+185.+ The verb is perhaps the most difficult part of speech to master because it has more form changes than any other part of speech.
In this lesson we are going to emphasize the most important things to remember in the study of the verb and also call attention to the most common mistakes.
+186.+ First, master that little verb be in all its forms. The only way to do this is to commit to memory these forms. Say them over and over until any other form does not sound right.
+Present+ +Past+ +Future+
_Singular_ _Singular_ _Singular_
1. I am. I was. I shall be.
2. You are. You were. You will be.
3. He is. He was. He will be.
_Plural_ _Plural_ _Plural_
1. We are. We were. We shall be.
2. You are. You were. You will be.
3. They are. They were. They will be.
_Pres. Perf._ _Past Perf._ _Fut. Perf._
Have been. Had been. Shall have been.
+187.+ Do not use _aint_ for _is not_ or _am not_. Do not say, _He aint here_, or _I aint going_. Say, _He isn"t here_; _I am not going_.
A FREQUENT MISTAKE
+188.+ Perhaps one of the most frequent mistakes is the confusion in the use of the past time form and the past participle. Remember that the past time form is never used except in expressing past time; never use it in forming a verb phrase. Take the verb _do_, for example--say, _He did the work_, never, _He done the work_; but we should say, _He has done the work_, never, _He has did the work_. _Say_ and _seen_ are confused in the same manner. Watch this carefully.
Exercise 1
Underline the correct word in the following:
1. Who did--done it?
2. He sung--sang well.
3. He sunk--sank before we could reach him.
4. She written--wrote him a letter.
5. He taken--took the book.
6. They swum--swam the river.
7. I saw--seen him do it.
8. They drank--drunk too much.
9. He soon began--begun to fail.
10. The lad ran--run home.
11. They come--came yesterday.
WITH HELPING VERBS
+189.+ Never use the past time form with the helping verbs _has_, _had_, _was_ and _were_. Always use the past participle. Watch this carefully.
For example, never say, _He has went_. _Went_ is the past time form.
Say, _He has gone_.
Exercise 2
Underscore the correct word in the following sentences:
1. He had tore--torn the book.
2. Have you ever sang--sung this tune?
3. They have showed--shown us how to win.
4. She has went--gone away.
5. The trees were shook--shaken by the wind.
6. He was chose--chosen for leader.
7. He has rose--risen from the ranks.
8. It was wrote--written by him.
9. He has took--taken the prize.
10. He was gave--given the money.
11. I have forgot--forgotten the rule.
12. The river was froze--frozen over.
13. The machine was broke--broken.
14. It was wore--worn out.
15. The meal was ate--eaten in silence.
PAST TIME FORMS
+190.+ Watch your speech to see if you use an incorrect verb form for the past time form. Study the table of irregular verbs and refer to it frequently. We often make the mistake of forming the past time form by adding _ed_ when properly it is formed irregularly. For example: we often say _drawed_ for _drew_, _throwed_ for _threw_, etc.
Exercise 3
Draw a line under the correct form in the following:
1. He grew--growed rapidly.
2. He knew--knowed better.
3. He catched--caught the ball.
4. He drew--drawed the water.
5. They threw--throwed him over.
6. I drinked--drank the water.
7. I climbed--clumb the tree.
8. I seed--saw him do it.
9. She teached--taught school.
VERBS OF SIMILAR FORM