Random Verb Generator

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What Are Verbs?

It would be hard to construct a sentence without verbs. You can think of verbs as “doing” words. They describe what the nouns in the sentence are doing. If verbs didn’t exist, you wouldn’t have any way of expressing what’s happening in the world. .

Definition Of Verbs

So, what is a verb? A verb is a word that describes an action of some kind. Most verbs refer to actions in the physical world, though they can also be abstract and non-physical as well. The verb “to be” describes a state of being.

Here are some examples of verbs in sentences, with the verb highlighted in bold:

• He kicked the ball down the road

• I think, therefore, I am

• She ran as fast as she could to catch the bus

All sentences must contain at least one verb. If they don’t, then they are not sentences but rather sentence fragments or “incomplete sentences.”

All sentences require a subject-verb pairing, except commands. That’s because sentences require a person, thing or place that “does” the verb. For instance, “playing with the ball” is not a sentence, because there is no subject, such as a person, playing with the ball. However, “play with the ball!” is a sentence if it is a command.

Types Of Verbs

English contains several different verb types that relate to both the meaning of the verb, and how it fits into a sentence.

Dynamic Verbs

Dynamic verbs, often called “action” verbs, are the most common and easy to understand. These are verbs that describe things that can happen in the physical world.

Here’s a list of common dynamic verbs:

• Cry

• Laugh

• Swing

• Shout

• Munch

• Sit

You’ll notice that all of these verbs describe actions or events that can take place in the external world. However, there are many other types of verbs that describe things that occur in the mind or “internal world.” Linguists refer to these as process verbs, and they include:

• Ponder

• Consider

• Guess

• Persevere

• Decide

• Celebrate

• Change

Stative Verbs

Stative verbs describe the subject’s state of being, usually person, but not always.

Examples of stative verbs include:

• Love

• Prefer

• Understand

• Believe

• Accept

• Dislike

• Detest

• Desire

Most stative words sound awkward in English when used in the continuous tense. For example, you would almost always say “I understand you,” not “I am understanding you.” Likewise, you would say “He dislikes her,” not “he is disliking her.” Because stative verbs describe a state of being, transforming them into the continuous tense is redundant. However, that is not true of dynamic verbs. For instance, “he is celebrating his birthday,” or “she is munching on a sandwich.”

Verbs That Can Be Both Stative And Dynamic

Some verbs can be dynamic or stative, depending on the context. For instance, “I accept my life,” uses the verb “to accept” in the stative sense. However, “He is very accepting of his partner’s flaws” uses the verb in the dynamic sense.

If verbs are used to describe an involuntary, passive or unintentional action, they are stative. If not, they are dynamic. Hence, stative verbs describe the facts of life – the way things always are.

• I can’t wake up early without my alarm

By contrast, when verbs indicate some sort of voluntary action, they become dynamic and can take on the continuous tense (adding -ing to the end of the verb).

• We spent all afternoon listening to music on the beach

• I’ve been walking more slowly since losing my cane

If you are struggling to tell the difference between dynamic and stative verbs, ask yourself whether adding “-ing” to the end of the verb adds meaning.

For instance, “I have a ten-year-old cat” is a statement of fact. Changing it to “I am having a ten-year-old cat” doesn’t add any new information, unless you happen to be pregnant with kittens.

Auxiliary Verbs

Auxiliary verbs are sometimes called “helping” verbs. They change the tense, mood or voice of the verb in the sentence.

Primary auxiliary verbs are do, have and be, the most common verbs in English. Just like other verbs, auxiliary verbs must also be conjugated correctly.

Here are three similar sentences that show auxiliary verbs in action:

• I have signed basketballs many times in the past

• That basketball was signed by me

• Did you sign my basketball?

In the first example, the auxiliary verb changes the tense of the sentence. In the second, it changes the voice (from active to passive). In the third, it expresses a mood.

Linking Verbs

In some sentences, verbs link two parts together. These are called linking or copular verbs. The verb “to be” is the most common linking verb in English, though there are others.

Here are some examples:

• Jessica is in the bedroom

• Jessica became a scholar

• Jessica seems to enjoy the weekend