Parts of Speech • Courseware
VERB
Courseware for Learners Aged 11 Years and Above
Learn how verbs show actions, states, events and relationships—and how verb forms build accurate English sentences.
Verb = வினைச்சொல்
ஒரு செயல், நிலை, நிகழ்வு அல்லது இருப்பைக் குறிக்கும் சொல் Verb (வினைச்சொல்) எனப்படும்.
ஒரு செயல், நிலை, நிகழ்வு அல்லது இருப்பைக் குறிக்கும் சொல் Verb (வினைச்சொல்) எனப்படும்.
What Will You Learn?
Identify Verbs
Find the verb in a sentence and explain what it tells us.
Classify Verbs
Recognise main, helping, linking, transitive, intransitive, regular and irregular verbs.
Use Verb Forms
Understand base, past, past participle and -ing forms.
Build Sentences
Use tense, subject–verb agreement, auxiliaries and modals accurately.
கற்றல் இலக்கு: Verb-ஐ அடையாளம் கண்டு, அதன் வகையைப் புரிந்து, சரியான verb form-ஐ வாக்கியத்தில் பயன்படுத்தக் கற்றுக்கொள்வீர்கள்.
Course Roadmap
Lesson 1Introduction to Verbs
Lesson 2Action & State Verbs
Lesson 3Main & Helping Verbs
Lesson 4Forms of Verbs
Lesson 5Regular & Irregular Verbs
Lesson 6Transitive & Intransitive
Lesson 7Linking Verbs
Lesson 8Finite & Non-finite Verbs
Lesson 9Verb Tenses
Lesson 10Subject–Verb Agreement
Lesson 11Modals & Phrasal Verbs
Lesson 12Common Errors & Practice
Introduction to Verbs
A verb is a word that tells us about an action, a state, an event or something that happens.
தமிழில்: செயல், நிலை, நிகழ்வு அல்லது இருப்பைக் குறிக்கும் சொல் வினைச்சொல்.
Action Examples
Ravi runs every morning.
Priya reads a story.
Karthik plays cricket.
Meena writes neatly.
State / Being Examples
Arun is happy.
The children are ready.
My grandparents live in Madurai.
Quick Test: Ask, “What is happening?” or “What is the subject doing/being?” The answer often contains the verb.
சொல் உதவி: Action = செயல் | State = நிலை | Event = நிகழ்வு | Happen = நடைபெறுதல்
Action Verbs and State Verbs
Action verbs show what a person, animal or thing does. State verbs describe a condition, feeling, possession, thought or situation.
Action Verbs
run, jump, eat, write, sing, dance, open, close, study, play
Anjali dances beautifully.
Rahul opened the window.
State Verbs
know, like, love, understand, believe, remember, own, belong
I know the answer.
Priya likes classical music.
தமிழில்: Action Verb = செயலைக் காட்டும் வினைச்சொல். State Verb = நிலை, உணர்வு, அறிவு, உரிமை போன்றவற்றைக் காட்டும் வினைச்சொல்.
Remember: Not every verb describes a visible physical movement. Words such as know, like, believe are also verbs.
Main Verbs and Helping Verbs
A main verb carries the main meaning. A helping verb (auxiliary verb) helps the main verb show tense, questions, negatives or other meanings.
| Helping Verb | Common Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| be: am, is, are, was, were | continuous forms / states | Ravi is reading. |
| have, has, had | perfect forms | Meena has finished her work. |
| do, does, did | questions / negatives / emphasis | Did Arun finish? |
Examples
Kavya is studying English. → is = helping; studying = main.
Rahul has completed the work. → has = helping; completed = main.
Did Priya visit Chennai? → did = helping; visit = main.
Important: Forms of be, have and do can sometimes function as main verbs too. Their role depends on the sentence.
Forms of Verbs
English verbs can appear in different forms. Knowing the forms helps us build tenses and other structures.
| Form | Example: write | Example: go | Use / Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base form (V1) | write | go | basic dictionary form |
| Past form (V2) | wrote | went | simple past |
| Past participle (V3) | written | gone | perfect / passive structures |
| -ing form | writing | going | continuous structures / gerund uses |
| 3rd person singular | writes | goes | present simple with he/she/it |
தமிழில்: V1 = அடிப்படை வடிவம்; V2 = இறந்தகால வடிவம்; V3 = Past Participle; -ing = தொடர்ச்சியான செயல் வடிவம்.
She writes every day. → present simple
She wrote yesterday. → past simple
She has written three pages. → past participle
She is writing now. → -ing form
Regular and Irregular Verbs
Regular verbs usually form the past tense and past participle with -ed. Irregular verbs use other forms.
| Base | Past | Past Participle | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| play | played | played | Regular |
| work | worked | worked | Regular |
| visit | visited | visited | Regular |
| go | went | gone | Irregular |
| eat | ate | eaten | Irregular |
| write | wrote | written | Irregular |
| see | saw | seen | Irregular |
| take | took | taken | Irregular |
Study Tip: Learn irregular verbs in groups of three: go–went–gone, write–wrote–written, eat–ate–eaten.
