Verb Forms

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Forms of Verbs

All verbs (except auxiliary verb be) have 5 forms. The past participle form is not always related to past time.

Base form (no -s)

-s form -ing form Past tense form

Past participle form

drive drives driving drove driven

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Forms of Verbs

The -ing form and the past participle form need an auxiliary verb to function as a complete verb.

The -s form and the past tense form can function as complete main verbs of a clause.

Many have given this product a try.

Many gave this product a try.

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Regular and Irregular Verbs

Regular and irregular verbs are mainly differentiated by their past tense and past participles.

Regular verbs always have -d/-ed in their past tense and past participle.

Base form Past tense Past Participle

live lived lived

walk walked walked

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Irregular Verbs

The past tense and past participles of irregular verbs do not end in -d/-ed.

Some irregular verbs remain the same for the past tense and past participle.

Base form Past tense Past Participle

take took taken

Base form Past tense Past Participle

cut cut cut

cost cost cost

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Irregular Verbs

A few irregular verbs have an irregular -s form.

Base form Past tense

do does

go goes

have has

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Auxiliary Verb Do

Do, does, did are always followed by the base form of the verb.

When used in questions for statements with no auxiliary verb, the auxiliary verb do is placed in the front of the subject.Statement: The programme works well.

Question: Does the programme work well?

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Auxiliary Verb Do

In negations when no other auxiliary verb is present, the auxiliary verb do is followed by the base form of the verb.

Auxiliary verb do is also used for emphasis.

Statement: The programme works well.

Negation: The programme does not work well.

The employees did try their best to meet their monthly targets.

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Auxiliary Verb Have

The have auxiliary verb in the present and past perfect tenses is followed by a past participle form.The investigation team has worked very hard. (regular verb)

The team has done a through investigation. (irregular verb)

By the time the investigation team arrived at the conference room, the meeting had commenced. (regular verb)

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Auxiliary Verb Be

Present Past -ing form Past participle

Passive voice

is

are

am

was

were

being been is/are/am/was/were + being

has/have/ had been

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Verbals or verbal phrase

A verbal is a verb that can be followed by a verb form.

The committee decided to start work as planned.

A verbal can be in the form of an infinitive (to + verb), a gerund (verb + -ing) or a base form.

verbal

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Verbs followed by a Gerund

postpone resume considercomplete risk recommendsuggest discuss regret

Examples:The managers have considered getting everyone involved in the meeting.

The trainers suggest trying another method to overcome the obstacles.

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Verbs followed by an Infinitive

agree deserve appearendeavour offer tendattempt plan consent

Examples:The managers agree to get everyone involved in the meeting.

The trainers attempted to improve their trainees’ skills through more challenging tasks.

See Lane and Lange (1999), p. 39 for more details.

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Verbs followed by a Gerund or an Infinitive

begin stop continue

start try prefer

Examples:

The weather begins turning for the worse.

The weather begins to turn for the worse.

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Verbs followed by a Base Form

make have let help (this verb can also be followed by an infinitive)

Examples:

The authorities will let the people know the outcome.

By making the policies known, the government will help keep (or help to keep) their citizens informed about the state of affairs.

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Infinitives followed by Adjectives

Use an infinitive after these adjectives eager amazed anxious careful content determined hesitant pleased proud reluctant ready surprised

Examples:

The minister is anxious to please the people.The parents were amazed to discover the truth.

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Common Verb Form Errors

The past participle in a verb phrase has been incorrectly formed.

*The politicians knew they had not make time to discuss this issue.

A main verb or an adjective has been incorrectly used instead of be + past participle.

*Everyone should be concern about the environment.

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Common Verb Form Errors

The auxiliary verb and the main verb should match each other in a verb phrase.

*The project was not progress as planned. Use only an infinitive or a gerund (but not a

base form) when a verbal functions as a subject.

* Check the processes helps to make sure everything is in order.

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Common Verb Form Errors

Use a gerund as an object of a preposition. *The lecturer talked everyone into do more extra

assignments. Use an infinitive after certain adjectives. *They are reluctant attend the interview.

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Common Verb Form Errors

Use an infinitive to express a purpose (shortened form of in order to).

*The graduate students went to their supervisor’s office seek his advice on their project.

Use a perfective infinitive (to+ have+ past participle) where events or conditions expressed by the infinitive are in the past.

*To produce a higher crop yield was an impossibility given this monsoon season.

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Sources

Lane, A. and Lange, E. (1999). Writing Clearly: An Editing Guide (2nd ed.). USA: Heinle and Heinle Publishers. Oshima, A. and Hogue, A. (2006). Writing Academic English (4th ed.). New York: Pearson Education, 28-45.

Raimes, A. (2006). Grammar Troublespots: A Guide for Student Writers (3rd ed.). New York: Cambridge University Press, 32-40.