Action verbs are so named because they describe action (ran, jumped)—these are what you normally think of when you think of verbs. Linking verbs join the subject of a sentence to its complement (a word or phrase that describes the subject) either by depicting a state of being (be, appear, seem, sound) or a result of some kind (become, get). Helping or auxiliary verbs (can, may, will) are the least common verbs and always precede the main verb in a sentence, thus clarifying its action.

A linking verb (LV) illustrates the relationship between the sentence subject (S) and the subject complement (SC), which can be a noun, a pronoun, or an adjective.

Esperanza (S) was (LV) this year’s homecoming queen (SC). [SC is a noun]

The basketball (S) is (LV) his (SC). [SC is a pronoun]

The puppy’s fur (S) feels (LV) soft (SC) and silky (SC). [SCs are adjectives]

Verbs that function as linking verbs may sometimes function as transitive verbs, depending on context. Transitive verbs take one or more objects.

The air felt very cold [Linking verb felt + subject complement cold]

I felt the wall to find my way in the dark. [Transitive verb felt + direct object wall]

A helping verb affects the tense of the verb it accompanies and indicates shades of meaning in the sentence. The combination of a helping verb and a main verb is known as a verb phrase. While the parts of a verb phrase often appear side by side in a sentence, other words may sometimes separate them.

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In a few moments, Beyoncé is going to walk onstage.

I have told you many times that the essay is due at the end of the semester.

Samira will not ask her mother to drive us home from band practice today.

The principal parts of a verb are the different forms it can take. Verbs have three principal parts: the infinitive (or base), the past tense, and the past participle.

The infinitive is the simplest form of a verb and is generally preceded by the word to (to decide, to open, to work).

The past tense verb indicates an action completed in the past (decided, opened, worked).

The past participle is always combined with a helping verb and depicts action at various times, both future and past (have decided, has opened, will have worked). When the helping verb is a form of be, it creates the passive voice. In passive-voice sentences, the subject of the sentence receives the action of the verb.

Verbs also have a present participle, formed by adding -ing to the infinitive (deciding, opening, working). Present participles have multiple uses, including forming the present progressive tense (I am deciding), modifying a noun or pronoun (the lying scoundrel), or serving as gerunds, which function as nouns in a sentence (Writing is his passion).

To form the past tense of a regular verb, add -d or -ed to the infinitive. Regular verbs with infinitives that end in -e take -d in the past tense; verbs that don’t end in -e take -ed.

Infinitive to jump

Past Tense jumped

Past Participle jumped

While most verbs are regular verbs, there are numerous irregular verbs that do not end in -d or -ed in the past tense (dug, slept, chose, hurt). Like regular verbs, their principal parts include the present, the past, and the past participle.

A verb’s tense indicates the time of its action or state of being. The three simple tenses are present, past, and future.

The perfect tenses describe actions or events that occurred in the past but are linked to a later time, often the present.

The progressive tenses indicate actions or conditions continuing in the past, present, or future.

Simple Tenses

Present: I speak, I dance

Past: I spoke, I danced

Future: I will speak, I will dance

Perfect Tenses

Present perfect: I have spoken, I have danced

Past perfect: I had spoken, I had danced

Future perfect: I will have spoken, I will have danced

Progressive Tenses

Present progressive: I am speaking, I am dancing

Past progressive: I was speaking, I was dancing

Future progressive: I will be speaking, I will be dancing

The simple present tense typically indicates actions that take place once, repeatedly, or continuously in the present. The simple present form of a regular verb is based on the infinitive form. For the third person singular, add -s or -es to the infinitive.

Most irregular verbs also take the same form as regular verbs in the simple present.

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To choose

I choose, you choose, he/she/it chooses

we choose, you (all) choose, they choose

However, some irregular verbs do not add -s or ­-es to the infinitive to form the simple present.

To have

I have, you have, he/she/it has

As noted above, the simple present tense can describe an action happening currently.

I choose to do my homework.

However, it may also be used to describe a future action.

I will choose to do my homework.

When using the simple present to describe a future action, it’s often helpful to contextualize with words like before, after, or when.

Before I choose to do my homework, I will check my email.

The simple past tense is used to indicate actions that have already finished.

I groomed my horse yesterday. [Regular verb]

I rode my horse yesterday. [Irregular verb]

You may also use the helping verb did alongside the infinitive form of the main verb in a sentence to emphasize a past action or ask a question about an action performed in the past.

I rode.

I did ride. [Emphasizes the action]

Why did I ride? [Asks a question]

The simple future tense is used to depict actions that are expected to happen but haven’t yet. It is formed by adding will to the infinitive form of the verb.

