Verbs: overview

 

We use verbs to talk about actions:

• He gets up at 7.30 every morning.
• They play football on Saturdays.
• I didn’t want to work yesterday.

 

We also use verbs to talk about states:

• The weather is very hot today.
• I don’t know the answer.
• She doesn’t like classical music.

 

Main Verbs

 

These are main verbs:

• He gets up at 7.30 every morning.
• They play football on Saturdays.
• I didn’t walk to work yesterday.

Main verbs carry meaning.

• The weather is very hot today.
• I don’t know the answer.
• She doesn’t like classical music.

 

Auxiliary Verbs

 

These are auxiliary verbs:

• I don’t know the answer.
• She doesn’t like classical music.
• I didn’t walk to work yesterday.

 

We can use them to form negatives and questions. For example, in the present simple tense:

 

Present Simple Negatives:

• I don’t know the answer.
• She doesn’t like classical music.

 

I You We They	don’t (do + not)	base verb
He She It	doesn’t (does + not)	base verb

 

Present Simple Questions:

• Do you know the answer?
• Does she like classical music?

 

Do	I you we they	base verb
Does	he she it	base verb

 

In the past simple:

• I didn’t walk to work yesterday.
• Did you walk to work yesterday?

 

We can also use them to form different tenses:

 

• He’s studying hard for an exam.
• I have never been to Canada.
• We have been learning English for two years.

 

Modal verbs

 

These are modal verbs (or modal auxiliary verbs):

• He can speak Japanese very well.
• You shouldn’t eat so much chocolate.
• I must not forget my Mum’s birthday.

We use modal verbs with main verbs to add to the meaning.