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Verbs and Tenses :

Mastering Verbs and Tenses: The Complete Guide

Mastering Verbs and Tenses

The Essential Guide to Subject-Verb Agreement, Verb Types, Tenses, Infinitives, Imperatives, and Gerunds

What Are Verbs?

Most verbs describe actions and are called action verbs. They express what people or things are doing.

drink eat look shout jump walk laugh run sit swim throw catch fall climb dance

1. Subject and Verb Agreement

The person or thing performing the action is the subject of the verb. The subject and the verb must agree (match each other):

  • Singular Subjects: Use a singular verb (most end in -s, -es, or -ies). This is known as the third person singular form (used with he, she, it, or singular nouns like my dad).
  • Plural Subjects: Use a plural base verb without adding endings (used with I, we, you, they, or plural nouns like Mom and Dad).

Spelling Rules for Third Person Singular Verbs

Pattern Rule Examples
Standard Verbs Just add -s plays, sings, shines, rides, reads, walks
Ends in -sh, -ch, -ss, -x, -zz, -o Add -es brushes, watches, kisses, fixes, buzzes, goes, does
Consonant + -y Change y to i and add -es carry → carries, fly → flies, cry → cries, study → studies
Vowel + -y Just add -s buy → buys, pay → pays, say → says, annoy → annoys
Collective Nouns as Subjects: When a collective noun (like audience, band, or class) acts together as a single unit, use a singular verb. When its members act individually, use a plural verb:
• The audience was enjoying the play.
• The audience have all gone home.

2. Transitive and Intransitive Verbs

Verbs behave differently depending on whether the action transfers to an object:

Transitive Verbs

A transitive verb takes an object—a person or thing affected by the action:

  • Alice eats a banana. (Subject: Alice | Verb: eats | Object: a banana)
  • John likes apples.
  • Dad buys tea at the market.
  • My brother rides his bike.

Intransitive Verbs

An intransitive verb does not take an object:

  • In China, lots of people walk to work.
  • The boys play in the yard after school.
  • Mr. Carter always drives very carefully.
Dual-Use Verbs: Many verbs can be both transitive and intransitive depending on the context:
• The pilot flies the plane very well. (Transitive — object: the plane)
• Eagles fly high in the sky. (Intransitive — no object)

3. Present Tenses

A. The Simple Present Tense

Used to describe actions that occur regularly, express universal facts, tell live stories, or state fixed future schedules:

  • Habit / Routine: We always wash our hands before meals.
  • Facts / General Truths: The sun rises every morning. / The earth goes around the sun.
  • Future Timetables: The train leaves in five minutes. / The new supermarket opens this Friday.

B. Forms of "Be": am, is, are

Subject Verb Form Contraction (Affirmative / Negative)
I am I'm / I'm not
He, She, It, Singular Nouns is he's, she's, it's / isn't
We, You, They, Plural Nouns are we're, you're, they're / aren't
There is / There are: Use there is (contracted as there's) with singular nouns and there are with plural nouns.

C. The Present Progressive Tense

Formed with am / is / are + verb-ing (present participle). Used for ongoing actions or confirmed future plans:

  • I am learning how to swim.
  • Uncle David is cleaning his car.
  • Future Plan: We are having a barbecue on Sunday.

4. Past Tenses

A. The Simple Past Tense

Used to talk about actions that happened and finished in the past:

  • Regular verbs (+ed): opened, visited, walked, laughed.
  • Ending in -e (+d): closed, lived, smiled, raced.
  • Ending in consonant + -y: Change y to i and add -ed (carried, cried, hurried, tried).
  • Short CVC verbs: Double the final consonant (grabbed, wagged, slammed, ripped).

B. Past Forms of "Be": was and were

Was pairs with I, he, she, it and singular nouns. Were pairs with we, you, they and plural nouns. Negative contractions are wasn't and weren't.

C. Common Irregular Past Verbs

Base Verb Simple Past Base Verb Simple Past
break / bring broke / brought know / leave knew / left
buy / catch bought / caught lose / meet lost / met
come / do came / did run / see ran / saw
fall / fly fell / flew sleep / write slept / wrote
cost, cut, hit, hurt, put, read, let No change: cost, cut, hit, hurt, put, read, let

D. The Past Progressive Tense

Formed using was / were + verb-ing:

"Sam was doing his math homework when the phone rang."
"We were all enjoying the movie when the power went out."

5. Have, Has, Had & Present Perfect Tense

Using Have, Has, and Had

  • Have / Has (Present): Shows possession, relationships, or meals. Use has with he/she/it; use have with I/we/you/they.
  • Had (Past): Past form for all subjects ("We had lunch in the garden"). Also used for wishes: "I wish I had a new bike".

The Present Perfect Tense

Formed with have / has + past participle. Used for continuing or past actions with present relevance:

  • We have lived in this house for five years.
  • She has dirtied her new shoes.
  • I've already opened the door.

Common Irregular Past Participles

Base Verb Simple Past Past Participle
be was been
break broke broken
do / draw did / drew done / drawn
drink / eat drank / ate drunk / eaten
go / know went / knew gone / known
see / speak saw / spoke seen / spoken

6. Expressing Future Time

  • Shall and Will: Use shall or will with I and we; use will with other subjects. Short form is 'll (negative: won't):
    → We shall take the dog for a walk later.
    → Mom will be very pleased with you.
  • Be Going To: For plans and intentions (am/is/are going to + verb):
    → I am going to see the new movie next week.
  • Simple Present for Schedules: Summer vacation ends on Friday.

7. The Verb "Do" (Actions, Negatives, and Questions)

  • Simple Present: Use do with I, we, you, they; use does with he, she, it.
  • Simple Past: Use did for all subjects.
  • Negatives: Formed using don't, doesn't, or didn't + base verb:
    → Jenny does not eat lunch at school.
    → The teacher didn't give us any homework.

8. Infinitives, Imperatives, and Gerunds

A. The Infinitive

Base verb often preceded by to:

  • The rain began to fall.
  • The boys were afraid to cross the road.
  • Bare infinitive (after modal verbs): I can swim.

B. Imperatives

Used to issue commands, polite requests (with please), or negative directions (with don't):

  • Open your books to page 25.
  • Please show me your homework.
  • Do not bring calculators into the exam room.

C. Gerunds

The -ing form of a verb acting as a noun:

  • Running is a good way to keep fit.
  • Susan is very good at drawing.
The "It" Test: If you can replace the -ing word or phrase with it, it is a gerund.

Quick Check: Test Your Skills

1. Subject-Verb Agreement:
"My little brother always (brush) his teeth properly."
→ Answer: brushes

2. Choose the correct past participle:
"Your child has (broke / broken) my window!"
→ Answer: broken

3. Transitive or Intransitive?
"Mr. Ross drives his car very carefully."
→ Answer: Transitive (Object: his car)

English Grammar Series • Topic: Verbs and Tenses