Download Verb Forms

Verb Forms
Verb Forms

All verbs (except be) have 5 forms.
Infinitive /
Base form
(no -s)
Third
person -s
form
-ing form
Past tense
form
Past
participle
form
drive
drives
driving
drove
driven
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Verb Forms

The -ing form and the past participle form
need an auxiliary verb to function as a
complete verb.
Many have given this product a try.

The -s form and the past tense form can
function as complete main verbs of a clause.
Many gave this product a try.
She lives in Clementi.
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Regular and Irregular Verbs

The past tense and past participle of regular
verbs end in –(e)d.
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 –(e)d.
Base form
Past tense
Past Participle
take
took
taken
Some irregular verbs are the same in both forms.
Base form
Past tense
Past Participle
cut
cut
cut
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Irregular Verbs

The following have an irregular -s form:
Base form
Third Person
do
does
go
goes
have
has
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Auxiliary Verb Do

Do, does, did are followed by the base form
of the verb.

In questions for statements with no auxiliary
verb, do is placed before the subject.
Statement: The programme works well.
Question:
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Does the programme work well?
Auxiliary Verb Do

In negations when no other auxiliary verb is
present, do is followed by a verb’s base form.
Statement: The programme works well.
Negation:

The programme does not work well.
Do is also used for emphasis.
The employees did/do try their best to meet their
monthly target.
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Auxiliary Verb Have

In the present and past perfect tenses, have is
followed by a past participle.
Present Perfect Simple
The team has worked very hard. (regular verb)
The team has done well. (irregular verb)
Past Perfect Simple
By the time the 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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Verb Patterns

A verb can be followed by:
an infinitive (to + verb)
a gerund (verb + -ing)
a base form (infinitive without to)
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Verbs Followed by a Gerund
postpone
complete
suggest
resume
risk
discuss
consider
recommend
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
Examples:
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
love
Examples:
I’ve started revising for the test.
I’ve started to revise for the test. (Same meaning)
I love eating Vietnamese cuisine.
I love to eat at 7pm. (Similar meaning: general v specific)
I’ve stopped smoking.
I’ve stopped to smoke. (Different meaning)
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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 / help to keep their citizens informed.
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Infinitives Followed by Adjectives

Use an infinitive after these adjectives
eager
content
proud
amazed
determined
reluctant
anxious
hesitant
ready
careful
pleased
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

Incorrect past participle form.
*They knew they had not make time to discuss it.
They knew they had not made time to discuss it.

Incorrect use of the infinitive.
*Everyone should be concern about the environment.
Everyone should be concerned about the
environment.
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Common Verb Form Errors

Not using the infinitive or gerund as a
subject.
* Check the processes helps to make sure
everything is in order.
Checking the processes helps to make sure
everything is in order.
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Common Verb Form Errors

Not using a gerund as an object of a
preposition.
*The lecturer talked everyone into do extra work.
The lecturer talked everyone into doing extra work.
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Common Verb Form Errors

Using 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 the weather.
Producing a higher crop yield was an impossibility
given the weather.
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References
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.
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