Common Errors in the Use of Verbs – Part II Dear students and teachers: Please make sure you subscribe to the free grammar updates here Common Errors in the Use of Verbs – Part II Incorrect: He has stole my pen. Correct: He has stolen my pen. Incorrect: John has often beat me at tennis. Correct: John has often beaten me at tennis. Reason After the auxiliaries has, have and had, we use the past participle form of the verb. Incorrect: They didn’t invited us. Correct: They didn’t invite us. Incorrect: He did came. After did, we use the present tense form (bare infinitive) of the verb. Incorrect: Neither he came nor he wrote. Correct: Neither did he come nor did he write. Incorrect: Seldom I go to the hills. Correct: Seldom do I go to the hills. The adverbs neither and seldom have negative meanings. When sentences begin with a negative word we use the inverted word order with do/did. Incorrect: Never I have seen such a mess. Correct: Never have I seen such a mess. Reason When sentences begin with a negative word, we use the inverted word order.

When there is an auxiliary verb in the sentence, we put that auxiliary verb before the noun (subject). When there is no auxiliary verb, we put do/did before the subject. Incorrect: He said that he saw him last year. Correct: He said that he had seen him last year. Reason Here the error lies in the failure to use the past perfect tense when the time of one past tense verb is more past than that of another. Incorrect: If I shall do this, I shall be wrong. Correct: If I do this, I shall be wrong. Incorrect: If I did this, I shall be wrong. Correct: If I do this, I shall be wrong. Reason When the main clause is in the future tense, the subordinate clause should be in the present tense. Incorrect: He had to leave his rights. Correct: He had to abandon (or relinquish) his rights. Reason We ‘leave a place’ or ‘leave something at some place’ or ‘leave someone to do something’. We do not ‘leave our rights’ or something like that. Incorrect: I take my food. Correct: I have my food. Reason ‘Take my food’ is not wrong, but English people do not normally use this expression.

Incorrect: I take your leave. Correct: I must leave now. OR I must say goodbye. Reason I take your leave is not wrong, but is extremely formal. Incorrect: They cut Charles I’s head. Correct: They cut off Charles I’s head. Reason When the cutting divides what is cut into pieces, use cut off, cut up or cut into. Copy of Verb Tenses by Nor Faradilla on Prezi Invited audience members will follow you as you navigate and present People invited to a presentation do not need a Prezi account This link expires 10 minutes after you close the presentation A maximum of 30 users can follow your presentation Learn more about this feature in our knowledge base article Do you really want to delete this prezi? Neither you, nor the coeditors you shared it with will be able to recover it again. Neither... nor (+ verb) Neither... nor (+ verb) English translation: neither he nor I am Advertisement Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question. You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

19:25 Aug 29, 2006 English to English translations [PRO] Other / Grammar help English term or phrase: Neither... nor (+ verb) Help! I wasn't sure where to ask this, since i don't hang out with English Profs all that much. I'm trying to find out about "neither, nor" as subject. I know the verb should agree with the subject of the "neither" clause : ex., Neither the Broncos nor the Patriots WERE the winners of the game. (both bron & pat are plural - at least i hope this is the rule). ex2: Neither Aggisi nor Nadal WAS the winner. Where my question is, is with "I" sentances. Neither John nor I am/is/are the winner of the game. Sorry to ask here, but I know there are some smart proscriptive grammarians who can aid me. :-) English translation: neither he nor I am Explanation: I wanted to post this in the 'ask asker' window, but the window is too small. I also wanted to write 'see below' but Kudoz disallowed it.

The 'correct' grammar, as explained below, sounds so 'wrong' to my ears that rather than obey it I would rephrase the sentence to read 'Neither of us is..." Apparently you must say 'neither he nor I am...' Neither we nor Shirley wants.. Neither he nor the Reds want... Here is the explanation: 5. Neither/nor and either/or are a special case. If two subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb should agree with the subject that is closer to it. If the conjunction nor appears in a sentence with neither; or the conjunction or with either, then the "neither/either" rule as stated above* no longer applies. That is, if you see "neither" followed by "nor," or "either" followed by "or," you can't automatically assume that the verb should be singular, as we did in the last section. "Neither…nor" and "either…or" means, at least in the world of GMAT grammar, "be careful." In these constructions, "neither" and "either" are no longer the subjects of their sentences.

Instead, they function as conjunctions, working in pairs with "nor" and "or" to join two other subjects in the sentence. When this occurs, the verb agrees with whichever subject is closer to it. Try to memorize this, if you can. This "neither…nor" sentence contains two subjects: "supervisor," and "staff members." (Why is "client" not a subject too? Because in these situations, the subjects are the two nouns immediately following the words "neither" and "nor".) Since the latter subject, "staff members," is plural, we therefore need a plural verb, too. The plural verb "were" is correct. This example is identical, grammatically, to the one above, except that the correlative conjunction joining the subjects is "either/or." The verb must therefore agree with the subject closest to it, which is "child," a singular noun. The proper verb form is the singular, "is." Remember to apply this rule only when both items of the pairs "neither/nor" and "either/or" are present in the sentence. * "4.

