Verbs and Verbals

What is the difference between verbs and verbals?

A verb is a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, and forming the main
part of the predicate of a sentence. A verbal is a word, or words functioning as a verb.
 For example:
She slept in.
slept functions as the verb because she is performing the action.

Jogging three miles every day is good for you.

To jog is a verb, but in this case, jogging is used as a verbal.

Regular Verb vs. Irregular Verb

A regular verb (also known as a weak verb) forms its past tense and past participle by
adding –d or –ed to the base form. An irregular verb (or strong verb) doesn’t have a
conventional –ed form.
 For Example:
Walked and talked are both forms of regular verbs.
Rang, and Chose are both examples of irregular verbs.

Auxiliary Verb vs. Main Verb

An auxiliary verb (also known as a helping verb) is a verb that may come before the main
verb in a sentence. Together the auxiliary verb and the main verb form a verb phrase. A
main verb (also known as a lexical or full verb) is any verb that isn’t an auxiliary verb.
The main verb conveys the meaning in a verb phrase.
 For example:
They have played soccer for three hours this morning.
Have acts as the auxiliary verb, and played acts as the main verb, as it is
conveying the action being done.

Transitive Verb vs. Intransitive Verb

A transitive verb takes an object; an intransitive verb does not. Many verbs have both a
transitive and an intransitive function, depending on how they’re used.
 For Example:
The verb “burn”
Used as a transitive verb:
Jack burned the hotdogs.

Used as an intransitive verb:

The Fire burned brightly.

Active Voice vs. Passive Voice

Voice refers to the quality of a verb that shows whether its subject acts (active voice) or
is acted upon (passive voice).
 For Example:
Active: I made mistakes.
Passive: Mistakes were made.

© The Writing Centre, Saint Mary’s University, 2012

This handout is for personal use only. Reproduction prohibited without permission.
Verbs and Verbals 2

Dynamic Verb vs. Stative Verb

A dynamic verb is primarily used to indicate an action, process, or sensation. A stative
verb is primarily used to describe a state or situation.
 For Example:
Dynamic: run, ride, grow, throw.
Stative: be, have, seem, know.

Phrasal Verb vs. Prepositional Verb

A phrasal verb is made up of a main verb (usually one of action or movement) and an
adverb. A prepositional verb (such as send for, or rely on) is an expression that combines
a main verb and a preposition to make a new verb with a distinct meaning.
 For Example:
Phrasal: Please pull-through to the next parking spot.
Prepositional: It is hard to rely on others when working on group projects.

Aspect vs. Tense

Aspect is the verb form that indicates the time at which an event or state of affairs is
perceived as taking place. The two aspects in English are perfect and progressive. Tense
is the time of a verb’s action or state of being such as present or past.
 For Example
Perfect Aspect:
Present: History has remembered the great leaders because of their strengths and
accomplishments.

Past: By age 21 life had taught me that it is better to work hard and obtain an
education, than try to make it in the world without one.

Progressive Aspect:
Present: It is hard to study for all your exams, but the key to success is trying to
organize your time effectively.

Past: I was watching television last night, because I had some free time.

Finite Verb vs. Nonfinite Verb

A finite verb shows agreement with a subject and is marked for tense (if there’s just one
verb in a sentence, its finite). A nonfinite verb (also called a verbal) doesn’t show a
distinction in tense and can’t stand alone as the main verb in a sentence.
 For Example:
Finite Verbs:
I drive a car.
He drives a car.
I/he drove a car.
The verb in each sentence can be marked for past/present tense.

Nonfinite Verbs:
I had my car stolen from the car-park.

© The Writing Centre, Saint Mary’s University, 2012

This handout is for personal use only. Reproduction prohibited without permission.
Verbs and Verbals 3

Gerund vs. Present Participle

Both of these –ing forms are verbals. A gerund functions as a noun. A present participle
functions as an adjective.
 For Example:
Gerund: Laughing is good for you.
Present Participle: The old laughing lady dropped by to call.

Infinitive vs. Zero Infinitive

Both are verbals that can function as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. A conventional
infinitive (sometimes called the “to”-infinitive) is preceded by the article to. The zero
infinitive (also known as the bare infinitive is not preceded by to).
 For Example:
Infinitive: I have been trying to find the address of the restaurant so we have
somewhere to go on the weekend.

Zero Infinitive: Several witnesses saw the boy leave the sidewalk and run into the
side of the bus.

Adapted from: “Ten Quick Questions and Answers about Verbs and Verbals in English”
By Richard Nordquist.

© The Writing Centre, Saint Mary’s University, 2012

This handout is for personal use only. Reproduction prohibited without permission.