What Is a Verb?

In Module 1 you learned about nouns, but as you've probably guessed, a sentence needs a lot more
to make it interesting. It needs some "pep," something to get it moving—and that's where the verb
comes in. You can think of the noun as the driver (called the subject), the verb as the engine
(the predicate), and the entire sentence as the car. You need both a driver and an engine in order for
the car to go anywhere.
Definition: When most people think about verbs, they think about the first type: action verbs, also
called dynamic verbs. This kind of verb tells you what's happening or what someone is doing.
Some action verbs describe physical actions, and they are easy to spot because you can observe
them with at least one of your five senses. These are words such as jump, sing, and eat. On the
other hand, some action verbs are more abstract, and they're easy to miss sometimes because you
can't always observe them with your five senses. These are words such as think, learn, and decide.
Take a look at the examples below to see how action verbs are used in a sentence.

Physical Actions
The neighbor's cats meow loudly.
You hear the meow and you may see the cat open its mouth to meow.
Trucks speed down the highway.
You can see the truck speeding and probably hear the motor too.
Waves crash on the shore.
You can see and hear the wave and even feel it crash if you're standing close enough.

Abstract Actions
Students learn new material every day.
You can't actually look into someone's brain and see the learning process, but learning is still an
action.
I think my shoes are under the bed.
You can't really see the thoughts going through the person's mind, but thinking is still an action. It's
what you're doing.

Definition: Unlike action verbs, linking verbs show a relationship between the main noun (also

called the subject) and another word that describes that noun. The describing word can be
an adjective or another noun. The most common linking verb is to be and its
forms am, is, are, was, were, be, being, and been.
My cat is furry.
The verb is links the main noun, cat, with a describing word, furry. Furry is an example of an
adjective.
My childhood dog was an Akita.
In this sentence, the verb was links the noun dog to another noun, Akita. The second noun tells us
the breed of the dog.
Other common linking verbs
include appear, become, feel, grow, look, remain, seem, smell, sound, stay, taste, and turn.
If left too long, the milk may turn sour.
I feel refreshed after that nap.
Hint:
 Sometimes you may not be sure whether a verb is a linking verb, but there is an easy way to
tell: you can replace any linking verb with a form of to be. If the sentence makes sense and
has almost the same meaning, you have a linking verb.
 The milk may turn be sour.
I feel am refreshed.
Laurie appears is tired.

Can You Tell the Difference Between an Action Verb and a Linking Verb?
The verbs appear, become, feel, get, grow, look, remain, seem, smell, sound, stay, taste,
and turn can act either as action verbs or linking verbs. In order to tell the difference, you have to
pay attention to how each type of verb is used in a sentence—linking verbs are used for
descriptions, whereas action verbs tell you what someone (or something) is doing.

Linking
Kelly grows tired after hours of gardening.
The adjective tired describes Kelly. Kelly is tired after she gardens.

Action
Kelly grows sunflowers in her yard.
This sentence tells us what Kelly is doing—she plants sunflowers and grows them.
Hint:
 Remember, you can replace linking verbs with a form of to be (am, is, are, was, were, etc.)
but you can't do the same thing with action verbs.
Kelly grows tired. = Kelly is tired.
Kelly grows sunflowers. ≠ Kelly is sunflowers.
In the second example, replacing grows with is creates a nonsense sentence. The
noun sunflowers does not describe Kelly; she's not a sunflower.

Definition: All sentences need at least one main verb; however, certain tenses, sentence structures,
and ideas require a helping verb (also called an auxiliary verb), which assists the main verb to
form a complete thought. Without helping verbs, certain ideas would be impossible to express, and
our speech and writing would be dull and incomplete. Remove the helping verb, and you might end
up sounding like a caveman (or woman)! Try removing the helping verb from any of the examples
in this lesson and you'll get the idea.

Verb Phrases
Helping verbs and main verbs combine to form verb phrases. The main verb is always the last verb
in the phrase.
Helping Verb + Main Verb = Verb Phrase

Common Helping Verbs

Below you will learn about the most common helping verbs and how they're used. You'll notice
that many helping verbs are used in specific verb tenses. The tense of a verb tells us the time period
when an action occurs, such as in the present, past, or future. You'll learn more about this concept
in Lesson 8.

To be: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been
 Progressive Tenses
Earlier, you learned that to be is a linking verb, but in many situations, it's a helping verb. For
 example, it's used in the progressive tenses, which combine the forms of to be with verbs ending
in -ing.
Present Progressive:
I am writing this sentence.
am + writing = verb phrase
Past Progressive:
It was raining, so we couldn't play outside.
was + raining = verb phrase
 Passive Voice
The verb to be is also used in the passive voice, which combines the forms of to be with verbs
ending in -ed or -en. These verbs are called participles.
Make sure all your assignments are completed by Thursday.
are + completed = verb phrase
This sentence was written.
was + written = verb phrase
Note:
Sometimes the participle will have a different ending instead of -ed or -en, but you will
learn about this concept in a later lesson.

To have: have, has, had, having

 Perfect Tenses
The verb to have combines with verbs ending in -ed and -en to form the perfect tenses. (They're not
really "perfect" tenses; that's just their name.)
Present Perfect:
It has rained so many days in a row that I can't remember the last time the sun was out!
has + rained = verb phrase
Past Perfect:
We didn't realize the pickpocket had stolen our wallets until she was already long gone.
had + stolen = verb phrase

To do: do, does, did

 Questions
Unlike to be and to have, to do isn't used as part of any particular verb tense—but it still has several
important jobs. One of them is to form questions. You'll notice that in questions, a noun or pronoun
splits the verb phrase.

Do you know what time it is?

do + know = verb phrase
you = pronoun
 Negative Statements
To do also helps to form not statements, which are called negative statements. In this type of
sentence, the word notsplits the verb phrase.

I do not know what time it is because I lost my cell phone.

do + know = verb phrase
not = adverb
Hint:
 Remember that don't, doesn't, and didn't are contractions for do not, does not, and did not.
The word not, which is an adverb, is not part of the helping verb.
 Emphasis
Finally, you can use to do as an emphatic verb to help clarify or add intensity to the main verb.

Yes, I do know your Uncle Joe.

There may have been confusion about whether you know Uncle Joe or not. The helping verb do is
used to make it crystal clear that you know him.

I did buy milk yesterday.
Here, to do is in the past tense. The person making the statement is clarifying that he or she already
bought milk.
Note:
There is no future emphatic because you can't emphasize something that hasn't happened
yet.

Modals (also called modal auxiliaries): can, could, may, might, shall, will, would, should, must
These verbs express ability, possibility, permission, intention, obligation, and necessity.
I can play basketball.
I am able to do it.
I could play basketball.
It is a possibility that I will be able to.
I may play basketball.
This can mean two things: either I have permission to play, or it is a possibility that I will play.
I might play basketball.
It is a possibility. You can use might instead of may to suggest that the possibility is more remote
or uncertain.
I shall play basketball.
Shall is more common in British English and is used instead of will for the first person (I
shall, you will). It is used to express future actions.
I will play basketall.
It is my intention in the future.
I would play basketball.
It is possible that I'll play under certain conditions.
I should play basketball.
I have an obligation to do it.
I must play basketball.
It is a necessity.

Common Challenges with Helping Verbs

Challenge 1: Questions
Watch out for questions. Often, the subject of the question is located between the helping verb and
the main verb.
Are you coming to my party?
are + coming = verb phrase
you = pronoun
Do you prefer chocolate cake or white cake?
do + prefer = verb phrase
you = pronoun
Hint:
 Often, if you rearrange all the words in a question to form a declarative sentence, it is
easier to find the verb phrase.
Are you coming to my party?
You are coming to my party.

Challenge 2: Adverbs
Sometimes the verb phrase can be interrupted by an adverb. Be careful not to include the adverb in
the verb phrase. Only words on the "Approved List of Helping Verbs" can be helping verbs.
You are not coming to my party.
are + coming = verb phrase
not = adverb
I can definitely go to your party.
can + go = verb phrase
definitely = adverb

Approved List of Helping Verbs

to be to to do Modals
have

am have do can
are has does could
is had did may
was having might
were shall
be will
being would
been should
must

Definition: In English there are four principal parts (also called forms) of a verb. These parts are
used to form tenses, which tell us when an action occurred. In this lesson you'll learn the
fundamentals about the base verb form, the present and past tenses, and present and past participles.
For more in depth information on how to use tenses, visit Lesson 8 and Lesson 10.

Principal Parts
 Base/Presen Present Participle Past Past Participle
t

walk walking walke walked

d

dance dancing dance danced

d

play playing played played

Introduction to the Present and Past Tenses

The base is the most basic (or root) form of a verb, and it plays a very important role in forming
the present and past tenses.

Present Tense
The base alone is used for most forms of the present tense, including the first person (I and we),
second person (you), and third person plural (they). The only time the base changes is in the third
person singular (he, she, it). To form the third person singular, just add the letter -s to the end of the
base.

Present Tense

Person and Number Example

First Person I practice piano once a week.

Singular & Plural We practice piano every day.
(I and we)

Second Person You practice piano every other day.

Singular & Plural Do you girls practice piano every day?
(You can refer to one person or a group of
people.)

Third Person They practice piano on the weekends.

 Plural
(they)

Third Person She/He practices piano for two hours each

Singular day.
(he, she, it)

Past Tense
To form the past tense, take the base form and add -ed. If the base ends in a silent e, just add -d,
not -ed. Unlike the present tense, the past tense always uses the same form regardless of person or
number.

Past Tense

Base Example

walk I/we/you/she/he/they walked 10 miles to the gas station yesterday.

bake I/we/you/he/she/they baked fifteen dozen cookies last holiday season.

(silent -
e)

Introduction to Participles
When used as verbs, participles function as part of a verb phrase and must be accompanied by
a helping verb. (There are some other ways to use participles, but you will learn about those in
a different lesson.)

Participles

Base Present Participle Past Participle

walk walking walked

 bake baking baked
(silent -
e)

Present Participles
To form a present participle, take the base form of the verb and add -ing. If the verb ends in a
silent -e, drop the -e and add -ing. Present participles are used in the progressive tenses, which
combine a form of to be (am, is, was, etc.) with a present participle.
My sister is walking to school today.
My brother was watching television when I came home.

Past Participles
Past participles are formed the same way as the past tense—by adding -ed to the base (or just -d if
the base ends in a silent -e). Past participles are used in the perfect tenses, which combine a form
of to have (have, has, had) with a past participle.
They have hiked this trail many times before.
Before leaving, we made sure we had walked the dog.

Spelling Changes with the Four Principal Parts

When adding an ending to a verb, you sometimes have to change the spelling.
Do change the spelling in the following situations:

Base Verb Spelling Spelling Change

Single syllable1 verb ending in a consonant2 Double the consonant when adding an -
ing or -edending.
shop + -ing = shopping
shop + -ed = shopped

Ends in a single vowel plus a consonant and Double the consonant when adding an -
carries the stress3 on the last syllable ing or -edending.
refer + -ing = referring
refer + -ed = referred

Ends in a consonant + y Change y to ie when adding -s.

clarify + -s = clarifies
Change y to i when adding -ed.
clarify + -ed = clarified

Ends in a silent -e Drop the silent -e before adding -ing.

amaze + -ing = amazing
 Just add a -d instead of -ed.
amaze + -ed = amazed

Ends in a -c Add a k before an -ing or -ed ending.

frolic + -ing = frolicking
frolic + -ed = frolicked

Don't change the spelling in these situations:

Base Verb Spelling

Spelling

Most base forms, Most of the time, spelling changes are not necessary when adding the -
except those ending s ending to the base form of the verb (i.e. in the third person singular
in consonant + y form of the present tense). This is true even for verbs that do require a
spelling change for the -ing or -ed ending.
shop + -s = shops (vs. shopping and shopped)
refer + -s = refers (vs. referring and referred)
amaze + -s = amazes (vs. amazing)
frolic + -s = frolics (vs. frolicking and frolicked)
Verbs ending in a consonant + y, which you already learned about in
the above table, are the only exception.

Ends in a consonant Don't make any spelling changes when adding the -ing ending.
+ y clarify + -ing = clarifying (vs. clarifies and clarified)

Ends with a single Don't double the consonant. An example is the verb wander, which has
vowel before a the stress on the a, not the e. (Contrast wander with the verb referin the
consonant, but the previous table.)
stress is not on the wander + -s = wanders
last syllable wander + -ing = wandering
wander + -ed = wandered

Ends with a double Do not double the consonant. (Contrast the

vowel before a verbs cheat and retreatwith shop and refer in the previous table.)
consonant cheat + -s = cheats
cheat + -ing = cheating
cheat + -ed = cheated
retreat + -s = retreats
retreat + -ing = retreating
retreat + -ed = retreated

Ends in a vowel + y Don't change y to ie. (Contrast enjoy with the verb clarify in the

previous table.)
enjoy + -s = enjoys
 enjoy + -ing = enjoying
enjoy + -ed = enjoyed

Ends in a vowel + l
In American English, do not double the l even though l is a consonant.
travel + -s = travels
travel + -ing = traveling
travel + -ed = traveled
Note: In British English, you do double the l before the -ing and -
edendings (travelling, travelled).

1. When we pronounce words aloud, we break them up into smaller sound units called syllables. For example, the
word syl*la*ble itself can be broken up into three syllables. There are also many single syllable words, such
as shop and book.
2. Any letter of the alphabet that is not a, e, i, o, or u is considered a consonant.
3. When we say words aloud, we pronounce certain syllables more loudly than others. The syllable that is pronounced the
loudest is the stressedsyllable. (Emphasis is another word that is commonly used for stress.)

