Verbs: Types, Forms, and Grammatical Categories: English ЕГЭ 2025 Preparation

Verbs are essential components of English grammar, expressing actions, states, or occurrences. Understanding the different types, forms, and grammatical categories of verbs is crucial for the ЕГЭ English exam. This knowledge will help you construct grammatically correct sentences and express complex ideas with precision in both the written and oral parts of the exam.

Theory for Exam Preparation

In English, verbs can be classified according to various criteria, including their function, form, and grammatical properties. They can express different tenses, aspects, moods, and voices. Mastering these concepts is essential for achieving a high score in the ЕГЭ English exam, as verb-related tasks are common in both the grammar and writing sections.

Types of Verbs

Main Verbs vs. Auxiliary Verbs

Verbs can be divided into two main categories based on their function in a sentence:

Type	Function	Examples
Main Verbs	Express the main action or state in a sentence	run, eat, think, be, have
Auxiliary Verbs	Help main verbs form different tenses, aspects, voices, and moods	be, have, do, will, would, shall, should, can, could, may, might, must

Examples:

She runs every morning. (main verb)
She is running now. (auxiliary verb "is" + main verb "running")
They have completed the project. (auxiliary verb "have" + main verb "completed")

Regular vs. Irregular Verbs

Verbs can also be classified based on how they form their past simple and past participle forms:

Type	Formation	Examples
Regular Verbs	Add -ed or -d to form past simple and past participle	work → worked → worked play → played → played
Irregular Verbs	Change form in unpredictable ways	go → went → gone see → saw → seen take → took → taken

Important!

Irregular verbs must be memorized as there are no consistent rules for their formation. The ЕГЭ English exam often tests knowledge of common irregular verb forms.

Transitive vs. Intransitive Verbs

Verbs can be classified based on whether they require an object:

Type	Definition	Examples
Transitive Verbs	Require a direct object to complete their meaning	She bought a book. They sent a letter.
Intransitive Verbs	Do not require an object to complete their meaning	The baby sleeps. She arrived late.
Verbs that can be both	Can be used both with and without an object	She sings. (intransitive) She sings a song. (transitive)

Linking Verbs

Linking verbs connect the subject to a subject complement (a noun, pronoun, or adjective that describes or identifies the subject):

The verb "be" (am, is, are, was, were, etc.): She is a doctor.
Verbs of the senses (look, sound, smell, taste, feel): The cake tastes delicious.
Verbs of becoming (become, grow, turn, get): He became famous overnight.
Verbs of remaining (remain, stay): She remained calm during the crisis.

Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs consist of a verb and one or more particles (prepositions or adverbs) that together have a meaning different from the original verb:

look up (search for information)
give up (stop trying)
take off (remove; or for a plane to leave the ground)
break down (stop functioning; or to analyze in detail)

Verb Forms

Base Form

The base form (also called the infinitive without "to") is the simplest form of the verb:

Used in the present simple tense with I, you, we, they: They work hard.
Used after modal verbs: She can swim well.
Used in the imperative: Close the door, please.

Third Person Singular

The third person singular form is used in the present simple tense with he, she, it. It is formed by adding -s or -es to the base form:

Add -s to most verbs: He works hard.
Add -es to verbs ending in -s, -sh, -ch, -x, -z: She watches TV.
For verbs ending in -y preceded by a consonant, change -y to -ies: It flies high.

Past Simple

The past simple form is used to talk about completed actions in the past:

For regular verbs, add -ed or -d: They worked yesterday.
For irregular verbs, the form varies: She went to Paris last summer.

Past Participle

The past participle is used to form perfect tenses and passive voice:

For regular verbs, it is the same as the past simple: They have worked here for years.
For irregular verbs, the form varies: She has gone to Paris.

Present Participle

The present participle (also called the -ing form) is used to form continuous tenses and as a gerund:

Add -ing to the base form: They are working now.
For verbs ending in -e, drop the -e and add -ing: She is writing a letter.
For verbs ending in a consonant preceded by a stressed vowel, double the consonant and add -ing: He is swimming in the pool.

