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Simmons.

Verb Forms

I know you can say hook , hooked . . .

But can you say took, tooked?

This presentation covers the use of

standard regular and

irregular verb forms.

A verb form item on an objective test might look like this . . .

Sample Item

Thomas sang along until the CD ended; then as

he was choosing a new disk, he lost control of

the car and drived into a ditch.

A.sung B.chosing C.drove D.No change is necessary.

Thomas sang along until the CD ended; then as A he was choosing a new disk, he lost control of B the car and drived into a ditch. C

A.sung B.chosing C.drove D.No change is necessary.

Thomas sang along until the CD ended; then as A he was choosing a new disk, he lost control of B the car and drove into a ditch. C

A.sung B.chosing C.drove D.No change is necessary.

Is sang, choosing, or drived a badly formed verb?

Drived is incorrect, which option C fixes.

Regular verbs have reliable forms.

Infinitive Simple Present

Simple Past

Past Participle

Present Participle

to laugh laugh(s) laughed laughed laughingto start start(s) started started startingto travel travel(s) traveled traveled traveling

Or to fish, fish(es), fished, fished, fishing!

Irregular verbs, however, have no consistent patterns.

Infinitive Simple Present

Simple Past

Past Participle

Present Participle

to drive drive(s) drove driven drivingto think think(s) thought thought thinkingto drink drink(s) drank drunk drinking

to swim swim(s) swam swum swimming

For example, to catch, catch(es), caught, caught, catching!

On many objective exams, you cannot use a dictionary to look up

the correct form!

X

When in doubt, rely on “gut” feelings.

Hey, I’ve seen that verb before!

Your eyes have seen in print — and your brain has registered — all of the possible verb forms that you will encounter for this skill. If you don’t recognize the right answer, go with the one that feels right.

Instead of skipping class to go fishing, Yolanda should of studied for her accounting exam.

Don’t confuse of and have.

My grade was a disaster!

Instead of skipping class to go fishing, Yolanda should have studied for her accounting exam.

Confirm that used to is in the past tense.

Now that he’s older, Fred has a full-time job, but he use to spend his summers fishing.

You’re a bad influence!

Now that he’s older, Fred has a full-time job, but he used to spend his summers fishing.

Quick Test

Directions: In the items that follow, choose the option that corrects an error in the underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose “No change is necessary.”

Show me what you know.

Item 1

We knew that Charley had hid the cookies in

his bedroom, so we stole his key and searched in

all the dresser drawers.

A.knowed B.hidden C.stealed D.No change is necessary.

We knew that Charley had hid the cookies in A B his bedroom, so we stole his key and searched in C all the dresser drawers.

A.knowed B.hidden C.stealed D.No change is necessary.

We knew that Charley had hidden the cookies in A B his bedroom, so we stole his key and searched in C all the dresser drawers.

A.knowed B.hidden C.stealed D.No change is necessary.

Item 2

If we had known that you were serving squid eyeball stew, we would of come for dinner!

A.of came B.have came C.have come D.No change is necessary.

If we had known that you were serving squid eyeball stew, we would of come for dinner!

A.of came B.have came C.have come D.No change is necessary.

If we had known that you were serving squid eyeball stew, we would of come for dinner!

A.of came B.have came C.have come D.No change is necessary.

Item 3

Priscilla use to have a pet parakeet; her mother’s

story is that the bird escaped and flew away, but

Priscilla believes that the cat ate it.

A.used B.flied C.eaten D.No change is necessary.

Priscilla use to have a pet parakeet; her mother’s A story is that the bird escaped and flew away, but B Priscilla believes that the cat ate it. C

A.used B.flied C.eaten D.No change is necessary.

Priscilla used to have a pet parakeet; her mother’s A story is that the bird escaped and flew away, but B Priscilla believes that the cat ate it. C

A.used B.flied C.eaten D.No change is necessary.

Item 4

Julissa was soaked during the afternoon thunderstorm because she had choosed to walk to school rather than drive.

A.chosen B.choosen C.chose D.No change is necessary.

Julissa was soaked during the afternoon thunderstorm because she had choosed to walk to school rather than drive.

A.chosen B.choosen C.chose D.No change is necessary.

Julissa was soaked during the afternoon thunderstorm because she had choosed to walk to school rather than drive.

A.chosen B.choosen C.chose D.No change is necessary.

Item 5

James brung roses and begged forgiveness, but

when Rhonda saw that her ex still hadn’t shaved

his ridiculous mustache, she shut the door in his

face.

A.brought B.seen C.shutted D.No change is necessary.

James brung roses and begged forgiveness, but A when Rhonda saw that her ex still hadn’t shaved B his ridiculous mustache, she shut the door in his C face.

A.brought B.seen C.shutted D.No change is necessary.

James brought roses and begged forgiveness, but A when Rhonda saw that her ex still hadn’t shaved B his ridiculous mustache, she shut the door in his C face.

A.brought B.seen C.shutted D.No change is necessary.

Item 6

If Toby had tooken Charlene’s advice, that bottle of soda wouldn’t have exploded all over the front of his new white shirt.

A.took B.tooked C.taken D.No change is necessary.

If Toby had tooken Charlene’s advice, that bottle of soda wouldn’t have exploded all over the front of his new white shirt.

A.took B.tooked C.taken D.No change is necessary.

If Toby had tooken Charlene’s advice, that bottle of soda wouldn’t have exploded all over the front of his new white shirt.

A.took B.tooked C.taken D.No change is necessary.

Item 7

Cooper laid the 10-page paper on Professor

Cook’s desk; he had wrote the last sentence at

2:50 p.m., and then he ran across campus to

deliver the work by the 3 o’clock deadline.

A.layed B.written C.run D.No change is necessary.

Cooper laid the 10-page paper on Professor A Cook’s desk; he had wrote the last sentence at B 2:50 p.m., and then he ran across campus to C deliver the work by the 3 o’clock deadline.

A.layed B.written C.run D.No change is necessary.

Cooper laid the 10-page paper on Professor A Cook’s desk; he had written the last sentence at B 2:50 p.m., and then he ran across campus to C deliver the work by the 3 o’clock deadline.

A.layed B.written C.run D.No change is necessary.

Item 8

We would have knowen that Dr. Carlson had moved up the date of the quiz if we attended her calculus class more frequently.

A.of knowen B.have known C.have knew D.No change is necessary.

We would have knowen that Dr. Carlson had moved up the date of the quiz if we attended her calculus class more frequently.

A.of knowen B.have known C.have knew D.No change is necessary.

We would have knowen that Dr. Carlson had moved up the date of the quiz if we attended her calculus class more frequently.

A.of knowen B.have known C.have knew D.No change is necessary.

Item 9

Margaret breaked the cookie and gave half to

the young man stuck in the elevator with her; they

told stories to pass the time as mechanics

worked on the hydraulics.

A.broke B.gived C.telled D.No change is necessary.

Margaret breaked the cookie and gave half to A B the young man stuck in the elevator with her; they

told stories to pass the time as mechanics C worked on the hydraulics.

A.broke B.gived C.telled D.No change is necessary.

Margaret broke the cookie and gave half to A B the young man stuck in the elevator with her; they

told stories to pass the time as mechanics C worked on the hydraulics.

A.broke B.gived C.telled D.No change is necessary.

Item 10

Meredith would have went to the concert, but Gregory misplaced the tickets, which they still haven’t found.

A.of went B.have gone C.have goed D.No change is necessary.

Meredith would have went to the concert, but Gregory misplaced the tickets, which they still haven’t found.

A.of went B.have gone C.have goed D.No change is necessary.

Meredith would have went to the concert, but Gregory misplaced the tickets, which they still haven’t found.

A.of went B.have gone C.have goed D.No change is necessary.

Grammar Bytes! provides additional

handouts and exercises on irregular verb forms.

Go to chompchomp.com!

The End.Don’t let the right verb form get away!