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Course: Grammar > Unit 2
Lesson 1: Introduction to verbsIntroduction to verbs
What is a verb? Verbs have a few different functions, but the main one is to express action. For example, in the sentence "the bear roars", "roars" is the verb. "Roars" is the action that the bear is doing. All sentences must contain at least one verb to be considered a complete sentence.
Want to join the conversation?
- does a three word sentence always need a verb?(48 votes)
- "Of course not." <---(see, no verb!!)
Actually, the answer is Yes: by definition, a complete sentence must include a verb. Often - especially in spoken English - you may find sentence fragments that do not contain verbs.
But even a three-word sentence is not a complete sentence if it doesn't have a verb. So my example ("Of course not") is just a fragment, not an actual sentence.
Hope this helps!(74 votes)
- You say all sentences contain a verb - but I can think of one that doesn't:
"The bear dreams at night."
I am just learning, and this video is my current progress. So I suspect I am wrong - my goal is that someone can understand what I am thinking and show me how I should be thinking instead - if I am indeed wrong in how I current think of it. Thanks.(12 votes)- The word 'dreams' is both a noun and a verb depending on how you use it!
I had a weird dream last night. He had a weird dream last night. In this case, 'dream' is a noun and 'had' is the verb.
The bear dreams at night. The bear couldn't stop dreaming last night. In this case, 'dreams' and 'dreaming" is a verb because the bear is actively dreaming.(31 votes)
- Is there any way to take a noun and then change it into a verb?(5 votes)
- Yes. Start with the noun, "mine" (a place where ore is extracted from the earth). Now look at that word in the following sentence: "The miners mine in the mine that is mine." If that doesn't work for you, ask for another. I LOVE doing these things.(16 votes)
- what is the guys name? Is it dave or sal?(6 votes)
- David. In the last 2 seconds he says, “David out.”(9 votes)
- is there any possible sentence that does not contain a verb?(9 votes)
- I’ve learned that all sentences contains verbs!(3 votes)
- Why do all sentences have to have a verb?(4 votes)
- Hi Tiffany and moyeposi,
All sentences must have a verb in order to be a complete thought. If it is not a complete thought it is not a sentence. A sentence is made up of a subject and predicate. The predicate is basically the verb.
Hope that helps!
- JK(12 votes)
- How those this help me know what a verb is?(5 votes)
- This helps you know what a verb is by teaching the nature of verbs to you. Give it a listen, and you'll learn.(8 votes)
- The word verb can't actually be a verb can it?(4 votes)
- The word verb is not a verb because a verb is an action word so it shows action to the noun. The word verb would be a noun because it is a thing.(5 votes)
- I am unsure if I understand how verbs work can someone help me understand verbs, please?(5 votes)
- Let the course's excellent teacher, David Rheinstrom, teach you. Listen to every lesson in this section on verbs, and you'll come to understand verbs. That's the best advice I can give.(6 votes)
- How does a noun change from a verb?(3 votes)
- Generally that happens when a verb is found in its gerund form. So, let's start with the verb "to fly."
She flies a small plane. (simple present form)
She is flying a small plane. (present participle form_)
Flying is her hobby. (Gerund form, as a noun in the subject of the sentence.)
Now, you give me an upvote, and try three more of these yourself.(10 votes)
Video transcript
- [Voiceover] Hello, grammarians. Today I'd like to
introduce you to the verb, which is another part of speech. But I suppose the most
fruitful place for us to begin is by asking, "What is a verb?" A verb is a part of
speech that has a bunch of different functions, but one
of its most important functions is that it can express or show action. Verbs can show action. In order to demonstrate
this, I have brought along a little cartoon bear, and I'm going to use this
bear in several sentences, each of which will contain a verb. Because all sentences contain verbs. So I'm gonna write a couple
of sentences about the bear, and every time I use a
verb, I'm gonna write it in yellow like that. Here we go. The bear roars. The bear runs. The bear sleeps. Now, each one of these
words in yellow is a verb. Each one of them is an action, and this is the first
thing that verbs can do. Verbs can show action in sentences. And, in fact, all sentences
must contain verbs. You can learn anything. David out.