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From Liza Sunderlin, a concise summary of verb forms
Available as a MSWord document here.
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Verb Forms without Time [Verbids]
In a written sentence these forms must have an X-word before them
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Verb Forms with Time [Verbexes]
In a written sentence these forms have the time element already inside them. The X-word do, does or did is “taken out” for yes-no questions or for emphasis.
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The Base Form
also known as the “infinitive” or the “to form”.
I must go, I might go, I should go, I will go
This form is used in many verb collocations, eg I want to go, I have to go. |
The ING form
sometimes referred to as the “gerund”
This form is used for actions that are current and/or interrupted and is also used to denote “future”. |
The DTN form
also know as the “past participle”
This form is used when an action started in the past and continues to the present time.
DTN refers to the final letters of this form esp irregular verbs
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The Non-Past Forms
These forms are used to denote actions that are done habitually, over and over again. It is not a present form and is not necessarily used for things that are happening “now”.
When the X-word do, does or did is taken out, the form that follows is the Base Form, eg. He does do his homework every day. |
The Past Form
This form is used to denote actions that are completed, done, finished, not going to happen again. |
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This form follows all X-words except forms of BE or HAVE |
This form follows any form of the verb BE |
Active: this form follows any form of HAVE
Passive: follows BE |
The –S Form This form is used after he, she, it. This form has “does” inside [except for BE] |
The No –S Form This form is used after I, we, you, they. This form has “do” inside. [except for BE] |
The Past Form is used for all subjects. This form has “did” inside. [except for BE]
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Eat |
Eating |
Eaten |
Eats |
Eat |
Ate |
Swim |
Swimming |
Swum |
Swims |
Swim |
Swam |
Fall |
Falling |
Fallen |
Falls |
Fall |
fell |
Do |
Doing |
Done |
Does |
Do |
Did |
Have |
Having |
Had |
Has |
Have |
Had |
Be |
Being |
Been |
Is |
Am, Are |
Was, Were |
Go |
Going |
Gone |
Goes |
Go |
went |
Sleep |
Sleeping |
Slept |
Sleeps |
Sleep |
Slept |