Verbs in British English: What Are Verbs? Types of Verbs in British English. List of 250 useful verbs in British English

Verbs in British English:

Verbs are an essential part of any language, and British English has its own unique characteristics when it comes to verb usage. While there are many similarities between British and American English, key differences exist in spelling, pronunciation, verb forms, and usage. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for learners and enthusiasts of British English. This blog will delve deep into verbs in British English, exploring their types, conjugations, irregularities, and common mistakes while also comparing them with their American English counterparts.

Understanding Verbs

What Are Verbs?

Verbs are words that express actions, occurrences, or states of being. In a sentence, they function as the core element, conveying what is happening, has happened, or will happen.

Types of Verbs in British English

Verbs are an essential component of English grammar, playing a crucial role in constructing meaningful sentences. They indicate actions, states, or occurrences and help in forming tenses, moods, and voices. In British English, verbs are classified into various categories based on their function and grammatical behaviour. This blog provides an in-depth exploration of the different types of verbs, complete with definitions, examples, and explanations.

1. Main (Lexical) Verbs

Main verbs are verbs that carry the principal meaning in a sentence. They can stand alone without requiring additional verbs.

Examples:

• She writes a novel every year.
• They play football on weekends.

Main verbs can further be divided into action verbs and stative verbs.

1.1 Action Verbs

Action verbs describe physical or mental activities.

Examples:

• He runs every morning. (Physical action)
• She thinks deeply about the issue. (Mental action)

1.2 Stative Verbs

Stative verbs describe a state rather than an action. They usually do not take the continuous tense.

Examples:

• She knows the answer.
• This perfume smells

2. Auxiliary (Helping) Verbs

Auxiliary verbs assist the main verb to form tenses, voices, moods, and questions. They do not carry meaning independently.

Examples:

• She is reading a book. (Present continuous tense)
• They have finished their work. (Present perfect tense)

2.1 Primary Auxiliary Verbs

Primary auxiliaries include be, have, and do and help in forming different tenses and structures.

Examples:

• She is working hard. (Helping to form continuous tense)
• They have completed the task. (Helping to form perfect tense)
• Do you know the answer? (Helping to form a question)

2.2 Modal Auxiliary Verbs

Modal verbs express necessity, possibility, permission, or ability. Common modal verbs include can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, and would.

Examples:

• You must obey the rules. (Necessity)
• She can swim well. (Ability)
• We may go to the park later. (Possibility)

3. Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

Verbs are classified as transitive or intransitive based on whether they require a direct object.

3.1 Transitive Verbs

A transitive verb requires a direct object to complete its meaning.

Examples:

• She reads a book. (“Book” is the direct object)
• They built a house. (“House” is the direct object)

3.2 Intransitive Verbs

An intransitive verb does not require a direct object.

Examples:

• He sleeps
• The baby cried

Some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive, depending on how they are used.

Examples:

• She sings (Intransitive)
• She sings a song. (Transitive)

4. Regular and Irregular Verbs

Verbs are categorized as regular or irregular based on how they form their past tense and past participle.

4.1 Regular Verbs

Regular verbs form their past tense and past participle by adding -ed to the base form.

Examples:

• Walk → Walked → Walked
• Play → Played → Played

4.2 Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs do not follow a fixed pattern in forming their past tense and past participle.

Examples:

• Go → Went → Gone
• Eat → Ate → Eaten

5. Finite and Non-finite Verbs

Verbs are divided into finite and non-finite based on whether they change according to the subject and tense.

5.1 Finite Verbs

Finite verbs change according to the subject and tense.

Examples:

• She writes a letter. (Present tense)
• He wrote a letter. (Past tense)

5.2 Non-finite Verbs

Non-finite verbs do not change according to the subject and tense. They include infinitives, gerunds, and participles.

Examples:

• I like to read. (Infinitive)
• Reading is fun. (Gerund)
• The written document is on the table. (Participle)

6. Phrasal Verbs

Phrasal verbs consist of a verb combined with a preposition or an adverb, forming a unique meaning.

