Table of Contents
Verbs are the backbone of English sentences—without them, we couldn’t express actions, states, or events! Understanding different types of verbs will help you write and speak more accurately.
In this guide, we’ll break down all major types of verbs in English, with clear definitions and real-life examples. We’ll also highlight key differences (like stative vs. dynamic verbs) and common mistakes to avoid.
You’ll learn:
✔ What verbs are (with a clear definition)
✔ How verbs change through conjugation
✔ All major verb types (with examples)
✔ Common mistakes to avoid
Verb Definition: What Exactly Is a Verb?
A verb is a word that expresses:
- Physical/Mental Actions (run, think, write)
- States of Being (be, seem, become)
- Occurrences (happen, change, grow)
Example Sentences:
- Action: She solves math problems quickly.
- State: They are excited about the trip.
- Occurrence: The leaves turned red in autumn.
Verb Conjugation: How Verbs Change
Verbs conjugate (change form) to express:
1. Tense (When the action happens)
- Present: She writes a letter.
- Past: She wrote a letter.
- Future: She will write a letter.
2. Person/Number (Who performs the action)
- First Person: I eat / We eat
- Third Person: She eats / The dog barks
3. Voice (Active vs. Passive)
- Active: The chef cooked the meal.
- Passive: The meal was cooked by the chef.
4. Mood (The speaker’s intent)
- Indicative (Fact): He goes to school.
- Imperative (Command): Go to school!
- Subjunctive (Hypothetical): I suggest he go to school.
5. Modality (The speaker’s attitude)
- Ability: She can swim.
- Permission: May I leave?
- Obligation: You must stop.
- Possibility: It might rain.
Types of Verbs in English (Full List with Examples)
Here are the main types of verbs in the English language:
1. Action Verbs
Action verbs express physical or mental actions performed by the subject.
Examples:
- She runs every morning. (physical action)
- I wrote a letter. (physical action)
- They think deeply about the issue. (mental action)
Also known as dynamic verbs, action verbs express actions or processes and can be used in continuous tenses.
Examples:
- He is running to catch the bus.
- I am learning Spanish.
- They talked all night.
Some verbs can be BOTH stative & dynamic depending on context:
- “I have a car.” (stative – possession)
- “I am having lunch.” (dynamic – action)
2. Stative Verbs
Unlike action verbs, stative verbs describe a state (emotion, possession, sense, or thought) rather than an action.
Examples:
- I know the answer. (mental state)
- She loves chocolate. (emotion)
- This book belongs to me. (possession)
Note: Stative verbs are usually not used in continuous tenses (e.g., “I am knowing” is incorrect).
3. Linking Verbs
Linking verbs connect the subject to a word that describes or renames it (no action is involved).
Common Linking Verbs:
- be, become, seem, appear, feel, look, taste, sound
Examples:
- He is a teacher.
- The soup tastes delicious.
- She became tired.
4. Auxiliary Verbs (Helping Verbs)
Auxiliary verbs help the main verb form questions, negatives, tenses, or passive voice.
Common Auxiliary Verbs: be, have, do, will, can, shall, may, must
Examples:
- She has finished her work. (perfect tense)
- They are going to the party. (continuous tense)
- Do you like apples? (question form)
5. Modal Verbs
Modal verbs are special auxiliary verbs that express ability, permission, necessity, or possibility. Unlike main verbs, they never change form (no -ing, -s, or -ed endings).
Common Modal Verbs:
| Modal Verb | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| can | Ability/Permission | She can swim. Can I leave early? |
| could | Past ability/Polite request | He could run fast as a child. Could you help me? |
| may | Formal permission/Possibility | May I enter? It may rain later. |
| might | Uncertainty | They might arrive late. |
| shall | Suggestion (formal) | Shall we begin? |
| should | Advice/Obligation | You should study. |
| will | Future certainty | I will call you. |
| would | Hypotheticals/Polite requests | She would travel if she could. Would you pass the salt? |
| must | Strong necessity | You must wear a seatbelt. |
Key Rules for Modal Verbs:
- No conjugation: Always stay the same (e.g., no “she cans” ❌).
- Followed by base verbs: Use “can go” (not “can to go” ❌).
- No infinitives/gerunds: Never “to should” or “musting” ❌.
Examples in Context:
- Ability: “Birds can fly.”
- Permission: “May I borrow your pen?”
- Advice: “You should drink water.”
- Certainty: “They will win the game.”
6. Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs consist of a verb + preposition/adverb, creating a new meaning.
Examples:
- Please turn off the lights. (= switch off)
- He gave up smoking. (= quit)
- She looks after her grandmother. (= takes care of)
Some phrasal verbs are separable:
- “Turn the lights off.” (correct)
- “Look after her grandmother.” (correct)
- ❌ “Look her grandmother after.” (incorrect)
7. Regular Verbs
Regular verbs form their past tense by adding “-ed”.
Examples:
- walk → walked
- play → played
- enjoy → enjoyed
8. Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs do not follow the “-ed” rule—their past forms must be memorized.
Examples:
- go → went → gone
- eat → ate → eaten
- take → took → taken
📌 Tip: Keep an irregular verbs list handy for practice!
9. Finite Verbs
Finite verbs change based on subject and tense and act as the main verb in a sentence.
Examples:
- She writes poems. (present tense)
- They played football yesterday. (past tense)
- He is tired. (linking verb)
10. Non-Finite Verbs
Non-finite verbs do not show tense, number, or person and cannot be the main verb.
3 Types of Non-Finite Verbs:
A. Infinitives
Infinitives are the most basic form of a verb, typically preceded by “to” (e.g., to run, to eat). They can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs in a sentence.
