3.1 What is a verb?

A Verb expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being. Here are some examples:

  Run, speak, become, be, etc.  

3.2 Verb Tenses

We are going to take a look at the simple tenses and progressive tenses.

Simple Present Tense:

Subject + verb in the present + complement.

The Simple Present Tense expresses events or situations that exist always, p resently, usually, habitually; you must remember to use add an -s to the verb w hen the subject of the sentence is a third person (she, he, it):

Example:

  It snows in Alaska.  

  I watch television everyday.  

The Simple Present Tense is used for general statements of fact:

Example:

  Water consists of hydrogen and oxygen.
  Most animals kill for food.
  The world is round.   

The Simple Present Tense is also used to express habitual or everyday activities:

Example:

  I study for two hours every night.
  My class beggins at nine o'clock.
  He always eatsa sandwich for lunch.   

  Mammals are warm blooded.
  I go to the park every morning.
  The student understands the lesson.   

        Exercise 1

Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the Simple Present Verb.

1. Lisa (study) English in United States.

2. The Seamstress (sew) dresses.

3. Firefighters (extinguish) fires.

4. The ozone layer (have) a hole.

5. Koalas (eat) eucalyptus leave.

6. We (celebrate) Christmas in December.

7. Internet (Be) very useful nowadays.

8. The car (need) gasoline to move.

9. Receptionists (give) information.

10. People (decorate) Christmas trees with many ornaments.

        Exercise 2

Now that you have finished Exercise 1, you must write the question form of the s entences using the correct auxiliary verb and structure. Remember to remove the -s from the verb when using does.

Example:

1.Lisa studies English in New York
Does Lisa study English in New York?

2. ?

3. ?

4. ?

5. ?

6. ?

7. ?

8. ?

9. ?

10. ?

Simple Past Tense

In general, the Simple Past Tense expresses events or situations that happened a t one particular time in the past. It began and ended in the past. Look at these e xamples.

Example:

These situations started and finished in the past.

Using When: If the sentence contains when and has the Simple Past Tenses in both parts of the sentence, the action in the when clause happened first. (A cause is a group of words that contain a subject and a verb).

Example:

3.3 Regular Vs. Irregular Verbs

English verbs have four principal parts:

3.3.1 Regular Verbs

As the name indicates, they have a regular form. To form the Simple Past and the Past Participle, these verbs must end in -ed. Look at the chart.

Pronounce Regular Verbs Correctly

The sound of Regular Verbs may vary when they are in past form. The three cases are shown in the following charts, take a look at them and practice the p ronunciation.

A short list that will help you: The following is a list in Simple Present Tense of m any Regular Verbs. To form the Past Tense, you just add -ed or -d.

accept	add	admire	admit
advise	afford	agree	alert
allow	amuse	analyze	announce
annoy	answer	apologize	appear
applaud	appreciate	approve	argue
arrange	arrest	arrive	ask
attach	attack	attempt	attend
attract	avoid

back	bake	balance	ban
bang	bare	bat	bathe
battle	beam	beg	behave
belong	bleach	bless	blind
blink	blot	blush	boast
boil	bolt	bomb	book
bore	borrow	bounce	bow
box	brake	branch	breathe
bruise	brush	bubble	bump
burn	bury	buzz

calculate	call	camp	care
carry	carve	cause	challenge
change	charge	chase	cheat
check	cheer	chew	choke
chop	claim	clap	clean
clear	clip	close	coach
coil	collect	color	comb
command	communicate	compare	compete
complain	complete	concentrate	concern
confess	confuse	connect	consider
consist	contain	continue	copy
correct	cough	count	cover
crack	crash	crawl	cross
crush	cry	cure	curl
curve	cycle

dam	damage	dance	dare
decay	deceive	decide	decorate
delay	delight	deliver	depend
describe	desert	deserve	destroy
detect	develop	disagree	disappear
disapprove	disarm	discover	dislike
divide	double	doubt	drag
drain	dream	dress	drip
drop	drown	drum	dry
dust

earn	educate	embarrass	employ
empty	encourage	end	enjoy
enter	entertain	escape	examine
excite	excuse	exercise	exist
expand	expect	explain	explode
extend

