Using VerbsBy Ellyn Ball and Lilly Jenkins

Using Verbs

• Using refers to the way a word or expression is used in a sentence. Verb usage is an area that can cause many problems.

Four Principal Parts of Verbs

• A verb has four principal parts: the present, the present participle, the past and the past participle.

The Four Principal Parts of WalkPresent Present Participle Past Past Participle

Walk (am) walking Walked (have walked)

Principal Parts : Present

• The first principal part, called the present, is the form of the verb that is listed in a dictionary.

• Notice also the helping verbs in parentheses before the second and fourth principal parts.

• These two principal parts must be combined with helping verbs before they can be used as verbs in sentences. The result will always be a verb phrase.

• The way the past and past participle of a verb are formed shows whether the verb is regular or irregular.

Using Regular Verbs

• Most verbs are regular, which means that their past and past participle forms follow a standard, predictable pattern.

• The past and past participle of a regular verb are formed by adding –ed or-d to the present form.

• To form the past and past participle of a regular verb such as; chirp or hover, you simply add –ed.

• With regular verbs that already end in e-verbs such as; move and charge-you simply add-d to the present.

Using Regular Verbs

Principal Parts of Regular Verbs

Present Present Participle

Past Past Participle

ChirpHover MoveCharge

(am) chirping(am) hovering(am) moving(am) charging

ChirpedHoveredMovedcharged

(have) chirped(have) hovered(have) moved(have) charged

Using Irregular Verbs

• While most verbs are regular, many very common verbs are irregular-their past and past participle forms do not follow a participle pattern. These are the verbs that cause the most problems.

• The past and past participle of an irregular verb are not formed by adding –ed or-d to the present form.

• *** Check a dictionary whenever you are in doubt about the correct form of an irregular verb.

• Example: present: bring past: brought*** refer to handouts on irregular verbs in your interactive notebook

Quick Check

Present Present Participle

Past Past Participle

Put put

swinging swung

choose chose chosen

rise rising

drink drank

hurt hurting hurt

going went

came

set setting

eat ate

The Tense and Forms of Verbs

• In English verbs have six tenses. Each of these tenses has a basic form and a progressive form.

• A tense is a form of a verb that shows when something happens or when something exists.

• The chart below shows the basic forms of the six tenses, using begin as an example.

The Tense and Forms of Verbs

Basic Forms of the Six TensesTense Basic Form Principal Part

PresentPastFuturePresent PerfectPast PerfectFuture Perfect

I beginI begunI will beginI have begunI had begunI will have begun

PresentPastPresentPast ParticiplePast ParticiplePast Participle

Conjugating the Basic Forms of Verbs

• Conjugating verbs can help you become familiar with the many forms of verbs.

• A conjugation is a list of the singular and plural forms of a verb in a particular tense.

• Each tense in a conjugation has six forms that fit the first-,second-, and third-person forms of the personal pronouns.

• To conjugate any verb, begin by listing its principal parts.

• For example: the principal parts of the verb hide are hide hiding, hid and hidden. The following conjugation of hide shows all of the basic forms of this verb in the six tenses.

Conjugating the Basic Forms of Verbs

Conjugation of the Basic Forms of HideSingular Plural

Present I hide, you hidehe, she, it hides

we hide, you hidethey hide

Past I hid, you hid, he, she it hid

we hid, you hid, they hid

Future I will hide, you will hide, he, she, it hide

We will hide, you will hide, they will hide

Present Perfect I have hidden We have hidden

Past Perfect I had hidden We had hidden

Future Perfect I will have hidden We will have hidden

The Six Progressive Forms of Verbs

• Each of the six tenses introduced above also has a progressive form, which indicates continuing action. The present participle and a form of the verb be are used to make all six progressive forms.

• The following chart, using sing as an example, shows the progressive forms of the six tenses.

The Six Progressive Forms of Verbs

Progressive Forms of the Six Tenses of SingTenses Progressive Form Principal Part

PresentPastFuturePresent PerfectPast PerfectFuture Perfect

I am singingI was singingI will be singingI have been singingI had been singingI will have been singing

Present Participle

Troublesome Verbs

Troublesome Verbs

• Did and Done• Done is a past participle and can be used as a verb only

with a helping verb such as; have or has. If you find you are using done without a helping verb, try using did instead. Otherwise add the helping verb before done.

• I done all my studying in Florida. (incorrect)

• I did all my studying in Florida. (correct)

• I have done all my studying in Florida. (correct)

Troublesome Verbs

• Gone and went• Gone is the past participle of go and can be used as a verb

only with a helping verb such as have or has. Went is the past of go and is never used with a helping verb.

• The Martins gone on vacation to Florida. (incorrect)• Niva has went along with them. (incorrect)• The Martins went on vacation to Florida. (correct)• The Martins has gone on vacation to Florida. (correct)• Niva has gone along with them. (correct)• Niva went along with them. (correct)

Troublesome Verbs

• Have and of• In conversation, the words have and of sound very much

alike. Be careful not to write of when you really mean the helping verb have or its contraction ‘ve.

• He should of apologized. (incorrect)

• He should have apologized. (correct)

• He should’ve apologized. (correct)

Troublesome Verbs

Troublesome Verbs

• Next, compare the meanings and use the two verbs. • Lay usually means “ to put (something) down” or “to place (something).”

This verb is almost always followed by a direct object.• Lie usually means “to rest in a reclining position” or “to be situated.” Lie

is never followed by a direct object. • When using lay and lie, pay special attention to one particular area of

confusion. Lay is the present tense of lay and lay is also the past tense of lie.

• Present tense of lay: The settlers always lay their clothes out in the sun to dry.

• Past tense of lay: Because she was tired, my mother lay down for a nap after dinner.

Troublesome Verbs

• Raise and Rise• Raise has several common meanings “to lift or increase

(something) upward”, “to build (something)”, “to build or grow (something)”.

• Raise the colonial flag higher.• Rise on the other hand is usually not followed by a direct

object, but usually followed by an adverb or prepositional phrase. Rise means to “get up,” “to go up,” or “to be increased.”

• The waves have risen steadily.

Troublesome Verbs

• Saw and seen • Seen is a past participle and can be used as a verb only with

a helping verb such as have or has.

• We seen important changes in colonial rule.(incorrect)

• The governor seen how the colonist responded. (incorrect)

• We saw important changes in colonial rule. (correct)

• We have seen important changes in colonial rule. (correct)

• The governor saw how the colonist responded. (correct)

• The governor had seen how the colonist responded. (correct)

Troublesome Verbs

• Set and sit • These verbs are often confused. The first step is learning to

distinguish between set and sit id to learn their principal parts.• Set : set, setting, set, set• Sit: sit, sitting, sat, sat• Set usually means “to put (something) in a certain place.” it is

usually followed by a direct object.• Set the candle on the top of the mantel.• Sit usually means “to be seated or to rest.” Sit is never followed by a

direct object. • The duke’s castle sits high up on a mountain.

You do

• Questions?

• On the left side of your interactive notebook, list one of each kind of verb learned today (do not use any examples given today). Make sure to illustrate and color code.