Main Verb

Main verbs and helping verbs are the two primary categories into which verbs are divided. You can learn the definition of a main verb from this article. To gain a clear understanding of the English language’s main verb usage, go through the examples as well.

What Is a Main Verb?

Main verbs are the big action words in sentences. They show what the subject is doing. Like “run,” “eat,” “sleep,” or “laugh.” Know these well for exams. Understanding this makes answering questions easier.

Definition of a Main Verb

In a sentence, the main verb does the main action. It’s super important. Auxiliary verbs help with tense and mood. Main verbs are like the backbone of the sentence. Understanding this helps with exams.

Types of Main Verbs:

Main verbs are the action words in a sentence. They come in different types, and understanding them can help you use them correctly.

• Transitive and Intransitive Verbs:

Transitive Verb: These verbs need an object to make sense. It’s like they do something to something or someone. For example, “She kicked the ball.” The verb “kicked” needs the object “ball” to complete the action.

Intransitive Verb: These verbs don’t need an object to complete their meaning. They express action without needing to affect something else. For example, “He sleeps peacefully.” The verb “sleeps” doesn’t need anything else to make sense.

• Regular and Irregular Verbs:

Regular Verb: These verbs follow a usual pattern when you change their form. For example, “walk” becomes “walked” in the past tense and “walking” in the present participle.

Irregular Verb: These verbs don’t follow the usual pattern when you change their form. Each irregular verb has its own unique way of changing. For example, “go” becomes “went” in the past tense and “gone” in the past participle.

• Finite and Infinite Verbs:

Finite Verb: This is the main verb in a sentence that shows tense and agrees with the subject. It’s like the engine that drives the sentence forward. For example, in “He walks to school,” “walks” is the finite verb.

Infinite Verb: These verbs don’t change based on the subject and don’t show tense. They often appear with “to” before them. For example, in “She likes to dance,” “to dance” is the infinite verb.

How to Use Main Verbs:

Main verbs are words we use to talk about actions. They can be either regular or irregular, and how we use them depends on their type.

Regular verbs are ones that follow a pattern when changing tenses. For example, we add “-ed” to the end of the verb to show it happened in the past. Like “walked” instead of “walk” or “painted” instead of “paint”.

Here are some examples:

• He walks to work every day. (present tense)
• She danced beautifully at the recital. (past tense)
• They laughed at the funny movie. (past tense)
• I have painted my room a new color. (past participle)
• The chef cooked a delicious meal. (past tense)

Irregular verbs, on the other hand, don’t follow this pattern. They have unique forms for past and past participle.

Here are some examples:

• She sang a melodious song. (past tense)
• He went to the store yesterday. (past tense)
• They drove to the mountains for the weekend. (past tense)
• I have eaten breakfast already. (past participle)
• The wind blew the leaves away. (past tense)

So, in short, regular verbs follow a simple rule when changing tenses, while irregular verbs have their own special forms.

Examples of Main Verbs

Main verbs come in all shapes and sizes, from the mundane to the magnificent. Here’s a glimpse of some common main verbs you’re likely to encounter:

• Talk
• Walk
• Sit
• Jump
• Teach
• Grab
• Gulp
• Swallow
• Digest
• Drink
• Do
• Swim
• Write
• Speak
• Read
• Leave
• Am
• Is
• Are
• Have
• Has
• Take
• Lend
• Request
• Apologize
• Make
• Try
• Pause
• Copy
• Invent
• Discover
• Chat

These verbs, when used as the primary action in a sentence, function as main verbs, driving the narrative forward with their lexical meaning.

Also Check: JEE Foundation Course

How to Use Main Verbs in Sentences?

Main verbs can be further categorized into regular and irregular verbs, each with its own set of rules for conjugation. Regular verbs follow predictable patterns when forming tenses, while irregular verbs require memorization of their unique forms. Let’s illustrate with examples:

• Regular Verb: “I walk to school every day.”
• Irregular Verb: “She ate lunch with her friends yesterday.”

In both cases, the main verb (“walk” and “ate”) anchors the action in the sentence, providing clarity and context.

Difference between Main Verbs and Helping Verbs

Main verbs do the main action, while helping verbs give extra information about tense, mood, or voice. For example, “Understanding” is a main verb and “will help” is a helping verb. When you understand this, you can answer exam questions more easily.

• Main Verb: “The bird sings melodiously.”
• Helping Verb: “She has been singing all day.”

In the first sentence, “sings” is the main verb, expressing the action of the bird. In the second sentence, “has been” are helping verbs, indicating the continuous aspect of the action expressed by the main verb “singing.”

Test Your Knowledge on Main Verbs

Now, let’s put your understanding to the test! Can you identify the main verbs in the following sentences?

• Raam sent me a gift for my wedding.

Main verb: sent

• Tharun has a brother.

Main verb: has

• It is Chirrag’s birthday today.

Main verb: is

• Sheena had visited her mother, who was hospitalized.

Main verb: had visited

• I have called for a meeting of all the previous employees this evening.

Main verb: have called

• When can you deliver the package?

Main verb: can deliver

• They are trapped inside a vault.

Main verb: are trapped

• The mom ran with her children to safety.

Main verb: ran

• She started screaming when she saw a cockroach.

Main verb: started screaming

• Can I ask you a question?

Main verb: can ask

Mastering main verbs is essential for effective communication in English. By understanding their role as the primary action bearers in sentences, you can elevate your language skills and express yourself with clarity and precision. So, next time you’re crafting a sentence, remember the power of the main verb and let it shine!

Verbs FAQs

What is the main verb?

A main verb is the star of a sentence, showing the primary action done by the subject. Whether it's run, eat, or laugh, main verbs tell us what's happening.

How do main verbs differ from helping verbs?

Main verbs carry the main action in a sentence, while helping verbs support by indicating tense, mood, or voice. For example, She sings (main verb) versus She has been singing (helping verbs has been).

What are the types of main verbs?

Main verbs come in different types: Transitive: Need an object to make sense, like She kicked the ball. Intransitive: Don't need an object, like He sleeps peacefully. Regular: Follow a pattern when changing tenses, like walked. Irregular: Don't follow a pattern, like went. Finite: Show tense and agree with the subject, like He walks. Infinite: Don't change based on the subject and don't show tense, like to dance.

How do I use main verbs in sentences?

Regular verbs follow patterns when changing tenses, like adding -ed for past tense (walked). Irregular verbs have unique forms, like went for past tense.