face	fade	fail	fancy
fasten	fax	fear	fence
fetch	file	fill	film
fire	fit	fix	flap
flash	float	flood	flow
flower	fold	follow	fool
force	form	found	frame
frighten	fry

gather	gaze	glow	glue
grab	grate	grease	greet
grin	grip	groan	guarantee
guard	guess	guide

hammer	hand	handle	hang
happen	harass	harm	hate
haunt	head	heal	heap
heat	help	hook	hop
hope	hover	hug	hum
hunt	hurry

identify	ignore	imagine	impress
improve	include	increase	influence
inform	inject	injure	instruct
intend	interest	interfere	interrupt
introduce	invent	invite	irritate
itch

jail	jam	jog	join
joke	judge	juggle	jump

kick	kill	kiss	kneel
knit	knock	knot

label	land	last	laugh
launch	learn	level	license
lick	lie	lighten	like
list	listen	live	load
lock	long	look	love

man	manage	march	mark
marry	match	mate	matter
measure	meddle	melt	memorize
mend	mess	milk	mine
miss	mix	moan	moor
mourn	move	muddle	mug
multiply	murder

nail	name	need	nest
nod	note	notice	number

obey	object	observe	obtain
occur	offend	offer	open
order	overflow	owe	own

pack	paddle	paint	park
part	pass	paste	pat
pause	peck	pedal	peel
peep	perform	permit	phone
pick	pinch	pine	place
plan	plant	play	please
plug	point	poke	polish
pop	possess	post	pour
practice	pray	preach	precede
prefer	prepare	present	preserve
press	pretend	prevent	prick
print	produce	program	promise
protect	provide	pull	pump
punch	puncture	punish	push

question	queue

race	radiate	rain	raise
reach	realize	receive	recognize
record	reduce	reflect	refuse
regret	reign	reject	rejoice
relax	release	rely	remain
remember	remind	remove	repair
repeat	replace	reply	report
reproduce	request	rescue	retire
return	rhyme	rinse	risk
rob	rock	roll	rot
rub	ruin	rule	rush

sack	sail	satisfy	save	saw
scare	scatter	scold	scorch	scrape
scratch	scream	screw	scribble	scrub
seal	search	separate	serve	settle
shade	share	shave	shelter	shiver
shock	shop	shrug	sigh	sign
signal	sin	sip	ski	skip
slap	slip	slow	smash	smell
smile	smoke	snatch	sneeze	sniff
snore	snow	soak	soothe	sound
spare	spark	sparkle	spell	spill
spoil	spot	spray	sprout

talk	tame	tap	taste
tease	telephone	tempt	terrify
test	thank	thaw	tick
tickle	tie	time	tip
tire	touch	tour	tow
trace	trade	train	transport
trap	travel	treat	tremble
trick	trip	trot	trouble
trust	try	tug	tumble
turn	twist	type

undress	unfasten	unite	unlock
unpack	untidy	use

vanish	visit

wail	wait	walk	wander
want	warm	warn	wash
waste	watch	water	wave
weigh	welcome	whine	whip
whirl	whisper	whistle	wink
wipe	wish	wobble	wonder
work	worry	wrap	wreck
wrestle	wriggle

x–ray

yawn	yell

zip	zoom

        Exercise 3

Use the list above as reference. Choose 10 verbs, change them to Past Form and p ut them in the correct group depending on their pronunciation. Then, read them u sing the correct pronunciation.

/t/ Sound

/d/ Sound

/ed/ Sound

3.3.2 Irregular Verbs

As the name indicates, these verbs have irregular Past and Past Participles forms, (They do not end in -ed or -d). Here are some examples:

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
arise	arose	arisen	levantarse, surgir

