Vocabulary

A verb is a word that expresses an occurrence, act, or mode of being.
Finite verbs, sometimes called main verbs, are limited by time (tense), person, and number.

Verbs are sometimes described as "action words".
Many verbs give the idea of action, of "doing" something. For example, words like run, fight, do and work all convey
action:

The bear caught a salmon in the stream.

Who ate the pie?

Stop!


But some verbs do not give the idea of action; they give the idea of
existence, of state, of "being". For example, verbs like be, exist,
seem and belong all convey state:

I am fine.
She likes me.


A verb always has a subject. (In the sentence "She likes English", She
is the subject and likes is the verb.) In simple terms, therefore, we
can say that verbs are words that tell us what a subject does or is;
they describe:
action (David plays football.)
state (Ann seems ok.)

A nonfinite verb form - such as a participle, infinitive, or gerund - is not limited by by time
(tense), person, and number.

Verb Tenses: Simple Present Present Continuous Simple Past Past Continuous Present Perfect Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Past Perfect Continuous Simple Future Future Continuous Future Perfect