B. Action Verb I. Definition of Action Verb
As the writer knows, every sentence has two parts, the subject and the predicate. The verb is the key word in the predicate.
According to Jerome Martin, action verbs are verbs that tell what is happening show action.
While according to John J.De Boer, action verb is a word that asserts
something about persons, things, or ideas and is essential to sentence meaning. Some verbs, like run and think, assert action, either physical or condition. Some
verbs, like look or taste, can be used in both ways.
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Meanwhile According to Foresman Scott, action verb is a word that can show action. When a verb shows action, it is an action verb.
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Most verbs are action verbs; they tell what is happening in the sentences. Verbs can tell what people do, and how they act and change. Verbs tell about
many different kinds of action.
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Here are some verbs that show action. Walk
slide see cry fix
Hop run hear work cut Jump
talk feel dig paste
From the explanations above, we can say that verb is of any words that tell about movement, action, effort or intention of both a living subject and non-living
subject.
15
John. J. De Boer, Basic Language Messages and Meanings VI, New York: Harper Row, 1982, P.22
16
Foresman Scott, Language: Skill and Use, New York; Scott, Foresman and Company, 1984, p.88
17
Sherryl Daniels Broyles, Laidlaw English, New York: Longman, 1982, p.70
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2. Types of Verb
The types of verbs described here differ from the kind of complement they have, because these types may cut across each other. A verb may belong to more
than one type. Verb in English can be classified according to the types of items that can follow them.
According to Jeremy Harmer, in his book “How to Teach English”, there are three important types of verb, they are;
1. Auxiliary verbs: These are ‘be’ do’ and ‘have’ and the modal auxiliary
verb; shall, should, will, would, can, could, may, might, must or ought to..
2. Main verbs: These carry the main meaning.
3. Phrasal verb: These are formed by adding an adverb or a preposition or an
adverb and a position to a verb to create new meanings. E.g. set out we set out the following day or he set out his agenda for the meeting.
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Furthermore, Douglas Biber stated that there are three classes of verbs, as follows;
1. Lexical verbs also called full verbs, e.g. run, eat
For example: Children and dogs ran from side to side almost underfoot. 2.
Primary verbsbe, have, and do For example: He was wearing a dark ski mask
3. Modal verbs e.g. can will, might
For example: People thought he might have been joking.
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From explanation above, there are many types of verb and every book is different in classifying the kinds of verb, because every person has different ways
in showing and telling their opinions and ideas.
2.1. Auxiliary Verbs According to Harry A. Greene, “An auxiliary verb is one that helps a
doing or a being verb express an idea. Auxiliary is from the Latin auxilium,
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Jeremy Harmer, How to Teach English,….p.38-40
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Douglas Biber, Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English, New York: Longman, 1999, p.358.
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meaning “aid” or “help.” The auxiliary signals that the main verb is coming.
Example: The sun has broken through the clouds.
In that sentence, the verb is has broken, made up of the helping verb has and a form of the doing verb break.
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Meanwhile, specifically Rachmat Effendi defines auxiliary as: 1.
Auxiliary verb, that functions to explain the condition of verbs in sentences expect verb + ing and verb passive III.
2. To Be, that functions to help: noun, adjective, and verb + ing or verb
III passive.
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According to Marcella Frank, There are three types of auxiliaries, each serving a different purpose, they are;
1. Tense auxiliaries –be, have, will-shall
The tense auxiliaries perform a structural function only. Be occurs with the –ing present participle in the progressive forms of the tenses, and
with the –ed past participle in the passive forms of the tenses. Have is used for the perfect tense, be and have are also independent verbs.
Shall and will are used for the future tenses.
2. Do auxiliary
The do auxiliary is accompanied by the simple form of the verb the infinitive without to. It is used only in the simple present tense do or
does offer and in the simple past tense did offer.
3. Modal auxiliaries
These auxiliaries added to the verb a special semantic component such as ability, obligation, and possibility. Modal auxiliaries generally have
no –s suffix for third person, and no infinitive or participial form. They have only two formal tenses, the present and the past, which are used
with the simple form of the lexical verb may offer, might offer, the progressive form may or might be offering, the perfect form may or
might have offered or the passive form may or might be offered.
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20
Harry A. Greene Basic Language Messages and Meanings I, New York: Harper Row, 1982, P.282
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Rachmat Effendi P, Cara Mudah Menulis dan Menerjemahkan, Jakarta: Hapsa Group, 1992, P.49
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Marcella Frank, Modern English a Practical Reference Guide, New York: Prentice Hall, 1972, p.95-96
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