VERB USAGE
DARTS:
I can:
1.Identify and use the six major verb tenses correctly.
2.Identify and understand the four principal parts of
verbs.
3.Conjugate regular and irregular verbs correctly.
VERB TENSES:
A tense is the form of a verb that shows the time of an action or
condition.
The SIX Verb Tenses—Each tense has a basic and progressive form.
--The progressive tenses are identified by their tense
names PLUS the word progressive. Progressive tenses
show that an action is or was happening for a period of
time.
THE EMPHATIC FORM—EXISTS ONLY FOR
THE PRESENT AND PAST TENSES.
PRESENT EMPHATIC
Uses “do” “does” or
“did”
Jeff does play tennis
more often than
Jimmy.
PAST EMPHATIC
Uses “did”
Michael and Jake
did play guitar in
the band.
PRACTICE:
Identifying Verb Tenses
Page 426—Practice
17.1A and 17.1B
WRITING:
Write an 8-10 sentence paragraph
about a trip you would like to take or
have taken. Use at least eight different
verb forms or tenses in your
paragraph.
Highlight the verb forms and tenses in
your paragraph.
THE FOUR PRINCIPAL PARTS OF VERBS
Every verb in the English language has four principal parts from
which all of the tenses are formed: the present, the present
participle, the past, and the past participle.
Present
watch
Present Participle
watching
Past
Past Participle
watched
(have) watched
THE PRESENT:
Used for basic forms of the present and future
tenses, as well as for the emphatic forms or
tenses. The future is formed with the helping
verb “will.” The present emphatic is formed
with “do” or “does.” The past emphatic is
formed with “did.”
PRESENT PARTICIPLE:
Is used with helping verbs for all of the
progressive forms.
Ex: I am walking.
THE PAST:
Used to form the past tense. The past tense
of a verb can change its spelling.
Ex: I ran.
THE PAST PARTICIPLE:
Is used with helping verbs to create the
perfect tenses.
Ex: I have walked.
PRACTICE MAKES “PERFECT” TENSE….
Page 428—17.1C AND 17.1D
WRITING APPLICATION:
Write a mock radio broadcast about the weather. Use
six verb tenses in your description. You will read
these to a partner, who will list the verb tenses that
you use. Can you trick them???
DARTS:
I can use verb tenses correctly.
I can use verb tenses to establish
sequencing.
I can use modifiers with verb tenses to
establish time.
PRESENT, PAST, AND FUTURE TENSE
The three forms of the present tense show present
actions or conditions as well as various continuing
actions or conditions.
I ride. (Present)
I am riding. (Present Progressive)
I do ride. (Present Emphatic)
HISTORICAL PRESENT
The present tense may also be used to express historical
events. This is used in narration to make past actions or
conditions sound more lively.
People gather around a store window to watch the first
television.
People watching the television cannot believe that a
picture can come through the air.
USES OF THE PRESENT EMPHATIC TENSE
Emphasize a Statement—Jane does want to go to
the store.
Deny a Contrary Assertion—No, she does not want
to walk downtown.
Ask a Question—Does she enjoy shopping?
Make a Negative Sentence—Jane does not want to
stay all day.
CRITICAL PRESENT TENSE
Most often used to discuss deceased authors
and their literary achievements.
O. Henry writes many stories with surprise
endings.
O. Henry is the author of several volumes of
short stories.
PRESENT PROGRESSIVE TENSE
Used to show a continuing action or condition of a long or
short duration.
Mark is practicing soccer every afternoon. (Long continuing
action)
He is trying to make the team. (short continuing action)
He is hoping to make the first team someday. (continuing
condition)
PAST TENSE
The seven forms that express past tense show
actions and conditions that began at some time
in the past.
THE MOST COMMON FORM OF PAST:
Completed Action—Julian worked on his
speech.
Completed Condition—He was an
interesting speaker.
PRESENT PERFECT TENSE
ALWAYS expresses indefinite time. Use it to show
actions or conditions continuing from the past to the
present.
We have come to the school dance.
We have been excited all day.
THE PAST PERFECT TENSE
Expresses an action that took place before
another action.
The coaches had analyzed the other team’s
game before they created their own game
plans.
FUTURE TENSE
Expresses actions that have not yet
occurred.
I will wait.
I will have babysat.
SEQUENCE OF TENSES
When showing a sequence of events, do not shift tenses unnecessarily.
Ursula will walk to school, and then she will take the bus home.
*Sometimes, it is necessary to shift tenses, especially when a sentence is
complex or compound-complex. The tense of the main verb often determines
the tense of the verb in the dependent clause. The form of the participle or
infinitive often depends on the tense of the verb in the main clause.
VERBS IN DEPENDENT CLAUSES
The tense of a verb should follow logically from
the tense of the main verb.
I will understand that Michael was late.
(incorrect)
I understand that Michael was late. (correct)
TIME SEQUENCE WITH PARTICIPLES
AND INFINITIVES
The form of a participle or an infinitive should
logically relate to the verb in the same clause or
sentence.
Watching the race, they cheer.
Having watched the race, they are cheering.
MODIFIERS THAT HELP CLARIFY TENSE
The time expressed by a verb can often be clarified by
adverbs such as often, sometimes, always, or frequently and
phrases such as once in awhile, within a week, last week, or
now and then.
Use modifiers when they help clarify a tense.
EX://Richard plays computer games every night.
He practices once a day.
EXERCISES TO PRACTICE:
• Page 450: 17.2H
• Page 451: 17.2J
• WRITING: Create a twenty silly sentences that follow the following rules:
• 1. They all must be complex and compound-complex.
• 2. Each sentence must be the chain of the first. For example, the verb in the first sentence
becomes the present participle in the second sentence and a perfect participle in the third
sentence, and so on.
Watching a scary movie, we screamed. Screaming loudly, we felt foolish.
3. Underline and identify all tenses of your verbs.