Grammatical Categories of Verbs

Tense

Tense indicates the time of an action or state. English has two basic tenses: present and past. Future time is expressed using various constructions, including "will" and "be going to".

Present Tenses

Tense	Formation	Usage	Example
Present Simple	Base form (+ -s/-es for third person singular)	Habits, routines, general truths, scheduled events	She works in a bank. The sun rises in the east.
Present Continuous	am/is/are + present participle	Actions happening now, temporary situations, future arrangements	She is working on a project now. They are staying with us this week.
Present Perfect	have/has + past participle	Actions that started in the past and continue to the present, completed actions with present relevance	She has lived here for ten years. I have finished my homework.
Present Perfect Continuous	have/has been + present participle	Actions that started in the past, continue to the present, and may continue in the future, emphasizing duration	She has been working on this project for three months. It has been raining all day.

Past Tenses

Tense	Formation	Usage	Example
Past Simple	Past form of the verb	Completed actions in the past, sequence of past events	She worked in a bank last year. He went to Paris in 2020.
Past Continuous	was/were + present participle	Actions in progress at a specific time in the past, background actions	She was working when I called. They were living in London in 2015.
Past Perfect	had + past participle	Actions completed before another past action or time	She had finished her work before she left. By 2010, he had published three books.
Past Perfect Continuous	had been + present participle	Actions that continued up to a specific time in the past, emphasizing duration	She had been working for six hours when she decided to take a break. They had been living in Paris for ten years before they moved to London.

Future Expressions

Form	Formation	Usage	Example
Future Simple (will)	will + base form	Predictions, spontaneous decisions, promises, offers	It will rain tomorrow. I will help you with that.
Be going to	am/is/are going to + base form	Planned future actions, predictions based on present evidence	She is going to study medicine. Look at those clouds. It is going to rain.
Future Continuous	will be + present participle	Actions in progress at a specific time in the future	This time tomorrow, I will be flying to Paris. She will be working all day tomorrow.
Future Perfect	will have + past participle	Actions that will be completed before a specific time in the future	By next year, she will have finished her studies. They will have lived here for ten years by 2025.
Future Perfect Continuous	will have been + present participle	Actions that will continue up to a specific time in the future, emphasizing duration	By next month, she will have been working here for five years. They will have been living in London for a decade by 2030.

Aspect

Aspect indicates how an action is viewed in terms of its completion or duration. English has four aspects:

Aspect	Definition	Examples
Simple	Presents an action as a complete whole, without emphasizing its internal structure	She works here. He visited Paris last year.
Continuous (Progressive)	Presents an action as ongoing or in progress	She is working now. He was visiting his parents when I called.
Perfect	Presents an action as completed before another time or action	She has worked here for five years. He had visited Paris before he went to Rome.
Perfect Continuous	Presents an action as ongoing up to a certain time, emphasizing its duration	She has been working here for five years. He had been visiting his parents for a week when I called.

Voice

Voice indicates the relationship between the subject and the action. English has two voices:

Voice	Definition	Formation	Examples
Active	The subject performs the action	Subject + Verb + Object	She wrote a letter. They are building a house.
Passive	The subject receives the action	Subject + be + Past Participle (+ by + Agent)	A letter was written (by her). A house is being built (by them).

Mood

Mood indicates the attitude of the speaker toward what is being said. English has three moods:

Mood	Definition	Examples
Indicative	Expresses facts, opinions, or questions	She works here. Does she work here?
Imperative	Expresses commands, requests, or instructions	Close the door. Please help me.
Subjunctive	Expresses wishes, hypotheses, or suggestions	I suggest that he be more careful. If I were you, I would accept the offer.

Note!

The subjunctive mood is less common in modern English and is mainly used in formal contexts, certain fixed expressions, and after specific verbs like suggest, recommend, insist, etc.

Modal Verbs

Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that express modality (possibility, necessity, ability, permission, etc.). They are followed by the base form of the main verb (without "to"):

Modal Verb	Function	Examples
can	Ability, possibility, permission	I can swim. It can be cold in winter.
could	Past ability, possibility, polite requests	I could swim when I was young. Could you help me, please?
may	Permission, possibility	You may leave now. It may rain later.
might	Possibility (less certain than "may")	It might rain later.
must	Obligation, necessity, strong probability	You must follow the rules. She must be at home now.
should	Advice, recommendation, expectation	You should see a doctor. The package should arrive tomorrow.
will	Future actions, predictions, promises, offers	It will rain tomorrow. I will help you.
would	Past of "will", hypothetical situations, polite requests	He said he would help. Would you like some tea?