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
A transitive verb takes an object. An intransitive verb does not require an object to complete its meaning.
Transitive
Arjun kicked the ball.
Verb = kicked; Object = the ball.
Verb = kicked; Object = the ball.
Meena opened the door.
Verb = opened; Object = the door.
Verb = opened; Object = the door.
Intransitive
The baby slept.
The children laughed.
தமிழில்: Transitive Verb = செயல் ஒரு object-ஐ நோக்கிச் செல்கிறது. Intransitive Verb = object இல்லாமலேயே வாக்கியம் நிறைவடைகிறது.
Test: After the verb, ask “what?” or “whom?” If a suitable object answers the question, the verb is often transitive.
Linking Verbs
A linking verb connects the subject to information that describes or identifies the subject. Common linking verbs include forms of be and verbs such as seem, become, appear, feel, look, sound.
Ravi is happy. → “happy” describes Ravi.
The soup tastes delicious. → “delicious” describes the soup.
Priya became a doctor. → “a doctor” identifies Priya.
The sky looks beautiful.
தமிழில்: Linking Verb = இணைப்புச் செய்பாடு; subject-ஐ அதைப் பற்றிய விளக்கம் அல்லது அடையாளத்துடன் இணைக்கிறது.
Compare: “Ravi looked at the painting.” Here looked shows an action. “Ravi looked tired.” Here looked links Ravi with the description “tired.”
Finite and Non-finite Verbs
A finite verb is tied to the subject and tense of a clause. A non-finite verb does not by itself show tense in the same way.
| Type | Common Forms | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Finite | runs, ran, is, played | Ravi runs every day. |
| Infinitive | to + base verb | Priya wants to learn. |
| Gerund | -ing form used as a noun | Swimming is good exercise. |
| Participle | -ing / past participle forms | The broken window was repaired. |
தமிழில்: Finite Verb = காலம் மற்றும் subject-ஐப் பொறுத்து மாறும் வினைச்சொல். Non-finite forms = infinitive, gerund, participle போன்ற வடிவங்கள்.
Important: The same word can have different grammatical roles depending on how it is used in the sentence.
Verb Tenses
Tense helps us show when an action, state or event happens.
| Tense | Example | Basic Idea |
|---|---|---|
| Simple Present | Ravi plays cricket. | habit / fact |
| Present Continuous | Ravi is playing cricket. | happening now / around now |
| Present Perfect | Ravi has played today. | completed with present relevance |
| Simple Past | Ravi played yesterday. | completed past action |
| Past Continuous | Ravi was playing. | action in progress in the past |
| Past Perfect | Ravi had played before lunch. | earlier past action |
| Simple Future | Ravi will play tomorrow. | future action |
| Future Continuous | Ravi will be playing. | future action in progress |
| Future Perfect | Ravi will have played by noon. | completed before a future time |
தமிழில்: Tense = காலத்தைக் காட்டும் இலக்கண அமைப்பு. Present = நிகழ்காலம்; Past = இறந்தகாலம்; Future = எதிர்காலம்.
Subject–Verb Agreement
The verb should agree with its subject in number and person.
| Subject | Correct Verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| He / She / It | verb + s/es in simple present | She reads daily. |
| I / You / We / They | base form in simple present | They read daily. |
| Singular noun | singular verb | The boy plays. |
| Plural noun | plural verb | The boys play. |
He play cricket. ❌ → He plays cricket. ✅
They plays cricket. ❌ → They play cricket. ✅
The students is ready. ❌ → The students are ready. ✅
They plays cricket. ❌ → They play cricket. ✅
The students is ready. ❌ → The students are ready. ✅
தமிழில்: Subject singular என்றால் அதற்கேற்ற singular verb; plural என்றால் அதற்கேற்ற plural verb பயன்படுத்த வேண்டும்.
Exam Tip: Do not choose the verb by looking only at the nearest noun. Find the real subject first.
Modal Verbs and Phrasal Verbs
Modal Verbs
Modal verbs express ability, possibility, permission, advice, necessity, prediction and other meanings.
| Modal | Common Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| can | ability / permission | Arun can swim. |
| could | past ability / polite possibility | Could you help me? |
| may | permission / possibility | May I come in? |
| might | possibility | It might rain. |
| must | necessity | You must wear your ID card. |
| should | advice | You should revise your lesson. |
| will | future / willingness | We will help you. |
| would | politeness / imagined situations | Would you like some water? |
Modal Verb = துணை வினைச்சொல் வடிவம் — திறன், அனுமதி, சாத்தியம், ஆலோசனை, கட்டாயம் போன்ற பொருள்களைக் காட்ட உதவும்.
Phrasal Verbs
A phrasal verb combines a verb with a particle such as an adverb or preposition, creating a meaning that may differ from the original verb.
give up = stop trying
Rahul did not give up.
