2.3.1 Word Classes: Verbs Notes, Quizzes & Revision
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2.3.1 Word Classes: Verbs
Topic: 2.3 Grammar in Use β English (Age 15 / Kenyan context)
- Show correct subjectβverb agreement (number & person).
- Express progressive and perfective aspects using the verbs be and have.
- Identify and use modal auxiliaries to seek and grant permission.
- Form one-particle phrasal verbs that have more than one meaning and use them in sentences.
- Apply knowledge of tense and aspect to inflect verbs correctly.
- Use the present, past and past participle forms of target verbs (verbs with: all forms the same; two forms the same; three forms different).
- Appreciate the importance of correct verb, tense and aspect use in clear communication.
Verbs are words that show actions (run, study), states (be, seem) or events (happen). Verbs change their form to show time (tense), how the action is viewed (aspect), and agree with the subject.
1. SubjectβVerb Agreement (number & person)
Rule summary:
- Singular third person now: add -s / -es (He/She/It + verb + s). Example: He eats.
- Other persons use base form in present simple: I/You/We/They eat.
- For past simple, most verbs use the same form for all persons: I/You/He/We/They ate.
Examples β Kenyan school context:
- My teacher explains the grammar every morning. β
- The pupils listen carefully during the lesson. β
- Each student has a notebook. (singular subject: each student) β
- The students have notebooks. (plural subject) β
2. Progressive and Perfect aspects (use of "be" and "have")
Progressive (continuous) = be + present participle (-ing). It shows ongoing action.
- Present progressive: She is reading.
- Past progressive: They were playing football.
Perfect (perfective) = have + past participle. It shows completed action with connection to now or another time.
- Present perfect: I have finished my exercise.
- Past perfect: By noon, they had left for the county hospital.
Combined forms:
- Present perfect progressive: He has been studying for two hours. (focus on duration)
- Past perfect progressive: She had been waiting when the matatu arrived.
3. Modal auxiliaries for permission
Common modals used to ask for or give permission:
- Request / ask permission: Can, Could, May β e.g., "Can I borrow your pen?"
- Grant permission: Yes, you may., Yes, you can., Go ahead.
- More polite / formal: May I or Could I β e.g., "May I leave class early today?"
Role-play prompts (Kenyan classroom):
- Student: "Teacher, may I go to the library?" β Teacher: "Yes, you may, but return in 20 minutes."
- Student: "Sir, could I bring notes tomorrow?" β Teacher: "Yes, you can."
4. One-particle phrasal verbs with more than one meaning
These are verb + one particle (e.g., up, off, out) where the phrasal verb can mean different things depending on context.
- Turn up
- Arrive / appear: "He turned up late for the meeting."
- Increase (volume/temperature): "Please turn up the radio."
- Take off
- Remove clothing: "She took off her jacket."
- Depart / leave quickly; for planes: "The plane took off at noon."
- Pick up
- Collect someone: "I will pick you up from the stage."
- Learn informally: "He picked up Kiswahili fast."
Practice: make two sentences for each phrasal verb showing different meanings.
5. Inflecting verbs & three categories of irregularity
We look at three types of verb patterns for present / past / past participle:
- All forms the same (3 forms similar): put β put β put; cut β cut β cut; let β let β let.
- Two forms similar (past & past participle same): think β thought β thought; make β made β made; teach β taught β taught.
- Three different forms: go β went β gone; see β saw β seen; write β wrote β written.
Table (examples)
3 same:
- put β put β put
- cut β cut β cut
2 same:
- think β thought β thought
- make β made β made
3 different:
- go β went β gone
- write β wrote β written
6. Why correct verbs, tense and aspect matter
Using the right verb form helps the listener know when something happened and whether it is finished or ongoing. Wrong tense can change meaning or cause confusion (e.g., "I ate lunch" vs "I have eaten lunch"). In exams and formal writing (KCSE practice), correct usage improves clarity and marks.
- Warm-up: In pairs, students list as many verbs as possible in 60 seconds. Teacher checks subjectβverb agreement for present tense sentences made from the verbs.
- Teacher-led mini-lesson on present/past/progressive/perfect forms with real Kenyan examples (school, matatu, market, county fair).
- Pair activity: role-play permission dialogues (asking to leave class, borrow a book) using may/can/could. Peers give feedback on politeness and correctness.
- Phrasal verb stations: three posters (TURN UP, TAKE OFF, PICK UP). Students rotate and write two meanings and two example sentences each.
- Conjugation drill: give verbs from the three categories. Students write present/past/past participle and use each in a sentence about their day.
- Assessment: short exercise with 10 items (fill blanks for agreement, choose correct tense/aspect, match phrasal verb meanings). Review answers together.
Practice exercises
- Subjectβverb agreement: Choose the correct verb.
- The headmaster (is / are) ready to speak.
- My friends (was / were) at the county fair yesterday.
- Each boy and girl (has / have) their exam timetable.
- Tense & aspect: Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
- I (study) ______ for two hours. (use present perfect progressive)
- By the time the bus arrived, we (wait) ______ for 30 minutes. (use past perfect)
- They (eat) ______ when the teacher walked in. (use past progressive)
- Modal permission: Rewrite politely.
- "I want to go to the library." β (make polite using may or could)
- Grant permission for the sentence: "May I use your phone?"
- Phrasal verbs: Give two meanings of "pick up" and write one sentence for each meaning.
- Verb forms: Write present / past / past participle for these verbs: put, think, go, write, cut. Use each past participle in a sentence with have or had.
Answers (click to view)
1. a) is b) were c) has
2. a) have been studying b) had waited c) were eating
3. a) "May I go to the library?" or "Could I go to the library?" b) "Yes, you may." / "Sure, go ahead."
4. Meanings of pick up: collect someone β "I'll pick you up at 4." ; learn or acquire β "She picked up some Swahili in Nairobi."
5. put β put β put ; think β thought β thought ; go β went β gone ; write β wrote β written ; cut β cut β cut.
Example sentences with past participle: "I have written the letter." / "He had gone before we arrived." / "We have put the books on the shelf."
2. a) have been studying b) had waited c) were eating
3. a) "May I go to the library?" or "Could I go to the library?" b) "Yes, you may." / "Sure, go ahead."
4. Meanings of pick up: collect someone β "I'll pick you up at 4." ; learn or acquire β "She picked up some Swahili in Nairobi."
5. put β put β put ; think β thought β thought ; go β went β gone ; write β wrote β written ; cut β cut β cut.
Example sentences with past participle: "I have written the letter." / "He had gone before we arrived." / "We have put the books on the shelf."
- Listen for the verb form in conversationsβdoes it tell you when or how the action happened?
- Practice making short sentences about your day using present/past/progressive/perfect forms.
- When unsure, identify the subject first (singular/plural) to choose the correct verb form.