Tense Kuiper and Allan Chapter 2.1.4 Inflection of verbs Tense Kuiper and Allan Chapter 2.1.4

Regular tense inflection present tense past tense breathe breathed sigh sighed stroke stroked

Tense inflection and verbs All verbs inflect for tense. Everything that inflects for tense is a verb. (At last. No exceptions.)

Verbs in English can belong to five different grammatical word forms V-s V-ed V-ing V-en call calls called calling called Irregular forms eat eats ate eating eaten put puts put putting put bring brings brought bringing brought meet meets met meeting met

Exercise Find the verbs in the following poem Nurse’s Song When the voices of children are heard on the green And whisp’rings are in the dale The days of my youth rise fresh in my mind, My face turns green and pale. Then come home my children, the sun is gone down, And the dews of night arise, Your spring & your day are wasted in play, And your winter and night in disguise. William Blake