Neither and either always take singular verbs when acting as the subject of a sentence." Selected response from: Selected automatically based on peer agreement. Advertisement ASKER 19:42 Aug 29, 2006 I should tell you, by the way, why I asked. An editor insists that a sentance I wrote (neither my husband nor I are in the process of obtaining a loan) must be written "neither my husband nor I AM in the process of obtaining a loan), and the "am" sounds truly wrong to my ears. thanks ! United Kingdom 19:46 Aug 29, 2006 I am not a grammarian, so I can't explain why, but I am a native British English speaker and it sounds truly wrong to my ears too. It's equivalent to saying "Neither of us is in the process".

You certainly couldn't say "Neither of us am..." 20:24 Aug 29, 2006 I am not enclgish native but I am quite sure and I know why Neither my husband nor I AM because the 2nd is I and the verb should agree with the closest subject, It can sound wrong but it is a grammar rule United States 22:29 Aug 29, 2006 When one of your two subjects is I, put it second and follow it with the singular verb am.: Neither she nor I am going to the festival. Automatic update in 00: PRO pts in category: 16 Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer) agree neither he nor I am Explanation: I wanted to post this in the 'ask asker' window, but the window is too small. I also wanted to write 'see below' but Kudoz disallowed it. The 'correct' grammar, as explained below, sounds so 'wrong' to my ears that rather than obey it I would rephrase the sentence to read 'Neither of us is..." Apparently you must say 'neither he nor I am...' Neither we nor Shirley wants..

Neither he nor the Reds want... Here is the explanation: 5. Neither/nor and either/or are a special case. If two subjects are joined by or or nor, the verb should agree with the subject that is closer to it. If the conjunction nor appears in a sentence with neither; or the conjunction or with either, then the "neither/either" rule as stated above* no longer applies. That is, if you see "neither" followed by "nor," or "either" followed by "or," you can't automatically assume that the verb should be singular, as we did in the last section. "Neither…nor" and "either…or" means, at least in the world of GMAT grammar, "be careful." In these constructions, "neither" and "either" are no longer the subjects of their sentences. Instead, they function as conjunctions, working in pairs with "nor" and "or" to join two other subjects in the sentence. When this occurs, the verb agrees with whichever subject is closer to it. Try to memorize this, if you can.

This "neither…nor" sentence contains two subjects: "supervisor," and "staff members." (Why is "client" not a subject too? Because in these situations, the subjects are the two nouns immediately following the words "neither" and "nor".) Since the latter subject, "staff members," is plural, we therefore need a plural verb, too. The plural verb "were" is correct. This example is identical, grammatically, to the one above, except that the correlative conjunction joining the subjects is "either/or." The verb must therefore agree with the subject closest to it, which is "child," a singular noun. The proper verb form is the singular, "is." Remember to apply this rule only when both items of the pairs "neither/nor" and "either/or" are present in the sentence. * "4. Neither and either always take singular verbs when acting as the subject of a sentence." VERBS! Past? Present? or Future?

by Nicholas Jerrems on Prezi Invited audience members will follow you as you navigate and present People invited to a presentation do not need a Prezi account This link expires 10 minutes after you close the presentation A maximum of 30 users can follow your presentation Learn more about this feature in our knowledge base article Do you really want to delete this prezi? Neither you, nor the coeditors you shared it with will be able to recover it again. Verb Tenses: Future Tense Future Tense Verbs: Two of Seven Working through the lesson and worksheets will enable you to develop both proper sentence structure and paragraph skills simultaneously. Remember that the noun or pronoun is the direct object that tells who or what receives the action of the verb. The noun receives the verb. The object receives the action. We use the helping verb, "will" or "shall" and "be going to" to express the future tense plus the root form of the main verb. "Will" and "be going to" usually have the same meaning except when we have a planned action. A future planned action is an event that you have planned to do. Example; I am going to visit my parents in June.

Writing Tip The verb is the word in the English Language that indicates the time of an event. A verb may be in the present tense, happening right now, past tense, has already happened or future tense, is going to happen. Sequence of Verb Tenses | Guide to Grammar & Writing Exercises Introduction Although the various shades of time and sequence are usually conveyed adequately in informal speech and writing, especially by native speakers and writers, they can create havoc in academic writing and they sometimes are troublesome among students for whom English is a second language. This difficulty is especially evident in complex sentences when there is a difference between the time expressed in an independent clause and the time expressed in a dependent clause. Another difficulty arises with the use of infinitives and participles, modals which also convey a sense of time. We hope the tables below will provide the order necessary to help writers sort out tense sequences. Sequence of Tenses with Dependent and Independent Clauses As long as the main clause’s verb is in neither the past nor the past perfect tense, the verb of the subordinate clause can be in any tense that conveys meaning accurately. When the main clause verb is in the past or past perfect, however, the verb in the subordinate clause must be in the past or past perfect.

The exception to this rule is when the subordinate clause expresses what is commonly known as a general truth: In the 1950s, English teachers still believed that a background in Latin is essential for an understanding of English. Columbus somehow knew that the world is round. Slaveowners widely understood that literacy among oppressed people is a dangerous thing. The tables below demonstrate the correct relationship of tenses between clauses where time is of the essence (i.e., within sentences used to convey ideas about actions or conditions that take place over time). Tense in Independent Clause: Simple Present Purpose of Dependent Clause/Tense in Dependent Clause Example(s) To show same-time action, use the present tense. I am eager to go to the concert because I love the Wallflowers. To show earlier action, use past tense. I know that I made the right choice. To show a period of time extending from some point in the past to the present, use the present perfect tense. They believe that they have elected the right candidate. To show action to come, use the future tense. The President says that he will veto the bill.

