Verb

What is a verb? Verbs are words that describe actions, whether physical or mental. Verbs also describe a “state of
being,” like the verbs be, become, or exist. Timpurile verbale arată când a avut loc o acțiune, precum și cât timp a
avut loc. Tempsurile verbale principale sunt trecutul, prezentul și viitorul. For example, the continuous tense shows
that an action is ongoing. It can be used in the present (she is sleeping), past (she was sleeping), or future (she will
be sleeping). The present represents actions happening now, while the past represents actions that happened earlier,
and the future describes actions that will happen later.

English tenses examples: verb tenses chart

Past Present Future
I helped my neighbor I help my neighbor I will help my
Simple
yesterday. every day. neighbor tomorrow.
I will have helped my
I had helped my I have helped my
neighbor a hundred
Perfect neighbor clean his attic neighbor too much
times by the end of
before I fixed his car. this week.
the month.
I am helping my
I was helping my I will be helping my
neighbor while he
Continuous neighbor when neighbor next month
fixes up his
he brought me iced tea. when he moves.
house.
I had been helping my I have been
I will have been
Perfect neighbor for a year helping my
helping my neighbor
continuous before he finally thanked neighbor since I
for a year next month.
me. moved in.

Simple past
We use the simple past to show actions completed in the past, with no extra emphasis.
For regular verbs, you form the simple past tense by adding the suffix –ed to the end of the verb (or just –d if the
past tense verb already ends in an e).
Be careful of irregular past tense verbs, however. These don’t follow the normal rules and use their own unique
forms for the past tense. For example, the past tense of the irregular verb go is went.
Regular verbs: I picked up the glass, but it dropped from my hand.
Irregular verbs: This morning I went to the store, but I forgot the milk.

Past perfect
[had] + [past participle]
What if you’re talking about two different actions in the past and want to show that one happened before the
other?
She had arrived at the office before she realized it was Sunday.
I ran to my car when I noticed my wife had left already.

Past continuous
[was/were] + [present participle]
Use the past continuous to show an ongoing action in the past, especially if the action was interrupted by another
action.
My dog was whimpering in his sleep when the TV woke him up.

As kids, my friends and I were always getting into trouble.

Past perfect continuous

[had] + [been] + [present participle]
The past perfect continuous tense is used just like the past perfect tense, except it describes ongoing actions that
happened in the past instead of a one-time occurance. It’s often used with the words when, until, and before to
connect it to another past action.
Before he got his first job as a writer, he had been working as a proofreader.
I had been living on my friend’s couch for a year until they kicked me out

Simple present
It’s used for individual actions or habitual actions in the present.
Often the simple present is just the root verb with no changes or additions. The main exception to this is when the
subject is third person and singular. In this case you add the suffix –s. If the verb ends in o, ch, sh, th, ss, gh, or z,
you add –es. If the verb ends in a consonant and y (and the subject is third-person singular), drop the y and add –
ies.
Today I feel like a million bucks!
My brother carries the groceries while my sister stays on the couch

Present perfect
[have/has] + [past participle]
Additionally, the present perfect can be used to emphasize the significance of a completed action, especially one that
happened over time.
We have tricked him every April Fool’s Day since we were kids.
My niece has grown so much this year!

Present continuous
[am/is/are] + [present participle]
Use the present continuous to show an action happening right now or in the near future. I am reading The
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy for the fifth time!
We are eating pizza tonight.
Present perfect continuous
[have/has] + [been] + [present participle]
The present perfect continuous shows an ongoing action in the present that was started in the past. It is often used
to emphasize the length of time.
We have been waiting for over an hour!
The team has been practicing nonstop for the tournament.

Simple future
Use the simple future for actions that have not happened yet but will later. To form the simple future, just place the
modal verb will before the root form of the main verb. (Note that if the action will happen in the near future, you
can use the present continuous instead.)
She will be president one day.
I will not go to the wedding without a date!

Future perfect
[will] + [have] + [past participle]
The future perfect shows an action that will be completed in the future by a specified time. Because it depends on
another time, the future perfect is often used with words like by, before, at, or when.
By the time you read this, I will have already left.
She will have eaten lunch before her sister even wakes up.

