VERBS

We use a word or a group of words to express actions. Words like sit, run, eat, play, sleep, sing, see, take, tell, etc. tell us something about actions. They are known as Verbs. 1. Verbs are important because they give us useful information in a sentence. They indicate action. 2. Some verbs, known as linking verbs, link the subject and a word or group of words that describes or identifies the subject. 3. Verbs also have number and time. In the present tense, for example, a verb may be singular or plural (depending on the subject). 4. We can tell the time (present, past or future) by looking at the form of the verb. English has three main types of verb tense: simple, continuous and perfect. Here is a list of the correct forms, using the verb go as an example. Present go, goes am/is/are going has/have gone Past went was/were going had gone

Simple Continuous Perfect

Simple Present Tense The Simple Present Tense consists of one word only. Simple Present verbs have no ed or-ing endings. 1. We use the Simple Present for general statements of facts or general truth. For example, The earth goes around the sun. Whales are mammals. Cats are smaller than tigers. 2. The Simple Present is also used to show a habitual action. The habitual action here refers to the repetition of events. For example, I wake up in the morning. They usually go shopping on weekends. The durian season usually starts in May.

3. We also use the Simple Present to indicate a planned future event/action. For example,

Mr Pereira retires in October. The express bus leaves for Penang at 5 pm. The cooking classes begin today. 4. We can use the Simple Present to talk about our thoughts and feelings at the time of speaking. For example, We feel happy. She hates spiders. Vegetarians believe that eating meat is bad karma.

Singular Simple present tense of all verbs except can, must , may, will: he/she/it relaxes he/she/it goes

Plural they relax they go

The verb be, present tense:

I am you are he/she/it is

we are you are they are

Exercise 24 Fill in the blanks with the Simple Present Tense of the words in the brackets. 1. Saiful ________ (live) with his grandfather. 2. Munirah and Asyraf ________ (work) in an office. 3. We ________ (learn) something new every day. 4. She ________ (wake) up at seven every morning. 5. They ________ (carry) the table. 6. Amir ________ (go) to school every day. 7. The lion ________ (roar) from its cage. 8. Vanessa Mae ________ (play) the violin. 9. Our cousin ________ (visit) us on Saturdays. 10. Mother ________ (cook) dinner at seven.

The Present Continuous Tense In the Present Continuous Tense, the auxiliary BE is used together with the main verb plus ing. Thus, we have: Nizam is drawing a picture. The girls are playing netball.

1. The Present Continuous Tense is used to show an action is taking place at the time of speaking. For example, I am learning English now. The boys are playing football now. Julia is talking to her friend at the moment. 2. We can use the Present Continuous Tense to refer to the activities that we have planned or arranged to do in the near future. For example, I am going to Ipoh next week. The girls are leaving soon. What are you doing this evening? 3. The Present Continuous Tense is also used to indicate a habitual action. Generally, it is used with an adverb of frequency like always, constantly, etc. For example, Fatin is always studying at home. These children are always arguing.

Exercise 25 Fill in the blanks with the Present Continuous Tense of the words in brackets. 1. We _______________ (watch) a movie. 2. I _______________ (think) of going home soon. 3. Syafiqah _______________ (take) a practical test. 4. Laila and Laili _______________ (build) a sand castle 5. The dog _______________ (chase) the cat. 6. Azizi _______________ (polish) his boots. 7. The doctor _______________ (treat) the wounded man. 8. The girls _______________ (study) in their rooms. 9. Aiman _______________ (write) a story. 10. We _______________ (visit) our aunt in Muar.

The Simple Past Tense The Simple Past Tense consists of one word only. The Simple Past of a regular verb ends in ed, the simple past of an irregular verb can be found by looking in a dictionary. 1. We use the Simple Past Tense to describe an action that took place at a particular time in the past. For example,

They played football this morning. Aini invited me to her birthday party last week. Mohamad wrote a letter last night. The boys went to Taman Negara last month. 2. Sometimes we use the simple Past Tense to indicate a habitual past action. For example, I walked to school every day. (at a certain time in the past) The children usually watched television after dinner. (referring to a past habit)

The simple past tense of a regular verb (e.g. walk).

Singular I/you/he/she/it walked away from her.

Plural They walked away from her.

The simple past tense of a irregular verb (e.g. sleep).

I/you/he/she/it slept on the sofa.

They slept on the sofa.

The simple past tense of verb be.

I was You were He/she/it was

We were You were They were

Exercise 26 Fill in the blanks with the Simple Past Tense of the words in brackets. 1. Juliana ________ (pour) herself a cup of coffee. 2. Yusuf ________ (come) to our house last week. 3. They ________ (go) to the exhibition yesterday. 4. Safee ________ (score) the winning goal in todays match. 5. Nina ________ (find) her lost necklace. 6. Richard ________ (water) the plants just now.

7. The teacher ________ (call) the naughty boy to the front. 8. The maid ________ (make) the beds this morning. 9. Jaafar ________ (take) RM5 from his wallet and ________ (give) it to the old man. 10. Mr Noordin ________ (serve) the community well before he ________ (retire).

The Past Continuous Tense In the Past Continuous Tense, the auxiliary BE is used together with the main verb plus ing. 1. We use the Past Continuous Tense to talk about an action which was going on at a certain time in the past. For example, The baby was crying when I arrived. What were you doing when they visited you? She was watching television at noon yesterday. 2. We often use the Past Continuous Tense and the Simple Past Tense to show two actions, as in sentences 1 and 2 above. The baby was crying when I arrived. (the action crying was still going on/continuing when I arrived at that moment)

Exercise 27 Fill in the blanks with the Past Continuous Tense of the words in brackets. 1. My wife and I _______________ (watch) television when he came. 2. Rashidi _______________ (write) a letter just now. 3. Mother _______________ (cook) dinner at that time. 4. Segaran _______________ (deliver) the papers that afternoon. 5. The doctor _______________ (treat) his patients at 5 oclock. 6. Hannan and Atiqah _______________ (sleep) when I came home. 7. The villagers __________ (have) a feast on that day. 8. Yew Leong _______________ (run) along the track just a while ago.

9. Hussein and Natasha _______________ (argue) last night. 10. Amelia Earhart __________ (fly) across the Atlantic Ocean when she disappeared.

Exercise 28 (REVISION: MIXED VERB TENSES) Fill in the blanks with the appropriate tense of the words in brackets. 1. Shhh! Be quiet! The baby _________ (sleep). 2. Faizal __________ (arrive) in Miri last week. 3. When Vivien ________ (call) last night, I __________ (watch) my favourite show on television. 4. Sasha __________ (love) to travel. She __________ (go) abroad almost every year. 5. We were late because we had some car problems. By the time we ________ (get) to the LRT station, Maryam __________ (wait) for us. 6. Ali __________ (try) to change a light bulb when he ________ (slip) and ________ (fall). 7. Right now, Ramli ________ (read) the newspaper and Nina ________ (prepare) dinner. Last night at this time, they ________ (do) the same thing. She ________ (cook) and he ________ (read) the newspaper. 8. We ________ (hide) when Khairul ________ (arrive) at his surprise party. As soon as he opened the door, we ________ (jump) out and ________ (scream), Surprise! 9. The sun ________ (shine) brightly today. I suggest you put on some sun block lotion immediately before you ________ (get) a sun burn. 10. Im sorry I ________ (miss) your call. I ________ (have) a shower and I simply didnt hear the phone ring.