Parts of Speech Explained — Verbs and Adjectives (JAMB/WAEC English Language)
Verbs and adjectives are two essential parts of speech: a verb expresses an action or state of being, while an adjective describes or modifies a noun.
Together with nouns and pronouns, they form the core building blocks of every English sentence, and this topic is a regular feature in JAMB and WAEC English Language, tested through identification and usage-based questions. This lesson covers the definitions, types, and correct usage of verbs and adjectives with clear examples.
Quick takeaways
- A verb expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being; an adjective describes or modifies a noun or pronoun.
- Verbs are classified mainly into action verbs, linking verbs, and auxiliary (helping) verbs.
- Adjectives are classified into types such as descriptive, quantitative, demonstrative, and comparative/superlative adjectives.
- Verbs must agree with their subject in number – a common error tested directly in JAMB/WAEC.
- Comparative and superlative adjectives (e.g., “taller,” “tallest”) are frequently tested for correct formation, especially with irregular forms.
What is a verb, and what are its main types?
A verb is a word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being, and every complete sentence must contain at least one. Common types tested in JAMB/WAEC include:
- Action verbs – express a physical or mental action (e.g., “run,” “think”)
- Linking verbs – connect the subject to additional information about it, without expressing an action (e.g., “is,” “seems,” “became”)
- Auxiliary (helping) verbs – support the main verb to form different tenses or moods (e.g., “have,” “will,” “can”)
What is an adjective, and what are its main types?
An adjective is a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun, giving more detail about its quality, quantity, or identity. Common types include:
- Descriptive adjectives – describe qualities (e.g., “beautiful,” “tall”)
- Quantitative adjectives – indicate quantity (e.g., “many,” “few,” “some”)
- Demonstrative adjectives – point out specific nouns (e.g., “this,” “those”)
- Comparative and superlative adjectives – compare two or more things (e.g., “taller” compares two, “tallest” compares more than two)
How do you form comparative and superlative adjectives correctly?
For most short adjectives, you add -er for comparative and -est for superlative (e.g., “tall” → “taller” → “tallest”). For longer adjectives, you use “more” and “most” instead (e.g., “beautiful” → “more beautiful” → “most beautiful”). Some adjectives are irregular and don’t follow either pattern, such as “good” → “better” → “best,” and these irregular forms are a frequent exam focus since they can’t be worked out through a simple rule.
Why must verbs agree with their subject?
Subject-verb agreement means that a verb must match its subject in number – a singular subject takes a singular verb form, and a plural subject takes a plural verb form. For example, “She writes every day” (singular) versus “They write every day” (plural).
This is one of the most commonly tested grammar rules in JAMB/WAEC, often appearing in sentence-correction or error-identification questions.
Common mistakes students make with this topic
- Confusing linking verbs (like “is” or “seems”) with action verbs, since linking verbs don’t describe a physical action
- Using “more”/”most” with short adjectives that should take “-er”/”-est,” or vice versa
- Ignoring subject-verb agreement, especially with collective nouns or compound subjects
- Mixing up irregular comparative/superlative forms (e.g., saying “gooder” instead of “better”)
Frequently asked questions
Q: What is the difference between an action verb and a linking verb?
An action verb expresses a physical or mental action, such as “run” or “think,” while a linking verb connects the subject to more information about it without expressing an action, such as “is” or “seems.”
Q: How do you form the superlative form of a short adjective?
For most short adjectives, you add “-est” to the base form, such as “tall” becoming “tallest,” though irregular adjectives like “good” follow different patterns (becoming “best”).
Q: What is subject-verb agreement?
Subject-verb agreement is the grammatical rule requiring a verb to match its subject in number, meaning singular subjects take singular verb forms and plural subjects take plural verb forms.
Q: What are quantitative adjectives? Quantitative adjectives indicate the quantity of something, such as “many,” “few,” or “some,” without specifying an exact number.
New to parts of speech? Start with our Nouns and Pronouns lesson →
This is one topic from our full JAMB & WAEC English Language course — see everything covered →