Future continuous
[will] + [be] + [present participle]
Use the future continuous tense for future actions happening over a period of time, especially when a specific time is
mentioned. The future continuous tense also shows more certainty and likelihood than the simple future.
By this time tomorrow, I will be drinking margaritas on the beach.
We will be attending a meeting from noon until 3 p.m.

Future perfect continuous

[will] + [have] + [been] + [present participle]
The future perfect continuous depicts future ongoing actions that continue up until a certain point. Like the future
perfect and future continuous, it’s used with a specified time.
In ten minutes, my parents will have been waiting in traffic for four hours.
I will have been eating healthy for a whole year by September.

What are some examples of the different verb tenses? The simple tenses show
actions happening at different times, while the perfect tenses show completed actions that relate to different time
periods. The continuous tenses are for ongoing actions that take a while to complete. The perfect continuous tenses
combine the perfect and continuous tenses to describe ongoing actions that happen over a period of time.

Types of verbs
o Stative and dynamic verbs

Dynamic verbs (also called action verbs) describe specific, temporary actions or events (e.g., “eat,”
“sleep,” “write”).

Examples:
He’s running fast.
Keep hitting the ball hard.
The dog goes for a walk every afternoon.
play activity She plays tennis every Friday.
She's playing tennis right now.

melt process The snow melts every spring.

The snow is melting right now

hit momentary action When one boxer hits another, brain damage can result
When one boxer is hitting another, brain damage can r

Here are some common verbs that refer to actions, not states, so they are dynamic and can be used in
both simple and continuous tenses: eat, run, swim, speak, talk, walk, sleep, make, cook, come, go, buy, sit,
watch, listen, do, play, say, read, write, stand, bring, take, give, jump, drive, ride, climb, fly, fall, cry,
drink, send, kiss, wear, smell*, taste*, feel*, look*.

Stative verbs(Being Verbs) describe a state of being or perception (e.g., “she is,” “it seems,” “they belong”).
They can also be used to describe a mental, emotional, or physical state (e.g., “I believe,” “you hear”). They
typically relate to thoughts, emotions, relationships, senses, states of being, and measurements.
Stative verbs are typically used for a state of being that is general or unchanging, so they can’t be used in the
progressive (continuous) tense.
CORECT-Karl believes in himself.
INCORECT-Karl is believing in himself.

Possession and size.

Examples: belong, own, have (meaning ‘possess’), possess, weigh, measure.
Ali owns three cars. -corect
Ali is owning three cars. -incorect
Opinion
Examples: know, believe agree, think (meaning ‘believe’ or ‘have an opinion’), imagine, understand.
I know what the answer is. -corect
I am knowing what the answer is.-incorect
Likes and dislikes, feelings and emotions.
Examples: like, love, want, need, wish, prefer, dislike.
Sam likes vegetables. -corect
Sam is liking vegetables. -incorect
Perception and the senses.
Examples: sound, hear, seem, see*, appear*, look*, taste*, smell*, feel*.
You sound sad. -corect
You are sounding sad.-incorect
hate perception I hate chocolate.

believe perception She believes in UFOs.

contain relation The box contains 24 cans of soda.

own relation Yong owns three motorbikes.

Stative love; hate; like; see; hear; sound; think (meaning "have an opinion"); mind (me
Verbs about"); recognize; seem; have (meaning "own"); prefer; doubt; consist of; me

Dynamic eat; drink; go; type; read; write; listen; speak; watch; say; grow; work; sleep; c
Verbs

Verbs Can be Both Stative and Dynamic Verbs

Some verbs can function as BOTH stative verbs and dynamic verbs:
Look
Stative:

You look fantastic in that dress.

Dynamic:
She is looking at her reflection in the mirror.
Appear
Stative:
He appears to be unhappy.
Dynamic:
She was appearing in concert at Carnegie Hall.
Think
Stative:
I think that Mr. Peter is a good teacher.
Dynamic:
I am thinking about my family right now.
Feel
Stative:
I feel that we ought to accept his proposal.
Dynamic:
I’m feeling a bit dozy this afternoon.

o Auxiliary (helping) verbs

Auxiliary verbs (also called helping verbs) include verbs such as “be,” “do,” and “have.” They’re used in
combination with another (main) verb to modify its meaning. Auxiliary verbs can be used to indicate tense, mood,
and voice. They’re also used to form negative statements when used with words such as “not” and “never.”

