Author: Awais Farooq
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Verb categories
Aside from the different types, verbs also come in different categories. Dynamic, stative, and auxiliary verbs all make up the categories below. Transitive, intransitive, and ditransitive Transitive, intransitive, and ditransitive refer to how a verb acts with direct and indirect objects. A direct object is the person or thing that the action happens to, while an indirect object…
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Auxiliary (helping) verbs
Auxiliary verbs, or “helping verbs,” are used in English to change another verb’s tense, voice, or mood. When auxiliary verbs are used, there’s always a main verb that represents the main action. However, the auxiliary verb must still be conjugated correctly. The main auxiliary verbs are be, have, and do. We explain how they’re used specifically for conjugating…
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Types of verbs
Dynamic (action) verbs Most verbs describe a physical action or activity, something external that can be seen or heard. These verbs are formally known as dynamic verbs, but can also be called action or event verbs. Examples: walk, laugh, swim, play, eat, drink, sing, dance, talk, say There are a lot of actions that take place in our minds…
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What is a verb?
Let’s start with the basics: What is a verb? Verbs are words that describe actions, whether physical or mental. Verbs also describe a “state of being,” like the verbs be, become, or exist. Salah ran across the field, kicked the ball, and scored a goal. “I am the State.” —King Louis XIV Some verbs also act as “helper verbs” to…
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Predicate Adjectives
Although many adjectives fall before the nouns they modify, as in the examples above, those used in sentences or clauses with linking verbs fall after the nouns they modify. Linking verbs describe a state of being rather than an action; the most common linking verb is to be, and others include sense verbs like appear,…
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Gender-neutral and gender-inclusive pronouns
When somebody tells you their pronouns, using their pronouns is an act of respect. Think of it like spelling or pronouncing that person’s name correctly—they’re the authority on who they are and how they express themselves, and referring to them the way they’ve asked you to refer to them affirms this. For some gender-neutral and…
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Pronouns and gender identity
You might have noticed pronouns listed in some of your colleagues’ and friends’ email signatures or social media profiles. You might have even been prompted to list your own pronouns in your profiles and communications. While historically only the personal pronouns he/him/his and she/her/hers were used for individuals, based on their perceived gender, pronoun usage is broader and more…
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More pronoun examples
As you can see, pronouns do a lot. And there are a lot of them. To make them even more complicated, many pronouns change forms when they’re used in different positions within a sentence or based on number, gender, person, or case. Take a look at the different types of pronouns and their forms at a…
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Distributive pronouns
Distributive pronouns refer to nouns as individual elements of larger groups. They enable you to single out individuals while acknowledging that they’re part of a group. Distributive pronouns include the following: Here are a few examples of distributive pronouns in sentences: All of my friends entered the costume contest, and none of them won. Cookies and muffins are available for…
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Reciprocal pronouns
There are only two reciprocal pronouns: each other and one another. These pronouns describe a mutual relationship between two or more elements. Take a look at these examples: Javier and Priya, the two top salespeople on our team, are competing with each other to be named salesperson of the year. All my siblings are blaming one another for letting the boa constrictor out…