5/9/23, 8:29 Basic Tenses with Irregular Verbs | Grammar | EnglishClub

Basic Tenses with Irregular Verbs

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The basic structure of tenses for regular verbs and irregular verbs is exactly the same
(except the verb be). The only difference is that with regular verbs the past simple and
past participle are always the same (worked, worked), while with irregular verbs the
past simple and past participle are NOT always the same (sang, sung). But the
structure is the same! It will help you a great deal to really understand that.

This page shows the basic tenses with the irregular verb sing, including the following
structures:

affirmative or positive (+)

negative (-)

interrogative or question (?)

The basic structures are:

+ positive subject + auxiliary + main verb

- negative subject + auxiliary + not + main verb

? question auxiliary + subject + main verb

Here are the forms of the main verb that we use to construct the tenses:

base V1 past simple V2 past participle V3 present participle -ing

sing sang sung singing

And here is the result:

12 tenses (sing) past present future

SIMPLE + I did sing I do sing I will sing

do + base I sang I sing
except future:
will + base - I did not sing I do not sing I will not sing

? Did I sing? Do I sing? Will I sing?

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5/9/23, 8:29 Basic Tenses with Irregular Verbs | Grammar | EnglishClub

CONTINUOUS + I was singing I am singing I will be singing

be + ing
- I was not singing I am not singing I will not be singing

? Was I singing? Am I singing? Will I be singing?

PERFECT + I had sung I have sung I will have sung

have + past participle
- I had not sung I have not sung I will not have sung

? Had I sung? Have I sung? Will I have sung?

CONTINUOUS PERFECT + I had been singing I have been singing I will have been singing
have been + ing
- I had not been singing I have not been singing I will not have been singing

? Had I been singing? Have I been singing? Will I have been singing?

Mini Quiz
1. The past simple (V2) and past participle (V3) forms of irregular verbs are _______
different.

a) never b) always c) often

2. "Our athletes ran, swam, jumped, fought, rode bikes and played team sports." How
many of these verbs are irregular?

a) three b) four c) five

3. Complete with the correct form of the verb: "Have they _______ home yet?"

a) go b) went c) gone

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