Verbs (grammar)

Present Progressive Form

It conveys a present action that is taking place continually, on an ongoing basis, or right now. To form the present progressive, we use a present tense helping verb form of "to be" and the present participle. EG: We ARE CELEBRATING Thanksgiving

Action Verb

It conveys action.

Past Tense

It conveys an action or state of being completed in the past. To form the past tense, we use the past part. EG: We CELEBRATED Thanksgiving

Present Tense

It conveys an action or state of being that is taking place in the present. To form the present tense, we use the present part. EG: We CELEBRATE Thanksgiving

Past Perfect Tense

It conveys an action that occurred before a specific time in the past. To form the past perfect, we use the helping verb "had" and the past participle. EG: The tornado barely HAD PASSED when the heavy rain started.

Future Tense

It conveys an action yet to be taken or a condition not yet experienced. To form the future tense, we use the helping verb "will" and the present part. EG: We WILL CELEBRATE Thanksgiving

Future Progressive Form

It conveys continuing action in the future. To form the future progressive, we use the helping verbs "will" and "be" and the present participle. EG: We WILL BE CELEBRATING Thanksgiving.

Past Progressive Form

It conveys continuing action in the past. To form the past progressive, we use a past tense helping verb form of "to be" and the present participle. EG: We WERE CELEBRATING Thanksgiving

Progressive Form

It conveys continuous action in any verb tense

Past Perfect Progressive Form

It conveys continuous action that occurred before a specific time in the past. To form the past perfect progressive, we use the helping verbs "had" and "been" and the present participle. EG: Sugar prices HAD BEEN DECLINING when artificial sweetener first appeared.

Verb

It expresses action, being, or state of being

Helping Verb (auxiliary)

It helps the main verb extend its meaning, often in order to convey a more complex verb form or tense.

Present Participle

It is formed by adding "-ing" to the present part EG: Eating (a few verbs do change a bit here: EG: the verb "to lie" becomes "lying")

Present Part

It is formed by using the infinitive without the "to," except for third person singular, to which we add an "-s." EG: I eat VS she eats

Infinitive Verb Form

It is the base form of the verb from which we conjugate; it is the "to" form. EG: To jump, to be

Linking Verb

It links its subject to a word in the predicate that renames or describes it. EG: Charlie SEEMS ill/Glenda IS president of her class. (if you can replace the verb with an equals sign, it is a linking verb)

Principle Parts

Present part, past part, past participle, present participle

Normal Helping Verbs

"Normal" helping verbs emerge from the infinitives: to be, to do, to have.

Weird Helping Verbs

"Weird" helping verbs do not emerge from any infinitives; they just exist on their own: can, could will, would shall, should may, might must EG: She CAN do it/Alfredo HAD BEEN feeling sick for a week.