Verb Usage
Verbs have four basic forms from which all other forms are made these are called principle parts of the verb
The principle parts of a verb are the infinitive, the present participle, the past, and the past participle.
Infinitive Present Past Past
Participle Participle
-walk -(is) walking -walked -(have) walked
-see -(is) seeing -saw -(have) seen
The present participle is used with some form of the helping verb be. Ex. am, is, are
The past participle is used with some form of the helping verb have.
Ex. has, have, had
A regular verb forms its past and past participle by adding –ed and –d to the infinitive form.
The present participle is formed by adding –ing to the infinitive form in regular and irregular verbs.
An irregular verb is one that forms its past and past participle by changing the vowels or consonants or by making no change at all.
Verbs change form to show the time of the action or idea they express. The time indicated by the form of the verb is called the verb tense.
There are six verb tenses: present tense, past tense, future tense, present perfect tense, past perfect tense, future perfect tense.
Each tense is formed differently.
1) The present tense is the verbs infinitive. (Remember to add an –s to a singular verb with singular subjects)
The present tense is used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) occurring now, at the present time. It is also used to indicate habitual action and to express general truth – something that is true all the time.
Ex. We are taking grammar notes.
He studies two hours a night.
She strongly believes blood is thicker than water.
2) The past tense is formed in a regular verb by adding –ed to the end of the infinitive.
The past tense is used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) that occurred in the past but did not continue into the present.
Ex. I drove to school.
3) The future tense is formed by using will or shall plus the infinitive.
The future tense is used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) that will occur at sometime in the future.
Ex. I will read a lot.
You will write excellent essays.
4) The present perfect tense is formed by using have or has plus past participle.
The present perfect tense is used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) that occurred at no definite time in the past and can still be occuring.
Ex. He has seen New York City.
5) The past perfect tense is formed by using had plus the past participle.
The past perfect tense is used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) completed in the past before some other past action or event.
Ex. After she had revised her essay, she handed it in.
6) The future perfect tense is formed by using will have or shall have plus the past participle.
The future perfect tense is used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) that will be completed in the future before some other future action or event.
Ex. Before I go to bed, I will have graded your papers.
All verb tenses have a progressive form. The progressive form is used to show continuing action. Progressive forms are formed by using a form of be plus the verb’s present participle.
Present progressive- am, is, are & present participle
I am talking.
Past progressive- was or were & present participle
I was talking.
Future progressive- will or shall & be & present participle
I will be talking.
Present perfect progressive- has or have & been & present participle
I have been talking.
Past perfect progressive- had & been & present participle
I had been talking.
Future perfect progressive-will or shall & have & been & present participle
I will have been talking.
Do not change needlessly from one tense to another.
If you are writing in the past tense, stay in the past tense; present tense, stay in the present tense; future tense, stay in the future tense.
Incorrect – Roy raised his telescope and sees a large bear. ( there is a past tense verb and a present tense verb)
Correct- Roy raised his telescope and saw a large bear. (both verbs are past tense)
Active and Passive Voice
An Active verb expresses action performed by the subject.
Ex. She grows tomatoes and corn on her farm.
A Passive verb expresses action performed upon the subject.
Ex. Tomatoes and corn are grown on her farm.
A Passive verb is always in a verb phrase consisting of a form of be plus the past participle.
Writing should be active. Avoid using the passive voice, unless it is being used to build suspense.
Passive voice can be used when the performer of the action is unknown or unimportant.
Lie and Lay
Lie means “to recline”. It does not take an object. You can’t answer the question whom or what after the verb.
Lay means “to put or place”. It takes an object. You can answer the question whom or what after the verb.
When deciding between lie and lay, first ask yourself, what meaning am I intending? Then ask yourself what time the verb is expressed in.
Infinitive Present Past Past
Participle Participle
To recline lie (is) lying lay (have) lain
To Put or Place lay (is) laying laid (have) laid
Sit and Set
Sit means “to be in a seated position”. It does not take an object. You can’t answer the question whom or what after the verb.
Set means “to put” or “to place something”. It does take an object. You can answer the question whom or what after the verb.
When deciding between sit and set, first ask yourself, what meaning am I intending? Then ask yourself what time the verb is expressing.
Infinitive Present Past Past
Participle Participle
To rest sit (is) sitting sat (have) sat
To put set (is) setting set (have) set
or to place
Rise and Raise
Rise means “to go in an upward direction”. It does not take an object. It can not answer the question whom or what after the verb.
Raise means “to move something in an upward direction”, to force up. It does take an object. It can answer the question whom or what after the verb.
When deciding between rise and raise first ask yourself, what meaning am I intending? Then ask yourself what time the verb is expressing.