Key Features:
- Structure:
- Full Infinitive: “to” + base verb (to sing, to write)
- Bare Infinitive: Base verb alone (used after modals or certain verbs like let/make)
- Functions:
- Noun: “To travel is her dream.” (subject)
- Adjective: “She needs a book to read.” (describes “book”)
- Adverb: “He studies to learn.” (explains why)
Examples:
- With “to”: “I want to dance.”
- Without “to”: “She can swim.” (after modal can)
Common Mistakes:
- Split Infinitives: Avoid inserting words between “to” and the verb (e.g., “to quickly run” → better: “to run quickly”).
B. Gerunds
Gerunds are verb forms ending in -ing that function as nouns in sentences. They can serve as subjects, objects, or complements.
Check this post for more information about the difference between infinitives and gerunds
Key Features:
- Always end in -ing (e.g., swimming, reading).
- Represent activities or concepts (not actions in progress).
Examples:
- Subject: “Swimming is good exercise.”
- Object: “She enjoys dancing.”
- Complement: “His hobby is painting.”
Don’t Confuse With:
- Present Participles (also -ing, but function as verbs/adjectives):
- “She is swimming now.” (verb)
- “A running faucet wastes water.” (adjective)
C. Participles
Participles are verb forms ending in -ing (present participle) or -ed/-en (past participle) that function as adjectives to describe nouns.
1. Present Participles (-ing)
- Describe what something/someone is doing or causing (active meaning).
- Examples:
- “The boring lecture made me sleepy.” (The lecture causes boredom.)
- “A crying baby kept the neighbors awake.” (The baby is crying.)
2. Past Participles (-ed/-en)
- Describe how something/someone is affected (passive meaning).
- Often irregular (e.g., written, broken, taken).
- Examples:
- “The broken window was fixed.” (The window was broken by someone.)
- “The stolen jewelry was recovered.” (The jewelry was stolen.)
Key Differences:
| Type | Ending | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present Participle | -ing | Shows active effect | “The movie was exciting.” |
| Past Participle | -ed/-en | Shows passive state | “The excited fans cheered.” |
Watch Out!
- Don’t confuse with gerunds (-ing as nouns) or verb tenses:
- “She is baking cookies.” (Verb: present continuous)
- “Baking relaxes her.” (Gerund: subject)
- “The baking bread smells good.” (Participle: describes bread)
Summary Chart: Types of Verbs
| Type | Description | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Action Verb | Shows physical/mental action (can be continuous) | She wrote a story. |
| 2. Linking Verb | Connects subject to description/state | He seems tired. |
| 3. Auxiliary Verb | Helps main verb (tense/voice) | They have eaten lunch. |
| 4. Modal Verbs | Express ability, permission, necessity, or possibility. | He can speak English |
| 5. Stative Verb | Describes a state (not action) | I know the answer. |
| 6. Phrasal Verb | Verb + preposition (new meaning) | He gave up smoking. |
| 7. Regular Verb | Past tense ends in “-ed” | We played football. |
| 8. Irregular Verb | Past tense doesn’t follow rules | She went home. |
| 9. Finite Verb | Main verb (shows tense/number) | He speaks Spanish. |
| 10. Non-Finite Verb | No tense/number (infinitives / gerunds / Participles) | She likes reading. |
Quick Quiz: Test Your Knowledge!
Select the right answer about the types of verbs in this quiz:
- Which verb is stative?
- a) run
- b) know
- c) jump
- “She looked up the word.” What type of verb is “looked up”?
- a) Regular verb
- b) Phrasal verb
- c) Linking verb
- True or False: “I am loving this song” is grammatically correct.
- a) True
- b) False
- Which sentence uses a linking verb?
- a) They built a house.
- b) She appears confident.
- c) He jogs daily.
- “They have been studying for hours.” The auxiliary verb(s) here is/are:
- a) have
- b) been
- c) have + been
- “To dance” in “She loves to dance” is a(n):
- a) Gerund
- b) Infinitive
- c) Participle
- Which verb is irregular?
- a) walked
- b) talked
- c) swam
2 → b) Phrasal verb
3 → b) False (“love” is stative—use “I love this song.”)
4 → b) She appears confident.
5 → c) have + been
6 → b) Infinitive
7 → c) swam
More about Verb Types in English
Key Takeaways: Mastering English Verbs
- Verbs Are the Core of Sentences
- They express actions (run, write), states (be, seem), or occurrences (become, happen).
- Verbs Change Form Based On:
- Tense (past/present/future)
- Subject (I eat vs. She eats)
- Voice (active/passive)
- Mood (indicative/imperative/subjunctive)
- Modality (can, must, might for attitude)
- 12 Essential Verb Types
- Action vs. Stative (run vs. know)
- Linking (is, become)
- Auxiliary/Modal (have, can, will)
- Phrasal (turn off, give up)
- Regular (walked) vs. Irregular (went)
- Finite (main verbs) vs. Non-Finite (infinitives/gerunds/participles)
- Participles Are Adjectives
- -ing = active effect (boring lecture)
- -ed/-en = passive state (broken window)
- Watch for Tricky Cases:
- Some verbs are both stative and dynamic (have: “I have a car” vs. “I’m having lunch”).
- Gerunds (-ing as nouns) ≠ Present Participles (-ing as adjectives/verbs).
Tips for Learners
- Memorize irregular verbs (e.g., go→went→gone).
- Avoid continuous tenses with stative verbs (❌ “I am knowing” → ✔ “I know”).
- Practice phrasal verbs in context (e.g., “put off” = postpone).
Want to dive deeper? Check out our post on English Tenses Explained next!