Verb

A verb is a word that expresses some action.

Examples: do, run, go, make, love, like, give, think, dance, laugh etc

Difference Types of Verbs:

A)   Finite Verbs and Non-finite Verbs:

Although I think all of you have somewhat idea about finite verb and non-finite verb, here are some examples given to make you understand more. See the below

“I eat mango” and “He reads a book”

In the above sentences “eat” and “reads” are finite verb because the two sentences express the main action. Therefore, without them it’s impossible to express it.

“I want to eat”

In the above sentence there also one type of verb is used; that is “to eat” which cannot complete sense fully. This is why, it needs the help of finite verb “want”. So “to eat” is a non-finite verb.  

B)    Principal and Auxiliary Verbs: See some examples to know better

“I eat mango” and “I am running in the filed”

The principal verb of first sentence is “eat” because it’s able to give idea completely. And in the second sentence, the principal verb is “run” but it becomes “running” and “am” which only assists the principal verb.

Therefore, the verb which is able to make sense itself without any other help is called principal verb. On the other hand, the verb which has no ability to makes sense, can only help principal verb (in the tense) to make sense is called auxiliary verb.

C)   Transitive and Intransitive Verbs: let’s see some examples to get into details.

“He eats” and “He eats rice”

In the first sentence it’s not clear that what he eats because it cannot answer of the question. On the other hand, in the second sentence it’s able to answer of what he eats and answer is “rice”.

Now come to the main point as we are talking about transitive verb and intransitive verb, so the verb that has object is called transitive verb. On the other side, the verb which is unable to bear object is called intransitive verb.

Now question is how to find out an object from the sentence. No problem, it’s very easy through asking to the verb with “whom” and “what” and the answer you get is called the object. Now see another interesting example –

“She goes”

Now ask verb “goes” with what she goes? And whom she goes? But nothing you get any answer. Therefore, it’s unable to give you the object. If you ask to the verb once again with “where she goes? Or why she goes? Yes, it’s true that you get the answer but they are not the object. So the “goes” is an intransitive verb because it cannot give us answer of the questions.

“We make basket”

Now ask to the verb “make” with “what they make? And “whom they make?” yes, now we get answer which is “basket” is called the object. So the verb “make” is a transitive verb because it’s able to answer us.

Intransitive Verbs of Incomplete Prediction (Copulative/Copula Verbs)

She is beautiful.

He becomes angry.

She has been mad.

You seem to be well.

He appears to be wise.

In the above sentences “is, become, has, seem, and appear” are intransitive verbs but they are unable to make sense without the word used after those verbs in the above sentences. Such as –

She is -------

He becomes ------

She has been ------

You seem to be ----

He appears to be ----

Therefore, it’s very clear that being intransitive those verbs cannot make sense. In reason of their inability, they are called verbs of incomplete prediction or copulative verb or copula. And the word is used after the copulative verb that helps to makes sense is called subjective complement.

Transitive Verbs of Incomplete Prediction (Factitive Verbs)

We have already learnt that transitive verb itself can make sense but some transitive verbs cannot.

She calls me. (What does she call?)

We elected him. (Which post?)

We selected him. (Which post for?)

They chose me. (What for?)

We made him. (What did we make him?)

The verbs mentioned above are “calls, elect, select, choose, and make” could not make sense though they have object. So we can write them once again in the way given below.

She calls me a fool.

We elected him chairman.

You selected him captain.

They chose me driver.

We made him teacher.

Therefore, in spite of belonging to object they cannot express complete thoughtful idea, this type of verb is called factitive verb or transitive verbs of incomplete prediction.

Causative Verb: A causative is a form that indicates that a subject causes someone or something to do or be something. See the some examples below to know more about it.

She eats banana

She feeds the boy

“feed” is a causative verb in the second sentence. I have enclosed a table to make you clear about causative verb.

Intransitive	Causative
Birds fly	The boy flies a kite
Water boils	She boils water

(a)  There some causative verbs which are different from non-causative verbs.

Non-Causative	Causative
Eat	Feed
Learn	Teach
Know	Inform
See	Show
Dive	Dip
Suck	Suckle

(b)  make, have, get used as causative verb in the sentence such as –

I do (non-causative)

I make him do (causative)

I water the garden (non-causative)

I have my sister water the garden (causative) 

Impersonal Verb: An impersonal verb is one that has no determinate subject and this type of verb contains “it” as a subject.

It rains.

It dews.

It snows in winter

Reflexive Verb: A verb whose agent performs an action that is directed at the agent. See the some examples below –

                                                He killed himself

In the sentence the object of verb (kill) and subject denote same person. The reflexive pronoun (himself) is called reflexive verb.

Subject	Reflexive verb	Reflexive object
She	enjoyed	herself
He	absented	himself

Reciprocal Verb: A verb which describes an action which involves two people (or more) doing the same thing to each other (one another).

                                                They love one another

Subject	Reciprocal verb	Object (reciprocal pronoun)
Sonya and Maya	helped	each other
The three boys	scold	one another

Prepositional Verb: When (intransitive verb + preposition) is used as transitive verb is called prepositional verb or group verb. And sometimes the adverb might be used in place of preposition.

 Intransitive: Look here

 Transitive: Look at me (look at – group verb) and (me – object)

 Intransitive: He will come today

 Transitive: I have come by a pen (come by – group verb) and (a pen – object)

Cognate Verb: The verb is one that is ordinarily intransitive (lacking any object), and the cognate object is simply the verb's noun form.

                        He ran (“ran” is an intransitive verb because it has no object)

                        He ran a race (now “ran” has an object whose meaning is like verb “ran”)

Subject	Cognate verb	Cognate object
He	lived	a poor life
I	slept	a sound sleep

Quasi-passive Verb: Quasi-passive means half active and half passive (quasi = half) and if any verb is used as quasi-passive sentence is called intransitive verb.

Transitive	Quasi-passive
We build houses	The house is building
She looks at the moon	The moon looks fine
I taste a mango	Mango tastes sweet

Inchoative Verb: An inchoative verb, sometimes called an "inceptive" verb, shows a process of beginning or becoming. Those are get, become, grow, come, go, turn, fall, run etc

                                    I am growing older and older.

                                    She got tired.

                                    His dream will come true.

The classification of Verb: