Useful Hints about the correct use of different Verbs
No.1:
Deny (to deny something)
Refuse (denying an act or a crime)
Declined (denial of invitation or offer)
Examples:
1. He refused the charge. (incorrect)
He denied the charge.(correct)
2. I asked him to bring a glass of water, but he denied. (incorrect)
I asked him to bring a glass of water, but he refused.(correct)
3. I offered him a job, but he refused. (incorrect)
I offered him a job, but he declined.(correct)
No. 2:
Hang Hanged Hanged
Hang Hung Hung Hanging
Hang with Hung as past tense and past participle means to fix something at the top leaving the other part free, it is usually used for things like clothes, pictures, calendars and lights.
Example:
1. She hung the shirt on a hook. (correct)
2. A picture is hanging on the wall. (correct)
Hang
Hang with Hanged as past tense and past participle means to kill someone by dropping him with a rope around the neck or die in this way.
Example:
He was hunged for murder. (incorrect)
He was hanged for murder.(correct)
No.3:
Fly flew flown flying
Flow flowed flowed flowing
Examples:
1. The river has overflown its banks. (incorrect)
The river has overflowed its banks. (correct)
2. The bird is flowing in the sky. (incorrect)
The bird is flying in the sky. (correct)
No.4:
Borrow, Lend
Borrow something from somebody
Lend something to somebody
Examples:
1. Can I lend your bicycle? (incorrect)
Can I borrow your bicycle? (correct)
2. Borrow me your book for sometime. (incorrect)
Lend me your book for sometime. (correct)
No.5:
Don’t use preposition with ‘regret’
I regret at the delay. (incorrect)
I regret the delay. (correct)
No.6:
when you want to know something or show the art of any fun use ‘how to’ after ‘know’.
I know swimming. (incorrect)
I know how to swim.(correct)
No.7:
Use ‘Deliver’ or ‘Give’ with lecture, whereas use ‘Make’ for speech.
Examples:
1. The lecturer made a lecture. (incorrect)
The lecturer delivered a lecture. (correct)
2. She gave a speech in a meeting. (incorrect)
She made a speech in a meeting. (correct)
No.8:
Use ‘as’ after the following verbs.
Describe, Regard, Treat, Portray
Examples:
1. I regard you my brother. (incorrect)
I regard you as my brother. (correct)
2. He is treated the greatest figure of history. (incorrect)
He is treated as the greatest figure of history. (correct)
No.9:
Hope: for positive use
Fear: for negative use
Example:
I hope you will get a fever today. (incorrect)
I fear you will get a fever today. (correct)
No.10:
See (seeing something without effort)
Look (seeing something with effort)
Hear (hearing something without effort)
Listen (hearing something with effort)
Examples:
1. He saw the picture with great admiration. (incorrect)
He looked at the picture with great admiration. (correct)
2. I hear my teacher’s advice with full devotion. (incorrect)
I listen to my teacher’s advice with full devotion. (correct)
No.11: Lie, Lay
| Root verb | Simple past | Past participle | Present participle |
| Lie | Lay | Lain | Lying |
| Lay | Laid | Laid | Laying |
| Lay | Laid | Laid | Laying |
| Lie | Lied | Lied | Lying |
Note: Lie is an intransitive verb usually meaning ‘to be in a flat or horizontal position on a surface. It is confused with lay which is the transitive verb ‘meaning’ to put in a particular position or on a surface.
What are transitive and intransitive verbs?
Transitive verb: The verb needs an object. It means that there is a word in the sentence which tells who or what received the action of the verb..
1. He kills a snake.
2. He flies a kite.
Intransitive verb: The verb does not need an object. Its means that there is no word in the sentence which tells who or what received the action of the verb.
1. The baby sleeps in the cradle.
2. The sun shines in the east.
Examples:
1. He lays here every morning. (incorrect)
He lies here every morning.(correct)
2. The boy laid on the bench. (incorrect)
The boy lay on the bench. (correct)
3. She lay her bag on the table. (incorrect)
She laid her bag on the table. (correct)
4. He was lying the carpet on the floor. (incorrect)
He was laying the carpet on the floor.(correct)
Hopefully, your concept about Useful Hints about the correct use of different Verbs is clear now, This lecture is part of the whole series of English Grammar by Miss Nabila Gulzar, For Other Lectures Click Here also We have an Essay on every topic, Check the complete list here. If you are Studying in Matric Free Video Lectures of Maths, Physics and English are here, and we have got you covered for I.COM Business Maths also.