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
be (am, is, are)	was, were	been	ser o estar
bear	bore	borne	soportar
beat	beat	beaten	vencer/derrotar
become	began	begun	llegar a ser/ hacerse
begin	began	begun	empezar
behold	beheld	beheld	contemplar
bend	bent	bent	inclinar/torcer
bet	bet	bet	apostar
bid	bade	bidden	mandar/ordenar
bind	bound	bound	atar/liar
bite	bit	bitten	morder
bleed	bled	bled	sangrar/desangrar
blow	blew	blown	soplar
break	broke	broken	romper
breed	bred	bred	criar (animales)
bring	brought	brought	traer
build	built	built	edificar, construir
burn	burnt	burnt	quemar
burst	burst	burst	reventar, romper
buy	bought	bought	comprar

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
cast	cast	cast	echar, arrojar
catch	caught	caught	coger, atrapar
choose	chose	chosen	elegir, seleccionar
cling	clung	clung	agarrarse a
come	came	come	venir
cost	cost	cost	costar
creep	crept	crept	trepar, arrastrarse
cut	cut	cut	cortar

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
Damage	Damaged	Damaged	Dañar
Dance	Danced	Danced	Bailar
Deal	Dealt	Dealt	Repartir / tratar
Decide	Decided	Decided	Decidir
Declare	Declared	Declared	Declarar
Decline	Declined	Declined	Rechazar / Declinar
Decorate	Decorated	Decorated	Decorar
Delay	Delayed	Delayed	Demorar / retrasar
Deliver	Delivered	Delivered	Entregar
Demonstrate	Demonstrated	Demonstrated	Demostrar
Deny	Denied	Denied	Denegar
Depend	Depended	Depended	Depender
Destroy	Destroyed	Destroyed	Destruir
Develop	Developed	Developed	Desarrollar
Devote	Devoted	Devoted	Dedicar
Die	Died	Died	Morir
Dig	Dug	Dug	Cavar
Disapprove	Disapproved	Disapproved	Desaprobar
Disclose	Disclosed	Disclosed	Revelar
Display	Displayed	Displayed	Exhibir
Distract	Distracted	Distracted	Distraer
Dive	Dived	Dived	Sumergirse
Divide	Divided	Divided	Dividir
Do	Did	Done	Hacer
Double	Doubled	Doubled	Doblar
Draw	Drew	Drawn	Dibujar
Dream	Dreamt	Dreamt	Soñar
Dress	Dressed	Dressed	Vestir
Drink	Drank	Drunk	Beber
Drive	Drove	Driven	Conducir / Manejar
Drop	Dropped	Dropped	Dejar caer
Dry	Dried	Dried	Secar
Dump	Dumped	Dumped	Verter / Dejar a alguien
Dwell	Dwelt	Dwelt	Morar / habitar
Dye	Dyed	Dyed	Teñir

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
eat	ate	eaten	comer

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
fall	fell	fallen	caer
feed	fed	fed	alimentar
feel	felt	felt	sentir
fight	fought	fought	pelear, reñir, luchar
find	found	found	encontrar, hallar
fit	fitted	fitted	ajustar, encajar
flee	fled	fled	abandonar, huir de
fling	flung	flung	arrojar
fly	flew	flown	volar
forbid	forbade	forbidden	prohibir
foretell	foretold	foretold	preceder, pronosticar
forget	forgot	forgotten	olvidar
forgive	forgave	forgiven	perdonar
forsake	forsook	forsaken	abandonar, renunciar
freeze	froze	frozen	congelar, helar

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
get	got	gotten	conseguir
give	gave	given	dar, conceder
go	went	gone	ir, andar
grind	ground	ground	moler
grow	grew	grown	cultivar, crecer

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
hang	hung	hung	colgar, suspender
have/has	had	had	tener, haber
hear	heard	heard	escuchar, oír
hide	hid	hidden	esconder, ocultar
hit	hit	hit	golpear
hold	held	held	sujetar, sostener
hurt	hurt	hurt	hacer daño, lastimar

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
keep	kept	kept	mantenerse, guardar
kneel	knelt	knelt	arrodillarse
knit	knit	knit	tejer
know	knew	known	conocer, saber

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
lay	laid	laid	poner, colocar
lead	led	led	llevar, dirigir
lean	lent	lent	apoyar algo
leap	leapt	leapt	saltar
learn	learnt	learnt	aprender
leave	left	left	salir
lend	lent	lent	prestar
let	let	let	dejar, permitir
lie	lay	lain	reposar
light	lit	lit	encender, prender
lose	lost	lost	perder

