Anglican choirs for decades and we sing a lot of centuries-old English. The pronunciation of «shew», by the way, is the same as «show». So it’s just an alternate spelling. It does not rhyme with «few», as you would expect from the spelling.
answered Apr 30, 2021 at 21:48
I believe Jay is correct in his assumption that «showed» as a past participle is always wrong. I believe it is the same in both American and British English and should always be «shown» in the past participle.
Note: Jay confusingly included a passive voice sentence in his example above, » I was shaved by the barber.» within a group of active voice sentences. The sentence ought to read, «I have shaved this week.» However, passive voice sentences do use the past participle, as indicated there.
answered Jan 19, 2018 at 15:12
1
The above answers are already great but I would like to add that shew is also a simple past acceptable answer. Indeed I learnt the following pattern in in English lectures in collège : show, shew, shown. It may be less and less common but I think that the correct and complete base form, past simple and past participle respectively is :
show (third-person singular shows) simple present
showing present participle
showed or shew, simple past
shown or (rare) showed past participle
My source are poor but popular. It includes show page on English wikitionaire and the ugly but well known in France anglaisfacile.com which has a page on irregular verbs.
answered Aug 9, 2018 at 9:58
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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?
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
- Main Verbs (or Action Verbs)
- Helping Verbs
- Linking Verbs
- – Transitive Verbs
- – 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
- I was late for school yesterday.
- I am twelve years old.
- She is a wonderful singer.
- These questions are difficult.
- He was planning to meet the doctor.
- The Hollywood actors are famous.
- They were winners last year.
- It is a great feeling to win the trophy.
We use ‘is‘ with singular nouns and pronouns ‘he, she, it‘.
List of Example Sentences
- My school is near my house.
- This restaurant is closing down.
- She is writing a postcard.
- Dog is a faithful animal.
- Ottawa is the capital of Canada.
- He is acting strange today.
We use ‘are‘ with plural nouns and pronouns ‘we, you, they‘.
List of Example Sentences
- The balloons are colourful.
- They are best friends.
- The kites are flying high in the sky.
- They are planning to go by train.
- We are going to win the match.
- You are writing so untidily!
We use ‘are‘ when we join two or more nouns.
List of Example Sentences
- John and Sam are brothers.
- Joseph and we are neighbours.
- Anne and Sue are enjoying the play.
- Sharon and Jenny are competing for the gold medal.
- 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
- She is playing the guitar.
- The postman is asking for your signature.
- The movie has caught everyone’s attention.
- Does he know the minister well?
- She is cheering the team.
- He enjoys music.
- My mom drives carefully.
- The moon revolves round the earth.
- 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
- The boys were dancing in the corridor.
- The children are playing in the garden.
- The students were writing their exam.
- Two of our girls have won the quiz.
- We have finished our homework.
- Both the boys have worked hard.
- Philip and Luke are swimming.
- The teachers are correcting the answer sheets.
- 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
- The crowd was very noisy.
- Our team has to win the match.
- The audience is having a gala time.
- The band is playing the school song.
- The choir is singing beautifully.
- My family is from Poland.
- Our cricket team is the best in the whole town.
- 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
- Neither he nor I am guilty.
- Neither Bob nor his friends want the party.
- Either you or your sister is telling a lie.
- Either Nancy or Mary is typing the letter.
- 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
- Everybody is liking the new car.
- Someone is calling for you.
- Nobody is allowed to enter that room.
- Everybody likes Mrs. Ola, the new History teacher.
- One of the passengers was asking for tomato soup.
- Somebody is knocking at the door.
Rule 6
We use singular verbs for uncountable nouns.
List of Example Sentences
- There is sufficient food in the refrigerator.
- Cold weather is a problem in this part of the country.
- Sugar is yet to get over in the container.
- Salt is obtained from sea water.
- 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.
- China is the most densely populated country.
- Norway is a very cold country.
