| A verb is the part of the sentence that shows or expresses action. When you use the wrong form or tense of a verb, you may confuse your readers. |
| Errors of Wrong Tense or Wrong Verb |
| Errors of wrong tense or wrong verb form include using a verb that does not indicate clearly when an action or condition is, was, or will be completed. For example, a writer might accidentally use gone instead of had gone. |
| Irregular Verbs |
| Many verb form errors involve verbs with irregular forms (like sing, sang, sung). Errors may occur when a writer confuses these forms or treats these verbs as if they followed the regular pattern. For example, a writer may accidentally use singed instead of sang or have sang instead of have sung. |
| Incorrect: I have wrote two papers on that subject. |
| Correct: I have written two papers on that subject. |
| Present Form | Past Form | Past Participle Form |
| arise | arose | arisen |
| begin | began | begun |
| burst | burst | burst |
| catch | caught | caught |
| cost | cost | cost |
| drink | drank | drunk |
| find | found | found |
| know | knew | known |
| lay (put) | laid | laid |
| lead | led | led |
| lie (recline) | lay | lain |
| prove | proved | proved, proven |
| ride | rode | ridden |
| see | saw | seen |
| shrink | shrank | shrunk, shrunken |
| sleep | slept | slept |
| steal | stole | stolen |
| take | took | taken |
| write | wrote | written |
| Present Tense |
| Use the present tense to discuss something that happens in the present time or to discuss something that can happen at anytime. |
| Examples: |
| She tells him to be quiet. |
| He brings me the morning paper every day. |
| Past Tense |
| Use the past tense to discuss an action that happened at a fixed time in the past. |
| Example: |
| Yesterday, he brought me the morning paper. |
| Future Tense |
| Use the future tense to discuss an action that will happen in the future. |
| Example |
| I will return the library book on Wednesday. |
| Present Perfect Tense |
| Use the present perfect tense (have or has + past participle) to discuss an action that occurred at an unspecified time in the past or to discuss an action that continues to happen into the present time. |
| Examples |
| I have sung in the choir for ten years. |
| That restaurant has participated in several charity events during the last year. |
| Past Perfect Tense |
| Use the past perfect tense (had + past participle) to discuss an action that happened before another action in the past. |
| Example |
| Margaret went to the emergency room after she had broken her arm. |
| Future Perfect Tense |
| Use the future perfect tense (will have + past participle) to discuss an action that will occur before a set time in the future. |
| Example |
| The class will have completed the project before the end of the semester. |
| Present Progressive Tense |
| Use the present progressive tense (am or is + an -ing verb) to discuss an action that is going on right now. |
| Example |
| The dog is eating my homework! |
| Past Progressive Tense |
| Use the past progressive tense (was or were + an -ing verb) to discuss an action in the past that was going on while something else happened. |
| Example |
| While we were watching television, an electrical storm caused a power outage. |
| Future Progressive Tense |
| Use the future progressive tense (will be + an -ing verb) to discuss an action that will be going on while something else happens. |
| Example |
| The teachers will be patrolling the hallways during the assembly. |
| Unnecessary Shift in Tense |
| Verb tenses tell readers when actions take place. When you shift from one tense to another with no clear reason, you can confuse readers. |
| Incorrect: Michael reads the newspaper and then gave it back to Michelle. |
| Correct: Michael read the newspaper and then gave it back to Michelle. |
| Incorrect: Last week at the movies, this guys talks through the entire film. |
| Correct: Last week at the movies, this guys talked through the entire film. |
| Take the Verb Quiz |