VERB 

A word that states something about a person or a thing is known as verb. It is the most important word in a sentence because without it a sentence remains incomplete. It shows either action or state of a person or a thing. Read the following sentences: 

Ahmed writes a letter. (Action) 

Naseema is sick. (State) 

In the first sentence, the word 'writes' states what Ahmed does. So it is a 'stating word' and shows action. In the second, sentence the word "is" is showing the state of Naseema. 

Kinds of Verbs 

There are two kinds of verbs: 

1. Principal Verbs 

2. Auxiliary Verbs 

A principal verb expresses a meaning of its own whereas an auxiliary verb helps a principal verb to form Its voice, mood or tone. When so used, the auxiliary verb has no meaning of its own; as: 

1. We have a garden. 

2. We have visited the garden. 

In the first sentence 'have' has its own meaning, namely, that of possession. it is, therefore, a principal verb. In the second sentence the verb 'have' does not express meaning ot its own but it helps the principal verb to form the Present Perfect Tense. 

The major auxiliary verb are ---- be, is, are, am, was, were, has. have, had do, does, did, can, could, shall, will, would, should, may might.

CLASSES OF PRINCIPAL VERBS 

The principal verbs are divided into two classes. 

1. Transitive
2. Intransitive

 

The Transitive Verbs indicate actions which pass from the subject/doer to the person or thing require direct object. See the following sentences: 

She recites the Holy Qur'an. 

Ali serves his parents. 

In the above sentences action passes from the subject to the objects. 

Note: Many verbs can be used both transitively and intransitively.

The intransitive Verbs denote actions which stop with the subject and do not pass to some object; as: 

She smiles. 

The child weeps. 

In these sentences Intransitive verb 'smiles' and 'weeps' are complete in sense without an object. In both the sentences action remains with the subject. 

EXERCISES:

Tell whether the verb in the following sentences is transitive or intransitive. 

1. The peon rings the bell. 

2. Some countries have been persecuting the Palestinians for fifty years. 

3. Zain does not fly the kite: 

4. The birds fly in the air. 

5. He gave up smoking. 

6. The evening has fallen. 

7. the crops are growing well. 

8. India lies to the east of Pakistan.

9. The teacher advised the students.

10. The moon shines in the sky. 

11. The wood-cuter fells the trees.  

12. He fell off the roof. 

13. Why did you irritate her? 

14. Columbus discovered America.

15. America massacred the Afghans.

16. He informed of his success. 

17. His fever came down. 

18. The boy broke through the crowd. 

19. I persuaded him to continue his education. 

20. The corporation eradicated the stray dogs.

21. The baby sleeps. 

22. He lives in Lahore.

23. A heavy rain fell yesterday. 

24 A bomb went off. 

25- The train arrived at the station. 

COMPLEMENTS 

Complements of Intransitive Verbs 

Read the following sentences: 

(i) Ali laughs.

(ii) Sara becomes a teacher. 

Both these sentences contain Intransitive verbs. But when use say "Ali laughs", we do convey full/complete sense. But if use say "Sara becomes", we do not convey complete sense. 

Thus, the intransitive verbs can be categorized into two broad kinds: 

(a) The intransitive verbs which convey there complete sense without any further addition.

(b) The intransitive verbs which do not convey complete sense and need certain words (called complements) to convey complete sense. 

For example, the intransitive verb "becomes" requires a word (teacher) to convey complete sense. The verb of this kind is called a verb of incomplete predication. Consequently, the word "teacher" which is needed to covey complete sense is labelled as "Complement of the Verb". The complements can usually be a noun, an adjective, they can also be called as predicative noun or predicative adjective when complements are nouns or adjectives respectively. When the complements talks about the subject, they are also called "Subjective Complement". 

For example: 

(i) Nadeem is a soldier 

(ii) Sara becomes a lecturer. 

(iii) Naeem seems exhausted. 

(iv) The room grew dark. 

(v) Mangoes taste sweet. 

(vi) The ball is round. 

(vii) Ali looks sad. 

(viii) The rotten fruits smell had. 

(ix) Aliya appears dejected. 

Complements of Transitive Verbs:

Sometimes, even transitive verbs with the objects do not convey the intended meanings. In order to convey the intended meanings or sense, we add certain words after the object.

These words are also called "Complements". These words can also be nouns or adjectives or noun equivalent or adjective equivalent parts of speech: 

(i) The teacher made All monitor 

(ii) Her family named her Sara. 

(iii) The court found him guilty. 

(iv) The assembly elected him president. 

(v) Yoga has made his body flexible. 

As these complements are added after the object, they are called "Objective Complements". 

EXERCISE:

Find out transitive and intransitive verb in the following sentences. Mention the objects of transitive verbs and complement of each intransitive verb of incomplete predication: 

(1) New broom sweeps well. 

(2) The senate elected him chairman. 

(3) She found him weeping.

(4) He always speak the truth. 

(5) The poor man went mad. 

(6) The baby fell asleep. 

(7) They are Arians. 

