Verb (page 2)

Verb Application Examples

I begin each day with joy. (present)
I am beginning to understand English grammar. (present participle)
I began music lessons yesterday. (past)
I have begun to appreciate music. (past participle)

We can also write the following sentence.

I have begun to appreciate music. (present perfect tense)

We have applied two names to the same verb form. Present perfect tense identifies a time function. Past participle is a name for a category of verb that can also be used as an adjective.

We fly C 17s. (present)
We are flying to Rheinmein. (present participle verb form)
We flew over the coast at sunrise. (past)
We have flown through hostile fire. (past participle verb form)

You dig here. (present)
You are digging in the wrong place. (present participle verb form)
You dug that hole in the wrong place. (past)
You have dug the hole in the wrong place. (past participle verb form)

She draws very well. (present)
She is drawing a new sketch. (present participle verb form)
She drew the school logo. (past)
She has drawn several prize winning designs. (past participle verb form)

I lay bricks for my living. (present)
I am laying a brick facade adjacent to the entrance. (present participle verb form)
I laid the bricks for the sidewalk in front of city hall. (past)
I have laid thousands of bricks. (past participle verb form)

I lie on the beach every evening. (present)
I am lying on the beach, and I am talking to you on my cell phone. (present participle verb form)
I lay on the sofa yeaterday. (past)
I have lain on this beach many times. (past participle verb form)

Do you lie? (present)
You are lying to me. (present participle verb form)
You lied to him. (past)
You have lied about your grades. (past participle verb form)

They set dinner tables to meet their school expenses. (present)
They are setting the tables for the luncheon. (present participle verb form)
They set the dinner tables for the banquet. (past)
They have set tables for many school functions. (past participle verb form)

I sit in the leather chair. (present)
I am sitting by the window. (present participle verb form)
I sat at my desk for an hour. (past)
I have sat on that hard bench. (past participle verb form)

I sing in the choir. (present)
I am singing the school song. (present participle verb form)
I sang at the civic center. (past)
I have sung the Battle Hymn of the Republic. (past participle vrb form)

He speaks professionally. (present)
He is speaking at the library. (present participle verb form)
He spoke to the students about the consequences of smoking. (past)
He has spoken to members of Congress. (past participle verb form)

They swim competitively. (present)
They are swimming today. (present participle verb form)
They swam before breakfast. (past)
They have swum the English Channel. (past participle verb form)

I bring good news. (present)
I am bringing the trophy home. (present particple verb form)
I brought the team to the track field. (past)
I have brought the first aid kit to team practice many times. (past participle verb form)

Most of us do not memorize all of the verbs in the English language. How can we determine the correct spelling for each form of the verb? We can use a dictionary. I used the The American Heritage Dictionary, Second College Edition for the following example. I chose the verb, take, for the example. The verb and its derivations are listed in the following order.

take, took, taken, taking, takes

The classification of each verb is shown below.

take (present tense)
took (past tense)
taken (past participle)
taking (present participle)
takes (present tense, third person singular)

There is a special information section in the front part of the dictionary that explains the listing pattern, i.e., present, past, past participle, present participle, and present--third person singular.

NOTE: Present tense, third person singular could be expressed as follows.

He takes calculus on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Some verbs conjugate differently. The verb, bring, and its derivations are displayed in the dictionary in the following pattern.

bring, brought, bringing, brings

The classification for this verb is shown below.

bring (present tense)
brought (past tense and past participle)
bringing (present participle)
brings (present tense, third person singular)


Voice

English sentences may be written in active or passive voice. If the subject of the sentence acts, the sentence is written in active voice. If the subject of the sentence is passive, the sentence is written in passive voice. Consider the following sentence examples.

Mr. Clayton hosted* the reception.

The reception was hosted by Mr. Clayton.

Mr. Clayton is the subject of the first sentence. Mr. Clayton acted. The sentence is written in active voice.

Reception is the subject of the second sentence. The subject did not act. The subject was passive. The sentence is written in passive voice.

Notice that the verb used in the passive sentence requires an auxiliary word.

*Some grammarians contend that the word, host, is not a verb. Americans routinely use the word, host, as a verb.

Sheep graze in this pasture.

The sheep were shorn for the exhibit at the county fair.

Sheep is the subject of the first sentence. The sheep act; they graze. The sentence is written in active voice.

    Sheep is the subject of the second sentence, but the subject is passive. The sheep are passive. The sentence is written in pasive voice.




[Return to Verb, Page 1]

Return to Directory