Definition: In Lesson 5 you learned about the regular past forms, which always end in -
ed. Irregular verbs don't follow this pattern. Most of the time, verbs are irregular only in their past
tense and past participle forms, but there are a handful of verbs that have one or more irregular
present tense forms. This lesson is going to cover the irregular past forms only.
Note:
Even if a verb is irregular, the present participle is still formed by adding -ing to the end of
the base—no exceptions. Yes, you read that correctly: there are no irregular present
participles in the English language. Sometimes you may have to tweak the spelling a little,
but the ending will always be -ing.

Irregular Past Tense and Past Participles

Here are a few basics you'll want to remember about the irregular past tense and past participle
forms.

 They all have one important characteristic in common: they never end in -ed. Some
examples are ate, fought, swam, and given.
 It's very common for a vowel (or pair of vowels) to be different from the base
form. Began (base form, begin) and froze (base form, freeze) are a two good examples.
 Most irregular verbs follow a specific pattern. You'll learn more about this concept later in
this lesson.
Let's take a closer look at how the irregular past tense and past participles are formed.

Past Tense
With the irregular past tense, it is common for a vowel in the middle of the verb to
change instead of the verb's ending. The verb drive, for example, changes to drove in the past
tense.
Other verbs require you to change a vowel and add a new ending. Eat, for example, turns
into ate in the past tense.
One of the most common irregular past tense endings is -t (sweep → swept). Sometimes you'll
add -d (sell → sold) or -ght (catch → caught) instead.
Often, when the base ends in -ck, -e, -g, -ght, or -n, the past tense will keep that final letter or set of
letters.
stick → stuck
drive → drove
ring → rang
fight → fought
run → ran

Past Participles
Just like the irregular past tense, irregular past participles can be formed by changing a vowel,
adding a new ending, or doing both. However, the vowel or ending is often (but not always)
different from the past tense form. For example, many irregular past participles require you to add
an -en, -n, or -ne ending (drive → driven).
Many irregular past participles end in -en, but, similarly to the past tense, they can also end in -t, -
ck, -d, -e, -g, or -ght.
In the table below you'll find several examples of how the irregular past tense and past participles
are formed. Pay special attention to the vowel changes and different endings.

Base Regular Irregular Irregular

Present Participle Past Past Participle

drive driving drove driven

begin beginning began begun

sleep* sleeping slept slept

run running ran run

freeze freezing froze frozen

*

eat* eating ate eaten

*For some verbs, such as sleep, freeze, and eat, a pair of vowels changes instead of just a single
vowel.

Irregular Verb Patterns

Now that you have an idea of how to form the irregular past tense and irregular past participles,
let's take a look at some patterns that an irregular verb may follow.
 Common Patterns
 Sometimes the past tense and past participle are the same. All the verbs in this category
have at least one of the following characteristics:
o The most common past tense and past participle endings you will add to these verbs
are -t, -ght, and -d (sweep/swept/swept; catch/caught/caught; sell/sold/sold).
o You will never add an -en, -n, or -ne ending to these verbs. The only time the past
forms end in -n or -ne is when that ending is already part of the base form (shine/shone/shone).
o Sometimes the base, past, and past participle endings are all the same. This happens
most often when the base ends in -ck, -g, -ght, or -ne.
You'll want to keep these characteristics in mind as you study irregular verbs, but don't worry about
memorizing them all. Use the table below to help you start recognizing all the patterns.

Base Past Past Participle

swee swept swept

p

catch caugh caught

t

sell sold sold

shine shone shone

swing swung swung

fight fough fought

t

stick stuck stuck

 It is common to form the past participle by adding -en, -n, or -ne to the end of the base
or past tense form.

Base Past Past Participle

 eat ate eaten

give gave given

do did done

freez froz frozen

e e

 For some verbs, the base, past tense, and past participle are all the same. The base form
of these verbs almost always ends in -t (a couple of them end in -d, but that's very unusual).

Bas Past Past Participle

e

put put put

set set set

 Keep in mind that this pattern does not apply to all verbs ending in the letter -t—there are
quite a few, such as connect, visit, and lift, that are regular verbs. Also, verbs with a base form
ending in -ght never follow this pattern.
 Sometimes, the final vowel changes from i in the base to a in the past, and then to u in
the past participle.

Base Past Past Participle

begi bega begun

n n

ring rang rung

Rare Patterns and Stand-Alone Irregulars

 With the verbs run, come, become, and overcome, the base and past participle are the
same. These are the only four verbs that follow this pattern, so keep an eye out for them—people
often make the mistake of thinking that the past tense and past participle forms are the same.
 Base Past Past Participle

run ran run

com cam come

e e

 The base, past tense, and past participle are all completely different. This doesn't happen
very often. The verb flyis a good a example.

Bas Past Past Participle

e

fly fle flown

w

 With the verb beat - and only the verb beat - the base and the past tense are the same,
but the past participle is different.

Bas Past Past Participle

e

bea bea beaten

t t

 Keep in mind that any other verb that has the same base and past tense will also have the
same exact past participle (for example, put/put/put).
Note:
Knowing these patterns will help you recognize the different verb forms, but it's not the
best way to memorize them. Most people learn the irregular verb forms by hearing,
reading, and practicing them or by being corrected at home or in school.
Hint:
If you aren't sure whether a verb is irregular or not, the easiest solution is to look it up in
the dictionary. If the verb is irregular, the dictionary will give you all of the irregular forms.

Present Tense: Irregular Third Person Singular

Verbs that are irregular in the present tense are almost always irregular only in the third person
singular form (he, she, it). There are very few verbs that fall into this category; they are to have, to
do, and to go. These verbs also have an irregular past tense and past participle.
 Regular Present Irregular Present Regular Present Irregular Irregular Past
(third person singular Participle Past Participle
only) (all forms) (all forms)

I/you/we/they  hav he/she/it  has  (not  haves) having had had

e

I/you/we/they  do he/she/it  does  (not  dos) doing did done

I/you/we/they  go he/she/it  goes  (not  gos) going went gone

Hint:
 There are certain verbs that have do, go, or have as their root.1 These verbs will have the
same irregular forms as the root verb.
The verb forgo, which has the root go, has an irregular past tense form and past participle
(forwent, forgone).
The verb undo, which has the root do, is irregular in the third person singular form of the
present tense and has an irregular past tense and past participle (undoes, undid, undone).

The Verb To Be
The verb to be is the most irregular verb in the English language. It is irregular in all forms of the
present and past tenses, and it has an irregular past participle.

Present Tense Present Participle Past Tense Past Participle

I  am being I/he/she/it  was been

you/we/they  ar you/we/they  wer
e e
he/she/it  is

Try it out:
Fill in each column with the correct form of the given verb. Then check your work. Practice the
ones you miss.
 Regular Irregular Irregular
Base Present Past Past
Participle Tense Participle

? seek

? swing

? choose

? get

? drink

? swim

? bring

? ride

? begin
 Regular Irregular Irregular
Base Present Past Past
Participle Tense Participle

? drive

? know

? write

? sink

? burst

? cost

? become

Regular Irregular Irregular

Base Present Past Past
Participle Tense Participle

Print List

1. A root is the most basic part of a word. Sometimes a root is a stand-alone word, and sometimes it's just part of a
word. You can combine the root with other elements to make new words. Elements you add to the beginning of
a word are called prefixes, and elements you add to the end of a word are called suffixes.

for  +  go = forgo
under  +  go = undergo
 re  +  do = redo
un  +  do = undo

The roots in the examples above are go and do. The other elements are all prefixes.

Definition: Earlier in this module you learned that verbs are action words. Verbs have multiple
forms called tensesthat tell us when an action occurs. In this lesson you'll learn about the simple,
progressive, and perfect tenses.

Simple Tenses
The present, past, and future tenses are called simple tenses.

Simple Tenses

Presen Past Future

t

walk(s) walke will  wal

d k

Simple Present Tense

The term present tense is a little deceiving. You're probably thinking to yourself, "It's a no-brainer,
isn't it? The present tense is used for actions that are happening now, right?"—not exactly.
Although it's true that the present tense does have to do with current events, there are several
specific ways in which it's used, including:
 Talking about actions that occur repeatedly
These are actions that happen on a regular basis, such as habits or routines. They can have a
specific or general time frame.

I brush my teeth every morning and every night.

Bret runs five miles every day.
We visit my grandparents twice a year.
Sometimes Sean and Jaimie go to the pool.
Mom never lets us eat chocolate cake for breakfast.
 Discussing current facts, basic truths, or widely accepted beliefs

The sky is blue, and the grass is green.

Cats catch mice.
Stealing is unethical.
 Describing people or things
Use the present tense to describe physical characteristics, personality traits, feelings, abilities, and
likes and dislikes that are true in the present.

Her brothers are both over six feet tall.

He is the nicest person I know.
I feel sick today.
My best friend plays minor league baseball.
Many people love dogs, but many also love cats.
This milk smells funny.
Your new rose bush looks beautiful!
Note:
When you want to talk about an action that is occurring at this very moment, you typically
use the present progressive tense, which you'll learn about later in this lesson.
You already learned how to form the present tense in Lesson 5, but let's review. The base alone is
used for most forms of the present tense, including the first person (I and we), second person (you),
and third person plural (they). The only time the base changes is in the third
person singular (he, she, it). To form the third person singular, just add the letter -s to the end of the
base.

Simple Past Tense

The past tense is more straightforward than the present tense—you only use it to talk about actions,
events, or feelings that happened at an earlier point in time.
Olivia closed the door behind her.
We pushed through the crowd to get a better view of the stage.
Let's also review how to form the past tense. Simply take the base form and add -ed. If the base
ends in a silent e, just add -d, not -ed. Unlike the present tense, the past tense always uses the same
form regardless of person or number. If you would like to see more examples, you can go back
to Lesson 5.
Note:
The English language has quite a few irregular past tense forms that don't end in -ed. You
can learn about themhere.

Future Tense
The future tense is one of the easiest tenses to learn because it has no irregular forms. Just as its
name suggests, it's used to describe actions that will happen in the future. It is formed by combining
the helping verb will with the base form of the main verb.
Tomorrow I will walk home from school.

Progressive Tenses (A.K.A. the Continuous Tenses)

Progressive tenses are used to discuss ongoing or continuing actions. They can also be used to talk
about an action that is, was, or will be occurring at the same time as another action. The progressive
tenses use a form of the verb to be plus the present participle of the verb.

Progressive Tenses

Present Past Future Progressive

Progressive Progressive

am  walking was  walking will be  walking

 am  eating was  eating will be  eating

Present Progressive
The present progressive tense is typically used to talk about something that is happening right now.
It can also be used to talk about a future action or an action that is occurring at the same time as
another one. It is formed by using a present tense form of the verb to be plus the present participle
of the main verb.
I am walking to school right now. (current action)
He is walking to school tomorrow. (future action)
Most days we are walking to school when you see us. (simultaneous actions: are
walking and see)
Hint:
The word simultaneous means happening at the same time.

Past Progressive
The past progressive is used to describe an action that was occurring at the same time as another
past action.
Yesterday I was walking to school when you saw me.
(simultaneous actions: was walking and saw)

Future Progressive
The future progressive is usually used to describe an action that will occur at the same time as
another future action. To form the future progressive tense, use this formula: will be + present
participle.
Tomorrow I will be walking to school when you see me.
(simultaneous actions: will be walking and see)
Notice how the verb see is in the present tense, not the future tense. When people talk about future
simultaneous actions, usually one verb is in the future progressive and the other is in the simple
present.

Perfect Tenses
Perfect tenses show when an action happened in relation to another action. To form the perfect
tenses, use a form of the helping verb have (have, has, had, will have) plus the past participle of the
main verb. The verb have changes to show the tense.
Hint:
To review irregular past participles, visit Lesson 7.

Perfect Tenses
 Present Past Perfect Future Perfect
Perfect

have  walked had  walked will have  walked

have  finished had  finishe will

d have  finished

Present Perfect
An action in the present perfect began in the past and continues in the present or has ended by the
present. It can also be used to talk about past actions that happened multiple times. To form the
present perfect, use the present tense of the verb to have plus the past participle of the main verb.
Most days I take the bus to school, but for the last two weeks I have walked to school.
I have finished my homework already.

Past Perfect
An action in the past perfect began and ended before another past event. To form the past perfect,
use the past tense of the verb to have plus the past participle of the main verb.
Yesterday I rode the bus to school, but the day before I had walked to school.
I was watching TV because I had finished my homework already.

Future Perfect
An action in the future perfect tense will be finished by a particular time in the future. To form this
tense, use this formula: will + have + past participle.
By the time I arrive at school tomorrow, I will have walked to school 100 days in a row.
By 8 p.m. I will have finished my homework.

Perfect Progressive Tenses

Perfect progressive tenses are a combination of perfect (completed before) and progressive
(ongoing) tenses, which show that something began, continued, and ended before another action.
The perfect progressive tenses combine the perfect (have, has, had, will have), the progressive
(been) and the present participle of the main verb.

Perfect Progressive Tenses

Present Perfect Past Perfect Future Perfect

Progressive Progressive Progressive

have been  walking had been  walking will have been  walking
 have had will have
been  finishing been  finishing been  finishing

Present Perfect Progressive

This tense is used for recent past actions that happened repeatedly.
I have been walking to school on sunny days.
He has been finishing his homework by 7 p.m. every day this week.
It is also used for continuous past actions that are affecting the present in some way.
I have been walking to school a lot, so I'm in much better shape than I was before.
He has been finishing all his homework, and his grades have improved a lot.

Past Perfect Progressive

Use the past perfect tense to express actions that happened in the more distant past that happened
repeatedly. This tense is frequently used in relation to another past action that occurred at a later
time.
I had been walking to school every day, but then the weather turned cold.
Isabella had been finishing her homework on time all month, but then she caught a cold
and missed school.

Future Perfect Progressive

This tense is used when you are anticipating a time in the future when a continuous action will be
finished.
By tomorrow I will have been walking to school for six weeks straight.
Hint:
Choosing the correct tense to use in a sentence requires you to pay close attention to the
clues in the sentence.

Emphatic Forms
Not a tense, but logically included in this section is the emphatic form. The emphatic form
emphasizes that an action happened. It is also used in questions and in negative statements. The
emphatic form uses the verb do with the present form of the verb.

Emphatic Form

Present Emphatic Past Emphatic There is no future emphatic because you can't
emphasize something that hasn't happened yet.

do/does  walk did  walk

do/does  finish did  finish

Definition: In the last lesson you learned how to use different tenses to make affirmative
statements, which tell us that something is true.
Karen swims every morning before school.
I ate ten donuts yesterday.
Definition: Negative statements tell us that something is not true.
She does not like broccoli.
He did not come to school today.

Present and Past Tense Negative Statements

In negative present and past statements, you use different forms of the helping verb to do to
indicate tense instead of changing the main verb. Just add do, does, or did plus not before
the base of the main verb.

Present Past
(do/does + not + base) (did + not + base)

My brothers  do not My brothers  did not fight at all

fight much. yesterday.
Elizabeth does not sleep well. Elizabeth did not sleep  well last night.

You can combine to do with not to form the contractions don't, doesn't, and didn't.

My brothers don't fight much.
Elizabeth doesn't sleep well.
My brothers didn't fight at all yesterday.
Hint:
 It's easy to make mistakes when forming negative statements. A common error is to
change both the helping verbto do and the main verb. Always remember that you only
need to change the helping verb to indicate tense.

Error Correction

Presen She  doesn't  drives  very far for work. She  doesn't drive  very far for work.
t

Past They  didn't  came  to the baseball They  didn't come  to the baseball
game. game.
The Exception: Negative Present and Past Tense Statements with To Be
With the verb to be, you don't use the helping verb to do. Just use the same present and past tense
forms you normally do, and add the word not.
I am not at school today.
Alyssa is not in school today.
The twins are not in school today.
Alyssa was not in school today.
The twins were not in school yesterday.
You can also use the contractions isn't, aren't, wasn't, and weren't. For the first person present,
use I'm not.

Negative Statements in Tenses with Helping Verbs

In tenses with helping verbs, add the word not after the helping verb. If there are two helping verbs,
place not after the first one. You can also use any of the contractions you learned earlier, plus
several others you'll see in the chart below.

Present Past Future

Simple – – Without Contraction

My little
brother will not  eat  fish.

– – With Contraction (won't)

My little
brother won't eat  fish.

Progressiv Without Contraction Without Contraction Without Contraction

e
Jesse is  not sleeping well. Jesse was  not sleeping well Jesse will not  be
last week. sleeping well tonight.

With Contraction (isn't or With Contraction (wasn't or With Contraction (won't)

aren't) weren't)
Jesse won't be
Jesse isn't sleeping well. Jesse wasn't sleeping well sleeping well tonight.
last week.

Perfect Without Contraction Without Contraction Without Contraction

They have not completed the They had not completed th They will not have

assignment yet. e assignment yet. completed the
assignment yet.

With Contraction (hasn't or With Contraction (hadn't) With Contraction (won't)

haven't)
They hadn't completed the They won't have
They haven't completed the assignment yet. completed the
assignment yet. assignment yet.

Hint:
  Negative statements in the simple future tense don't always refer to the future. Often,
they mean that someone refuses to do something. Let's revisit one of the examples above.
My little brother will not eat fish.
This statement doesn't mean that my little brother won't eat fish tomorrow, next week, or
next month; it really means he refuses to eat fish anytime. Using the future tense is a
stronger way to say that someone doesn't do something.

Can You Identify a Tense Shift?

Take a look at this short story and see if you notice a problem with the verbs:
One day a princess went into the forest to play. She threw her golden ball into the air and
almost caught it. It falls into the pond, and she starts to cry. A frog hops onto a lilypad
and asks her what is wrong. The princess told him that she had dropped her ball, and
he offered to get it for her.
Were you able to figure it out? If you noticed that the verb tenses changed back and forth between
present and past tense, you're exactly right. If you didn't notice this time, don't worry—by the end
of this lesson you'll be able to pick out this error, which is called a tense shift.
Definition: Tense shifts happen when writers accidentally switch from one tense to another in the
same sentence, paragraph, story, or essay. Sometimes a shift is necessary, but accidental shifts
happens when writers become distracted. Writers may begin their story in the past, as if they are
watching it from the outside—but then, as they become absorbed in the story, they may switch to
the present tense. Some writers continue shifting back and forth throughout their pieces.
It's important to choose a tense and stick to it. When you begin a piece, decide whether you want to
use past or present tense. Most narratives or stories about events that have already happened are
written in the past tense. Some authors use the present tense to pull the reader into the story. This
can be very effective, but only if done carefully.
Note:
Even if a story is told in the past tense, dialogue and quotations can be in a different tense
(usually the present). This is because dialogue and quotations repeat exactly what people
say from their time frame and their perspective.
Here is the same story with all the verbs in the past:
One day a princess went into the forest to play. She threw her golden ball into the air and
almost caught it. It fell into the pond. She started to cry. A frog hopped onto a lilypad
and asked her what was wrong. The princess told him that she had dropped her ball, and
he offered to get it for her.
Sounds much better, doesn't it?

Before You Start: Direct Objects

In this lesson you'll be learning about transitive and intransitive verbs. Before we get started,
though, you'll need to learn about direct objects.
Definition: A direct object is a noun or pronoun that directly receives the action of a verb.
Dante threw the ball.
In this sentence, the verb is threw and the direct object is ball. The ball is the thing Dante threw, so
we say that the ball is receiving the action of the verb.
The direct object often (but not always) answers the question what? What did Dante throw? He
threw the ball.
Sometimes the direct object answers the question whom?
Dante hit me with the ball.
Whom did Dante hit? He hit me.
Note:
 Often the indirect object, not the direct object, answers the question whom? You won't be
learning about indirect objects in this lesson, but if you'd like more information,
visit Module 4, Lesson 8.

Transitive Verbs
Definition: All transitive verbs require a direct object. You've already seen a couple of examples
in the section above, but here are a few more.
The comedian entertained the audience.
Whom did the comedian entertain? The audience. The audience is receiving the action of the verb.
The mail carrier delivered a package yesterday.
What did the mail carrier deliver? A package. The package is receiving the action of the verb.
Without a direct object, a transitive verb's meaning is incomplete.
Dante threw.
Did Dante throw a ball? A frisbee? A pencil? This sentence leaves you hanging because there is no
direct object after the transitive verb threw.

Intransitive Verbs
Definition: Intransitive verbs do not require a direct object. Their meaning is complete without
one.
Kelly hikes.
Although this sentence looks short, it's still complete. The verb hikes doesn't need a direct object.
Hint:
 Often, an intransitive verb is followed by a word or phrase that looks like a direct object,
and this can trick you into thinking the verb is transitive. However, remember that direct
objects can only answer the questions what andwhom. If what follows the verb answers
questions like where, when, or how, the verb is intransitive.
Christopher Columbus sailed the Atlantic.
Columbus sailed a ship across the Atlantic. The Atlantic is where he sailed, not what he
sailed.
We hiked five miles along the mountain ridge.
We hiked the trail for five miles. Five miles is how long we hiked, not what we hiked.

Some Verbs Can Be Transitive or Intransitive

Certain verbs can be either transitive or intransitive depending on how they're used.
We ate pizza for dinner.
In this sentence, ate is transitive because it is followed by a direct object. What did we eat for
dinner? We ate pizza.
We already ate.
Ate is intransitive in this sentence because it has no direct object. There's no mention of what we
ate.

Before You Start: Prepositions

In this lesson you'll be learning about phrasal verbs, but before we get started, it's important to learn
a little bit about prepositions.
Definition: A preposition shows a relationship of some kind. You use prepositions all the time
even though you may not realize it. They typically answer questions such as which one, what
kind, how much, how many, where, when, how, and to what extent.
The cow jumped over the moon.
Where did the cow jump? Over the moon.
We went to the movies after school.
When did we go to the movies? After school.
Don't worry if you don't quite have a handle on prepositions yet. You'll learn more about them
in Module 6. For this lesson, you just need to be able to recognize them. Here are a few
prepositions that are commonly used in phrasal verbs.
at b fo awa fro after aroun across
y r y m d

o to ou over wit alon behin throug

n t h g d h

in u off dow into abou

p n t

Phrasal Verbs
Definition: Phrasal verbs are made up of a verb and one or more prepositions. They are
called phrasal verbsbecause it takes two words or more (a phrase) to complete their meaning. The
verb and preposition work together to form a new verb whose meaning is different from those of
the individual words.
Please fill out these forms so I can find out more about you.
If you fall behind in your homework, your parents will hear from your teacher.
If you blow up at your friends, it makes it harder to get along with them.
Many phrasal verbs are idiomatic, which means that you can't interpret them literally. The original
meanings of the verb and preposition are often altered. For example, if you tell someone to shut
up (which we know is rude), what upare they supposed to shut? Native speakers of any language
understand phrasal verbs because they use them all the time, but it can be challenging for non-
native speakers to understand and learn these verbs.

Separable and Inseparable Phrasal Verbs

With some phrasal verbs, it's possible to separate the verb and the preposition without affecting the
meaning of the sentence, but with others, separation is not possible.
Separable Phrasal Verbs: Transitive
Separable phrasal verbs are always transitive, which means they always have a direct object. If the
direct object is a noun or a noun phrase,1 you can choose to put it after the preposition or between
the verb and the preposition. However, if the object is a pronoun, it must go between the verb and
the preposition.
Correct: You will need to work out the problem on your own.
Correct: You have worked the problem out.
Correct: You have worked it out.
Incorrect: You have worked out it.
Because it is a pronoun, you have to put it between the verb and the preposition, not after the
preposition.
Hint:
 Just because all separable phrasal verbs are transitive does not mean that all transitive
phrasal verbs are separable.
Correct: Make sure you look after your little brother.
Incorrect: Make sure you look your little brother after.
Look after is transitive, but it is not separable. You can't put the direct object, your little
brother, between the verb and the preposition.

Inseparable Phrasal Verbs: Transitive or Intransitive

Inseparable phrasal verbs can be either transitive or intransitive. With transitive inseparable
phrasal verbs, the direct object must always follow the preposition.
Correct: We went over the answers.
Incorrect: We went the answers over.
With intransitive phrasal verbs, it's common to try to separate the verb and the preposition, but this
is not correct. Because intransitive verbs don't have direct objects, there's nothing you can put
between the verb and the preposition.
Correct: You will have to catch up on your homework.
Incorrect: You will have to catch your homework up.
Your homework is not the direct object of the verb catch up, so it can't go between the verb and the
preposition.
Note:
 The preposition on in the example above isn't part of the phrasal verb catch up. When
you're unsure of whether or not a preposition is part of a phrasal verb, you can always look
up the phrasal verb in the dictionary.

1. A noun phrase includes the noun plus other elements such as articles (the, a, an), possessive pronouns
(my, your, his, etc.), or demonstrative adjectives (this, that, these, those). Noun phrases can also include
adjectives (describing words).

Nou Noun Phrases

n
 dog my dog, a dog, the dog, this dog, those dogs, the little spotted dog

Definition: If you are active, you are doing something. In active voice sentences, the subject of the
sentence is doing the verb. You've already studied this type of sentence without knowing it—most
of the lessons in this module use active voice sentences.
The lady plays the piano.
The driver drove the car.
Hint:
You're using active voice whenever you use any of the tenses you learned about in this
module.

Present We take a trip to Disney World every summer.

Past They took a trip to Disney World last year.

Future Noah will take a trip to Disney World once he saves enough money.

Present Sylvia is taking a trip to Disney World with her family.

Progressive

Past Progressive Angel was taking a trip to Disney World even though he liked Disneyland better.

Future Progressive Sarah will be taking a trip to Disney World with her family next fall.

Present Perfect We have taken several trips to Disney World.

Past Perfect Before she visited Disneyland, Abby had taken several trips to Disney World.

Future Perfect By the end of this year, Nancy and Jaimie will have taken five trips to Disney World!

Definition: If you are passive, something is done to you. In passive voice sentences, the subject is
having the action done to it by something else. To form the passive voice, use a form of the helping
verb to be plus the past participle of the main verb. The verb to be can be in just about any tense.
The piano is played by the lady. (is + played)
The car was driven by the driver. (was + driven)

Choose Active Voice Wherever You Can

When you write sentences in active voice, your writing is more engaging and moves more quickly.
The children climbed all over the jungle gym. Then they threw several balls in the air
and dodged them.
Notice how your attention is on the actions of the children.
Take a look at the same sentences in passive voice:
The jungle gym was climbed by the children. Then several balls were thrown in the air and were
dodged by the children.
Now your attention is on the objects, not the children. Notice how the structure of these sentences
is awkward and clunky. When one of your sentences sounds awkward, check to see if you're using
passive voice. If you are, an easy fix is to use active voice instead.

Common Misconceptions About the Passive Voice

Misconception #1: It's Never OK to Use Passive Voice
Many teachers discourage their students from ever using the passive voice, but sometimes it's
actually the better choice. It can be useful when you're not sure who did the action or when you
want to emphasize the object instead of the subject. It can also be effective if you want to slow
down the action of your writing and focus on a scene. Occasionally you can use the passive voice
to vary sentence structure in your writing, but don't rely too heavily on this technique.
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald.
In this sentence, the emphasis is on the president's assassination instead of the person who
assassinated him.

Misconception #2: Using To Be Always Means You Are Using Passive Voice
Please don't make the mistake of confusing the passive voice with other uses of the verb to be. As
you learned earlier, to be can also be a helping verb in the progressive tenses or a linking verb.

Misconception #3: The Perfect Tenses Are Passive Voice

Another common misconception is that the present perfect and past perfect tenses are forms of
passive voice because they use past participles. Similarly to the passive voice, overusing these two
tenses can weaken your writing. However, when used correctly, these tenses can actually
strengthen your writing. There are also times when the perfect tenses are the only correct choice.