Infinitive Present Past Past
Participle Participle
To go up rise (is) rising rose (have) risen
To force up raise (is) raising raised (have) raised
The principle parts of a verb are the infinitive, the present participle, the past, and the past participle.
Infinitive Present Past Past
Participle Participle
-walk -(is) walking -walked -(have) walked
-see -(is) seeing -saw -(have) seen
The present participle is used with some form of the helping verb be. Ex. am, is, are
The past participle is used with some form of the helping verb have.
Ex. has, have, had
A regular verb forms its past and past participle by adding –ed and –d to the infinitive form.
The present participle is formed by adding –ing to the infinitive form in regular and irregular verbs.
An irregular verb is one that forms its past and past participle by changing the vowels or consonants or by making no change at all.
Verbs change form to show the time of the action or idea they express. The time indicated by the form of the verb is called the verb tense.
There are six verb tenses: present tense, past tense, future tense, present perfect tense, past perfect tense, future perfect tense.
Each tense is formed differently.
1) The present tense is the verbs infinitive. (Remember to add an –s to a singular verb with singular subjects)
The present tense is used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) occurring now, at the present time. It is also used to indicate habitual action and to express general truth – something that is true all the time.
Ex. We are taking grammar notes.
He studies two hours a night.
She strongly believes blood is thicker than water.
2) The past tense is formed in a regular verb by adding –ed to the end of the infinitive.
The past tense is used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) that occurred in the past but did not continue into the present.
Ex. I drove to school.
3) The future tense is formed by using will or shall plus the infinitive.
The future tense is used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) that will occur at sometime in the future.
Ex. I will read a lot.
You will write excellent essays.
4) The present perfect tense is formed by using have or has plus past participle.
The present perfect tense is used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) that occurred at no definite time in the past and can still be occuring.
Ex. He has seen New York City.
5) The past perfect tense is formed by using had plus the past participle.
The past perfect tense is used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) completed in the past before some other past action or event.
Ex. After she had revised her essay, she handed it in.
6) The future perfect tense is formed by using will have or shall have plus the past participle.
The future perfect tense is used to express action (or to help make a statement about something) that will be completed in the future before some other future action or event.
Ex. Before I go to bed, I will have graded your papers.
All verb tenses have a progressive form. The progressive form is used to show continuing action. Progressive forms are formed by using a form of be plus the verb’s present participle.
Present progressive- am, is, are & present participle
I am talking.
Past progressive- was or were & present participle
I was talking.
Future progressive- will or shall & be & present participle
I will be talking.
Present perfect progressive- has or have & been & present participle
I have been talking.
Past perfect progressive- had & been & present participle
I had been talking.
Future perfect progressive-will or shall & have & been & present participle
I will have been talking.
Do not change needlessly from one tense to another.
If you are writing in the past tense, stay in the past tense; present tense, stay in the present tense; future tense, stay in the future tense.
Incorrect – Roy raised his telescope and sees a large bear. ( there is a past tense verb and a present tense verb)
Correct- Roy raised his telescope and saw a large bear. (both verbs are past tense)
Active and Passive Voice
An Active verb expresses action performed by the subject.
Ex. She grows tomatoes and corn on her farm.
A Passive verb expresses action performed upon the subject.
Ex. Tomatoes and corn are grown on her farm.
A Passive verb is always in a verb phrase consisting of a form of be plus the past participle.
Writing should be active. Avoid using the passive voice, unless it is being used to build suspense.
Passive voice can be used when the performer of the action is unknown or unimportant.
Lie and Lay
Lie means “to recline”. It does not take an object. You can’t answer the question whom or what after the verb.
Lay means “to put or place”. It takes an object. You can answer the question whom or what after the verb.
When deciding between lie and lay, first ask yourself, what meaning am I intending? Then ask yourself what time the verb is expressed in.
Infinitive Present Past Past
Participle Participle
To recline lie (is) lying lay (have) lain
To Put or Place lay (is) laying laid (have) laid
Sit and Set
Sit means “to be in a seated position”. It does not take an object. You can’t answer the question whom or what after the verb.
Set means “to put” or “to place something”. It does take an object. You can answer the question whom or what after the verb.
When deciding between sit and set, first ask yourself, what meaning am I intending? Then ask yourself what time the verb is expressing.
Infinitive Present Past Past
Participle Participle
To rest sit (is) sitting sat (have) sat
To put set (is) setting set (have) set
or to place
Rise and Raise
Rise means “to go in an upward direction”. It does not take an object. It can not answer the question whom or what after the verb.
Raise means “to move something in an upward direction”, to force up. It does take an object. It can answer the question whom or what after the verb.
When deciding between rise and raise first ask yourself, what meaning am I intending? Then ask yourself what time the verb is expressing.
Infinitive Present Past Past
Participle Participle
To go up rise (is) rising rose (have) risen
To force up raise (is) raising raised (have) raised