English Grammar for the Utterly Confused - Laurie Rozakis 2003
Overview of Verb Functions
Chapter 3. Using Verbs Correctly
Part 1 Welcome to grammarland
You should read this chapter if you need to review or learn about
Get Started
In English, tense is used to show when something happens. Here, you will discover how verbs are formed and how they are used to show time. Note: This chapter is especially important for speakers of English as a second language.
Overview of Verb Functions
Recall from Chapter 1 that verbs are words that name an action or describe a state of being. There are four basic types of verbs: action verbs, linking verbs, helping verbs, and verb phrases. Verbs also convey information through changes in their form. Here are the five different things we find out from a verb:
• Tense (when the action takes place: past, present, or future)
• Person (who or what experiences the action)
• Number (how many subjects act or receive the action)
• Mood (the attitude expressed toward the action)
• Voice (whether the subject acts or is acted upon: the active or passive voice)