Examples:

• She gave up (Stopped)
• He ran into an old friend. (Met unexpectedly)

7. Linking Verbs

Linking verbs connect the subject with a complement that describes or identifies it.

Examples:

• She is happy.
• The soup tastes delicious.

8. Causative Verbs

Causative verbs indicate that someone causes another person to do something. Common causative verbs include make, let, have, get, and force.

Examples:

• She made him clean the room.
• He let me borrow his car.

Note:

1. Action Verbs – Express physical or mental actions (e.g., run, think, write).
2. Linking Verbs – Connect the subject with a subject complement (e.g., seem, become, appear).
3. Auxiliary Verbs – Help the main verb in forming tenses, moods, and voices (e.g., be, have, do).
4. Modal Verbs – Indicate necessity, possibility, permission, or ability (e.g., can, must, shall).
5. Phrasal Verbs – A combination of a verb and a preposition or adverb (e.g., give up, take off).

Conjugation and Forms of Verbs

Regular and Irregular Verbs

Verbs in British English follow two main conjugation patterns:

• Regular Verbs: These follow a predictable pattern where the past tense and past participle are formed by adding –ed (e.g., work → worked → worked).
• Irregular Verbs: These do not follow a set pattern (e.g., go → went → gone).

Tenses and Their Usage

Verbs in British English are used in various tenses to indicate timeframes:

1. Present Tense

• Simple Present: “She writes every day.”
• Present Continuous: “She is writing a book.”

2. Past Tense

• Simple Past: “She wrote a novel.”
• Past Continuous: “She was writing a book.”

3. Future Tense

• Simple Future: “She will write a book.”
• Future Continuous: “She will be writing a novel.”

Perfect Tenses

British English tends to use the present perfect tense more frequently than American English.

• British: “I have just finished my work.”
• American: “I just finished my work.”

Key Differences Between British and American English Verbs

Spelling Differences

Some verbs in British English have different spellings compared to their American English counterparts:

                   British English                    American English

                       Travelled                                Traveled

                       Cancelled                              Canceled

                         Learnt                                   Learned

                          Spelt                                     Spelled

Verb Usage Differences

• Get vs. Gotten: British English prefers “got” (e.g., “I have got a new book”), whereas American English uses “gotten” (e.g., “I have gotten a new book”).
• Shall vs. Will: British English often uses “shall” for future intentions, whereas American English predominantly uses “will” (e.g., “I shall be there” vs. “I will be there”).

Common Phrasal Verbs in British English

Phrasal verbs are widely used in spoken and informal British English. Here are some common examples:

• Give up (stop doing something): “She gave up“
• Put off (postpone): “The meeting was put off until Friday.”
• Take after (resemble a family member): “She takes after her mother.”
• Break down (stop functioning): “My car broke down“

Modal Verbs in British English

British English uses modal verbs to express different levels of certainty, obligation, or permission:

• Can/Could – Ability (“She can play the piano.”)
• May/Might – Possibility (“It might rain later.”)
• Shall/Should – Suggestions and future intentions (“You should see a doctor.”)
• Must – Strong obligation (“You must wear a seatbelt.”)

The Subjunctive Mood in British English

The subjunctive mood is used in hypothetical situations, wishes, or formal expressions:

• “If I were you, I’d take the job.”
• “It is important that she be on time.”

While the subjunctive is more common in American English, it still appears in formal British English writing and speech.

Passive Voice in British English

British English often uses the passive voice in news reports, scientific writing, and formal documents.

• Active: “The committee approved the proposal.”
• Passive: “The proposal was approved by the committee.”

Common Mistakes in Verb Usage

1. Mixing Past Simple and Present Perfect

• Incorrect: “I just finished my homework.” (American)
• Correct: “I have just finished my homework.” (British)

2. Confusing Irregular Verb Forms

• Incorrect: “I learned a lot.” (American)
• Correct: “I learnt a lot.” (British)

3. Using “Shall” and “Will” Incorrectly

• Incorrect: “I shall go there tomorrow.” (in casual speech)
• Correct: “I will go there tomorrow.” (preferred in casual use)