Right Forms of Verbs

Using Right Forms of Verbs

A verb can have five different forms:

Present Form / Base Form [V1]	Past Form [V2]	Past Participle [V3]	-ing Form/ Present Participle/ Gerund [V_ing]	-s/-es Form [Vs]
go	went	gone	going	goes
do	did	done	doing	does
eat	ate	eaten	eating	eats

The Uses of Present Forms / Base Forms of Verbs

1. After plural subject and I to indicate present time:

The birds sing in the morning.
My friends play football on Sundays.
I write a letter to my grandmother every month.
They read books in the library.
The students study hard before exams.
You eat breakfast at 7 a.m. daily.
The children watch cartoons in the evening.
We walk to school together.
I love listening to classical music.
They help their parents with household chores.

2. After modal verbs:

You must finish your homework before playing.
We should respect our elders.
He can swim very well.
They might arrive late due to traffic.
I will call you tomorrow.
She may need some help.
You ought to exercise regularly.
We shall see what happens next.
He could join us for dinner.
They would prefer tea over coffee.

3. After the object of a causative verb [if the object of the causative verb is the doer of the next verb]:

The teacher made the students write an essay.
She let her brother borrow her car.
They had the workers paint the house.
The coach made the players run five laps.
The manager had the employees submit the reports early.
He let me use his phone.
She had the assistant schedule the meeting.
The director made the actor repeat the scene.
We let the kids play outside.
The mother made her son clean his room.

The Uses of Past Forms of Verbs

1. To Indicate Completed Actions in the Past

She walked to the park yesterday.
He visited Paris a few years ago.
They watched a movie last night.
We bought a new car last summer.
I met my best friend in high school.
She cooked a delicious meal for dinner.
He lost his keys at the mall.
The children played in the garden all afternoon.
The teacher explained the lesson clearly.
I finished my homework before bedtime.

2. To Talk About Unreal or Hypothetical Situations (Second Conditional)

If I (win) _____ the lottery, I would travel the world. [Answer: won]
If she (be) _____ taller, she could become a model. [Answer: were]
If they (have) _____ more time, they would visit us. [Answer: had]
If you (study) _____ harder, you would pass the test. [Answer: studied]
If he (speak) _____ Spanish, he could communicate with locals in Spain. [Answer: spoke]
If we (live) _____ near the beach, we would go swimming every day. [Answer: lived]
If she (know) _____ about the meeting, she would have attended. [Answer: knew]
If he (drive) _____ more carefully, he wouldn’t have had an accident. [Answer: drove]
If they (work) _____ harder, they would be more successful. [Answer: worked]
If I (become) _____ a teacher, I would help students learn effectively. [Answer: became]

3. In Expressing Wishes About the Past

I wish I (study)_____harder for the exam. [Answer: studied]
I wish I (study) _____ harder for the exam. [Answer: studied]
They wish they (take) _____ the earlier train. [Answer: took]
She wishes she (spend) _____ more time with her grandparents. [Answer: spent]
He wishes he (listen) _____ to his parents’ advice. [Answer: listened]
We wish we (save) _____ more money for our trip. [Answer: saved]
I wish I (not forget) _____ my friend’s birthday. [Answer: had not forgotten]
She wishes she (go) _____ to the concert with her friends. [Answer: went]
They wish they (choose) _____ a different hotel for their vacation. [Answer: chose]
He wishes he (not waste) _____ so much time on social media. [Answer: had not wasted]
I wish I (buy) _____ that dress when it was on sale. [Answer: bought]
They wish they (take)_____the earlier train. [Answer: took]

4. To Describe Actions Interrupted by Another Action

He was reading a book when the phone (ring) rang.
They were watching TV when the lights (go) went out.
She was cooking dinner when the fire alarm (start) started.
I was walking to school when it (begin) began to rain.
We were playing soccer when the ball (burst) burst.
He was sleeping when the dog (bark) barked loudly.
They were hiking when they (see) saw a wild animal.
The baby was crying when his mother (return) returned.
She was writing a letter when the pen (run) ran out of ink.
I was listening to music when someone (knock) knocked on the door.