Perfect tenses are used to depict actions completed at the time of another action. They are formed by adding a form of the helping verb have to the past participle (e.g., acted, chosen) of the main verb. The tense of have determines the tense of the entire verb phrase.

The present perfect tense indicates actions that were completed at any point prior to the present, and its helping verb is in the present tense (have or has).

Uncontrolled logging has destroyed many tropical forests.

The present perfect can also show an action completed before another action happening in the present (“I have decided that I want to audition for the school play”) or an action beginning in the past and continuing into the present (“Ms. Green has been teaching for thirty years” or “We have been rehearsing since the first week of school”).

The past perfect tense indicates actions that were completed before another action that also took place in the past. Its helping verb is in the past tense (had).

Homesteaders found that speculators had already taken all of the good land.

The future perfect tense indicates actions that will be completed by or before a point in the future. Its helping verb is in the future tense (will have).

In ten years, our investment will have doubled.

After today’s trip to the library, will you have studied enough to get an A on the final exam?

Progressive tenses indicate that an action is continuing or in progress. They are created by combining a form of the helping verb be with the present participle of the main verb (e.g., playing, running). The tense of be determines the tense of the entire verb phrase.

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The present progressive tense indicates actions that are ongoing or continuing into the present time. Its helping verb is in the present tense (am, is, are).

Yolanda is applying for a scholarship.

The present progressive of go can also be used to depict a future action when it is used in a context (typically with an infinitive phrase) that makes the time clear.

Carrie is going to help me with my essay after school. [to help = infinitive phrase]

The past progressive tense indicates continuous actions that took place in the past, often (but not always) with specified limits. Its helping verb is in the past tense (was, were).

In the 1980s, many baby boomers were becoming parents.

I was cleaning my room when you texted me.

The future progressive tense indicates actions that will take place continuously in the future. Its helping verb is in the future tense (will be).

The team will be competing in the NCAA tournament this year.

The perfect progressive tense depicts continuing actions that began in the past.

The present perfect progressive tense indicates an action that began in the past and continues to occur in the present. It is formed by adding the present perfect of the helping verb to be (has been, have been) to the present participle (e.g., running, playing) of the main verb.

The two sides have been trying to settle the case out of court.

The past perfect progressive tense indicates a continuing action that ended before another past action. It is formed by adding the past perfect form of the helping verb be (had been) to the present participle of the main verb.

Carter had been planning a naval career before his father died.

The future perfect progressive tense indicates an action that will continue into the future and be completed before or continue beyond another future action. It is formed by adding will have been to the present participle of the main verb.

By next July, I will have been living in Tucson for eight years.

Voice is the feature of transitive verbs that tells whether the subject of a sentence is acting or being acted upon.

Active voice indicates that the subject is acting. Principal parts and helping verbs make up the active voice.

The police questioned him.

Passive voice indicates that the subject is being acted upon. To construct a verb phrase in the passive voice, add a form of be to a past participle.

He was questioned by the police.

It’s generally preferable to use the active voice in academic writing because it makes the prose more immediate, and clearly indicates who is doing what. Because the passive voice de-emphasizes sentence subjects, it can make prose vague and more difficult to understand.

The mood of the verb indicates the purpose and intent of the sentence. In other words, verb mood indicates whether the writer or speaker is stating a fact, giving a command, or describing something that is either conditional (maybe true) or contrary to fact (untrue).

Most verbs are in the indicative mood, which is used to state a fact, ask a question, or express an opinion.

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The geese landed on the field in a flock.

Where are you going?

People should recycle their garbage.

The imperative mood is used to make a request or give a command or direction. The subject of an imperative sentence is always you, but it is generally omitted from the sentence. Verbs in imperative sentences always take the infinitive, or base, form.

Please buy today’s newspaper on your way home.

[You please buy . . .]

Sit down right now! [You sit down right now!]

Use the socket wrench to loosen the lug nuts on

the tire. [You use the socket wrench . . .]

The subjunctive mood is used to express a wish, requirement, suggestion, or condition contrary to fact.

If a clause opens with that and expresses a requirement, it is in the subjunctive mood and its verb should be in the infinitive form.

It is our policy that volunteers contribute fifteen hours a week.

When the subjunctive mood describes a condition that is wishful, doubtful, or outright contrary to fact, it is often found in a clause that begins with the word if. It may also follow a verb that expresses doubt. The verb to be becomes were in the subjunctive mood. All other verbs take the simple past tense in the subjunctive mood.

I wish I were in Hawaii right now.

If the government prohibited the sale of tobacco nationwide, the cancer mortality rate would decline.

However, when an event, action, or condition was contrary to fact at some point in the past, use the past perfect tense instead of the simple past to form the subjunctive mood.

If I had been in the game instead of on the sidelines, we would have won.