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 -s form -ing form Past tense Past
(no -s) form 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: Does the programme work well?

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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 Passive
participle voice
is was being been is/are/am/
are were was/were
am + 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 resume consider
complete risk recommend
suggest discuss 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 deserve appear
endeavour offer tend
attempt plan 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 stop continue
start try 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 amazed anxious careful
content determined hesitant pleased
proud reluctant ready 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 supervisors
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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