Verbs are extremely important in the English language. The verbs make the sentence relatable and correct. If the verbs are not used correctly, the complete meaning of the sentence can get changed. You must understand the concept of verbs usage to improve your skills.
This article talks about different information related to the functions of verbs. If you want to grab each information, you need to go through the complete article. While you might be checking the basic rules for using verbs online, one important thing must be noticed. There was no sentence that did not have verbs like is, are was, were.
Verbs are the most important part of a sentence. The main thing is you won’t understand when the tense goes wrong. Just because of the misplacement of verbs. If the verbs are correctly used, the sentence will go right. You need to understand the complete functionalities with the help of this article.
The verbs have a crucial place in grammar. So, it is important for you to understand it perfectly. How to use verbs like is, are, was, were? Let’s check out.
Also Read: Top 5 Types Books to Read to Improve Your English: Ways to Improve Your English with Books
Basic Rules of Use of Verbs Like Is, Are, Was, Were
You must be aware of the rules of using verbs so that you never misinterpret the sentences used by people before you or even you can’t speak the wrong ones. The verbs make or break the meaning of the sentences.
Verbs like ‘Is’ and ‘Are’ are used in present tense sentences. They describe something which is happening in the present. You need to emphasize their concept and examples to understand them better. Let’s take the help of a few examples:
- He is walking on the street.
(In this sentence, the person is right now doing the stated action.)
- Here are the shoes you ordered online.
(In this sentence, the shoes are presently in front of him.)
Verbs like ‘Was’ and ‘Were’ are used in past tense sentences. They describe an action that has already happened in the past.
- He was an average student.
( In this sentence, the person was an average student now, currently, it’s not the same case.)
- We were out for lunch.
( In this sentence, they are stating an activity that has happened in the past.)
Be verbs
A scenario Based Learning for Use of Verbs
To learn the use of verbs. Go through the ” Wrong Paragraph” given below.
A long vacation to North India.
It was a sunny afternoon in Mumbai when the train left the station. It was a hard goodbye from our parents as we are heading to North. A trip that was memorable for life. We are 14 of us all prepared to climb the high mountain range of mountains.
It is the peace that I miss now in these crowded cities. Our visit to Amritsar is a beautiful memory. We planned for the day to visit Golden Temple, Jhallianwala Baug, and Wagha Border. Golden Temple was a place that leaves your eyes awestruck. It is truly a place to visit if you are finding some inner peace.
Also Read: Vocabulary for Nouns: Types of Nouns with Examples and Word List A to Z
Errors in the Use of Verbs in the Above Passage
Note: This passage is a description of a travel experience in the past.
- In the above passage, the verb ‘is’ is used in the wrong pattern. The verb is to be used when you are writing a sentence in the present tense. This is a passage that describes an experience of the past.
- In the above passage, the verb ‘are’ is used in the wrong place. The verb ‘is’ should be replaced by ‘were’. It is then the description of a past experience will sound correct.
- In the above passage, it is the same case the verb ‘was’ is used in the wrong place. The verb ‘was’ should be replaced by ‘is’. The reason is that the Golden Temple is still existing.
Corrected Paragraph
It was a sunny afternoon in Mumbai when the train left the station. It was a hard goodbye from our parents as we were heading to North. A trip that is memorable for life. We are 14 of us all prepared to climb the high mountain range. It was the peace that I miss now in the crowded cities. Our visit to Amritsar is a beautiful memory. We planned for the day to visit Golden Temple, Jhallianwala Baug, and Wagha Border. Golden Temple is a place that leaves your eyes awestruck. It is truly a place to visit if you are finding some inner peace.
What is a Verb?
A verb is one of the main parts of a sentence or question in English. In fact, you can’t have a sentence or a question without a verb! That’s how important these “action” parts of speech are. The verb signals an action, an occurrence, or a state of being. Whether mental, physical, or mechanical, verbs always express activity.
There are linking verbs that connect two different sentences. Verbs need to be modified according to the tense of the sentence. The verbs play a vital role in English grammar. All the learners should start with learning about the usage of the verbs if they are learning English.
Also Read: What are Determiners in English Grammar? Definition, Rules, Usage with Examples
How to use Modal Verbs?
Every improper sentence will only be an addition to making your write-up a meaningless piece to read. It is these small errors that we need to rectify. Let us understand when the verbs are, are, was, were used a maximum number of times through examples of sentences.
- a. Here are the flowers you ordered.
- There is a bug in the room.
In both sentences, the verbs used are ‘is’ ‘are’ these are verbs that are used in a present tense sentence. The subject is present at the moment that is why you use the verbs of the present tense. The sentences which start with Here and There probably have the present tense verbs.
- a. He was punched in the face.
- We were a musical band before we split.
In both sentences, the verbs used ‘ ‘was’ ‘were’ are verbs that are used in a past tense sentence. When the subject is not present at the moment or the moment has happened in the past. In these cases, the verbs of the past tense are used. The sentence which is based on an individual or group is where these verbs are used.
Test Your Grammar
The question which remains now is that have you understood the concept. Reading and adapting knowledge isn’t enough when it comes to grammar. You need a lot of practice. Below are some paragraphs for you to solve, check whether you are now clear with the basic concept. How to use verbs like is, are, was, were
“Wrong Paragraph”
We the weekend brunch we enjoyed.
- For me, it was the worst thing to wait for the order. We were all hungry on that Sunday afternoon. It is time that we could have all the food available. There are butterflies flying in my stomach right now. The food was finally on the table while we were staring at the waiter coming from far away. It is so well presented, and well served.
- To begin with, how children were made to grow. The behaviour and development of the children are not well looked at. You will always see that what the parents teach is how the child will behave. The growth of children was not looked upon well, his manners, teachings are low.
Also Read: Infinitive in English Grammar: Let’s Learn English Effectively to Get More Opportunities!
Conclusion
Hopefully, the article has given you the most important information which is the use of is, are, was, and were. These are important because these words make the sentence correct and can also change the tense and meaning completely if not used correctly.
You must have the correct knowledge and practice of using them correctly in all the sentences. If you need more information related to the grammar aspects, you can visit the Fluent Life website and read the other significant articles available on the website. Well, if you are trying and working to learn English effectively, you need to understand each grammar aspect precisely as grammar is the backbone of English.
The website contains multiple authentic articles related to grammar and overall English learning for beginners, intermediates as well as updated English learners. You can also connect with the professionals on the website by raising your queries to them by either writing them in the comment box or taking the lectures conducted by the professionals.
The experts organize high-quality video lectures for all the worthy candidates so that they can learn effectively along with practice and instant resolutions to their questions. This is a great choice if you want to learn grammar.
You can learn everything anytime by downloading the Fluent Life app on your mobile phone. So, let’s visit the platform to acknowledge the most important factors.
Nice,little by little i understand.
Thank you & more power