Verb for Kids: A Simple Guide to Understanding Verbs

Lets Learn The Types of Verbs :

Physical Verbs

Physical verbs are also known as action verbs. Examples of physical verbs are-

• She sells flowers in her lane.

• Matt swept the kitchen floor.

Mental Verbs

Verbs which consist of meanings that are related to the concepts are called mental verbs. For example:

• She knows the puzzle by heart.

• Ram believes honesty is the best policy.

How Do You Recognise a Verb?

A verb can be identified by the location of the subject. Verbs mostly come after a noun or a pronoun which are referred to as the ‘subjects’ in a sentence.

For example, Ram was thinking about a plan.

Here, the verb is ‘thinking’, which comes after the subject ‘Ram’. Other examples are as follows:

• Steve eats his lunch slowly.

• We went to the shop to buy flowers.

• You write very neatly on the board.

• They thought about a brilliant magic trick for the function.

What are the Types of Verbs for Kids?

There are many types of verbs that are used for various actions. Let us have a look at the list of verbs:

1. Action Verbs

2. Transitive Verbs

3. Intransitive Verbs

4. Auxiliary Verbs

5. Stative Verbs

6. Modal Verbs

7. Phrasal Verbs

What are Action Verbs?

Run is an Action Verb

Action verbs describe the action that is represented in the sentence and complete a sentence. Action verbs are as follows:

1. Run

2. Dance

3. Slide

4. Jump

5. Think

6. Do

7. Go

8. Stand

9. Smile

10. Listen

What are Transitive Verbs?

Love is an Example of the Transitive Verb.

Verbs that represent any doable activities which affect someone or something are called transitive verbs. For example:

1. Love

2. Respect

3. Tolerate

4. Believe

5. Maintain

What are Intransitive Verbs?

These verbs also represent doable actions. But they are very much different from transitive verbs as there is no presence of any direct object which is required to be followed by the intransitive verbs. Intransitive verbs include:

1. Walk

2. Laugh

3. Cough

4. Play

5. Run

What are Auxiliary Verbs?

These are the connecting verbs. They connect the main verbs in the sentence. Examples are:

1. Would

2. Should

3. Do

4. Can

5. Did

6. Could

7. May

What are Stative Verbs?

Stative verbs represent actions which are displayed while it is stated. They relate to the thoughts, emotions, relationships, senses etc. Examples of static verbs are:

1. Disagrees

2. Doubts

3. Believes

4. Wanted

What are Modal Verbs?

Modal verbs are the verbs that express possibilities, abilities, permissions and even obligations. Examples include,

1. Should

2. Must

3. Would

4. May

What are Phrasal Verbs?

These verbs are not a single one-word verb, rather they relate to a complete phrase. Examples of phrasal verbs are:

1. Run out

2. Get out

3. Face up

4. Hand out

5. Think Through

6. Run across

Understanding Gerunds, Infinitives, and Verb Voices

A quick Summary for the above:

In this article, we have learned about different types of verbs. Verbs are integral elements of a sentence. It helps students to understand the structure of the sentence. There are other components of sentences such as preposition, adjective, noun, etc. are also present. Students must know all these components. To know and learn these components, visit our website.

Common Confusions About Verbs

• Action vs. State: Kids often confuse action verbs (like "run") with state verbs (like "feel").

• Tenses: Understanding when to use past, present, or future tense can be tricky.

• Helping Verbs: Differentiating between main verbs and helping verbs (like "is" or "has") can cause confusion.

• Irregular Verbs: Irregular verb forms, like "go" and "went," often puzzle kids.

• Verb Agreement: Matching the correct verb form with singular or plural subjects can be challenging.

Tips for Learning Verbs

• Start with easy examples to explain the difference between action and state verbs.

• Use daily routines to practice different tenses, like "I eat," "I ate," and "I will eat."

• Highlight helping verbs in sentences and explain their role.

• Create fun activities, like matching games, to remember irregular verb forms.

• Play games that focus on choosing the correct verb form for singular and plural subjects.

Worksheet to Solve

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete the following sentences by choosing the correct verb.

1. The dog _______ loudly at night. (barks/bark)

2. She _______ to the store every day. (go/goes)

3. They _______ their homework before dinner. (do/does)

4. I _______ my favourite book yesterday. (read/reads)

5. The birds _______ in the sky. (fly/flies)

Exercise 2: Match the Verb with the Correct Sentence

Match each verb in Column A with the appropriate sentence in Column B.

Answers Key

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

1. barks

2. goes

3. do

4. read

5. Fly
   

Exercise 2: Match the Verb with the Correct Sentence

Test Your Understanding of the Topic

1. Which of the following is an action verb?

A) Run

B) Is

C) Happy

D) Tall

2. Which sentence is in the past tense?

A) I am eating.

B) I will eat.

C) I ate.

D) I eat.

3. What is the helping verb in the sentence: "She is singing"?

A) She

B) Singing

C) Is

D) The

4. Which of the following is an irregular verb?

A) Jump

B) Walk

C) Go

D) Talk

5. In the sentence "The cat runs fast," which word is the verb?

A) The

B) Cat

C) Fast

D) Runs

Check the Answers Below:

1. A) Run

2. C) I ate.

3. C) Is

4. C) Go

5. D) Runs

Takeaways from the Topic “Verbs”

• Definition: Verbs express actions, events, or states of being.

• Types:

• Action Verbs: Describe actions (e.g., run).

• Linking Verbs: Connect subjects to states (e.g., is).

• Auxiliary Verbs: Help form tenses (e.g., have, will).

• Tenses: Verbs indicate time (present, past, future).

• Subject-Verb Agreement: Verbs must match their subjects in number and person.

• Regular vs. Irregular: Regular verbs follow a pattern in past forms, while irregular verbs do not.

• Active vs. Passive Voice: Active voice has the subject performing the action, passive voice has the action done to the subject.

• Modal Verbs: Express necessity or possibility (e.g., can, might).