VERBS .... some basic ideas and notes ....... BACK to INDEX
The infinitive of a verb is the "root" ... to talk, to sing, to be, to run, to write, to say, etc..do not forget the to if you are using the infinitive of a verb.
E.g. I want to sing, she likes to walk, they try to run, we learn to write, he has to go ... ( and even two infinfinitives together ) ... you start to learn to walk
You will see there is already a main verb ... I want ... she likes .... they try ... etc
Many verbs follow the same pattern ( regular ) , others do not .
Think in terms of Simple or Continuous action
Simple is one off ...... Continuous is over a period of time
In English, the" tense" of a verb, shows whether you are speaking about
The PAST ............ Something that happened a minute ago, a week ago, or any time in the past
The PRESENT .... Something happening now
The FUTURE ...... Something that will happen any time in the future, even one minute ahead
Example of the simple tenses of a regular verb
| PAST I talked You, he, she, (it ) talked We talked They talked |
PRESENT I talk You, he, she ( it ) talks We talk They talk |
FUTURE I shall talk You, he, she ( it ) will talk We shall talk They will talk |
Note: Common speech often uses will instead of shall for all the FUTURE tense persons of the verb
Simple Present refers to an action being done now ... I talk to the crowd. He talks very quickly.
Continuous PRESENT when action is still going on ... I am talking, He is talking, They are talking
Simple PAST refers to an event which happened and is now over ... The dog died before he got there
Continuous PAST indicates a period of time, rather than a single event .... I was talking, we were talking
Simple Future refers to a future event, however close ... I shall talk in one hour from now
Continuous Future suggests a longer ongoing future event ... I shall be talking for two days
Conditional FUTURE an event happening only IF something else happens ... He will talk if you ask him
More verbs shown using will
for all future forms of the verb. But try to use ... I shall / We shall automatically .
Note: You ( is used for both singular and plural
)
| PAST I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they sang went wanted ate thought |
PRESENT I, you, we, they, you sing ............ he, she, it ( sings ) go ...... ( goes ) want .... ( wants ) eat .... ( eats ) think ..... ( thinks ) |
FUTURE I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they will sing will go will want will eat will think |
Essential verbs ...( Shown using the will form of future tense )
to be
Past: ..... I was, you were, he, she, it was ........we were, you were, they were
Present: I am, you are, he, she, it is ................ we are, you are, they are
Future: ..I, you, he, she, it , we, you, they will be...
to have
Past: .... I , you, he, she, it, we, they had
Present: I have, you have, he, she, it has .... Plural: we have, you have, they have
Future: .. I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they will have
to do
Past: ...... I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they did
Present: .I do, you do, he, she it does .......... Plural: we do, you do, they do
Future: .. I, you, he, she, it, we, you, they will do
Invert ( turn around ) the verb for Questions ...
I do ... Do I?.........He does.. Does he? ...... I am .... Am I? ........ You have ... Have you?
Why, what, when, how, who, which. Such words also often start a question ... How do I...?
Can and May ... Both used in questions ... Can I? .....May I?
Can ... strictly means "to be able to" ....... May .... asks for permission to do something
NEGATIVE STATEMENTS
Are simply made by the use of not in front of the verb ... or adjective
He is going, He is not going. ..I am happy, I am not happy. .. We are hot, We are not hot.
There is often a negative version of a verb or adjective. . . indicated by un.....
do, undo, .. cover, uncover, . necessary, unnecessary, . tidy, untidy, . afraid, unafraid,
which can often be used to say much the same thing.
He is afraid, He is unafraid, He is not afraid. ... I am happy / unhappy / not happy.
We are covered / uncovered / not covered.