In this lesson you'll learn that to be is used as either a linking or helping verb. Since to be is an
irregular verb, let's do a quick review of its forms before diving into the material.

To Be: Present and Past Tenses

Person and Number Present Past

 First person singular (I) am was

First person plural (we) are were

Second person singular or plural (you) are were

Third person singular (he, she, it) is was

Third person plural (they) are were

To Be: Present and Past Participles

Present Past

being been

To Be As a Linking Verb

To be is considered a linking verb when it's used to describe traits, characteristics, emotions, and
states of being. It connects the main noun (or subject) to a describing word, such as an adjective or
another noun.

Traits and Characteristics

Daphne is very kind.
Is links the noun Daphne and the adjective kind.
My grandfather was a doctor.
Was links the noun grandfather and the describing noun doctor.

Emotions
Lucy and Olivia are excited because their parents bought them a puppy for Christmas.
Are links Lucy and Olivia to the adjective excited.

States of Being
If the word that follows to be answers the questions when or where, it's describing a state of being.
Wendell is here today.
Is links Wendell to a state of being (here).
The party was at 7 o'clock.
In this example, was links party to the time.
Hint:
 When you ask a question, to be comes at the beginning of the sentence and is separated
from the describing word.
Is Wendell here today?
Hint:
 Normally, words and phrases that answer questions like when and where are
considered adverbs, but when used with linking verbs, they act like adjectives. These words
and phrases are often referred to as locatives or adverbial complements.

To Be As a Helping Verb

In Lesson 4, you learned that helping verbs are used with main verbs to help complete the main
verb's meaning. To beis a helping verb when used in the progressive tenses or the passive voice.

To Be and the Progressive Tenses

The verb to be is often used together with a present participle (verb ending in -ing) to express an
ongoing action. (Visit Lesson 8 to review.)
Irena is listening to the teacher.
Is helps show that listening is an ongoing action happening in the present.
The squirrels were scampering across the lawn.
Were helps show that scampering was an ongoing action that occurred in the past.
My older brother has been writing a novel for the past five years.
Been helps to show that writing is an ongoing action. (Has is also a helping verb in this sentence,
but it's helping the verb to be.)

To Be and the Passive Voice

The passive voice is formed with the verb to be plus a past participle. People use passive voice
when they want to put emphasis on the action instead of the subject, or when they're not sure who's
doing the action.
President Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth.
The focus of this sentence is on the president's assassination, not on the person who assassinated
him.
My wallet and phone were stolen at the beach.
We don't know who stole the wallet and phone, and we want to emphasize the action of stealing
instead of the person who did the stealing.

Participles vs. Participial Adjectives

You already know that to be often acts as a helping verb before a present or past participle.
However, some participles can also be used as adjectives (describing words). When to be is used
with these adjectives, it is a linking verb, not a helping verb. If you're not sure if to be is a linking
or helping verb in a particular sentence, just think about whether the participle is a description or an
action. Let's take a look at some examples, starting with present participial adjectives versus present
participles in the progressive tenses.

Present Participial Adjectives vs. Progressive Tenses

 Linking Helping
(Adjective ending in -ing) (Main action verb ending in -ing)

The teacher's voice was soothing. Irena is listening to the teacher.

(Soothing describes the teacher's (Listening is an action, not a description.)

voice.)

My brother's new novel is fascinating. My brother has been writing a novel.

(Fascinating describes the novel.) (Writing is an action, not a description.)

Now let's look at the difference between past participial adjectives and past participles in
the passive voice.

Past Participial Adjectives vs. Passive Voice

Linking Helping
(Adjective ending in -ed, -en, -t, etc.) (Action verb ending in -ed, -en, -t, etc.)

Lucy and Olivia are excited to have a Lucy and Olivia's shoes were destroyed by their
new puppy new puppy.

(Excited describes how the girls feel.) (Destroyed is an action. It tells us what the puppy
did.)

I am interested in remodeling the I was startled by a loud noise in the kitchen.

kitchen.
(Startled is an action. It tells us what the loud
(Interested describes my state of mind.) noise did to me.)

Definition: You learned earlier in this module that the tense of a verb indicates when an action
occurred, but each verb also has a mood that tells us how the action is viewed or perceived by the
speaker. It indicates whether something is a fact, opinion, command, suggestion, request, wish,
hypothetical (imaginary) situation, or uncertainty. Moods are as important in writing as they are in
our lives because they provide perspective. In English the three primary moods are indicative,
imperative, and subjunctive.
Indicative Mood
Indicative mood is fact mood, and it's the one we use most often. It states, asks, or denies a fact.
However, it can also express an opinion because opinions are often stated as facts; when you have
an opinion about something, you usually view it as a fact. Almost all the verbs you've studied so far
have been in the indicative mood, so you're already familiar with it. The simple, progressive, and
perfect tenses all express indicative mood.

Facts
Rain falls quite heavily during the month of April.
Lots of rain fell yesterday.
Rain is falling.
Rain is not falling.
Is rain falling?

Opinions
Lots of rain will fall tomorrow.
That is a beautiful painting.
These chocolate cookies taste delicious.
Jenna thinks that Norah will win the competition.
We believe he should go alone.
My little sister likes that we visit Florida every summer.
Note:
 Interrogative mood, which is used to ask questions, is sometimes separated from the
indicative.

Imperative Mood
Imperative mood is "bossy" mood—it's used to give commands or to advise or beg someone to do
something. Commands can be affirmative (tell someone what to do) or negative (tell someone
what not to do). Affirmative commands use the base form of the verb. Negative commands follow
this formula: do + not + base. The subject of all imperative sentences is the unstated you.
(you) Open the door, please.
(you) Do not forget your homework.
or: Don't forget your homework.

Subjunctive Mood
The subjunctive mood is used to express suggestions, recommendations, advice, demands, wishes,
and doubts. It is also used to talk about hypothetical (imaginary) situations or something that is
contrary to fact.

Present Subjunctive (Mandative Subjunctive)

The present form of the subjunctive is most often used to talk about recommendations, suggestions,
advice, requests, and demands, and it often (but not always) follows the word that. This is called
the mandative subjunctive.
Jonathan's academic advisor recommended that he study abroad next year.
Subjunctive or Indicative?
Let's explore the present form of the subjunctive mood, which is simply the base form of any verb.
This makes the subjunctive look almost identical to the present indicative—in fact, you'll only be
able to tell the difference between the two moods in the third person singular form.

Person and Number Subjunctive Indicative

Third person I recommend that he arrive at It's wonderful that he arrives at

singular (he, she, it) school on time every day. school on time every day.

First person singular They recommend that I arrive at It's wonderful that I arrive at

(I) school on time every day. school on time every day.

First person plural They recommend It's wonderful that we arrive at

(we) that we arrive at school on time school on time every day.
every day.

