VERBS

Topics to be discuss
• Kinds of verb
• Types of verb
• Classification of verb
• Voices of verb
• Subject-Verb Agreement
Kinds of verb
1. Regular Verbs- are verbs that form the past tense/past
participle by adding the letter “d” or “ed” at the end

Present Past Past Participle

Help Helped Helped

2. Irregular Verbs- are verbs that form the past tense by changing
the word and past participle by adding the letter n/en at the end
Rise Rose Risen
Run ran run
Types of Verbs
• The main verb tells what the subject
does or links the subject to another word
that describes it.
• Action Verb: shows action subject performs
• I walk three miles every day.
• Linking Verb: connects subject to another
word or words that describe it
• I am tired.
• Helping Verb: joins an action verb to form
the complete verb
• I was walking three miles every day when the
weather was warmer.
Classification of Verb
TRANSITIVE VERB
• Express an action of the subject which is
directed at a receiver.
• A transitive verb needs a direct object that
will receive the action to complete its
meaning.

Example:
The chief officer prepares the stowage
plan.
The chief steward supervises the
restaurant operation.
INTRANSITIVE VERB
• Express an action of the subject
meaningfully without necessarily stating
the direct object to receive the action.

Example:
The master disembarked immediately.
The tanker ship exploded.
The chief mate officer resigned after
six months contract.
Voices of Verb
Voice is the form a verb takes to
indicate whether the subject of
the verb performs or receives
the action.
There are two types of voice:
active voice and passive voice.
• 1. Active Voice- the subject is the doer of the
action

• Ex. Marilyn mailed the letter.

• 2. Passive Voice- the subject in the receiver of

the action

• Ex. The letter was mailed by Marilyn

Label the following sentences ACTIVE or
PASSIVE.
1.Loading and discharging operations are
done by the dockers.
2.The office will forward this document to
us.
3.They must use the landmark accurately.
4.I was asked by my officer to explain the
matter.
5.The streamer shall be loaded at the rate
of 500 tons per day.
Subject-Verb
Agreement
First Rule
a. Singular subjects need singular
verbs; plural subjects need plural
verbs.
Mario is a warehouse worker.
They are friends.
He creates a basket.
They create baskets.
b. The words that come
between the subject and the
verb do not affect the
agreement.

The man, who came to see their

friends, is disliked by many.
c. Prepositional phrases
between the subject and the
verb usually do not affect the
agreement.

The colors of the rainbow are

beautiful.
d. When sentences start with
“there”or “here”, the subject will
always be placed after the verb.

There is a problem with the test

items.
Here are the papers you requested.
e. Subjects don’t always come
before verbs in questions.
Accurately identify the subject first
before deciding on the proper verb
form to use.

Where are the pieces of this

puzzle?
f. If one of the words
each,every,or no comes before
the subject, the verb is singular.

No smoking or drinking is
allowed.
g. The singular verb form is usually
used for units of measurements.

Eight glasses of water is required to

maintain excellent digestion.
Second Rule: Compound
subjects
a. If two subjects are joined by and,
they usually require a plural verb
form.

Mario and Gloria were arguing

about Mario’s mistake of picking up
the apple.
b. If the subjects are both singular and
are connected by the words or, nor,
neither/nor, either/or, and not
only/but also the verb is singular.

Mario or Pablo is to blame for the

accident.
c. If one subject is singular and one
plural and the words are connected by
the words or ,nor, neither/nor,
either/or, and not only/but also, you
use the verb form of the subject that is
nearest the verb.

Either the bears or the lion has

escaped from the zoo.
d. The verb is singular if the two
subjects separated by and refer
to the same person or thing.

Sprout and tofu is my favorite

dish.
Third Rule: Special Cases
a. When noun and pronoun subjects
like some, half, none, more, all, etc.
are followed by a prepositional
phrase, the object of the
preposition determines the form of
the verb.
All of the chicken is gone.
All of the chickens are gone.
b. Indefinite pronouns typically
take singular verbs.

Everybody wants to be loved.

c. The pronouns few, many,
several, both, all, some, etc. always
take the plural form.

Many were helped after the flood.

d. If two infinitives are separated
by and they take the plural form of
the verb.

To walk and to chew gum require

great skill.
e. When gerunds are used as the subject of
a sentence they take the singular verb
form of the verb, but when they are linked
by and they take the plural form.

Standing in the water was a bad idea.

Swimming in the ocean and playing drums
are my hobbies.
d. Collective nouns like senate,
class, crowd, etc. usually take a
singular verb form.

The class is guided by the teacher.

e. Title of books, movies, novels,
etc. are treated as singular and
take a singular verb.

The Burbs is a movie starring Tom

Hanks.