HyperGrammar2
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What Is a Verb?
The verb is perhaps the most important part of the sentence. A verb or compound verb asserts something about the subject of the sentence and expresses actions, events or states of being. The verb or compound verb is the critical element of the predicate of a sentence.
In each of the following examples, the verb or compound verb is highlighted.
- Dracula bites his victims on the neck.
The verb bites describes the action Dracula takes.
- In early October, Giselle will plant ninety tulip bulbs.
Here the compound verb will plant describes an action that will take place in the future.
- My first teacher was Miss Crawford, but I remember the principal Mr. Weatherbee more vividly.
The verb was (simple past tense) identifies a particular person and the verb remember describes a mental action.
- Karl Creelman bicycled around the world in 1899, but his diaries and his bicycle were destroyed.
Here the compound verb were destroyed describes an action which took place in the past.
© Department of English, Faculty of Arts, University of Ottawa, 2024