Rahul did not give up.
look after = take care of
Meena looks after her little brother.
Meena looks after her little brother.
turn on = start a device
Karthik turned on the computer.
Karthik turned on the computer.
find out = discover information
Priya found out the answer.
Priya found out the answer.
Common Verb Errors & Practice
Common Errors
He go to school every day. ❌ → He goes to school every day. ✅
She did went home. ❌ → She did go home. ✅
They is playing. ❌ → They are playing. ✅
I have saw the film. ❌ → I have seen the film. ✅
Ravi has ate lunch. ❌ → Ravi has eaten lunch. ✅
She did went home. ❌ → She did go home. ✅
They is playing. ❌ → They are playing. ✅
I have saw the film. ❌ → I have seen the film. ✅
Ravi has ate lunch. ❌ → Ravi has eaten lunch. ✅
Practice 1: Identify the Verb
- Ravi runs every morning. — runs
- Priya is reading a novel. — is reading
- The children laughed loudly. — laughed
- Arun has completed his homework. — has completed
- Kavya can sing well. — can sing
Practice 2: Choose the Correct Verb
- Meena ___ to school every day. (go / goes)
- The boys ___ football. (plays / play)
- She ___ her homework yesterday. (complete / completed)
- They ___ waiting outside. (is / are)
- Rahul has ___ the book. (read / read)
Practice 3: Multiple-Choice Questions
- Which word is a verb in “Anjali sings beautifully”?
a) Anjali b) beautifully c) sings d) the
Answer: c) sings - Which is an irregular verb?
a) played b) worked c) went d) visited
Answer: c) went - Choose the correct sentence.
a) He go to school. b) He goes to school.
Answer: b) He goes to school. - Which sentence contains a helping verb?
a) Ravi runs fast. b) Ravi is running fast.
Answer: b) Ravi is running fast. - Which verb is transitive in “Priya opened the door”?
a) Priya b) opened c) the d) door
Answer: b) opened - Which is a modal verb?
a) played b) reading c) should d) written
Answer: c) should
Verb Form Challenge
Complete each set with the correct forms.
| V1 | V2 | V3 | -ing |
|---|---|---|---|
| go | went | gone | going |
| write | wrote | written | writing |
| eat | ate | eaten | eating |
| take | took | taken | taking |
| play | played | played | playing |
Grammar Detective
Find the verb error and correct it.
1. Priya go to the library every Saturday.
Priya goes to the library every Saturday.
Priya goes to the library every Saturday.
2. The students is preparing for the test.
The students are preparing for the test.
The students are preparing for the test.
3. Arun did went to Chennai.
Arun did go to Chennai.
Arun did go to Chennai.
4. Meena has wrote a letter.
Meena has written a letter.
Meena has written a letter.
5. They was playing cricket.
They were playing cricket.
They were playing cricket.
Verb in a Sentence: A Simple Method
- Find the subject.
- Ask what the subject does, is, has, or experiences.
- Locate the main verb and any helping verbs.
- Check the tense.
- Check subject–verb agreement.
- Check whether the verb needs an object.
தமிழ் நினைவுக்குறிப்பு: Subject யார்/எது? → என்ன செய்கிறது/எப்படி உள்ளது? → Verb என்ன? → எந்த காலம்? → Subject-க்கு ஏற்ற Verb தானா?
Final Mastery Check
Before moving to the next Part of Speech, make sure you can:
- Define a verb and explain its purpose.
- Identify action and state verbs.
- Distinguish main verbs from helping verbs.
- Recognise common verb forms: V1, V2, V3 and -ing.
- Distinguish regular and irregular verbs.
- Identify transitive and intransitive verbs.
- Recognise linking verbs.
- Understand finite and non-finite forms.
- Use verbs correctly in common tenses.
- Apply subject–verb agreement.
- Use common modal verbs appropriately.
- Understand common phrasal verbs.
- Correct frequent verb errors.
- Answer verb MCQs and examination questions confidently.
சுய மதிப்பீடு: “நான் Verb-ஐ அடையாளம் கண்டு, அதன் வகையைச் சொல்லி, சரியான காலம் மற்றும் verb form-ஐ வாக்கியத்தில் பயன்படுத்த முடியும்” என்றால் நீங்கள் இந்தப் பாடத்தை நன்றாகக் கற்றுள்ளீர்கள்.
One-Page Revision Chart
| Topic | Key Idea | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | action / state / event | Ravi runs. |
| Main Verb | carries main meaning | She reads. |
| Helping Verb | supports main verb | She is reading. |
| Regular | usually adds -ed in past | play–played |
| Irregular | changes differently | go–went–gone |
| Transitive | takes an object | He kicked the ball. |
| Intransitive | does not require an object | The baby slept. |
| Linking | links subject to description | Priya is happy. |
| Modal | ability, possibility, advice, etc. | You should study. |
| Agreement | subject and verb must match | He plays / They play. |