Principal Parts

of
Verbs
 Present Tense

 Present Participle

 Past Tense

 Past Participle
 expresses present time or actions that is
happening now, something that is true at all times
and future time

Examples:

push open climb punch

smile brush clap boil
 also called progressive tenses (continuing action)

 refers to an action which is in the process of happening;

formed by adding -ing at the end of the word and always
combined with the helping verb to show continuous actions
such as am, is and are when used in the sentence

Examples:
closing listening filling
complaining
counting creating dragging
 expresses a completed action or an activity

 formed by adding -ed/d at the end of the base

form; if it ends with -e, just add -d only at the end

Examples:
controlled damaged delivered learned
baked attacked acted
 same as the pattern of past tense which adds -ed/d in the
end of the verb (the difference is that past participle is
about an action that started in the past and continues to the
present)
 you can only identify it as past participle if the verb used
in the sentence is combined with the helping verbs have,
has or had

Examples:
I have treated my disease with antibiotics.
She had celebrated her birthday last year.
 Base/ Present
Past Tense Past Participle
Present Participle
drive drove driven driving
read read read reading
sing sang sung singing
swim swam swum swimming
 comes from the Latin word tempus which
means "time”

 shows the time when an action or condition

occurred; may also provide emphasis and may
determine whether or not an action or condition
was continuous or repetitive (English Plus,
2006).
  used to describe an action that is happening at the
present time and don’t know when it will end

 an action that is not only occurring now, but repeats

after time
Structure:
 Find the verb of the sentence then add only “-s/es” at the
end. (Verb+ “-s/es”)
 If the subject is plural, the base form will stay in its
original form. If the subject is singular, it is the time you
will add “-s/es” at end of the verb.
Examples:

1. Sarah teaches out-of-school youth in her place.

2. We collect the donations for the affected of volcanic

eruption.

3. You wash your hands with soap and water.

something is occurring at the time of speaking and also has a
clear end of the said act
Structure:
 first form of the verb + -ing
 singular first person: am + verb + -ing
 singular third person: is + verb + -ing
 plural 1st, 2nd and 3rd person and singular 2nd person:
are + verb + -ing
 1st person singular: am

(subject + is/am/are + verb + -ing + object)

Examples:

1. Kindly wait for a moment, Bright is talking with

Johnny.
2. I am cooking when the dog barks outside.
3. They are playing in the playground at this time.
 the action is already complete in the past and looking for the
results in the present time without any words referring to the
time
 can also be used with unspecific expressions such as: ever,
never, once, many times, several times, before, so far,
already, yet, etc.
Structure:
 I / you / we / they or plural subject = have + past participle
of the verb
 he / she / it or singular subject = has + past participle of the
verb
Examples:

1. She has stayed in the Korea before.

2. Scientists have tested several chemical for
several times.
3. Have you called the policeman yet?
used to talk about a continuous, but not necessarily
finished action or situation
Structure:
 singular subject = (has/hasn’t + been)
plural subject or I = (have/haven’t + been)

* Use since if the point of time is mentioned.

* Use for if the duration of time is specified.
Examples:

1. I have been struggling for about two weeks.

2. She has been studying in English since this

morning.

3. They haven’t been waiting since we left.

 narrates the things that happened in the past or an action
that already exist before this present time

 Irregular verbs do not follow the same pattern with the

regular. (regular verb = add -d/-ed)
(irregular verb = changes in
spelling)
Structure:
 subject + base form of the verb + -d/-ed + object
Examples:

1. They travelled across the world.

2. We went to our grandfather’s house

yesterday.

3. Last year, I studied about biology.

 indicates an action that started in the past and also continue in the
past (it means that the action will not continue at the present time)
 formed by using helping verbs and making the base form of the verb
ends with -ing

Structure:
 Positive: subject + was/were + verb + -ing + object
 Negative: subject + was/were + not + verb + -ing + object
 Question: was/were + subject + verb + -ing

* If the subject is singular use “was”, but if the subject is plural use
“were”.
Examples:

1. You were not asking for a cup of coffee.

2. Was it raining yesterday morning?
3. Were they swimming last summer?
 an action that already happened before something else
 shows the order of two completed actions in the past

Structure:
 Positive: subject +had + past participle
 Negative: subject + had not/hadn’t + past participle
 Question: had + subject + past participle
Examples:

1. Clara had declared her status before the

engagement party.
2. I hadn’t eaten my breakfast because I slept again.
3. Had you brought your card before you came
here?
 actions that started in the past and continued after another
action also in the past
 tells the duration of the performed action or how long the
action had continued
 sentences are framed by using the modal, had + been +
the present participle of the verb (-ing)
Structure:
 Positive: subject +had + been + verb + -ing
 Negative: subject + had not/hadn’t + been + verb + -ing
 Question: had + subject + been + verb + -ing
Examples:

1. They had been starting the party when the clown

arrived.

2. Had the student been studying since break time?

3. My dog had not been eating since morning.

  indicate actions that will occur in the future or more
likely making a decision of what action a person will do
at the time of speaking
 use auxiliary verb “will/shall” together with the base
form of the verb
Structure:
 Positive: subject + will + base form of the verb
 Negative: subject + will not/won’t + base form of the
verb
 Question: will/shall + subject + base form of the verb
Examples:
1. You will change your outfit later.
2. She will not come in the party tonight.
3. Shall I put the fruits inside the plastic bag?

* “will” is commonly used while “shall” may be use

only when the sentence is in the form of a question
 an action that is expected to happen in the future and
continue also in the future
 used to emphasize future plans and intentions
 “will be” + present participle of the verb

Structure:
 Positive: subject + will be + present participle (V-ing)
 Negative: subject + will not + be + present participle (V-
ing)
 Question: will + subject + be + present participle (V-ing)
Examples:

1. I will be catching fish in the river all day by

tomorrow.
2. Will it be falling on the ground because of the
storm?
3. We will not be collecting the contributions next
week.
 an action that is planned to complete before the
expected time in the future
 general formula: will + have + verb (-ing)

Structure:
 Positive: subject + will + have + past participle
 Negative: subject + will not + have + past
participle
 Question: will + subject + have + past participle
Examples:

1. They will have fixed the design of the venue by

tomorrow.
2. She will not have lost the game this coming
week.
3. Will you have done the paintings by next week?
 combination future continuous and future perfect verb
tenses
 the action is ongoing and completed at some point in the
future
Structure:
 Positive: subject + will + have + been + present
participle (V-ing)
 Negative: subject + will not + have + been + present
participle (V-ing)
 Question: will + subject + have + been + present
participle (V-ing)
Examples:

1. She will have been staying in her house for the

next three days.
2. By next week, I will have been taking
responsibility by the time my mother go to her work.
3. Will they have been talking about us when we
arrive?