Second person I recommend that you arrive at It's wonderful that you arrive at

singular or plural school on time every day. school on time every day.
(you)

Third person plural I recommend that they arrive at It's wonderful

(they) school on time every day. that they arrive at school on
time every day.

More on the Mandative Subjunctive

As you learned above, the mandative subjunctive is used for recommendations, demands,
suggestions, requests, and advice. This type of sentence always has at least two verbs, but only the
one after the word that is subjunctive; the first verb is always indicative.
We demanded that he stop setting off the fire alarm at school.
demanded = indicative
stop = subjunctive
It is imperative that she leave right away.
is = indicative
leave = subjunctive
Hint:
 It is usually acceptable to omit the word that in both spoken and written English.
We demanded ____ he stop setting off the fire alarm at school.
 Note:
 In British English the modal should is used to express the mandative subjunctive.
They recommend that he should arrive on time every day.

Knowing When to Use the Mandative Subjunctive

Any sentence that starts with one of the verbs on the list below requires the subjunctive after that.
Just remember that the verbs listed here will be in the indicative; only verbs following that will be
in the subjunctive.

ask insis advise prefer propos recommen

t e d

pra urge deman reques suggest

y d t

Here are a few examples:

I prefer that she bring cupcakes instead of muffins.
prefer = indicative
bring = subjunctive
They suggested that Leslie start training for the marathon way ahead of time.
suggested = indicative
start = subjunctive
The committee proposed that the new regulation take effect on January 1.
proposed = indicative
take = subjunctive
The DMV is insisting that Louis repeat the driving exam.
is insisting = indicative
repeat = subjunctive
Hint:
 The first verb in a mandative subjunctive sentence can take any form of the indicative. This
means that you can use any of the tenses you learned about earlier in this module. Notice
the variety of tenses used in the examples above:
prefer = present indicative
suggested = past indicative
proposed = past indicative
is insisting = present progressive indicative
Some sentences that follow the formula It is + adjective + that require the subjunctive, but this rule
only applies for certain adjectives:

bes better essential importan

t t

vita crucia imperativ necessary

l l e

Here are a few examples:

It is best that she stay here tonight instead of driving home in the snow storm.
It's important that Norah win the competition.
It's better that he do it on his own.
 Hint:
 In sentences following the above structure, it is common to use the word for plus
the infinitive instead of the subjunctive mood. (The infinitive just adds the word to in front
of the base, for example, to eat or to sleep.)
It is best for her to stay here tonight.
It's important for Norah to win the competition.
It's better for him to do it on his own.

Present Subjunctive of the Verb To Be

For the verb to be, you will use the base to form the subjunctive, just as you would with any other
verb. However, unlike other verbs, to be will look completely different in the present indicative and
present subjunctive. (This is because the base, be, is never used in the present indicative.)

Person and Number Subjunctive Indicative

First person singular (I) They suggest that I be here It's great that I am here on
on time. time.

First person plural (we) They suggest that we be here It's great that we are here
on time. on time.

Second person singular or They suggest It's great that you are here

plural (you) that you be here on time. on time.

Third person singular They suggest that she be here It's great that she is here on

(he, she, it) on time. time.

Third person plural (they) They suggest It's great that they are here

that they be here on time. on time.

Mandative Subjunctive with the Verb To Be

Just like other verbs, to be can be used to express recommendations, demands, requests,
suggestions, and advice.
The lawyer requested that the comment be stricken from the record.
requested = indicative
be = subjunctive
I demand that you be quiet during the movie.
demand = indicative
be = subjunctive
It is essential that they be on their guard tonight.
is = indicative
be = subjunctive

Using Were for Wishes, Desires, Hypotheticals, and Nonfactual Statements

When talking about wishes, desires, and hypothetical (imaginary) situations, you'll often use the
subjunctive were. Up until now, you've been using the indicative were to talk about the past.
We were at the park all day yesterday.
However, subjunctive statements that use were do not refer to the past. Instead, they are statements
you would make while daydreaming or imagining something. Were is the only form of to be that
you can use for hypotheticals and nonfactual statements—it's used for the first, second, and third
person, singular or plural. In the chart below, you'll notice that you can only tell the difference
between the subjunctive were and the indicative were in the first and third person singular forms.
Hint:
Hypothetical subjunctive statements often start with if or I wish.

Person and Number Subjunctive (Hypothetical) Indicative (Past)

First person singular If I were at the baseball game right I was at the baseball
(I) now, I'd be eating a hotdog. game yesterday.

Third person singular If he were at the baseball game right He was at the baseball
(he, she, it) now, he'd be eating a hotdog. game yesterday.

First person plural If we were at the baseball game right We were at the baseball
(we) now, we'd be eating hotdogs. game yesterday.

Second person If you You were at the baseball

singular or plural (you) game yesterday.
were

at the baseball game right now, you'd

be eating a hotdog.

Third person plural If they were at the baseball game They were at the

(they) right now, they'd be eating hotdogs. baseball game yesterday.

If today were Saturday, I would sleep in.

This is an example of a hypothetical or nonfactual situation. It's not Saturday; the speaker is just
imagining something she might do on a Saturday.
I wish today were Saturday so that I could sleep in.
Here, the speaker is using the subjunctive were to express a wish or desire. This statement can also
be considered hypothetical or nonfactual because it's not actually Saturday.
I wouldn't go any closer to that tiger cage if I were you.
This is an example of a nonfactual statement. I am not you, but I'm imagining what I would—or
wouldn't—do if I were in your place.
Hint:
 In the examples above, would represents the conditional mood, which you'll learn about
later in this lesson.
Note:
 In British English the indicative is preferred for hypotheticals.
If today was Saturday, I would sleep in.

Sometimes the Subjunctive Just Doesn't Sound Right

The subjunctive mood often sounds funny because it isn't used very often in informal English and
is being used less and less in formal English. We tend to use the conditional mood with the helping
verbs could and would instead. As you saw above, it's also common to use for + infinitive instead
of the subjunctive. If you study foreign languages, though, you will encounter the subjunctive much
more frequently.

Indicative Example Subjunctive Example

is Jason is our nominee be I suggest Jason be our

for president. nominee for president.

was I was rich, but now I were I wish I were rich.

am poor.

Present third He always buys his Third person I suggest that

person verbs books well in advance. without the s he buy his books well
ending in s in advance.

Conditional Mood
Conditional mood shows under what conditions something could happen. It uses modal verbs such
as might, could, and would and is often set off by the words if or when.
I might be able to reach him if I call his cell phone.
We could see a different movie if you'd like.
What's the first thing you would buy if you won the lottery?
We will leave when Dad gets home.

Infinitive Mood
Infinitive mood uses infinitives to express action. An infinitive is simply the word to plus the base
form of the verb.

to to to to
eat sleep run think

Although they express action, infinitives don't act like verbs; they actually mimic other parts of
speech, such as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs. Be careful when using infinitives—they often lead to
sentence fragments.
To receive a compliment graciously, just say "thank you."
Wendall loves to read mystery novels.
Note:
 Infinitives are considered verbals, not verbs. You'll learn more about them in Module 8,
Lesson 6.