Tense in Independent Clause: Simple Past Tense Purpose of Dependent Clause/Tense in Dependent Clause Example(s) To show another completed past action, use the past tense. I wanted to go home because I missed my parents. To show an earlier action, use the past perfect tense. She knew they had made the right choice. To state a general truth, use the present tense. The Deists believed that the universe is like a giant clock. Tense in Independent Clause: Present Perfect or Past Perfect Purpose of Dependent Clause/Tense in Dependent Clause Example(s) For any purpose, use the past tense. She has grown a foot since she turned nine. The crowd had turned nasty before the sheriff returned. Tense in Independent Clause: Future Purpose of Dependent Clause/Tense in Dependent Clause Example(s) To show action happening at the same time, use the present tense. I will be so happy if they fix my car today. To show an earlier action, use the past tense. You will surely pass this exam if you studied hard. To show future action earlier than the action of the independent clause, use the present perfect tense. The college will probably close its doors next summer if enrollments have not increased.

Tense in Independent Clause: Future Perfect Purpose of Dependent Clause/Tense in Dependent Clause Example(s) For any purpose, use the present tense or present perfect tense. Most students will have taken sixty credits by the time they graduate. Most students will have taken sixty credits by the time they have graduated. Authority for this section: Quick Access: Reference for Writers by Lynn Quitman Troyka. Simon & Schuster: New York. 1995. Used with permission. Examples and format our own. Note: Unless logic dictates otherwise, when discussing a work of literature, use the present tense: “Robert Frost describes the action of snow on the birch trees.” “This line suggests the burden of the ice.” “The use of the present tense in Carver’s stories creates a sense of immediacy.” BACK TO TOP Sequence of Tenses With Infinitives Like verbs, infinitives are capable of conveying the idea of action in time; therefore, it is important that we observe the appropriate tense sequence when using these modals. Tense of Infinitive: Present Infinitive (to be) Role of Infinitive Example(s) To show same-time action or action later than the verb.

Coach Espinoza is eager to try out her new drills. [The eagerness is now; the trying out will happen later.] She would have liked to see more veterans returning. [The present infinitive to see is in the same time as the past would have liked.] Tense of Infinitive: Perfect Infinitive (to have been) Role of Infinitive Example(s) To show action earlier than the verb. The fans would like to have seen some improvement this year. [“Would like” describes a present condition; “to have seen” describes something prior to that time.] They consider the team to have been coached very well. [The perfect infinitive to have been coached indicates a time prior to the verb consider.] BACK TO TOP Sequence of Tenses with Participles Like verbs and infinitives, participles are capable of conveying the idea of action in time; therefore, it is important that we observe the appropriate tense sequence when using these modals. Tense of Participle: Present Participle (being) Role of Participle Example(s) To show action occurring at the same time as that of the verb. Working on the fundamentals, the team slowly began to improve.

[The action expressed by began happened in the past, at the same time the working happened.] Tense of Participle: Past Participle or Present Perfect Participle Role of Participle Example(s) To show action occurring earlier than that of the verb. Prepared by last year’s experience, the coach knows not to expect too much. [The action expressed by knows is in the present; prepared expresses a time prior to that time.] Having experimented with several game plans, the coaching staff devised a master strategy. [The present perfect participle having experimented indicates a time prior to the past tense verb, devised.] Authority for this section: The Little, Brown Handbook by H. Ramsay Fowler and Jane E. Aaron, & Kay Limburg. 6th ed. HarperCollins: New York. 1995. By permission of Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc. Format and examples our own. English in Use/Verbs - Wikibooks, open books for an open world English in Use/Verbs Resources Verbs are often called action words that show what the subject (a noun or pronoun) is doing.

A verb is a word that signifies to be, to act, or to be acted on: as, I am, I rule, I am ruled, I love, you love, he loves. Verbs are so called, from the Latin verbum, a word; because the verb is that word which most essentially contains what is said in any clause or sentence. Although described as "action words", they can describe abstract concepts. They are a requirement of any sentence. Verbs have modifications of four kinds: moods, tenses, persons and numbers. Contents Morphological forms[ edit ] An English verb has four morphological forms (forms of word formation) ever needful to be ascertained in the first place: the present, the past, the present participle, and the past participle. The third person singular is the fifth morphological form. The present is that form of the verb, which is the root of all the rest; the verb itself; or that simple term which we should look for in a dictionary: as, be, act, rule, love, defend, terminate.

The past is that simple form of the verb, which denotes time past; and which is always connected with some noun or pronoun, denoting the subject of the assertion: as, I was, I acted, I ruled, I loved, I defended. The present participle is that form of the verb, which ends commonly in ing, and implies a continuance of the being, action, or passion: as, being, acting, ruling, loving, defending, terminating. The past participle is that form of the verb, which ends commonly in d or ed, and implies what has taken place: as, been, acted, ruled, loved. Regularity[ edit ] English, like many Germanic languages, contains both strong (or irregular, which is not quite the same as strong) and weak (regular) verbs. Irregular verbs are one of the most difficult aspects of learning English. Each irregular verb must be memorized, because they are not often easy to identify otherwise. Verbs are divided, with respect to their regularity, into four classes: regular and irregular, redundant and defective. A regular verb is a verb that forms the past and the past participle by assuming d or ed: as, love, loved, loving, loved.

