Transcript English has just 2 kinds of verbs

Past Tense Verbs:
Staying on Top of the
System!
English has only two kinds of verbs, each
with the same three main parts.
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(1) REGULAR
Infinitive: to WALK
Past tense: WALKED
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(no helping verb used)
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Past participle:
WALKED
(always with helping verb)
(2) IRREGULAR
Infinitive: to FLY
Past tense: FLEW
(no helping verb used)
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Past participle:
FLOWN
(always with helping
verb)
Every verb tense in English is formed from
these three principal parts.
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I love you.
I will love you always.
I loved you in the past, but at the time
you didn’t love me.
I had loved you long before you spoke
to me in our writing class.
I wanted you to love me for myself, not
for my ability to correct comma splices.
What’s the difference between a
regular and an irregular verb?
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A regular verb never changes the main verb
itself; it just adds a d or an ed when
describing past actions:
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dance—danced
talk—talked
Irregular verbs are unpredictable. When
describing past actions, they might (1) stay
the same, (2) change just a part of the word,
or (3) change the whole word:
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cut— cut
grow—grew
think— thought
Regular past tense verbs: Tip #1
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Remember to add the d or ed endings
to mark the past, especially those
endings that we don’t hear clearly!
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Every day, I walk to work.
Yesterday, I walked to work.
For weeks now, I have walked to work.
Every night, we dance till dawn.
Last night, we danced till dawn.
On many nights, we have danced till dawn.
REGULAR past tense verbs: Tip #2
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Be extra careful when the word “to”
follows a past tense verb; it’s easy to
forget the verb ending because we
don’t hear it.
 Grammar use d to be easy.
 This is suppose d to be fun.
Regular past tense verbs:Tip #3
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Remember to use the “change y to i
when you add –ed ” rule!
Present
Past
We testify.
We testified.
They apply.
They have
applied.
Irregular past tense verbs:Tip #1
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Some verbs stay the same in the present
and the past. Don’t be tempted to add
an ending.
Present
Past
I quit!
Yesterday I quit!
They cost a lot
nowadays.
Earlier, they had
cost a lot.
Irregular past tense verbs: Tip #2
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The past tense of “TO BE” has both a singular
and a plural form. Watch the subject/verb
agreement.
Singular
Plural
Present
Past
Today she is
happy.
Today they are
happy.
Yesterday she
was happy.
Yesterday they
were happy
What About Other Tenses?
All other past-tense verbs are formed from
the past participle and some kind of a
helping verb like has/ have/ had/ is/ was/
were:
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He has asked the $64,000 question.
The case was decided in their favor.
She had written a prize-winning essay.
You have been selected to enter the Publishers
Clearinghouse sweepstakes!
Past participles of regular verbs end in d
or ed, just as the past tense verb does.
Present
Past
Past Participle
talk
talked
(has) talked
depend
depended
(has) depended
testify
testified
(has) testified
scare
scared
(has) scared
Unfortunately, the past participles of
irregular verbs are as unpredictable as
the past tense is.
Present
Past
begin
began
become
became
choose
Past
participle
Present
Past
Past
participle
begun
go
went
gone
become
see
saw
seen
chose
chosen
forget
forgot
forgotten
cut
cut
cut
give
gave
given
lead
led
led
do
did
done
And just to make things really
confusing, there’s always…
Present
Past
Past Participle
lie (=recline)
lay
has lain
lay (=put)
laid
has laid
sit
sat
has sat
set (=place)
set
has set
Warning: Potential Trouble Spot!
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Past participles are often used as
adjectives, to describe other words.
Remember the –ed ending!
 What is the prescribe d
solution?
( = the solution which someone has prescribed)
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You seem shock ed .
( = something has shocked you)
Try some out! Are there any missing
endings below?
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She appears to be a very prejudice d person.
My critical thinking teacher was astonished
that I finished the quiz so early.
I think everything is finally settled to
everyone’s satisfaction.
Warning: Potential Trouble Spot
#2!
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Don’t confuse the past tense of the
irregular verbs (no helping verb) with the
past participle (with helping verb).
X my homework early this
 I begun
began: past tense
week.
begun: past participle
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X me his address.
He had gave
gave: past tense
given: past participle
Warning: Potential Trouble Spot #3!
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Watch the passive verbs (= a combination of is,
are, was, were, be, been, or being plus the past
participle). Be sure to use the participle form.
 My heart is broken.
(not is broke)
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The course was well designed.
(not was well design)
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The report will soon be written.
(not will soon be wrote).
And that’s all there is to it!
Verbs are easy, when you
understand the system!