Verbs at a glance
learn, know, become, need, explain
Read the rule, inspect the example, then check yourself.
Overview
Verbs are the center of English sentences. They show what happens, what exists, or what someone feels or thinks.
Main verbs carry meaning
Main verbs describe the action or state.
- learn, know, become, need, explain
Auxiliary verbs build grammar
Be, do, have, will, and modal verbs help form questions, negatives, tenses, and meanings.
- Do you understand?
- She has finished.
- They will practice.
Main Rules
English verbs change for tense, aspect, agreement, and verb pattern.
Present Simple adds -s after he, she, it
Use the base verb with I, you, we, they, and add -s or -es with he, she, it.
- I work.
- She works.
- He watches.
Use base verb after auxiliaries
After do, does, did, will, can, must, and should, use the base form.
- Did you go?
- She can speak English.
Patterns
Many verbs control the form of the next verb.
Verb patterns
| Pattern | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| verb + to infinitive | want to learn | plans, hopes, decisions |
| verb + -ing | enjoy learning | likes, dislikes, activities |
| verb + object + infinitive | help me understand | influence or assistance |
| modal + base verb | must review | no to after modals |
Examples
Verb form depends on the grammar around it.
She wants to improve her grammar.
Want is followed by to + base verb.
They did not understood the question.
They did not understand the question.
After did, use the base verb.
He enjoys reading examples.
Enjoy is followed by -ing.
Common Mistakes
Verb mistakes usually happen after auxiliaries or in third-person singular forms.
Does she studies every day?
Does she study every day?
Does already carries the third-person marker.
I can to explain it.
I can explain it.
Use the base verb after modal verbs.