1. Understanding Verb Forms
What are the principal parts of verbs?
Regular verbs
Irregular verbs
Six confusing verbs
Sit/Set
Rise/Raise
Lie/Lay
Review A
Review B

2. What are the principal parts of verbs?
Verbs “dress” differently for different occasions.
She dressed for school.
She dresses casually.
She has dressed for graduation.

3. What are the principal parts of verbs?
Verbs have four principal parts. Each principal part has a different function.
Base Form
talk
draw
Present Participle
[is] talk
ing
[is] draw
ing
Past
talk ed dr e w
Past Participle
[have] talk ed
[have] draw n
More about participles

4. What are the principal parts of verbs?
These principle parts are used to form all of the different verb tenses.
Base Form
They talk every day.
Present Participle
They are talking now.
Past
They talked yesterday.
Past Participle
They have talked for hours.

5. Regular verbs
A regular verb generally forms its past and past participle by adding –d or –ed to the base form.
Base Form
Past
Past Participle
clean
clean ed
[have] clean ed
hope
hope d
[have] hope d
The present participle is formed by adding –ing.
Present Participle
clean
ing

6. Regular verbs
Most regular verbs that end in e drop the e before adding –ing.
hop
hope
ing
Some verbs double the final consonant before adding –ing or –ed.
hug
hugg
ing
hugg
hug ed

7. Regular verbs On Your Own
Give the correct form (past, past participle, or present participle) of the verb in italics, as indicated in parentheses.
1. The dancers are (perform) on stage. (present participle)
2. We (watch) a folk dance an hour ago. (past)
3. We are (learn) dances from different countries. (present participle)
4. Someone in the audience has (request) an Irish square dance. (past participle)
5. I had (hope) to take dance lessons. (past participle)
[End of Section]

8. Irregular verbs Some verbs do not fit the regular pattern.
An irregular verb forms its past and past participle in some way other than by adding –d or –ed.
Base Form
Past
Past Participle
drink dr a nk
[have] dr u nk
hurt
hurt
[have] hurt

9. Irregular verbs Changing vowels
1. Some irregular verbs form the past and past participle by changing vowels.
Base Form
Past
Past Participle
begin
beg a n
[have] beg u n
Other Verbs that Change Vowels
find
found
[have] found
hold
held
[have] held
ring
rang
[have] rung
swim
swam
[have] swum

10. Irregular verbs Changing consonants
2. Other irregular verbs form the past and past participle by changing consonants.
Base Form
Past
Past Participle
make ma d e
[have] ma d e
Other Verbs that Change Consonants
bend
bent
[have] bent
build
built
[have] built
lend
lent
[have] lent
spend
spent
[have] spent

11. Irregular verbs Changing vowels and consonants
3. Some irregular verbs form the past and past participle by changing both vowels and consonants.
Base Form
Past
Past Participle
ride r od e
[have] r
idden
Other Verbs that Change Vowels and Consonants
buy
bought
[have] bought
see
saw
[have] seen
speak
spoke
[have] spoken
wear
wore
[have] worn

12. Irregular verbs No change
4. A few irregular verbs make no change at all in their past and past participle forms.
Base Form
Past
Past Participle
put
put
[have] put
Other Verbs that Make No Change
cost
[have] cost
cut
[have] cut
hit
[have] hit
read
[have] read

13. Irregular verbs On Your Own
Give the correct form (past or past participle) of each verb given in parentheses.
1. Two graceful swans ________ across the lake. (swim)
2. Gabriela ________ me her softball glove. (lend)
3. Nate ________ a fleece jacket on the hike. (wear)
4. I have already ________ the wrapping paper. (cut)
5. Have you ________ your best on the science project? (do)
[End of Section]

14. Six confusing verbs Six verbs in English require special attention.
sit
set
rise
raise
lie
lay
Are the children
sitting or
setting ?
Do the fans
rise or
raise ?
Does the baby
lie
still or
lay
still?

15. Does the verb have a direct object?
Six confusing verbs
To figure out which verb is correct, ask . . .
Does the verb have a direct object?
Don usually sits up front.
No object
They set the boxes down.
They set the boxes down.
Direct object

16. Sit / Set The verb sit means “to be seated” or “to rest.”
They sit on the sand.
The verb set means “to put (something) in a place.” Set usually has a direct object.
Direct object
He will set the books down soon.
He will set the books down soon.

