Types of Verbs

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Types of Verbs:

Before you begin the verb tense lessons, it is extremely important to understand that NOT all English verbs are the same. English verbs are divided into three groups: Normal Verbs, Non-Continuous Verbs, and Mixed Verbs.

Group I: Normal Verbs:

Most verbs are "Normal Verbs." These verbs are usually physical actions which you can see somebody doing. These verbs can be used in all tenses.

Normal Verbs: to run, to walk, to eat, to fly, to go, to say, to touch, etc.

Examples:

• I eat dinner every day.

• I am eating dinner now.

Group II: Non-Continuous Verbs:

The second group, called "Non-Continuous Verbs," is smaller. These verbs are usually things you cannot see somebody doing. These verbs are rarely used in continuous tenses. They include:

- Abstract Verbs: to be, to want, to cost, to seem, to need, to care, to contain, to owe, to exist...

- Possession Verbs: to possess, to own, to belong...

- Emotion Verbs: to like, to love, to hate, to dislike, to fear, to envy, to mind...

Examples:

• He is needing help now. Not Correct

• He needs help now. Correct

• He is wanting a drink now. Not Correct

• He wants a drink now. Correct

Group III: Mixed Verbs:

The third group, called "Mixed Verbs," is the smallest group. These verbs have more than one meaning. In a way, each meaning is a unique verb. Some meanings behave like "Non-Continuous Verbs," while other meanings behave like "Normal Verbs"

Mixed Verbs: to appear, to feel, to have, to hear, to look, to see, to weigh...

List of Mixed Verbs with Examples and Definitions:

to appear:

• Donna appears confused. Non-Continuous Verb

DONNA SEEMS CONFUSED.

• My favorite singer is appearing at the jazz club tonight. Normal Verb

MY FAVORITE SINGER IS GIVING A PERFORMANCE AT THE JAZZ CLUB TONIGHT.

to have:

• I have a dollar now. Non-Continuous Verb

I POSSESS A DOLLAR.

• I am having fun now. Normal Verb

I AM EXPERIENCING FUN NOW.

to hear:

• She hears the music. Non-Continuous Verb

SHE HEARS THE MUSIC WITH HER EARS.

• She is hearing voices. Normal Verb

SHE HEARS SOMETHING OTHERS CANNOT HEAR. SHE IS HEARING VOICES IN HER MIND.

to look:

• Nancy looks tired. Non-Continuous Verb

SHE SEEMS TIRED.

• Farah is looking at the pictures. Normal Verb

SHE IS LOOKING WITH HER EYES.

to miss:

• John misses Sally. Non-Continuous Verb

HE IS SAD BECAUSE SHE IS NOT THERE.

• Debbie is missing her favorite TV program. Normal Verb

SHE IS NOT THERE TO SEE HER FAVORITE PROGRAM.

to see:

• I see her. Non-Continuous Verb

I SEE HER WITH MY EYES.

• I am seeing the doctor. Normal Verb

I AM VISITING OR CONSULTING WITH A DOCTOR. (ALSO USED WITH DENTIST AND LAWYER.)

• I am seeing her. Normal Verb

I AM HAVING A RELATIONSHIP WITH HER.

• He is seeing ghosts at night. Normal Verb

HE SEES SOMETHING OTHERS CANNOT SEE. FOR EXAMPLE GHOSTS, AURA, A VISION OF THE FUTURE, ETC.

to smell:

• The coffee smells good. Non-Continuous Verb

THE COFFEE HAS A GOOD SMELL.

• I am smelling the flowers. Normal Verb

I AM SNIFFING THE FLOWERS TO SEE WHAT THEIR SMELL IS LIKE.

to taste:

• The coffee tastes good. Non-Continuous Verb

THE COFFEE HAS A GOOD TASTE.

• I am tasting the cake. Normal Verb

I AM TRYING THE CAKE TO SEE WHAT IT TASTES LIKE.

to think:

• He thinks the test is easy. Non-Continuous Verb

HE CONSIDERS THE TEST TO BE EASY.

• She is thinking about the question. Normal Verb

SHE IS PONDERING THE QUESTION, GOING OVER IT IN HER MIND.

to weigh:

• The table weighs a lot. Non-Continuous Verb

THE TABLE IS HEAVY.

• She is weighing herself. Normal Verb

SHE IS DETERMINING HER WEIGHT.

Some Verbs Can Be Especially Confusing:

to be:

• Joe is American. Non-Continuous Verb

JOE IS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.

• Joe is being very American. Normal Verb

JOE IS BEHAVING LIKE A STEREOTYPICAL AMERICAN.

• Joe is being very rude. Normal Verb

JOE IS BEHAVING VERY RUDELY. USUALLY HE IS NOT RUDE.

• Joe is being very formal. Normal Verb

JOE IS BEHAVING VERY FORMALLY. USUALLY HE IS NOT FORMAL.

NOTICE: Only rarely is "to be" used in a continuous form. This is most commonly done when a person is temporarily behaving badly or stereotypically. It can also be used when someone's behavior is noticeably different.

to feel:

• The massage feels great. Non-Continuous Verb

THE MASSAGE HAS A PLEASING FEELING.

• I don't feel well today. Sometimes used as Non-Continuous Verb

I AM A LITTLE SICK.

I am not feeling well today. Sometimes used as Normal Verb

I AM A LITTLE SICK.

NOTICE: The second meaning of "feel" is very flexible and there is no real difference in meaning between "I don't feel well today" and "I am not feeling well today."