Note 61 – Verbs and their forms

For the background to my writing challenge, please read my first blog by clicking the following link – http://wp.me/p1x6Ui-4. If you would prefer to dive straight into note 61, then please read on…

Verbs and their forms

The Pocket Writer’s Handbook by Martin Manser and Stephen Curtis states that “most English verbs have four or five forms”.

Regular english verbs

For a regular english verb (conforming to a standard pattern), there are four forms, for example, the forms of the verb to laugh are as follows:

1. Laugh (used for the infinitive form – see blog note 24, and also for the imperative forms e.g. Laugh then!)
2. Laughs (used for third person only: he laughs, she laughs, it laughs)
3. Laughed (used for the past tense and the past participle: they laughed – also see blog note 58)
4. Laughing (used for the present participle: I am laughing – also see blog note 59)

Irregular english verbs

For an irregular english verb (not conforming to a standard pattern), there are five forms (one more than regular verbs), for example, the forms of the verb to ring are as follows:

1. Ring (used for the infinitive form – see blog note 24, and also for the imperative forms e.g. Ring now!)
2. Rings (used for third person only: he rings, she rings, it rings)
3. Ringing (used for the present participle: they are ringing – also see blog note 59)
4. Rang (used for past tense: I rang, they rang)
5. Rung (used for past participle: she has rung, they have rung)

Please feel free to comment on this blog if you wish.  Hope you have had a great day.  I’ve been to my yoga class tonight and it has left me feeling very relaxed – it was fantastic.

Until tomorrow…

Sandra

This blog: https://mywritingnotebook.wordpress.com

My other blog: http://sandramadeira.wordpress.com

My website: www.tipsandluxuries.com (includes first chapter of my book)

Twitter: @madeirasandra and @tipsandluxuries

Reference list:

Pocket Writer’s Handbook (Penguin Reference Library), Martin Manser and Stephen Curtis