An irregular verb is a verb that does not form the past and the past participle by assuming d or ed: as, see, saw, seeing, seen. A redundant verb is a verb that forms the past or the past participle in two or more ways, and so as to be both regular and irregular: as, thrive, thrived or throve, thriving, thrived or thriven. A defective verb is a verb that forms no participles, and is used in but few of the moods and tenses: as, beware, ought, quoth. Persons and numbers[ edit ] The person and number of a verb are those modifications in which it agrees with its subject. There are three persons and two numbers: thus, Singular first person. I love. Singular third person. He loves. Plural first person. We love. Plural second person. You love. Plural third person. They love. Where the verb is varied, the third person singular in the present tense, is regularly formed by adding s or es: as, I see, he sees; I give, he gives; I go, he goes; I fly, he flies; I vex, he vexes; I lose, he loses.

Where the verb is not varied to denote its person and number, these properties are inferred from its subject: as, if I love, if he love; if we love, if you love, if they love. Tenses[ edit ] Tenses are those modifications of the verb, which distinguish time. There are six tenses; the present, the past, the perfect, the past perfect, the first-future, and the second-future. One could even say there are twelve tenses because each of those comes in simple and in progressive forms, which have different meaning. The past tense is sometimes called imperfect, but the names perfect and imperfect do not fit their meaning. These names were derived from Latin where they were correct. The present tense simple is that which expresses what now exists, is normal or correlated to senses. It is used with adverbs like always, generally. "There is a house in New Orleans." "I read a book every week." "I hear a noise." The present tense continuous is that which expresses what is temporary: "I am reading a letter." "The car is running at high speed." "Someone is always working." The past tense simple is that which expresses what took place in time fully past.

It is used with adverbs like yesterday, last week. "Last week, I read several of Shaw's novels." The past tense continuous is that which expresses what was taking place when (suddenly) something else occurred. "I saw him yesterday, and hailed him as he was passing." "I was giving a presentation when the microphone broke." The present perfect tense simple is that which expresses what has taken place, within some period of time not yet fully past, or is still valid. It is used with adverbs like ever, never, today, this week. "I have read several of Shaw's novels." "I have seen him today; something must have detained him." "Have you ever tried fugu fish?" The present perfect tense continuous is that which which started in the past and has not yet finished. "Since I have been standing here, five planes took off." The past perfect tense simple is that which expresses what had taken place, at some past time mentioned, before something other happened. "I had seen him, when I met you." "As soon as my car had been repaired, I could continue my trip." The past perfect tense continuous is that which expresses what had started before and was still going on, when something else occurred.

"I had been listening to the radio when she dropped in." The first-future tense simple is that which expresses what will take place hereafter. "I shall see him again, and I will inform him." The first-future tense continuous is that which expresses what will be currently taking place at a certain time in future. "I will be swimming in the sea by the time you'll awake." The second-future tense simple is that which expresses what will have taken place at some future time mentioned. "I shall have seen him by tomorrow noon." The second-future tense continuous is that which expresses what will have started at some time and will still be ongoing, at some future time mentioned. "I will have been swimming in the sea for four hours by the time you'll awake tomorrow." Signification[ edit ] An active verb is a verb in an active sentence, in which the subject performs the verb: as, "I hit the dog." An active verb can be transitive or intransitive, but not passive or neuter. Verbs are divided again, with respect to their signification, into four classes: transitive, intransitive, passive, and neuter.

A transitive verb is a verb that expresses an action which has some person or thing for its object: as, "Cain slew Abel." "Cassius loved Brutus." An intransitive verb is a verb that expresses an action which has no person or thing for its object: as, "John walks." "Jesus wept." A passive verb is a verb in a passive sentence (passive voice) that represents its subject, or what the nominative expresses, as being acted on: as, "I am compelled." In a passive sentence, the action is performed on the subject. "I hit the dog," "The dog was hit by me." These sentences have the same denotative meaning, but their connotative meaning is quite different; active verbs are much more powerful and personal. A neuter verb or impersonal passive verb is a verb that expresses neither action nor passion, but simply being, or a state of being: as, "There was light." Voice[ edit ] Voice of speech can be active or passive. Principally in passive voice the same tenses can be used as in active voice.

There are two forms of passive voice (the second form is preferred): "He gave me the book." => "The book was given to me," "I was given the book." There are however some things to note. "They build a house." "The house is built." Here active and passive do not really have the same meaning. If for example you describe a picture where people build a house, the first sentence is perfectly correct. The second sentence however will be interpreted as the static perfect of the sentence "The house has been built—it is built now." This is, the house is now ready and not under construction. So the correct passive form is "The house is being built." Passive voice can be built quite formally by adhering to some rules. You will however not find normally all tenses as in active voice.

Formal rules will lead you to monstrosities like the following, you will certainly never hear (already the active sentence is quite monstrous): "The speech will have been being held for four hours when finally you'll arrive." "The president will have been holding a speech for four hours when finally you'll arrive." Moods[ edit ] Moods are different forms of the verb, each of which expresses the being, action, or passion, in some particular manner. There are five moods; the infinitive, the indicative, the potential, the subjunctive, and the imperative. The infinitive mood is that form of the verb, which expresses the being, action, or passion, in an unlimited manner, and without person or number: as, "To die,—to sleep;—to sleep!—perchance, to dream!"—from Hamlet by William Shakespeare.

