Verb Definition and Examples for Kids

What is a Verb?

For kids, understanding definition of verbs is very important for learning the English language. Verbs are like special action words that tell us about the things that happen, what someone or something does, or how something is. In other words, verbs are words that convey action, occurrence, or state of being. They are essential for making proper sentences, and learning about verbs can help kids improve their reading and writing skills.

Verb Definition:

A verb is a word that describes an action or a state of being. It is a part of speech that shows what the subject of a sentence is doing, what is happening to the subject, or what the subject is like. Verbs are the backbone of a sentence, and without them, a sentence would not make sense.

Verb Examples:

Here are some examples of verbs:
Run: I run every day.
Jump: He jumps over the hurdle.
Sing: She sings beautifully.
Dance: They dance to the music.
Eat: We eat breakfast every morning.

Types of Verbs:

Verb Types	Definitions
Action Verb:	Shows an action that is being performed by the subject of the sentence.
Helping Verb	Used with the main verb to indicate tense or to add meaning to a sentence.
Linking Verb	Connects the subject of a sentence to a noun or an adjective that describes it.
Modal Verb	indicate speaker's attitude or opinion about the action, permission, ability etc.
Transitive Verb	Transitive verb has a direct object in the sentence.
Intransitive Verb	Does not take a direct object in the sentence.
Phrasal Verb	Is created by combining a verb with one or more prepositions or adverbs.
Irregular Verb	Have their own unique past tense forms that do not follow the regular pattern of adding -ed.

1. Action Verbs:

Action verbs show what the subject of a sentence is doing. Examples include: run, jump, sing, dance, eat, play, draw, read, and write.
Example Sentences:
- The cat chased the mouse.
- I like to eat to my favorite chocolate.
- My mom bakes cookies for us every weekend.
- Shyam is playing with his Friends.

2. Helping Verbs:

Helping verbs, also known as auxiliary verbs, are used with the main verb to indicate tense or to add meaning to a sentence. Examples include: am, is, are, was, were, has, have, had, do, does, did, can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, and would.
Example Sentences:
- I am going to the park.
- They have finished their homework.
- He will be playing soccer with his friends.
- She should study for the test.

3. Linking Verbs:

Linking verbs connect the subject of a sentence to a noun or an adjective that describes it. Examples include: be, become, seem, feel, look, smell, taste, sound, and appear.
Example Sentences:
- The flowers in the vase look beautiful.
- The soup tastes salty.
- The girl seems sad.
- The air smells fresh.

4. Modal Verbs:

Modal verbs are used to indicate the mood or attitude of the speaker. Examples include: can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would, and ought to.
Example Sentences:
- You can go to the party if you finish your homework.
- I must go for the exam next Monday.
- She should eat breakfast before going to school.
- They will go to Kolkata next weekend.

5. Transitive Verbs:

Transitive verbs take a direct object in the sentence. Examples include: throw, catch, kick, write, draw, and read.
Example Sentences:
- He threw the ball to his friend.
- She caught the butterfly in her net.
- The boy hit the ball into the basket.
- The girl wrote a letter to her grandmother.

6. Intransitive Verbs:

Intransitive verbs do not take a direct object in the sentence. Examples include: run, swim, sleep, jump, and laugh.
Example Sentences:
- The dog runs in the park every day.
- I like to dance in the morning.
- He walks for an hours every morning.
- The boy jump up and down with his rope.

7. Phrasal Verbs:

Phrasal verbs are a combination of a verb and a preposition, adverb, or both. Examples include: look up, take off, go on,
Example Sentences:
- I need to look up the definition of this word.
- The rocket is scheduled to take off at noon.
- The winter will go on next month.
- She needs to clean up her room before her parents come home.

8. Irregular Verbs:

Irregular verbs do not follow the regular pattern of adding -ed to form the past tense. Instead, they have their own unique past tense forms. Examples include: go (went), eat (ate), run (ran), and see (saw).
Example Sentences:
- I went to the store to buy some milk.
- She ate a sandwich for lunch.
- She completed the marathon in just only four hours.
- They watched the movie at the cinema hall..

By understanding these different types of verbs and how they are used in sentences, young students can improve their reading and writing skills. It's important to practice identifying and using verbs correctly in order to communicate effectively.

A. Type: Fill in the blanks
1. The sun (rise, rose) in the east every morning.
2. The cat (meow, meowed) loudly when it was hungry.
3. We (are, were) playing soccer in the park yesterday.
4. She (has, had) never been to the beach before.
5. They (love, loved) the movie that they watched last night.
B. Type: Choose the correct verb
6. The dog (barks, barked) at the mailman every day.
7. I (am, was) walking to the store when it started to rain.
8. My friends and I (go, went) to the amusement park last weekend.
9. She (is, was) studying for her exam when the phone rang.
10. The flowers (smell, smelled) so sweet in the garden.
C. Type: Identify the type of verb
11. He is feeling much better now. ( )
12. We will visit our grandparents next week. ( )
13. The soup tastes salty. ( )
14. I enjoy playing tennis on weekends. ( )
15. She seems to be very happy today. ( )
D. Type: Rewrite the sentence with the correct verb tense
16. She eats pizza every Friday. (Past Tense)
17. The bird flies high in the sky. (Present Continuous Tense)
18. I will give you a call tomorrow. (Past Continuous Tense)
19. They had been waiting for the bus for 20 minutes. (Present Perfect Tense)
20. The baby will sleep soon. (Future Continuous Tense)

Answer keys for the worksheet
A. Type: Fill in the blanks
[1. rises, 2. meowed, 3. were, 4. had, 5. loved]
B. Type: Choose the correct verb
[6. barks, 7. was, 8. went, 9. was, 10. smelled]
C. Type: Identify the type of verb
[11. Linking verb, 12. Action verb, 13. Linking verb, 14. Action verb, 15. Linking verb]
D. Type: Rewrite the sentence with the correct verb tense
16. She ate pizza every Friday.
17. The bird is flying high in the sky.
18. I was giving you a call yesterday.
19. They have been waiting for the bus for 20 minutes.
20. The baby will be sleeping soon.