Verbs Meaning-
A verb is a word which shows an action or a state (or situation) of the subject in a sentence.
1. Main verbs/ Lexical verbs
Example -
I teach English. teach (Action)
Virat plays cricket. (Action)
My father is ill (State)
I had an accident a few days ago. (State)
I will meet you next week. (Action)
Verb is divided in 2 main types
1. Main verbs/ Lexical verbs
2. Helping verbs/ Auxiliary verbs
1. Main verbs/ Lexical verbs:-
The verb which is of main importance in a sentence is called the main verb.
Example - I am teaching English.
Here teaching is the main verb without it there is no meaning of the sentences.
2. Helping verbs/ Auxiliary verbs:-
The verb which helps the man verb to form tenses, voice, mood, negative sentences or questons etc . is called a helping verb or an auxiliary verb.
Examples :-
1. Tense:-
a. I am teaching
am - helping verb - used to show present tense
teaching - main verb
b. Arjit was singing.
was - helping verb - used to show past tense
singing - main verb
2. Voice:-
a. I eat a mango
(active voice) eat - main verb
A mango is eaten by me.
(passive voice) is - helping verb / eaten - main verb
b. He closed the door.
(active voice)
closed - main verb
The door was closed by him.
(passive voice)
was - helping verb
closed - main verb
3. Mood:-
It may rain today.
may - helping verb
rain - main verb
I can swim.
can - helping verb
They should go now.
should - helping verb
4. Negative:-
He goes to office.
goes - main verb
He does not go to office.
does - helping verb - used to form negative
go - main verb
5. Interrogative:-
Does he go to office?
does - helping verb - used to form interrogative sentences
go - main verb
Helping verbs/ Auxiliary verbs is divided in 2 category
1. Primary Auxiliaries -
a. To be - be, being, been, is, am, are, was, were
b. To have - have, has, had, having
c. To do - do, does, did
2. Modal Auxiliaries/Modals -
A modal is a verb that is used with another verb (which is a main verb) to express mood (i.e. possibility, permission, obligation etc.) in a sentence.
Modals verbs are shall, will, can, may, should, would, could, might, must, ought to, used to, dare, need.
Note:
1. If there is only one verb in a sentence, it the main verb.
2. If there are more than 2 verbs in the sentences then the last verb would be called main verb and remaining are helping verb.
Examples:-
a. I have been reading.
reading - main verb
have, been - helping verb
b. I have been a teacher.
been - main verb
have - helping verb
c. I have a car.
have - main verb
3. Modal verbs are only use as a helping verb and it cant be use as a main verb. It is compulsory to use another verb as a main verb after modal verbs in a sentences. However there are some exceptions in case of need, dare. They are also known as Marginal Modal Auxiliaries (Semi-modal auxiliaries)
Example:-
a. You can help me.
can
help - main verb
b. He will come today.
will
come - main verb
c. May i come?
may
come - main verb
Need
d. I need it.
need - main verb