5. In Reported Speech

Direct speech: "I like this movie," she said.
Reported speech: She said she (like) liked the movie.
Direct speech: "We visited Rome last year," they said.
Reported speech: They said they (visit) visited Rome last year.
Direct speech: "She is my best friend," he said.
Reported speech: He said she (be) was his best friend.
Direct speech: "I can swim well," she said.
Reported speech: She said she (can) could swim well.
Direct speech: "We will go to the market," they said.
Reported speech: They said they (will) would go to the market.
Direct speech: "I have finished my homework," he said.
Reported speech: He said he (have) had finished his homework.
Direct speech: "They are playing outside," she said.
Reported speech: She said they (be) were playing outside.
Direct speech: "I saw a shooting star," he said.
Reported speech: He said he (see) saw a shooting star.
Direct speech: "She doesn’t like chocolate," he said.
Reported speech: He said she (not like) did not like chocolate.
Direct speech: "We had a great time at the party," they said.
Reported speech: They said they (have) had a great time at the party.

Uses of Past Participle Forms of Verbs

1. To Form Perfect Tenses

Structure: have/has/had + past participle

She has (write) written a letter to her friend.
They have (complete) completed their assignments on time.
He has (forget) forgotten his wallet at home.
I had already (read) read that book before the discussion.
By the time we arrived, they had (finish) finished the meeting.
She has (buy) bought a new dress for the party.
They have (eat) eaten all the food at the picnic.
He had (learn) learned French before moving to Paris.
The students have (memorize) memorized all the important formulas.
By next month, we will have (complete) completed the entire syllabus.

2. To Form the Passive Voice

Structure: be verb + past participle

The bridge was (build) built in the 19th century.
The novel was (write) written by a famous author.
The emails have been (send) sent to all employees.
A new shopping mall is being (construct) constructed in our city.
The invitations were (deliver) delivered yesterday.
The lost puppy was (find) found near the park.
The criminal was (arrest) arrested by the police last night.
The windows were (break) broken during the storm.
The test results will be (announce) announced tomorrow.
The orders have been (place) placed successfully.

3. As Adjectives

The (write) written notes were very helpful.
The (close) closed door blocked our way.
His (burn) burned fingers needed medical attention.
The (fall) fallen leaves covered the entire ground.
The (freeze) frozen water pipes burst due to the cold.
The (damage) damaged car was taken to the garage.
The (forget) forgotten keys were found under the couch.
The (tear) torn book needed repair.
The (bore) bored students looked uninterested.

4. After Causative Verbs [if the object of the causative verb is also the object of the next verb]:

Structure: Subject + make / have / get + object + past participle

I got my house (paint) painted last summer.
She had her hair (cut) cut before the wedding.
We had our car (repair) repaired at the service station.
They got their documents (approve) approved by the principal.
He had his watch (fix) fixed after it stopped working.
She got her nails (do) done at the salon.
I made my assignments (check) checked by the teacher.
We had our rooms (clean) cleaned before the guests arrived.
He got his passport (renew) renewed last month.
They made the project proposal (submit) submitted on time.

Uses of Present Participle Forms of Verbs

1. As Part of Continuous Tenses

She is cooking dinner for the family. (Present Continuous)
They are watching a documentary. (Present Continuous)
He was studying for his exam all night. (Past Continuous)
The children were playing in the garden. (Past Continuous)
We have been waiting for the bus for an hour. (Present Perfect Continuous)
She has been learning French for two years. (Present Perfect Continuous)
He will be traveling to Japan next summer. (Future Continuous)
They will be discussing the project tomorrow. (Future Continuous)
She had been practicing for weeks before the competition. (Past Perfect Continuous)
I had been reading a novel when the power went out. (Past Perfect Continuous)

2. As an Adjective

The barking dog kept us awake.
We watched an amazing performance.
The running water cooled my hands.
A glowing candle lit up the room.
The laughing children played happily.
He has a charming personality.
The howling wind frightened the travelers.
The exciting news made everyone happy.
The boiling water spilled from the pot.
The shivering boy asked for a blanket.

3. As a Gerund (Noun Form)

Dancing is her passion. (Subject)
I enjoy traveling to new places. (Object)
Reading improves vocabulary. (Subject)
He dislikes waiting in long queues. (Object)
Fishing is a popular hobby. (Subject)
They talked about climbing the mountain. (Object of preposition)
Writing takes patience and practice. (Subject)
She suggested going to the beach. (Object)
Running every morning keeps me fit. (Subject)
He admitted cheating on the test. (Object)

4. As Part of a Participial Phrase

Walking through the park, she enjoyed the fresh air.
The woman, holding an umbrella, walked in the rain.
Singing loudly, he entered the room.
The students, waiting for the bus, chatted happily.
Climbing the tree, the boy reached for an apple.
The girl, reading a book, didn’t notice the time.
Crossing the street, the old man was careful.
The artist, painting the mural, was focused.
Watching the sunset, they felt peaceful.
The baby, crying for milk, woke up his mother.

