Most Linking verbs are "to be" Verbs

am will be shall have been would have been

are shall be will have been might have been
is have been could have been must have been
was has been had been should have been
were

Base Form Past Form

cover covered
explore explored
encourage encouraged
scan scanned
talk talked
open opened
close closed

Principal Parts of Some Troublesome Verbs

Present Past Past Participle

awake awaked awaked
awoke awake/ awaken
beat beat beateen
begin began begun
bid (offer) bid bid
bid (command) bade bidden, bid
blow blew blown
break broke broken
broadcast broadcast/ broadcasted broadcast/ bropadcasted
choose chose chosen
cut cut cut
dive dived dived
do did done
draw drew drawn
drink drank drunk
drive drove driven
drown drowned drowned
eat ate eaten
fell fell fallen
fly flew flown
freeze froze frozen
get got got/ gotten
go went gone
hang (a picture) hung hung
hang (a criminal) hanged hanged
know knew known
lay (to place) laid laid
lie (to recline) lay lain
lose lost lost
ride rode ridden
ring rang rung
rise rose risen
shake shook shaken
shine (light) shone shone
shrink shrank shrunk
sing sang sung
sink sank sunk
spring sprang, sprung sprung
steal stole stolen
swear swore sworn
tear tore torn