grammar quickies verb forms jean ghadiri oakton community college
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Grammar Quickies
Verb Forms
Jean Ghadiri
Oakton Community College
Verbs have 5 basic forms.
Base form (simple form) Simple present Simple past Present participle Past participle
Base Form
Base form is the form of the verb in a dictionary. It has no endings or other words with it.
In a verb chart, it is in the first column.
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
dogohaveletmakeputsaywrite
didwenthadletmadeputsaidwrote
donegonehadletmadeputsaidwritten
Simple Present
For simple present, the subject determines the form: Use base form for I, you, we, and they Add –s for he, she, and it
I eat sushi. You eat sushi. We eat sushi. They eat sushi.
She eats sushi. He eats sushi. It eats dog food.
Present Participle
The present participle is the base form + -ing.
Never use the present participle alone as a verb. (It can be a noun alone, but not a verb.)
Double the final consonant in words ending with CVC if the final syllable is stressed. (examples: stopping, patting, conferring)
Do not change y to i. (examples: studying, playing, enjoying, copying)
Simple Past
Simple past is the verb + -ed or the Column 2 form for an irregular verb.
Double the final consonant for CVC words with stressed final syllables. (stopped)
For consonant + y words, change y to i and add –ed. (cried, tried, copied)
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
dogohaveletmakeputsaywrite
didwenthadletmadeputsaidwrote
donegonehadletmadeputsaidwritten
Past Participle
The past participle is the Column 3 form of irregular verbs and the verb + -ed for regular verbs.
It sometimes looks like simple past. For regular verbs:
Double the final consonant for CVC words with stressed final syllables. (stopped)
For consonant + y words, change y to i and add –ed. (cried, tried, copied)
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
dogohaveletmakeputsaywrite
didwenthadletmadeputsaidwrote
donegonehadletmadeputsaidwritten
The helping verb determines the form of the main verb.
BE + verb-ing
HAVE + past participle (verb + -ed or Column 3 form)
MODAL + base form verb
The helping verb determines the form of the main verb. BE + verb-ing
I am taking three classes this semester.
I was taking a grammar class, but I dropped it.
I have been taking classes at Oakton for 3 semesters.
EXCEPTION: Passive Voice
In special cases, we use BE with the past participle. Our book was written by experts. Rosa’s necklace was made in Mexico. The Academy Awards are presented every year.
The helping verb determines the form of the main verb.
I have lived in Des Plaines all my life.
Joan has been here since 2005.
She hadn’t finished her homework, but she went to the dance anyway.
She has had a lot of fun this semester.
HAVE + past participle
(verb + -ed or Column 3 form)
The helping verb determines the form of the main verb.
I couldn’t wait to get home.
We might get to your house late.
Would you help me?
Are we supposed to study this?
Shouldn’t we stop now?
I can call you later.
MODAL + base form verb
Check verb forms carefully.
Check for final –s for he, she, and it.
Check for irregular past or past participle form.
Be sure that the verb form matches the helping verb.
Be sure to spell verb forms correctly. Double consonant? Change y to i?