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
make	made	made	hacer, fabricar
mean	meant	meant	significar, querer decir
meet	met	met	reunir
mislead	misled	misled	engañar
mistake	mistook	mistaken	errar
mow	mowed	mown	cortar

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
outdo	outdid	outdone	superar
overhear	overheard	overheard	oir por casualidad
overtake	overtook	overtaken	sobrepasar

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
pay	paid	paid	pagar
prove	proved	proven	comprobar
put	put	put	poner

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
quit	quit	quit	renunciar, desistir

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
read	read	read	leer
rend	rent	rent	rasgar
ride	rode	ridden	montar, pasear
ring	rang	rung	sonar, tocar
rise	rose	risen	levantarse, subir
run	ran	run	correr

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
saw	sawed	sawn	aserrar
say	said	said	decir
see	saw	seen	ver
seek	sought	sought	buscar, solicitar
sell	sold	sold	vender
send	sent	sent	enviar
set	set	set	poner, colocar
shake	shook	shaken	sacudir, agitar, batir
shed	shed	shed	mudar (de piel)
shine	shone	shone	brillar
shred	shred	shred	hacer trizas
shoot	shot	shot	disparar
shrink	shrank	shrunk	encogerse, reducirse
shut	shut	shut	cerrar
sing	sang	sung	cantar
sink	sank	sunk	hundir
sit	sat	sat	sentarse
slay	slew	slain	matar
sleep	slept	slept	dormir
slide	slid	slid	resbalar, deslizar
slit	slit	slit	rajar, cortar
smell	smelt	smelt	oler
speak	spoke	spoken	hablar
speed	sped	sped	acelerarse
spell	spelt	spelt	deletrear
spend	spent	spent	gastar, pasar tiempo
spill	spilt	spilt	derramar
spin	spun	spun	girar, dar vueltas
spit	spat	spit	escupir
split	split	split	dividir, separar
spread	spread	spread	esparcir, propagar
spring	sprang	sprung	saltar, brincar
stand	stood	stood	estar de pie
steal	stole	stolen	robar
stick	stuck	stuck	pegarse, meter, poner
sting	stung	stung	picar (de insecto)
stink	stank	stunk	apestar
stride	strode	stridden	dar zancadas
strike	struck	struck	golpear, pegar
string	strung	strung	ensartar
strive	strove	striven	luchar por hacer algo
swear	swore	sworn	jurar
sweat	sweat	sweat	sudar
sweep	swept	swept	barrer
swell	swelled	swollen	inflamarse
swim	swam	swum	nadar
swing	swung	swung	mecer, columpiar

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
take	took	taken	tomar, llevar
teach	taught	taught	enseñar
tear	tore	torn	rasgar, romper
tell	told	told	decir, narrar
think	thought	thought	pensar
thrive	throve	thriven	prosperar
throw	threw	thrown	lanzar, tirar, arrojar

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
understand	understood	understood	entender
undertake	undertook	undertaken	emprender
uphold	upheld	upheld	sostener

Simple Form	Simple Past	Past Participle	Translation
weave	wove	woven	tejer
wed	wed	wed	casarse
weep	wept	wept	llorar
wet	wet	wet	mojar
win	won	won	ganar
wind	wound	wound	dar cuerda, olvidar
withdraw	withdrew	withdrawn	retirar, sacar
wring	wrung	wrung	exprimir, torcer
write	wrote	written	escribir

        Exercise 4

Fill in the blanks with the past form of the verbs and write what happened first.

        Exercise 5

Complete the following sentences with the correct form of the Simple Past Verb and make the questions.

Pronounce Regular Verbs Correctly

The sound of Regular Verbs may vary when they are in past form. The three cases are shown in the following charts, take a look at them and practice the pronunciation.

The Simple Future Tense expresses that at one particular time in the future the action will happen.

Example:

When using the Future Tense, will is the auxiliary verb that expresses future. Will must be followed by the verb in the Simple Form.

To make a question the auxiliary verb is will also.