The indicative mood is that form of the verb, which simply indicates or declares a thing: as, "I write," or asks a question: as, "Do you know?" "Know you not?" The potential mood is that form of the verb which expresses the power, liberty, possibility, or necessity, of the being, action, or passion: as, "I can walk." "He may ride." "We must go." The subjunctive mood is that form of the verb, which represents the being, action, or passion, as conditional, doubtful, and contingent: as, "If you go, see that you offend not." "See you do it not."—Rev., xix, 10. "God save the queen." "It is a requirement that ... be done." "It's high time you were in bed." "If I were you,..." The imperative mood is that form of the verb which is used in commanding, exhorting, entreating, or permitting: as, "Depart you." Conjugation[ edit ] The conjugation of a verb is a regular arrangement of its moods, tenses, persons, numbers, and participles.

An auxiliary, or a sign of a verb, is a short verb prefixed to one of the morphological forms of another verb, to express some particular mode and time of the being, action, or passion. The auxiliaries are do, be, have, shall, will, may, can, and must, with their variations. Do, be, and have express the indicative mood. Most often, the auxiliaries are used in the following way: When talking about actions that take place in the future, add the word will before the verb. To describe an action that is temporary, add the appropriate form of the verb be before the verb and add ing to the end of the verb root. To describe an action that has taken place, put the verb in the past tense and add the appropriate form of the verb have before the verb. You can combine the previous two auxiliaries by putting the appropriate form of have before been, and putting both of them before the verb. Do[ edit ] Present tense, sign of the present. I do, he does, we do, you do, they do. Past tense, sign of the past. I did, he did, we did, you did, they did.

Be[ edit ] Present tense, sign of the present. I am, he is, we are, you are, they are. Past tense, sign of the past. I was, he was, we were, you were, they were. Have[ edit ] Present tense, sign of the perfect. I have, he has, we have, you have, they have. Past tense, sign of the past perfect. I had, he had, we had, you had, they had. Shall and will[ edit ] Often confused with each other in modern English. These auxiliaries have distinct meanings, and, as signs of the future, they are interchanged thus: Present tense, sign of the indicative first-future. Simply to express a future action or event: I shall, he will, we shall, you will, they will. To express a promise, command, or threat: I will, he will, we will, you will, they will. Past tense, sign of aorist, or indefinite. Used with reference to duty or expediency: I should, he should, we should, you should, they should.

Used with reference to volition or desire: I would, he would, we would, you would, they would. May[ edit ] Present tense, sign of the potential present. I may, he may, we may, you may, they may. Past tense, sign of the potential past. I might, he might, we might, you might, they might. Can[ edit ] Present tense, sign of the potential present. I can, he can, we can, you can, they can. Past tense, sign of the potential past. I could, he could, we could, you could, they could. Must[ edit ] Present tense, sign of the potential present. I must, he must, we must, you must, they must. If must is ever used in the sense of the past tense, the form is the same as that of the present: this word is entirely invariable. "The house is being built." no longer means the same as "The house is built." The first sentence refers to an ongoing action, the second to a completed one.

"If the expression, 'Is being built,' be a correct form of the present indicative passive, then it must be equally correct to say in the perfect, 'Has been being built;' in the past perfect, 'Had been being built;' in the present infinitive, 'To be being built;' in the perfect infinitive, 'To have been being built;' and in the present participle, 'Being being built;' which all will admit to be expressions as incorrect as they are inelegant, but precisely analogous to that which now begins to prevail."—Bullions's Principles of English Gram., p. 58. Forms of conjugation[ edit ] Verb may be conjugated in four ways: Affirmatively: as, I write, I do write, or, I am writing; and so on. Negatively: as, I write not, I do not write, or, I am not writing. Interrogatively: as, write I? do I write? or, am I writing? Interrogatively and negatively: as, write I not? do I not write? or, am I not writing? The verbs would be conjugated affirmatively, unless said otherwise.

Love, conjugated in simple form[ edit ] The verb love is a regular active verb. Simple form, active or neuter[ edit ] The simplest form of an English conjugation, is that which makes the present and past tenses without auxiliaries; but, even in these, auxiliaries are required for the potential mood, and are often preferred for the indicative. Infinite mood[ edit ] The infinitive mood is that form of the verb, which expresses the being, action, or passion, in an unlimited manner, and without person or number. It is used only in the present and perfect tenses. Present tense[ edit ] This tense is the root, or radical verb; and is usually preceded by the preposition to, which shows its relation to some other word: thus, To love. Perfect tense[ edit ] This tense prefixes the auxiliary have to the past participle; and, like the infinitive present, is usually preceded by the preposition to: thus, To have loved. Indicative mood[ edit ] The indicative mood is that form of the verb, which simply indicates or declares a thing, or asks a question. It is used in all the tenses.

Present tense[ edit ] The present indicative, in its simple form, is essentially the same as the present infinitive, or radical verb; except that the verb be has am in the indicative. The simple form of the present tense is varied thus: I love, he loves, we love, you love, they love. This tense may also be formed by prefixing the auxiliary do to the verb: thus, I do love, he does love, we do love, you do love, they do love. Past tense[ edit ] This tense, in its simple form is the past; which, in all regular verbs, adds d or ed to the present, but in others is formed variously. The simple form of the past tense is varied thus: I loved, he loved, we loved, you loved, they loved, This tense may also be formed by prefixing the auxiliary did to the present: thus, I did love, he did love, we did love, you did love, they did love. she did love ‿ This tense prefixes the auxiliary have to the past participle: thus, I have loved, he has loved, we have loved, you have loved, they have loved.

