Using Verbs Correctly

Using Verbs Correctly
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Regular and irregular verbs
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Active and passive voice
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Using verbs correctly
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Get Started
In English, tenseis used to show when something happens. Here, you will
discover how verbs are formed and how they are used to show time. Note:
This chapter is especially important for speakers of English as a second
language.
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Overview of Verb Functions
Recall from Chapter 1 that verbs are words that name an action or describe a state of being.
There are four basic types of verbs: action verbs, linking verbs, helping verbs, and verb
phrases. Verbs also convey information through changes in their form. Here are the five dif-
ferent things we find out from a verb:
Tense(when the action takes place: past, present, or future)
Person(who or what experiences the action)
Number(how many subjects act or receive the action)
Mood(the attitude expressed toward the action)
Voice (whether the subject acts or is acted upon: the active or passive voice)
The Six Verb Tenses
The tense of a verb shows its time. English has six verb tenses. Each of the six tenses has two
forms: basic and progressive (also known as “perfect”). The basic form shows action, occur-
rence, or state of being that is taking place right here and now. The basic form also is the base
for the future form (i.e., I will sleep; they will sleep).
The following chart shows the six forms for the verb to walk:
TenseBasic FormProgressive Form
Presentwalkam walking
Pastwalkedwas walking
Futurewill walkwill be walking
Present perfecthave walkedhave been walking
Past perfecthad walkedhad been walking
Future perfectwill have walkedwill have been walking
The tense of English verbs is formed from helping verbs and principal parts. Each English
verb has four main parts, as shown in the chart on the next page.

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Principal Verb Parts
PresentPresent ParticiplePastPast Participle
looklookinglookedlooked
dancedancingdanceddanced
1.The present tense
The present is used to form the present tense (“I look”) and the future (“I will look”).
English uses the helping verb will to show the future tense.
2.The present participle
The present participle forms all six of the progressive forms (“I am looking,” “I was look-
ing,” and so on).
3.The past tense
The past forms only one tense, the past. As with the present tense, the principal part
stands alone.
4.The past participle
The past participle forms the last three tenses: the present perfect (“I have looked”), the
past perfect (“I had looked”), and the future perfect (“I will have looked”). To form the
past participle, start with a helping verb such as is, are, was, has been. Then add the prin-
cipal part of the verb.
Quick Tip
When you conjugatea verb, you list the singular and plural forms of the verb in a
specific tense.
Regular and Irregular Verbs
English verbs are divided into two classes: regular and irregular. These classifications come
from the way the verb forms its past tense and past participles.
Regular verbs: The past tense and past participle forms are created by adding -d, -ed, or -t
to the present form, but the vowel doesn’t change; for example, walk, walked, walked.
Irregular verbs: No pattern is followed when the past and past participle are formed.
Instead, there are many different forms. For example, with some irregular verbs the vowel
changes and an -n or -e is added, as in begin, began, begun. With other verbs, the vowel
changes and a -d or -tis added, as in lose, lost, lost.

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Of all the verbs in English, lie and lay are likely the most often confused. Lay is a regular
verb; lieis an irregular verb.
Lie means “to repose.” Lie conjugates as lie, lay, lain.
Laymeans “to put.” Layconjugates as lay, laid, laid.
Because lay is both the present tense of to lay and the past tense of to lie, many speakers
and writers use lay when they mean lie.
Lie is an intransitive verb. That means that it never takes a direct object.
When people are exhausted, they should liedown for a rest.
Layis a transitive verb. That means that lay always takes a direct object.
Laythe papers down.
The following chart lists some of the most common irregular verbs that have the same
present participle, past, and past participle forms.
Present TensePresent ParticiplePastPast Participle
bidbiddingbidhave bid
burstburstingbursthave burst
costcostingcosthave cost
hithittinghithave hit
hurthurtinghurthave hurt
kneelkneltknelthave knelt
letlettinglethave let
putputtingputhave put
setsettingsethave set
The next chart lists some of the most common irregular verbs that have the same past and
past participle forms.
Present TensePresent ParticiplePastPast Participle
beatbeatbeatenhave beaten
becomebecamebecomehave become
bendbentbenthave bent
bindbindingboundhave bound
bitebitbittenhave bitten