17. Principal Parts of Sit and Set
Sit / Set
Principal Parts of Sit and Set
Base Form
Present Participle
Past
Past Participle
sit
[is] sitting
sat
[have] sat
set
[is] setting
[have] set
We are sitting on the bench.
We sit on the park bench.
We have sat on the bench before.
We sat there all day.
She is setting it down now.
She has sat it down already.
She set the lantern on the table.
She sets the lantern down.

18. Sit / Set
On Your Own
Give the correct form of sit or set for each of the following sentences.
1. I ______ on a broken chair at the party yesterday.
2. Last night Kim ______ her ring on the dresser.
3. At the game, Kevin was ______ next to Paolo.
4. I have ______ here for hours waiting for you.
5. Before she left, Josie had ______ a loaf of bread on the counter.
[End of Section]

19. Rise / Raise The verb rise means “to go upward.”
Slowly the balloons rise into the sky.
The verb raise means “to lift (something) up.” Raise usually has a direct object.
Direct object
They raised the flag.
They raised the flag.

20. Principal Parts of Rise and Raise
Rise / Raise
Principal Parts of Rise and Raise
Base Form
Present Participle
Past
Past Participle
rise
[is] rising
rose
[have] risen
raise
[is] raising
raised
[have] raised
The sun is rising now.
The sun has risen.
The sun rose at 7:15 A.M.
The sun rises in the East.
Shawn has raised the blinds often.
Shawn raised the blinds yesterday.
Shawn is raising the blinds for us.
Shawn raises the blinds each morning.

21. Rise / Raise
On Your Own
Give the correct form of rise or raise for each of the following sentences.
1. Please ______ the sign higher.
2. I hope the bread is ______.
3. Sparks ______ from the fire and scattered into the night sky.
4. They ______ the couch while I looked under it.
5. Prices have ______ steadily for almost a year.
[End of Section]

22. Lie / Lay
The verb lie means “to rest,” “to recline,” or “to be in a place.”
The pigs lie in the grass.
The verb lay means “to place (something somewhere).” Lay usually takes a direct object.
Direct object
The chef lays the food on the plate.
The chef lays the food on the plate.

23. Principal Parts of Lie and Lay
Lie / Lay
Principal Parts of Lie and Lay
Base Form
Present Participle
Past
Past Participle
lie
[is] lying
lay
[have] lain
[is] laying
laid
[have] laid
lay
lay
These verbs are easy to confuse because the past form of lie is also lay.
Base form
of lay
Please lay the blanket on the bed.
Past form
of lie
After his walk, the dog lay on the grass.

24. Principal Parts of Lie and Lay
Lie / Lay
Principal Parts of Lie and Lay
Base Form
Present Participle
Past
Past Participle
lie
[is] lying
lay
[have] lain
[is] laying
laid
[have] laid
The cat has lain there a long time.
The cat lay down an hour ago.
The cat is lying there still.
The cat lies on the chair.
He has laid it there before.
He laid the cane there earlier.
He lays the cane against the wall.
He is laying the cane against the wall.

25. Lie / Lay 1. Then the clerk ______ the small package on the scale.
On Your Own
Give the correct form of lie or lay for each of the following sentences.
1. Then the clerk ______ the small package on the scale.
2. Those clothes will ______ on the floor until you pick them up.
3. Who ______ this paintbrush on the bare floor?
4. That wet towel has been ______ here all day long.
5. After his playtime, the puppy ______ down and slept.
[End of Section]

26. Review A
Give the correct form (past, past participle, or present participle) of each italicized verb, as indicated in parentheses.
1. After lunch we (wash) the car and mowed the lawn. (past)
2. Marcos has (look) everywhere for his boots. (past participle)
3. My aunt is (bring) the salad. (present participle)
4. I (know) the answer, but I ran out of time. (past)
5. Most of the leaves have already (fall) from the trees. (past participle)

27. Review B
For each sentence, choose the correct verb form in parentheses.
Geraldo (rose, raised) the branch so I could get by.
I had (lain, laid) my hat on the back of the chair.
Everyone (sat, set) quietly during the recital.
The children were (sitting, setting) in their seats waiting for the show to start.
The foam has (risen, raised) to the top of the drink.
6. The baby is (lying, laying) in his crib.

28. The End