Auxiliary verbs must be conjugated for tense and person (e.g., “I am,” “she was”).

Example:
Alex is going to school.
They are walking in the park.
I have seen a movie.
Do you drink tea?
Don’t waste your time.
Please, do submit your assignments.
I am waiting.
Did you enjoy the meal?
The door was locked.
Alicia has not spoken to me for a week.
o Modal verbs
Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that are used along with another (main) verb to express ability, permission,
possibility, necessity, or obligation. The main modal verbs are can, could, may, might, must, ought, shall, should,
will, and would. Modal verbs do not change form.
Example:
I may want to talk to you again.
They must play their best game to win.
She should call him.
I will go there
I can read Arabic and Hebrew.
Martin should speak a little louder.
Talia ought to perform at the talent show.
 o Phrasal verbs
A phrasal verb is a phrase made up of two or more words that acts as an individual verb. Phrasal verbs typically
combine a verb with an adverb or preposition to create a meaning independent of the original words. For example,
the verb “kick” and the preposition “off” combine to form the phrasal verb “kick off,” which means “begin.”
Examples:
She broke down in tears.
Don't look down upon the poor.
I'll see to it.
Norman is going through hard times at the moment. His girlfriend broke up with him last week. He always thought
they got on well. But now he has to get by without her.
Well, somehow he has to put up with the situation. Life goes on.

o Gerunds
A gerund is a noun that takes the present participle (“-ing”) form of a verb. Gerunds typically describe the same
action as the verb from which they are formed.
Examples:

Smoking is injurious to health.

Walking is good for health.
I love swimming.

o Infinitive
An infinitive is a verb form that acts as other parts of speech in a sentence. It is formed with to + base form of
the verb. Ex: to buy, to work.
Infinitives can be used as:
an object following the verb:
1. Jim always forgets to eat
a subject at the beginning of a sentence:
1. To travel around the world requires a lot of time and money.
an adverb modifying a verb:
1. You promised to buy me a diamond ring.
an adjective modifying a noun:
1. Tara has the ability to succeed.
Some verbs are directly followed by an infinitive:
1. Do you want to call your family now?
Some verbs are directly followed by a noun or pronoun and then by an infinitive:
1. I convinced Catherine to become vegetarian.
2. He advised me to sell all my shares of stock.
Some verbs can be followed by an infinitive or a gerund without causing a change in meaning:
1. Will you continue working after you give birth?
2. Will you continue to work after you give birth?
Some verbs can be followed by an infinitive or a gerund but with a change in meaning:
1. He stopped drinking coffee. (He never drank coffee again.)
 2. He stopped to drink coffee. (He stopped what he was doing and drank some coffee.)
o Regular vs. irregular verbs
Regular verbs follow the standard conjugation rules for English verbs—most verbs are regular. A verb is considered
regular if its simple past and past participle are formed by adding the suffix “-ed” (or “-d” if the word already ends in the
letter “e”).
Sarah finished her work.
Claude had finished his dinner when James called.
Jock has finished writing in his journal.
Tina will have finished her course by the end of next month.