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Present TensePresent ParticiplePastPast Participle
bringbringingbroughthave brought
buildbuildingbuilthave built
buybuyingboughthave bought
catchcaughtcaughthave caught
creepcreptcrepthave crept
digdugdughave dug
divedived or dovedivedhave dived
findfindingfoundhave found
fightfightingfoughthave fought
forgetforgotforgottenhave forgotten
forgiveforgaveforgivenhave forgiven
getgettinggothave gotten,
have got
growgrewgrownhave grown
hanghunghunghave hung
hang (execute)hangedhangedhave hanged
hidehidhiddenhave hidden
holdholdingheldhave held
keepkeepingkepthave kept
laylayinglaidhave laid
leadleadingledhave led
loselosinglosthave lost
paypayingpaidhave paid
proveprovedproved, provenhave proved,
have proven
ringrangrunghave rung
saysayingsaidhave said
sendsendingsenthave sent
showshowingshowedhave showed,
have shown
sitsittingsathave sat
sleepsleepingslepthave slept
spendspendingspenthave spent
spinspinningspunhave spun
standstandingstoodhave stood
stickstickingstuckhave stuck
teachteachingtaughthave taught

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Quick Tip
The most irregular verb in English is to be.Its principal parts are be, being, was,
were, been, am, are, is.
The following chart lists some of the most common irregular verbs that change in unpre-
dictable ways:
Present TensePresent ParticiplePastPast Participle
arisearisingarosehave arisen
beginbeginningbeganhave begun
blowblowingblewhave blown
breakbreakingbrokehave broken
choosechoosingchosehave chosen
comecomingcamehave come
divedived, dovedivedhave dived
dodoingdidhave done
drawdrawingdrewhave drawn
drinkdrinkingdrankhave drunk
eateatingatehave eaten
fallfallingfellhave fallen
flyflyingflewhave flown
freezefreezingfrozehave frozen
givegivinggavehave given
gogoingwenthave gone
knowknowingknewhave known
lie (horizontal)lyinglayhave lain
rideridingrodehave ridden
riserisingrosehave risen
runrunningranhave run
seeseeingsawhave seen
shakeshakingshookhave shaken
shrinkshrinkingshrankhave shrunk
singsingingsanghave sung
sinksinkingsankhave sunk

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Present TensePresent ParticiplePastPast Participle
speakspeakingspokehave spoken
springspringingspranghave sprung
stealstealingstolehave stolen
strivestrivingstrovehave striven
swearswearingsworehave sworn
swimswimmingswamhave swum
taketakingtookhave taken
teartearingtorehave torn
throwthrowingthrewhave thrown
wakewakingwoke, wakedhave woken, waked
wearwearingworehave worn
writewritingwrotehave written
How to Use Tenses
The six tenses express time within three main categories: past, present, and future. You want
to use the tenses correctly so that you can show how one event is related to another. The fol-
lowing chart shows how the tenses are related.
Verb Tense and Time
PastPresentFuture
Simple pastSimple presentSimple future
Present perfectFuture perfect
Past perfect
Past progressivePresentFuture progressive
Present perfect progressiveFuture perfect progressive
Past perfect progressive
Use the two present forms (simple present, present progressive) to show events that take
place now.
Use the six past forms (simple past, present perfect, past perfect, past progressive, present
perfect progressive, past perfect progressive) to show events that took place before the
present.

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Use the four future forms (simple future, future perfect, future progressive, future perfect
progressive) to show events that take place in the future.
1.Use past tenses accurately.
The six past tenses all indicate the past in a different way. The following chart provides
examples of how to use these tenses.
TenseUseExample
Simple pastCompleted action (indefinite We washed the car.
time)
Completed condition (indefinite We were happy the
time)party was over.
Completed action (definite time)We washed the car yesterday.
Completed condition (definiteI was delighted yesterday to
time)receive the news.
Present perfectCompleted action (indefinite We have bought the gifts.
time)
Completed condition (indefinite I have been very relieved.
time)
Action continuing into theSarah has called for two
presenthours.
Condition continuing into theShe has been in New York
presentfor a week.
Past perfectAction completed beforeGreg had called all his friends
anotherbefore the party started.
Condition completedGreg had been a butcher
before he became a guru.
Past progressiveContinuous completed actionI was attending a spa
that month.
Present perfect progressiveAction continuing into presentRalph has been exercising all
week.
Past perfect progressiveContinuing action interruptedKatie had been repairing the
by anotherfence that was damaged in the
storm.