(8) The weather is cold. 

(9) The news proved false. 

(10) Good boys do not hide their mistakes. 

INFINITIVE

The Infinitive is a base of the verb, often preceded by 'to'. The infinitive is equivalent of the Urdu word 'musdar'. (مصدر)

To come 

to write

to sell

See the following sentences: 

To take exercise is useful for health. 

To deceive others is very bad. 

The Uses of Infinitive: 

The infinitive is used. 

(i) As the subject of a verb: 

To err is human; to forgive divine. 

To take exercise is useful for health. 

To tell a lie is a sin. 

To hear is to obey. 

(ii) As the object of a verb: 

He wants to go abroad. 

I like to play hockey. 

We decided to help him. 

She tried to deceive us. 

(iii) As the complement of a verb:(Intransitive)

 My greatest desire is to serve humanity. 

His earnest ambition is to pass M.A. 

(iv) As an Objective of a Preposition: 

The exam is about to begin. 

She had no option but to eat. 

(v) As an Objective Complement. 

I saw him go. 

When the infinitive is used like a noun, it is called the simple infinitive. The infinitive is also used as an Adverb and Adjective. 

(1) To qualify a verb, especially showing some purpose. 

  We come to meet, OR We study to pass. (Adverb) 

(2) To qualify an adjective. 

Mangoes are good to eat. OR It is difficult to do. (Adverb) 

(3) To qualify a noun. 

This is not the lesson to read. (Adjective) 

This is the moment to leave. 

The following verbs usually take the infinitive as an object.

Afford         Agree           Appear

Arrange      Attempt.       Beg 

Begin           Bend            Care

Come          Continue      Decide 

Hurry          Delay             intend 

Desire          Learn            Expect 

Like              Fail                Love 

Fear              Manage        Forget 

Mean            Happen        Offer 

Hate              Ought            Have 

Prefer.          Hope              Pretend 

A poor student cannot afford to join a private college. 

Pakistan will attempt to win the match. 

The children love to visit the zoo. 

We ought to serve our parents. 

America has threatened to attack Iraq. 

He pretended to be ill.

The infinitive without 'to' is used after the following verbs. In this case the infinitive is called bare infinitive. The infinitive without "to" is also used after the verbs may, might, can, could, Would, must (model verbs) e.g. 

I shall play the game. He can trust me. 

Bid, let, make, hear, feel, dare, need. 

I heard her cry. 

You need not worry. 

The king bade Khipil stand for seven days.

You dare not face crisis. 

I made him give up smoking. 

The teacher let him go. 

THE PARTICIPLE (Verbal Adjective) 

'A Participle is a word which is partly a verb and partly an adjective'. Thus it may also be called a Verbal Adjective because it performs the function of a verb and an adjective at the same time. 

See the following sentences: 

Hearing the noise, the baby woke up. 

He married a working woman. 

Seeing the lion, the deer ran away. 

I saw a shining star in the sky at night. 

Kinds of Participle 

There are three kinds of participle: 

Present Participle 

Past Participle 

Perfect Participle 

Present Participles end in 'ing'. They do not denote time but an unfinished action; as_ 

Arriving early, you will catch the train. 

He went on wasting his health. 

Past Participles show a finished action or state of a person or a thing. They always end in 'd', `ed', 't' or 'en' as it indicates a completed action. 

The broken goods were returned. 

We received a written statement. 

He bought a damaged car. 

Correct the mis-spelt words. 

Perfect Participle expresses an action which was completed at some time in the past. They are formed by pacing 'having' before the past participle, 

Having finished his work, he took rest. 

Having qualified his M.A. he joined the education department. 

Uses of Participles 

1. Present Participle is used to form Continuous Tenses( Active Voice). 

It is raining. 

He was waiting for me. 

She will be washing the clothes. 

2. Past participle is used to form Perfect Tenses with Auxiliary Verb 'has', have, had. Also used in passive voice form of the verb with the verbs be, is, am, are, was, were, been, e.g.

Mangoes are eaten by her. 

I have completed my work. 

They had won the match. 

He will have reached home. 

3. Participle are used as simple qualifying adjectives with a noun. 

A rolling stone gathers no moss. 

A burnt child dreads fire. 

Exercise:  

High light or pick out the participle in each of the following sentences. Also tell whether it is a Present, a Past participle or Perfect Participle.

1. Having completed his assignment, he went home.

2.  I saw the birds flying in the sky. 

3. Going to college, I meet the children. 

4. Knocking at the gate, he entered the house.

5. The government confiscated the smuggled goods. 

6. We should export finished goods. 

7. Having lost his licence, he applied for a new one. 

8. Seeing the teacher, all the boys stood up. 

9. Hearing the blast, we were frightened. 

10. His insulting behaviour irritated us. 

THE GERUND (Verbal Noun) 

[A Gerund is partly, a verb and partly a noun.] Thus it may also be called Verbal Noun. It is made or formed by adding 'ing' to a verb:

Swimming is not allowed. 

