Verbs
Verbs show action, condition, or existence.
Action
Jon skis the slopes. (act of skiing)
Condition
Jack knows her. (condition of knowing)
Existence
She is at school. (existence in a place or time)
Every sentence must have at least one verb.
For example:
I read. (Yes, this is a complete sentence. It shows an action.)
Can the verb “transfer” a subject’s action to an object?
If yes, it is transitive. For example:
- They drink coffee every morning. (Coffee is what they drink.)
- Sarah visits the store. (The store is what Sarah visits.)
If not, it is intransitive.
For example:
- Sarah goes to the store. (“To the store” is a place Sarah goes, not an object of action.)
Remember
- Linking verbs are always intransitive.
- Most action verbs can be either transitive or intransitive.
Verbs take different forms depending on their function. The Be verb, for example, has many forms and is the most irregular verb. Verbs function as either action or linking verbs. The vast majority of English verbs are action verbs!