5. After Certain Verbs

The present participle is used after specific verbs like enjoy, avoid, finish, consider, keep, etc.

She kept talking despite the noise.
He avoided answering the question.
They finished eating and left the table.
She considered moving to a new city.
He enjoys playing the piano.
The teacher suggested reviewing the lesson.
We postponed going to the park due to rain.
He admitted stealing the money.
She practiced speaking English every day.
They discussed planning a vacation.

6. After Prepositions

She succeeded in solving the puzzle.
He is interested in learning Spanish.
They are tired of waiting for the bus.
He left after finishing his work.
She apologized for being late.
He is good at drawing portraits.
They are excited about going to the amusement park.
She complained about having too much homework.
He prevented his friend from falling.
She thanked me for helping her.

7. In Fixed Expressions

Some fixed expressions use the present participle form.

Considering his experience, he was the best candidate.
Judging by the weather, we should stay indoors.
Speaking of vacations, where are you going this summer?
Looking at the situation, we decided to leave early.
Frankly speaking, I didn’t like the movie.
Assuming everything goes well, we will finish on time.
Roughly speaking, the project will take two weeks.
Broadly speaking, the idea was successful.
Owing to bad weather, the match was postponed.
Talking about food, I’m feeling hungry!

Uses of -s/-es Forms of Verbs

1. Third Person Singular in Present Simple Tense

In the present simple tense, the -s or -es form is added to the base verb when the subject is a third person singular (he, she, it, or any singular noun).

She writes a letter to her friend every weekend.
He drives to work every morning.
The baby cries when he is hungry.
My father fixes broken appliances at home.
She enjoys reading mystery novels.
The sun shines brightly in the afternoon.
He washes his car every Sunday.
The teacher explains the lesson clearly.
The bird flies high in the sky.
My friend studies hard for exams.

Improvement Test on Using Correct Forms of Verbs

Complete the following sentences using the appropriate form of the verbs in parentheses. Pay attention to the rules you have learned about the right forms of verbs.

1) They (go) __________ to school every day.

2) She (play) __________ the piano beautifully.

3) We can (do) __________ it now.

4) The albatross made the wind (blow) __________.

5) She (walk) __________ to the park yesterday.

6) If I (have) __________ a million dollars, I would buy a mansion.

7) I wish I (study) __________ harder for the exam.

8) He was reading a book when the phone (ring) __________.

9) By this time tomorrow, she will have (submit) __________ her report.

10) The cake was (bake) __________ by my grandmother.

11) The building will be (construct) __________ by next year.

12) She gave a (satisfy) __________ smile after solving the problem.

13) They have (visit) __________ Paris multiple times.

14) He had already (leave) __________ when I arrived.

15) She is (read) __________ a book now.

16) The (break) __________ vase lay on the floor.

17) Running down the street, he (trip) __________ and fell.

18) I enjoy (read) __________ books in my free time.

19) She is good at (dance) __________.

20) Considering the weather, we (decide) __________ to stay indoors.

21) The dog (bark) __________ loudly every night.

22) He (teach) __________ English at a high school.

23) If she (know) __________ the answer, she would tell you.

24) The stars (shine) __________ brightly in the clear night sky.

25) She has (finish) __________ her homework.

26) He avoided (meet) __________ her at the party.

27) Swimming (be) __________ a great exercise for health.

28) The child, (cry) __________ loudly, was comforted by her mother.

29) They were (play) __________ football when it started to rain.

30) All things (be) __________ equal, this plan will work.

31) I had my car (wash) __________ yesterday.

32) We got the carpet (clean) __________ before the guests arrived.

33) She got her phone (fix) __________ after it broke.

34) They had (see) __________ that movie before it was released here.

35) He will have (finish) __________ the project by next week.

36) If I (know) __________ earlier, I would have helped.

37) The stars (twinkle) __________ in the night sky.

38) She (eat) __________ breakfast every morning before work.

39) The vase was (break) __________ during the move.

40) He (drive) __________ to the office every day.

41) By this evening, I will have (complete) __________ the report.

42) The house was (paint) __________ last summer.

43) The movie was so (excite) __________ that we watched it twice.

44) He (visit) __________ his grandparents’ last weekend.

45) The manager had already (sign) __________ the documents.

46) The children were (jump) __________ with excitement.

47) She enjoys (paint) __________ landscapes in her free time.

48) Without (say) __________ goodbye, he left the party.

49) He (study) __________ hard for the upcoming exam.

50) The sun (rise) __________ in the east every morning.