Irregular verbs form their simple past and past participles in some way other than by adding the suffix “-ed.”
Andre swam in all five of the Great Lakes last summer.
I had swum almost a mile when the island came into view.
Melissa has swum every Saturday for the last three years.
If he succeeds next week, Antonio will have swum the English Channel ten times!
Base Form V1
Past Simple V2
Past Participle V3
awake awoke awoken
be was, were been
beat beat beaten
become became become
begin began begun
bend bent bent
bet bet bet
bid bid bid
bite bit bitten
blow blew blown
break broke broken
bring brought brought
broadcast broadcast broadcast
build built built
burn burned or burnt burned or burnt
buy bought bought
catch caught caught
choose chose chosen
come came come
cost cost cost
cut cut cut
dig dug dug
do did done
draw drew drawn
dream dreamed or dreamt dreamed or dreamt
drive drove driven
drink drank drunk
eat ate eaten
fall fell fallen
feel felt felt
fight fought fought
find found found
fly flew flown
forget forgot forgotten
forgive forgave forgiven
freeze froze frozen
get got got (sometimes gotten)
give gave given
go went gone
grow grew grown
hang hung hung
have had had
hear heard heard
hide hid hidden
hit hit hit
hold held held
hurt hurt hurt
keep kept kept
know knew known
lay laid laid
lead led led
learn learned or learnt learned or learnt
leave left left
lend lent lent
let let let
lie lay lain
lose lost lost
make made made
mean meant meant
meet met met
pay paid paid
put put put
read read read
ride rode ridden
ring rang rung
rise rose risen
run ran run
say said said
see saw seen
sell sold sold
send sent sent
show showed showed or shown
shut shut shut
sing sang sung
sink sank sunk
sit sat sat
sleep slept slept
speak spoke spoken
spend spent spent
stand stood stood
stink stank stunk
swim swam swum
take took taken
teach taught taught
tear tore torn
tell told told
think thought thought
throw threw thrown
understand understood understood
wake woke woken
wear wore worn
win won won
write wrote written

o Transitive and intransitive verbs

A transitive verb is a verb that acts on someone or something and therefore takes a direct object (the thing
being acted upon).

Kelly asks a question.

Toby buys groceries.
Verbs that use a direct object, but not an indirect object, are called transitive. They don’t always need a direct
object, but they have the option.
Examples: clean, like, love, dislike, hate, want, learn, deserve, say

Intransitive verbs do not act on someone or something and therefore do not take a direct object.
While an intransitive verb does not take a direct object, it can be used along with an adverb or adverbial phrase (as
can a transitive verb).
Rita coughed.
Rita coughed loudly.
Rita coughed on me!
Examples: go, walk, run, talk, sit, sleep, work
Some verbs are ditransitive, meaning they have two objects: a direct object and an indirect object (usually the
person for whom the action is being performed).
Amira reads me a book.
Examples: throw, make, buy, sell, read, give, lend, bring

o Active vs. passive voice

In English, the standard format where the subject performs the action is known as the active voice. However, you
can switch around your words to make the direct or indirect objects the subject of the sentence, known as the
passive voice. As explained in our guide to the passive voice, you can make a verb passive by adding a conjugated
form of be in front of its past participle.

Stricklen threw the ball to Williams. (active)

The ball was thrown to Williams by Stricklen. (passive)
Williams was thrown the ball by Stricklen. (passive)
Active Passive
The hunter killed the lion. The lion was killed by the hunter.
Someone has cleaned the windows. The windows have been cleaned.

o Linking verbs
A linking verb (also called a copular verb) connects the subject of a sentence with a “subject complement” (i.e., a
noun or adjective that describes it). Common linking verbs include the verbs “be,” “seem,” “become,” and “feel.”
Fionn is proud.
The pillow feels soft.
Most linking verbs can also be used as action verbs, describing a specific action rather than a state (e.g., “Sofie feels
the pillow”).

Simple tense
The simple tense is a grammatical aspect that refers to the normal forms of the past, present, and future tenses.

Perfect tense
It’s used for actions that relate to other points in time, either completed or ongoing. For example, in the sentence I have
played soccer since I was a child, the perfect tense indicates that the action occurred continuously in the past and still
happens in the present. By contrast, in the sentence I played soccer when I was a child, the simple past tense indicates that
the action occurred only in the past, and has no relation to the present.

Continuous tense
We use the continuous tenses (also known as the progressive tenses) for ongoing actions or actions that happen a while
before completion. For example, They are studying all night means the studying lasts many hours before it’s finished.
Please note that you usually do not use the continuous tense with stative verbs like want, love, have, and need.

Perfect continuous tense

When you combine the perfect and continuous tenses, you get the perfect continuous tense. It’s typically used just like the
perfect tense, except it describes ongoing actions that happen over a period of time.