- ‘The Power of Positive Talk’ is a good book.
Types of Action Verbs
There are two types of action verbs:
- Transitive Verbs
- 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:
- The teacher made the question paper.
- 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.
- The teacher made ……………….. what? (the question paper)
- 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
- Birds have feathers.
- The teacher praised the pupil.
- She is eating a pear.
- I like English.
- They are playing football.
- The potter has made a beautiful pot.
- Dennis bought a bicycle.
- 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
- Mr. Becker jogs every day.
- The wicked hunter was hiding.
- Anne looks very beautiful.
- Mr. John speaks loudly.
- The ship sank rapidly.
- The department store opens at six o’clock.
- Mr. Ben is driving carefully.
- 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
- The manager gave her the money.
- Mother is reading Michael a story.
- Nancy baked a cake for me.
- 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’.
: a word that characteristically is the grammatical center of a predicate and expresses an act, occurrence, or mode of being, that in various languages is inflected for agreement with the subject, for tense, for voice, for mood, or for aspect, and that typically has rather full descriptive meaning and characterizing quality but is sometimes nearly devoid of these especially when used as an auxiliary or linking verb
transitive verb
: to use (a word and especially a noun) as a verb : to make (a word) into a verb
A television announcer in Vero Beach, Fla., spoke of a promise «to upkeep the beach,» thus verbing a word that had been in use as an honest noun since 1884.—
James Kilpatrick
But it is by no means unusual for a noun to be verbed.—Theodore M. Bernstein
Did you know?
Verbs are words that show an action (sing), occurrence (develop), or state of being (exist). Almost every sentence requires a verb. The basic form of a verb is known as its infinitive. The forms call, love, break, and go are all infinitives.
Almost all verbs have two other important forms called participles. Participles are forms that are used to create several verb tenses (forms that are used to show when an action happened); they can also be used as adjectives. The present participle always ends in -ing: calling, loving, breaking, going. (There is also a kind of noun, called a gerund, that is identical in form to the present participle form of a verb.) The past participle usually ends in -ed, but many past participles have irregular endings: called, loved, broken, gone.
The verb’s past tense usually has the same -ed form as the past participle. For many verbs, however, the past tense is irregular. An irregular past tense is not always identical to an irregular past participle: called, loved, broke, went.
The two main kinds of verbs, transitive verbs and intransitive verbs, are discussed at the entries for transitive and intransitive.
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Today, their DocuSign Global Trust Network has 1 billion users and 1 million companies, and the name of the company has become a verb.
—Keith Krach, Forbes, 5 May 2022
Few people actually use it as a verb in everyday language.
—WSJ, 9 Feb. 2023
What was once a valuable way of characterizing particular abuse became generic slang in our ongoing debates, the filler attack verb in any disavowal of an individual or institution.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 28 Nov. 2022
Ski-Doo is a brand of snowmachine, but it’s also become a generic verb for riding.
—Michelle Theriault Boots, Anchorage Daily News, 24 Dec. 2021
Confit is a French verb traditionally meaning* to cook food in its own fat.
—G. Daniela Galarza, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2023
Traditional teaching methods, like asking students to conjugate a verb on the spot or translate a complex Latin passage in front of their peers, can be tedious at best and nail-bitingly nerve-racking at worst.
—Elizabeth Djinis, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Feb. 2023
Derived from an active verb, it’s used in the passive voice in pretty much every statement.
—Linda Chavers, BostonGlobe.com, 7 Feb. 2023
The idiom’s hoist is the past tense of an older verb that is now obsolete: hoise (sometimes spelled and pronounced hyse).
—Melissa Mohr, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Sep. 2021
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘verb.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English verbe, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin verbum «word, verb» — more at word entry 1
First Known Use
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Verb
1928, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of verb was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near verb
Cite this Entry
“Verb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/verb. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.
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Last Updated:
28 Mar 2023
— Updated example sentences
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