What is a Verb?
A
verb is a word that tells us what’s happening in a sentence. It shows action,
describes an event, or tells us about a state of being.
We
use verbs all the time — even in the simplest sentences like “She sings” or
“They are tired.”
Let’s
look at the main types of verbs:
- Action
Verbs – These show
what someone or something does. The action can be physical or mental.
Example: run, write, think, play
- Linking
Verbs – These
connect the subject to extra information, often describing a condition or
identity.
Example: is, are, was, seem, become
(e.g., He is tall. "Is" links the subject to the description.)
- Helping
Verbs (Auxiliary
Verbs) – These work with the main verb to create different tenses or meanings.
Example: will, have, can, should, is
(e.g., She will go. "Will" helps form the future tense.)
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What Are Tenses?
Tenses
help us understand when something happens — now, earlier, or later. Without
tenses, we wouldn't know the timing of an action.
In
everyday English, we mostly use:
- Simple Present Tense – for regular habits and facts
- Simple Past Tense – for actions that already happened
- Simple Future Tense – for things that will happen
Let’s
explore each one with structure and examples.
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Simple Present Tense
We
use the simple present tense to talk about:
·
Things
that happen regularly (habits)
·
General
truths or facts
·
Routines
Examples:
·
I
walk to school every day.
·
She
drinks tea in the morning.
·
The
sun rises in the east.
✅
Structure:
·
I/You/We/They
+ base verb → I play, They study
·
He/She/It
+ base verb + -s or -es → He plays, She watches
Remember:
Add -s or -es for third-person singular subjects.
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Simple Past Tense
We
use the simple past to talk about actions that happened and were completed in
the past.
Examples:
·
They
visited the zoo last week.
·
He
ate an apple for lunch.
·
We
watched a movie last night.
✅
Structure:
·
For
regular verbs: base verb + -ed → walk → walked
·
For
irregular verbs: use their unique past forms → go → went, eat → ate
There’s
no rule for irregular verbs — you have to memorize them.
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Simple Future Tense
We
use the simple future tense when we talk about things that haven’t happened yet
but will happen.
Examples:
·
I
will call you tomorrow.
·
She
will travel next month.
·
They
will win the match.
✅
Structure:
·
Will
+ base verb → I will go, You will learn
You
might also see “shall” used with I/We (e.g., I shall return), but “will” is
more common in today’s English.
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Why Are Verbs and Tenses Important?
·
Verbs
are the heart of a sentence. Without them, we don’t know what’s happening.
·
Tenses
show when the action takes place.
·
Using
the correct verb tense avoids confusion and makes your writing or speaking
clear and precise.
It’s
one of the first steps toward writing and speaking confidently in English.
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Quick Tips
·
Use
simple present for habits or facts → She walks daily.
·
Use
simple past for completed actions → They watched a film.
·
Use
simple future for actions yet to happen → I will start tomorrow.
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Practice Questions: Verbs and Tenses
1. Identify the tense in this sentence:
She reads a book every night.
Answer: Simple Present
Explanation: “Reads” shows a regular habit, so it’s simple present.
2. Fill in the blank with the correct form
(simple past):
They ______ (visit) the museum last weekend.
Answer: visited
Explanation: The time clue “last weekend” tells us this happened in the past.
3. Choose the correct form (simple future):
I ______ (will/would) call you tomorrow.
Answer: will
Explanation: “Tomorrow” refers to the future, so we use “will” with the verb.
4. Identify the verb type in this sentence:
He is a doctor.
Answer: Linking verb
Explanation: “Is” connects the subject “He” to “doctor,” showing a state or
identity.
5. Fill in the blank (simple present):
She ______ (go) to school every day.
Answer: goes
Explanation: For third-person singular subjects in simple present, we add -s to
the base verb.