Past perfect tense[ edit ] This tense prefixes the auxiliary had to the past participle: thus, I had loved, he had loved, we had loved, you had loved, they had loved. First-future tense[ edit ] This tense prefixes the auxiliary shall or will to the present: thus, Simply to express a future action or event: I shall love, he will love, we shall love, you will love, they will love. To express a promise, volition, command, or threat: I will love, he shall love, we will love, you shall love, they shall love. Second-future tense[ edit ] This tense prefixes the auxiliaries shall have or will have to the past participle: thus, I shall have loved, he will have loved, we shall have loved, you will have loved, they will have loved. Potential mood[ edit ] The potential mood is that form of the verb, which expresses the power, liberty, possibility, or necessity of the being, action, or passion.

It is used in the first four tenses; but the potential past is properly an aorist: its time is very indeterminate: as, "He would be devoid of sensibility were he not greatly satisfied."—Lord Kames, El. of Crit., Vol. i, p. 11. This tense prefixes the auxiliary may, can, or must, to the radical verb: thus, I may love, he may love, we may love, you may love, they may love. This tense prefixes the auxiliary might, could, would, or should, to the radical verb: thus, I might love, he might love, we might love, you might love, they might love. Perfect tense[ edit ] This tense prefixes the auxiliaries, may have, can have, or must have, to the past participle: thus, I may have loved, he may have loved, we may have loved, you may have loved, they may have loved.

Past perfect tense[ edit ] This tense prefixes the auxiliaries, might have, could have, would have, or should have, to the past participle: thus, I might have loved, he might have loved, we might have loved, you might have loved, they might have loved. Subjunctive mood[ edit ] The subjunctive mood is that form of the verb, which represents the being, action, or passion, as conditional, doubtful, or contingent. This mood is generally preceded by a conjunction: as, if, that, though, lest, unless, except. But sometimes, especially in poetry, it is formed by a mere placing of the verb before the nominative: as, "Were I," for, "If I were;" "Had he," for, "If he had;" "Fall we" for, "If we fall;" "Knew they," for, "If they knew." It does not vary its termination at all, in the different persons. It is used in the present, and sometimes in the past tense; rarely, and perhaps never properly, in any other.

As this mood can be used only in a dependent clause, the time implied in its tenses is always relative, and generally indefinite: as, "It shall be in eternal restless change, self-fed, and self-consumed: if this fail, the pillared firmament is rottenness."—Milton, Comus, l. 596. Present tense[ edit ] This tense is generally used to express some condition on which a future action or event is affirmed. It is therefore erroneously considered by some grammarians, as an elliptical form of the future. If I love, if he love, if we love, if you love, if they love. In this tense, the auxiliary do is sometimes employed: as, "If you do prosper my way."—Genesis, xxiv, 42. "If he do not utter it."—Leviticus, v, 1. "If he do but intimate his desire."—Murray's Key, p. 207. "If he do promise, he will certainly perform."—Ib., p. 208.

"An event which, if it ever do occur, must occur in some future period."—Hiley's Gram., 3d Ed., Lond., p. 89. "If he do but promise, you are safe."—Ib., 89. "Until old experience do attain to something like prophetic strain."—Milton: Il Penseroso. Past tense[ edit ] If I loved, if he loved, if we loved, if you loved, if they loved. This tense, like the past of the potential mood, with which it is frequently connected, is properly an aorist, or indefinite tense; for it may refer to time past, present, or future: as, "If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, what further need was there that an other priest should rise?"—Heb., vii, 11. "They must be viewed exactly in the same light, as if the intention to purchase now existed."—Murray's Parsing Exercises, p. 24. "If it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."—Matt., xxiv, 24. "If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing?"—1 Corinthians, xii, 17.

"If the thankful refrained, it would be pain and grief to them."—Atterbury. Imperative mood[ edit ] The imperative mood is that form of the verb, which is used in commanding, exhorting, entreating, or permitting. It is commonly used only in the second person of the present tense. Love [you,] or do you love. See, conjugated in simple form[ edit ] The verb see is an irregular active verb. Potential mood[ edit ] Present tense. I may see, he may see, we may see, you may see, they may see. Past tense. I might see, he might see, we might see, you might see, they might see. Perfect tense. I may have seen, he may have seen, we may have seen, you may have seen, they may have seen. Past perfect tense. I might have seen, he might have seen, we might have seen, you might have seen, they might have seen. Subjunctive mood[ edit ] Present tense. If I see, if he see, if we see, if you see, if they see. Past tense.

If I saw, if he saw, if we saw, if you saw, if they saw. Present tense. See [you,] or do you see. Be, conjugated in simple form[ edit ] The verb be is an irregular neuter verb. Potential mood[ edit ] Present tense. I may be, he may be, we may be, you may be, they may be. Past tense. I might be, he might be, we might be, you might be, they might be. Perfect tense. I may have been, he may have been, we may have been, you may have been, they may have been. Past perfect tense. I might have been, he might have been, we might have been, you might have been, they might have been. Subjunctive mood[ edit ] Present tense. If I be, if he be, if we be, if you be, if they be. Past tense. If I were, if he were, if we were, if you were, if they were. Present tense. Be [you,] or do you be. Read, conjugated in progressive form[ edit ] The verb read is an irregular active verb.