He is fond of watching T.V. 

I like reading short stories. 

Smoking ruined his health. 

His hobby is painting. 

He was accused of smuggling. 

Distinction between Present Participle and Gerund 

Both Present Participle  and Gerund end in 'ing'. The difference between them is that the formes is like an Adjective while the latter is used like a Noun:

See the following sentences: 

Gerund: Smoking ruined is health. 

I retrained him from smoking. 

Present Participle: Smoking excessively, he ruined his health. Hearing noise, he opens the door. 

USES OF GERUND 

A Gerund being a Verbal Noun may be used as: 

(a) Subject of a verb:

 Smuggling is a heinous crime. 

Cheating is not allowed. 

(b) Object of a Transitive Verb: 

The children like visiting the zoo. 

He loves painting and singing. 

(C) Object of a preposition: 

He was prevented from going abroad. 

I am fond of hiking. 

He was tired of visiting office. 

The teacher punished him for making a mistake.

(d) Complement of a verb, which is intransitive. 

Saving is earning. 

Waiting is boring.

What I like most is studying poetry. 

EXERCISE: 

Point out the participles and Gerunds also in the following sentences: 

1. His pleasing manners impressed us. 

2. Washing the clothes Naseema spread them in the sun. 

3. His injured foot was examined by the doctor. 

4. Wrestling is liked by the children. 

5. Having encouraged by his supports, he made another attempt. 

6. I spend my evening watching T.V. programmes. 

7. Walking on the grass is forbidden. 

8. I like reading poetry. 

9. The singing birds amused us. 

10.  He had to discontinue a flourishing business. 

11. You will have to give up smoking. 

12. What I hate most is smoking. 

13. The embracing climate of Murree attracts the tourists. 

14. Go and catch the falling star. 

15. Hearing a noise, she rushed to the door.

16. His injured leg was dressed by the doctor.

17. The broken chair was repaired. 

18. Pakistan won the losing game. 

19. His pleasing manners impress us. 

20. l am anxious about his falling health. 

THE MOOD OF THE VERB:

[The mood of the verb is the mode or manner in which the action denoted by the verb is expressed.] 

There are three moods in English.

(i) The Indicative Mood 

(ii) The Imperative Mood 

(iii) The Subjunctive Mood 

The Indicative Mood is used: 

1. to make a statement.[Positive or negative]

Pakistan exports, rice. 

Ahmed speaks, the truth. 

He does not waste time. 

We never injure others' feelings. 

2. to ask a question: 

Do you like hot tea? 

Will he take examination this year? 

Did you meet him yesterday? 

Has she washed the clothes? 

3, to express supposition: or Condition (Probable Condition) 

If it rains, the weather will be pleasant. 

If you work hard, you will succeed. 

If he tells a lie, the teacher will punish him. 

The imperative Mood is used: 

1. to express a command: 

(a) Go ahead 

(b) Keep quiet. 

(c) Don't make a noise.

(d) Stop talking and do your work.

2. to express a request/prayer 

(a) Please solve this sum. 

(b) Kindly show me the way. 

(c) Have mercy on us. 

3. Sentence beginning with the verb "let". 

(a) Let me do my work.

(b) Let us go to the river.

(c) Let him enjoy himself.

   

4. to express an advice/exhortation 

(a) Respect your teachers. 

(b) Be steady. 

The Subjunctive Mood is used :

Present subjunctive is used:

1. to express wish or hope. (Present Subjunctive Mood) 

(a) May you live long!.  

(b) O God! help us. 

(c) God save our country!

(d) May God bless you with a son! 

2. In formal English, in a noun clause dependent on a verb expressing resolution.

(a) it is suggested that a bypass road be built to relieve the congestion. 

(b) I move that Mr. Omar be appointed chairman. 

Past Subjunctive is used. 

1. to indicate a situation which is unreal (after the verb 'wish') 

I wish I were a king. 

I wish I saw through the plot. 

2. to indicate improbability and unreality after as if, as though, if

If I were you, I would have resigned the job. 

He orders us as if he were our boss. 

He talks as though he was a business man. 

3. After it is time + subject, to indicate that it is late; as, 

It is time she began preparation. 

4. After would rather + subject, to indicate preference; as, 

He would rather you went by land. 

They would rather you paid them by cross cheque.

EXERCISE:

Respect others. 

2, lqbal is our national poet. 

3. Who will bell the cat? 

4. Have you completed your assignment? 

5 Do not abuse others. 

6. If it rains, the crops will grow well. 

7. Have mercy upon us. 

8. He argues as though he were a lawyer. 

9. Please give me a piece of bread. 

10. He walks as if he were the president. 

11. Kindly grant me leave for one day. 

12. Where is your college situated? 

13. Get out of the room. 

14. If you speak the truth. I shall forgive you.

15. Tipu Sultan embraced martyrdom bravely.

16. Stop writing and stand up. 

17. May you get better soon! 

18. Please lend me two thousand rupees. 

19. Can you soave this sum? 

20. Write in ink, please.