Page 42 - DENG103_English - I

Unit 4: Parts of Speech: Verb and Adverb

• need Notes

• dare
• used to

Task Write down 10 sentences containing helping verb and main verb and mention the
types of verb.

Main Verbs
Main verbs have meaning on their own (unlike helping verbs). There are thousands of main
verbs, and we can classify them in several ways:

Notes Main verbs are also called “lexical verbs”.

Transitive and intransitive verbs

A transitive verb takes a direct object: Somebody killed the President. An intransitive verb
does not have a direct object: He died. Many verbs, like speak, can be transitive or intransitive.
Look at these examples:
transitive:

• I saw an elephant.
• We are watching TV.
• He speaks English.

Intransitive:
• He has arrived.
• John goes to school.

• She speaks fast.

Linking verbs
A linking verb does not have much meaning in itself. It “links” the subject to what is said
about the subject. Usually, a linking verb shows equality (=) or a change to a different state
or place (>). Linking verbs are always intransitive (but not all intransitive verbs are linking
verbs).
• Mary is a teacher. (Mary = teacher)
• Tara is beautiful. (Tara = beautiful)

• That sounds interesting. (that = interesting)
• The sky became dark. (the sky > dark)

• The bread has gone bad. (bread > bad)

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