Compound or progressive form[ edit ] Active and neuter verbs may also be conjugated, by adding the present participle to the auxiliary verb be, through all its changes: as, "I am writing a letter." "He is sitting idle." "They are going." This form of the verb denotes a continuance of the action or state of being, and is, on many occasions, preferable to the simple form of the verb. Morphological forms of the simple verb[ edit ] Present Past Present Participle Past Participle Read. Read. Reading. Read. Indicative mood[ edit ] Present tense. I am reading, he is reading, we are reading, you are reading, they are reading. Past tense. I was reading, he was reading, we were reading, you were reading, they were reading. Perfect tense. I have been reading, he has been reading, we have been reading, you have been reading, they have been reading. Past perfect tense. I had been reading, he had been reading, we had been reading, you had been reading, they had been reading. First-future tense.

I shall be reading, he will be reading, we shall be reading, you will be reading, they will be reading. Second-future tense. I shall have been reading, he will have been reading, we shall have been reading, you will have been reading, they will have been reading. Potential mood[ edit ] Present tense. I may be reading, he may be reading, we may be reading, you may be reading, they may be reading. Past tense. I might be reading, he might be reading, we might be reading, you might be reading, they might be reading. Perfect tense. I may have been reading, he may have been reading, we may have been reading, you may have been reading, they may have been reading. Past perfect tense. I might have been reading, he might have been reading, we might have been reading, you might have been reading, they might have been reading. Subjunctive mood[ edit ] Present tense. If I be reading, if she be reading, if we be reading, if you be reading, if they be reading. Past tense. If I were reading, if he were reading, if we were reading, if you were reading, if they were reading.

Be you reading, or do you be reading. Be loved, conjugated in simple form[ edit ] The verb be loved is a regular passive verb. Form of passive verbs[ edit ] Passive verbs, in English, are always of a progressive form; being made from transitive verbs, by adding the past participle to the auxiliary verb be, through all its changes: thus from the active transitive verb love, is formed the passive verb be loved. Morphological forms of the active verb[ edit ] Present Indicative mood[ edit ] Present tense. I am loved, he is loved, we are loved, you are loved, they are loved. Past tense. I was loved, he was loved, we were loved, you were loved, they were loved. Perfect tense. I have been loved, he has been loved, we have been loved, you have been loved, they have been loved. Past perfect tense. I had been loved, he had been loved, we had been loved, you had been loved, they had been loved. First-future tense. I shall be loved, he will be loved, we shall be loved, you will be loved, they will be loved. Second-future tense.

I shall have been loved, he will have been loved, we shall have been loved, you will have been loved, they will have been loved. Potential mood[ edit ] Present tense. I may be loved, he may be loved, we may be loved, you may be loved, they may be loved. Past tense. I might be loved, he might be loved, we might be loved, you might be loved, they might be loved. Perfect tense. I may have been loved, he may have been loved, we may have been loved, you may have been loved, they may have been loved. Past perfect tense. I might have been loved, he might have been loved, we might have been loved, you might have been loved, they might have been loved. Subjunctive mood[ edit ] Present tense. If I be loved, if he be loved, if we be loved, if you be loved, if they be loved. Past tense. If I were loved, if he were loved, if we were loved, if you were loved, if they were loved. Present tense. Be you loved, or do you be loved.

Love, conjugated negatively[ edit ] Form of negation[ edit ] A verb is conjugated negatively, by placing the adverb not and participles take the negative first: as, not to love, not to have loved; not loving, not loved, not having loved. First person singular[ edit ] Indicative. I love not, or I do not love; I loved not, or I did not love; I have not loved; I had not loved; I shall not, or will not, love; I shall not, or will not, have loved. Potential. I may, can, or must not love; I might, could, would, or should not love; I may, can, or must not have loved; I might, could, would, or should not have loved, Subjunctive. If I love not, if I loved not, if they loved. Third person singular[ edit ] Indicative. He loves not, or he does not love; he loved not, or he did not love; he has not loved; he had not loved; he shall not, or will not, love; he shall not, or will not, have loved. Potential.

He may, can, or must not love; he might, could, would, or should not love; he may, can, or must not have loved; he might, could, would, or should not have loved. Subjunctive. If he love not, if he loved not. Love, conjugated interrogatively[ edit ] Form of question[ edit ] A verb is conjugated interrogatively, in the indicative and potential moods, by placing the nominative after it, or after the first auxiliary: as, First person singular[ edit ] Indicative. Love I? or do I love? loved I? or did I love? have I loved? had I loved? shall I love? shall I have loved? Potential. May, can, or must I love? might, could, would, or should I love? may, can, or must I have loved? might, could, would, or should I have loved? Third person singular[ edit ] Indicative. Loves he? or does he love? loved he? or did he love? has he loved? had he loved? shall or will he love? will he have loved? Potential. May, can, or must he love?