Example:

3.3.3 Progressive Tenses

The Progressive Tenses give the idea that an action is in progress during ap articular time.

Present Progressive/Continuous Tense:

The Present Progressive Tense expresses an activity that is in progress at the moment of speaking. It began in the recent past, is continuing at present, and will probably end at some point in the future.

Example:

Often the activity is of a general nature; something generally in progress this w eek, this month or this year.

Example:

Writing a book is the general activity she is engaged in, but it does not mean t hat at the moment of speaking she is sitting and writing with pen in hand.

3.4 The difference between Progressive Verbs and Non-Progressive Verbs

3.4.1 Progressive Verbs

These verbs are making reference to an activity in progress. For these cases we need to use the verb to be.

Example:

The verb being + an adjective is used in the progressive to describe a temporary characteristic. Very few adjectives are used with be in the p rogressive; some examples of adjectives are careful, rude, polite, nice, selfish.

Example:

3.4.2 Non Progressive Verbs

The name says it all. They are not used in any of the progressive tenses. These verbs describe states and conditions that exist. They do not describe activities that are in progress.

Example:

Here are more sentences for you to analyze.

Mental State

The following sentences are examples of common Non–progressive Verbs which are sometimes commonly used as Progressive Verbs also. Observe how the m eaning changes.

• Think:
• Progressive: I am thinking about this grammar.
  Non–Progressive: I think he is a kind man.
• Have:
• Progressive: I am having trouble
  Non–Progressive: He has a car
• Taste:
• Progressive: The chef is tasting the sauce.
  Non–Progressive: This food tastes good.
• Smell:
• Progressive: Don is smelling the roses.
  Non–Progressive:These flowers smell good.
• See:
• Progressive: The doctor is seeing a patient.
  Non–Progressive:I see a butterfly. Do you see it?
• Fell:
• Progressive: Sue is feeling the cat's fur.
  Non–Progressive: The cat's fur feels soft.
• Look:
• Progressive: I'm looking out the window.
  Non–Progressive: She looks cold. I'll lend her my coat.
• Appear:
• Progressive: The actor is appearing on the stage.
  Non–Progressive: He appears to be asleep.
• Weigh:
• Progressive: The grocer is weighing the bananas.
  Non–Progressive: A piano is heavy. It weighs a lot.
• Be:
• Progressive: Tom is being foolish.
  Non–Progressive: I am hungry

        Exercise 6

Use either the simple present or the present progressive of the verbs in parentheses.

        Exercise 7

Write the correct form of To Be in the following exercises and then make the questions using the correct structure.

Past Progressive/Continuous Tense:

The Past Progressive Tense refers to two situations that occur in the past. It describes a situation that was in progress when another situation started.

Example:

In example 1, he began to sleep before and it was in progress at particular time in the past.

The Past Progressive Tense also makes reference to projects or plans that were not done.

Example:

        Exercise 8

Write the correct forms of to be in the blank spaces then make the questions.

Future Progressive/Continuous Tense

3.5 Spelling Rules for Verbs

There are some spelling rules that have to be taken into account when using the -ing (progressive form) and the -ed (past of regular forms). These will help you a lot!

3.5.1 One Syllable Verbs that End in -e

Rule: -ing form: If the word ends in -e, cancel the -e and add -ing.

-ed form: If the word ends in -e, just add -d.

3.5.2 One Syllable Verbs that End in Consonant–Vowel–Consonant

Rule: -ing form: Double the last consonant and add -ing.

-ed form: Double the last consonant and add -ed.

-ed form: If the -y is proceeded by a consonant, change the -y into -i and add -ed (1st case), if not keep the -y and add -ed (2nd case).

3.5.8 Verbs that End in -ie

Rule: -ing form:If the word ends in -ie, change the -ie into -y and -ing.

-ed form: only add - -d.

        Exercise 9

Identify the tenses of the following sentences.

        Exercise 10

Use the Simple Present, Simple Future or Future Continuous.

        Exercise 11

Fill in the blank with the Simple Present Tense or the Present Progressive Tense of the verb in parenthesis.

        Exercise 12

Fill in the blank with the Simple Past Tense or the Past Progressive Tense.