Transcript Verbs followed by a Base Form

Verb Forms
Forms of Verbs

All verbs (except auxiliary verb be) have
5 forms. The past participle form is not
always related to past time.
Base form
(no -s)
-s form
-ing form
Past tense
form
Past
participle
form
drive
drives
driving
drove
driven
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Forms of Verbs

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.
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Regular and Irregular Verbs

Regular and irregular verbs are mainly
differentiated by their past tense and past
participles.

Regular verbs always have -d/-ed in their
past tense and past participle.
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 -d/-ed.
Base form
Past tense
Past Participle
take
took
taken
Some irregular verbs remain the same for the
past tense and past participle.
Base form
Past tense
Past Participle
cut
cut
cut
cost
cost
cost
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Irregular Verbs

A few irregular verbs have an irregular -s
form.
Base form
Past tense
do
does
go
goes
have
has
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Auxiliary Verb Do

Do, does, did are always followed by the
base form of the verb.

When used in questions for statements with
no auxiliary verb, the auxiliary verb do is
placed in the front of 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, the auxiliary verb do is followed by
the base form of the verb.
Statement: The programme works well.
Negation:

The programme does not work well.
Auxiliary verb do is also used for emphasis.
The employees did try their best to meet their
monthly targets.
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Auxiliary Verb Have

The have auxiliary verb in the present and
past perfect tenses is followed by a past
participle form.
The investigation team has worked very hard.
(regular verb)
The team has done a through investigation.
(irregular verb)
By the time the investigation 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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Verbals or verbal phrase

A verbal is a verb that can be followed by a
verb form.
verbal
The committee decided to start work as planned.
A verbal can be in the form of an infinitive (to +
verb), a gerund (verb + -ing) or a base form.
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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
agree
endeavour
attempt
deserve
offer
plan
appear
tend
consent
Examples:
The managers agree to get everyone involved in the
meeting.
The trainers attempted to improve their trainees’ skills
through more challenging tasks.
See Lane and Lange (1999), p. 39 for more details.
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Verbs followed by a Gerund or an
Infinitive
begin
start
stop
try
continue
prefer
Examples:
The weather begins turning for the worse.
The weather begins to turn for the worse.
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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 (or help to keep) their citizens informed about the
state of affairs.
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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

The past participle in a verb phrase has
been incorrectly formed.
*The politicians knew they had not make time to
discuss this issue.

A main verb or an adjective has been
incorrectly used instead of be + past
participle.
*Everyone should be concern about the
environment.
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Common Verb Form Errors

The auxiliary verb and the main verb should
match each other in a verb phrase.
*The project was not progress as planned.

Use only an infinitive or a gerund (but not a
base form) when a verbal functions as a
subject.
* Check the processes helps to make sure
everything is in order.
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Common Verb Form Errors

Use a gerund as an object of a preposition.
*The lecturer talked everyone into do more extra
assignments.

Use an infinitive after certain adjectives.
*They are reluctant attend the interview.
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Common Verb Form Errors

Use an infinitive to express a purpose
(shortened form of in order to).
*The graduate students went to their supervisor’s
office seek his advice on their project.

Use 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 this monsoon season.
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Sources
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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