Every sentence has a "main verb" (with the exception of the be-verb, which can be an implied main verb).
The Dictionary of English Grammar for Students of Biblical Languages by Greenwood labels "main verbs" as "finite verbs".
A main verb performs the action of the sentence or clause. Such a verb can occur in any of these moods:
- Indicative
- Imperative
- Subjunctive
- Optative
A main verb will not occur in these moods:
- Infinitive
- Participle.
Infinitives and participles both carry out important roles in the sentence...but they do not perform the main action of the sentence.
Here are my full analysis worksheets. You may not need to bother looking at
them. But they are here if you want them. They go along with my
translation comments in the videos below.
Today we are going to start looking a bit more at the mood of Greek verbs...particularly contrasting the indicative with the subjunctive.
We have started working on the regular verb. It is time to start working on the be-verb. It is irregular, but essential!