Stative and Dynamic Verbs

Verbs can be classified as stative or dynamic based on whether they describe states or actions:

Type	Definition	Examples
Stative Verbs	Describe states, feelings, thoughts, senses, possession, etc. Usually not used in continuous forms.	know, believe, love, hate, own, belong, seem, understand
Dynamic Verbs	Describe actions or processes. Can be used in all tenses, including continuous forms.	run, eat, write, play, build, grow, change

Examples:

I know the answer. (stative, not "I am knowing")
She is playing the piano. (dynamic)

Note!

Some verbs can be both stative and dynamic, with different meanings:

I think she is right. (stative: have an opinion)

I am thinking about the problem. (dynamic: process of thought)

Common Errors with Verbs

Incorrect Tense Usage

Incorrect: I am living here since 2010.
Correct: I have been living here since 2010.
Incorrect: I know him for five years.
Correct: I have known him for five years.

Incorrect Verb Forms

Incorrect: She teached me French.
Correct: She taught me French.
Incorrect: The book was wrote by a famous author.
Correct: The book was written by a famous author.

Using Continuous Forms with Stative Verbs

Incorrect: I am loving this movie.
Correct: I love this movie.
Incorrect: She is owning three cars.
Correct: She owns three cars.

Subject-Verb Agreement

Incorrect: The girl with the dogs walk in the park.
Correct: The girl with the dogs walks in the park.
Incorrect: Each of the students have a book.
Correct: Each of the students has a book.

Practice Examples

Choose the correct verb form to complete each sentence.

She ________ (work / works / is working) in a bank now.
They ________ (have lived / lived / are living) in this house since 2010.
By the time we arrived, the movie ________ (already started / had already started / was already starting).
This time next week, I ________ (will fly / will be flying / have flown) to Paris.
I ________ (know / am knowing / have known) the answer to your question.

Answers:

1. She works in a bank now. (present simple for a current job)

2. They have lived in this house since 2010. (present perfect for an action that started in the past and continues to the present)

3. By the time we arrived, the movie had already started. (past perfect for an action completed before another past action)

4. This time next week, I will be flying to Paris. (future continuous for an action in progress at a specific time in the future)

5. I know the answer to your question. (present simple with a stative verb)

Identify and correct the errors in the following sentences.

She have been working here for five years.
When I arrived, she already left.
I am believing that education is important.
The number of students in the class are increasing.
If I would know the answer, I would tell you.

Corrections:

1. She has been working here for five years. (third person singular requires "has," not "have")

2. When I arrived, she had already left. (past perfect, not past simple, for an action completed before another past action)

3. I believe that education is important. (stative verb "believe" is not normally used in the continuous form)

4. The number of students in the class is increasing. ("number" is singular, so it requires a singular verb)

5. If I knew the answer, I would tell you. (in conditional sentences, "would" is not used in the if-clause)

Key Points to Remember

Verbs can be classified as main or auxiliary, regular or irregular, transitive or intransitive
English has two basic tenses (present and past) and uses various constructions to express future time
Aspect (simple, continuous, perfect, perfect continuous) indicates how an action is viewed in terms of its completion or duration
Voice (active, passive) indicates the relationship between the subject and the action
Mood (indicative, imperative, subjunctive) indicates the attitude of the speaker toward what is being said
Modal verbs express modality (possibility, necessity, ability, permission, etc.)
Stative verbs describe states and are usually not used in continuous forms
Dynamic verbs describe actions and can be used in all tenses, including continuous forms

Exam Tip!

In the ЕГЭ English exam, pay special attention to tense consistency, irregular verb forms, and the correct use of stative and dynamic verbs. Remember that some verbs can be both stative and dynamic with different meanings. Also, be careful with subject-verb agreement, especially with collective nouns and expressions of quantity.