Transcript Irregular Verbs

Irregular Verbs
Lie v. Lay, Sit v. Set, Rise v. Raise

What makes a verb irregular?
◦ Irregular verbs do not follow the rules when it
comes to conjugations in verb tense.
◦ We all know the basics of making a verb past tense–
just add “-ed” to the end! I walk becomes I walked. But
many verbs don’t follow this rule.
In fact, over 370 verbs in the English
language are considered irregular
 We will focus on the most commonly
confused irregular verb usage: lie vs. lay,
rise v. raise, and sit v. set

Irregular Verbs

You can’t just “sound” this out!!! People
so infrequently misuse these, that we
cannot distinguish the correct usage just
in how it sounds.

It helps to know the definition of each
verb because the definition is the clue to
the correct usage
Lie vs. Lay

Lay – to put something or someone down.
◦ This is a Transitive verb, meaning it requires
an object (i.e. that something or someone in
the definition) in order to be grammatically
correct.
 Before going to bed himself, Jeremy lay his son
down to sleep.

Lie – to rest or recline.
◦ This is an Intransitive verb, meaning that it
does not take an object.
 My dog, Lola, always lies on the sofa when I’m
not around.
Lie v. Lay

Look at the different conjugations in verb
tenses below
Infinitive
Definition
Simple
Present
Simple
Past
Past
Participle
Present
Participle
To lay
To put
something
down
Lay(s)
laid
laid
laying
To lie
To rest or
recline
Lie(s)
lay
lain
lying

Notice that the simple past form of lie is the
same as the present form of lay. Keeping in
mind what tense you are intending to speak
in will help you determine which verb to use.
Lie v. Lay

Simple present
◦ Jack always _______ the cordless telephone
where no one can find it.
◦ Charles _______ in the middle of the boxing
ring.

Simple past
◦ Rachel ____ her month-late essay in Dr.
Cohen's mailbox.
◦ Gently rocked by ocean waves, Robbie _____
on the raft.
Lie v. Lay

Again, it is a question of the transitive
versus intransitive nature of the verb.
◦ What does transitive mean?
◦ What does intransitive mean?

Sit is intransitive
◦ I sit down

Set is transitive
◦ I set the fork down

Rise is intransitive
◦ I rise at 5am every morning

Raise is transitive
◦ I raise the flag at sunrise.
Set v. Sit, Rise v. Raise
Infinitive
Definition
Simple
Present
Simple Past
Past
Participle
To sit
To be
located
Sit(s)
sat
sat
To set
To put down
Set(s)
set
set
To rise
To get up or
increase
Rise(s)
rose
risen
To raise
To lift or
bring up
Raise
raised
raised
Example: I sit here today, I sat here yesterday,
and I have sat here everyday for the last month.
In the past participle, “have” is called an
auxiliary or helping verb
Verb Conjugations

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

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
“Won’t you (sit, set) here?” I said to Mrs.
Martin.
She (sat, set) down and began talking about
Newton’s laws of motion.
“Now (sit, set) that chair out of the way,” she
went on.
The curtain (rises, raises), and Celia Cruz
takes the stage
The movers (rose, raised) the piano with
ropes on a pulley
The river has been (rising, raising) all night.
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