might, could, would, or should he love? may, can, or must he have loved? might, could, would, or should he have loved? Love, conjugated interrogatively and negatively[ edit ] Form of question with negation[ edit ] A verb is conjugated interrogatively and negatively, in the indicative and potential moods, by placing the nominative and the adverb not after the verb, or after the first auxiliary: as, First person plural[ edit ] Indicative. Love we not? or do we not love? loved we not? or did we not love? have we not loved? had we not loved? shall we not love? shall we not have loved? Potential. May, can, or must we not love? might, could, would, or should we not love? may, can, or must we not have loved? might, could, would, or should we not have loved? Third person plural[ edit ] Indicative. Are they not loved? were they not loved? have they not been loved? had they not been loved? shall or will they not be loved? will they not have been loved? Potential. May, can, or must they not be loved?

might, could, would, or should they not be loved? may, can, or must they not have been loved? might, could, would, or should they not have been loved? Irregular verbs[ edit ] An irregular verb is a verb that does not form the past and the past participle by assuming d or ed: as, see, saw, seeing, seen. Of this class of verbs there are about one hundred and ten, beside their several derivatives and compounds. Methods of learning irregular verbs: To remember verbs: wot A short syntax[ edit ] The finite verb must agree with its subject, as "The birds fly", except the following cases: the conjunction and, as "Rhetoric and logic are allied," one person or thing, as "Flesh and blood has not revealed it," empathy, as "Consanguinity, and not affinity, is the ground," each, every, or no, as "No one is the same," and the conjunction or, as "Fear or jealousy affects him." References[ edit ] A part of the text in this article, was taken from the public domain English grammar "The Grammar of English Grammars" by Goold Brown, 1851.

See also[ edit ] English Verbs Fully Conjugated - 665 Regular and Irregular English verb list. Conjugated in various tenses. conjugation.com English Verb Conjugation. 15 000 English verbs conjugated in all 3 forms, affirmative, interrogative, and negative, in all tenses and persons. Subject-verb agreement: either, neither, nor, or You are here: Home / Lessons / Subject-verb agreement: either, neither, nor, or Subject-verb agreement: either, neither, nor, or August 16, 2013 Two singular nouns connected by or or nor take a singular verb. Neither Charles nor Benjamin was present there. Neither he nor his dad is good at driving. When one of the nouns connected by or or nor is plural, the verb must be plural, and the plural subject must be placed next to the verb. Neither Peter nor his parents were aware of this. (More natural than ‘Neither his parents nor Peter was aware of this.) When the subjects connected by or or nor are of different persons, the verb agrees with the noun that comes closer to it. Neither you nor he is responsible for this.

(Here the verb is agrees with the third person pronoun he.) Either he or you are to clean up the mess. (Here the verb are agrees with the second person pronoun you.) Either you or John has to pay for the drinks. The determiners each, every, anybody, every one etc. The determiners each, every, every one, anybody, either, neither, no one, nobody and many a should be followed by a singular noun and a singular verb. Many a man has lost his life at sea. (Here the expression many a is followed by a singular noun and a singular verb.) Neither candidate is fit for the job. (NOT Neither candidates are fit for the job.) Notes We cannot put a noun immediately after every one. Instead we use the structure every one of. Every one of should be followed by a plural noun and a singular subject. Every one of the boys seems to be excited about the picnic. (NOT Every one of the boy seems…) (NOT Every one of the boys seem…) Please share this post if you like it, or comment below if you have questions.

Forming the Negative Forming the Negative Uses of the Subjunctive Forming the Negative In simple tenses (present, imperfect, future, conditional) and in the compound past tense (le passé composé), ne precedes the conjugated verb (the conjugated form of avoir or être in the passé composé), and any pronouns, including reflexive pronouns. The second part of the negative follows the conjugated verb (or follows the subject pronoun in an inverted question). Table 1 illustrates how this is done. Consider the following rules regarding the formation of negatives: Ne + the negative goes around the conjugated verb when it is followed by an infinitive. Elle ne veut plus jouer. (She doesn't want to play anymore.) Il ne peut pas sortir. (He can't go out.) Personne follows the past participle and the infinitive: Il n'a vu personne. (He didn't see anyone.) Je ne veux voir personne. (I don't want to see anyone.) Que precedes the word or words stressed. Il ne mange que deux fois par jour. (He eats only two times a day.) Elle n'a acheté qu'une robe.

(She bought only one dress.) Je ne vais le faire qu'une fois. (I'm going to do it only once.) Each part of the ne … ni … ni construction precedes the word or words stressed. Nous ne mangeons ni viande ni poisson. (We eat neither meat nor fish.) Le cours n'était ni bon ni mauvais. (The course was neither good nor bad.) Il n'a ni étudié ni fait ses devoirs. (He neither studied nor did his homework.) Rien and personne may be used as subjects of a verb, but ne remains before the conjugated verb. Rien n'est arrivé. (Nothing happened.) Personne n'est arrivé. (Nobody arrived.) Ne is always used with a verb. The second part of the negative, however, may be used alone (without ne), but pas and plus must be modified. Qu'est‐ce que tu manges? (What are you eating?) Rien. (Nothing.) Qui chante? (Who's singing?) Personne. (No one.) Tu aimes le film? (Do you like the film?) Pas beaucoup. Not much. Plus de gâteau pour toi.

(No more cake for you.) Ne … jamais used with a verb and jamais used alone without a verb mean never. Jamais with only a verb means ever. Je n'ai jamais vu ce film. (I never saw that film.) Non, jamais! (No, never!) Es‐tu jamais allé au Canada? (Have you ever been to Canada?)

Question: Verb tense neither future nor past?
Answer: Present