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- 347
- à 2.4èPresent, Past, and Future Tenses
- ä:ïUnderline the present tense verbs within the sentence
- in the Example.
- â:
-
- #êê I ╕like╗ the fact that he ╕smokes╗ very little.
- éS All present tense verb forms are one-word verbs.ïThey do not
- take any helping verbs.ïPresent tense verbs normally do not change
- their form--except in third person singular situations when a noun or
- #the pronouns ╖he, she, ╗or ╖it╗ are subjects.ïIn those cases, an ╖s╗ or
- #╖es╗ is added to the basic form of the verb, for example, I ╖listen╗╖,
- #╖you listen; he, she, or it listens; we listen, you listen, they
- #╖listen;╗ or ╖I fuss, you fuss, he, she, ╗ or ╖it fusses, we fuss, you
- #╖fuss, they fuss.╗ïNote that you add an ╖es╗ to verbs in the third per-
- #son singular that end in ╖s, ss, z, zz, sh, ch, ╗ or ╖x╗.ïTaking a per-
- sonal pronoun in the nominative case (that is, it acts as a subject)
- #and adding the appropriate verb form (as was just done with ╖listen╗
- #and ╖fuss╗) is called the conjugation of a verb.ïThe one verb that
- #changes its form the most in the present tense is the verb ╖be╗: ╖I am,
- #╖you are; he, she, ╗or ╖it is.╗ïThe plural present tense of ╖be╗ is
- #╖we are, you are, they are.
- 1.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a main verb
- in the present tense?
-
- A)ïI am reaching for the paper clip.
- B)ïHe can stand on his head.
- C)ïShe recites poetry by heart.
- D)ïå
- #ü The only present tense verb in ç sentences is ╢recites╗╗;
- #it has the third person singular ending because its subject is ╖she╗, a
- third person singular pronoun.ïIn the other sentences, because the
- #main verbs ╖reaching╗ and ╖stand╗ have the helping verbs ╖am╗ and ╖can╗
- in front of them, ç verbs are not in the present tense.ïRemem-
- ber that present tense verbs are just one-word main verbs.
- Ç C
- 2.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a main verb
- in the first person singular present tense form?
-
- A)ïI am proud of my physical conditioning.
- B)ïCould I be having them over for supper?
- C)ïI should be right about his habits.
- D)ïå
- ü
- #ëThe only present tense verb is ╢am╗.ïThe subject of ╢am╗ is ╢I╗.
- #In the present tense conjugation of the verb ╖be╗, ╢I am╗ is the correct
- #form.ïIn other sentences, the main verbs ╖having ╗and ╖be╗ are not in
- the present tense because they are preceded by one helping verb:
- #╖could be╗ precedes ╖having╗, and ╖should╗ precedes ╖be.╗
- Ç A
- 3.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a main verb
- in the present tense?
-
- A)ïJohn is thinking of mowing the lawn.
- B)ïThe bird perches near my window.
- C)ïCarmen might have been leaving the bus station.
- D)ïå
- ü
- #ë╢╢Perches╗╗, a main verb, is a third person singular present tense
- #verb form.ïThe subject of perches is bird.ïThe main verb ╖thinking╗
- is not in the present tense because it is preceded by the helping verb
- #╖is╗. The main verb ╖leaving╗╖ is not in the present tense because it is
- #preceded by the helping verbs ╖might have been╗.
- Ç B
- 4.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a first person
- plural present tense form of the verb be?
-
- A)ïI live near a celebrity.
- B)ïAre we bankrupt?
- C)ïYvette hosts a luncheon.
- D)ïå
- ü
- #ë╢Are╗ is the only main verb that is a form of the present tense
- #verb ╖be╗.ï╢Are ╗has the first person plural subject ╢we╗.ï╖Live ╗and
- #╖hosts╗ are action verbs in the other sentences.
- Ç B
- 5.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a correctly
- written third person singular present tense verb form?
-
- A)ïHe complain to me today.
- B)ïIt stay here all day.
- C)ïShe splashes in the water.
- D)ïå
- #üï╢Splashes╗, preceded by the third person singular pronoun ╢she╗,
- has a correct third person singular present tense verb form ending in
- #╢es╗.ï╖Complain,╗ preceded by the third person singular pronoun╖ he╗,
- #and ╖stay╗, preceded by the third person singular pronoun ╖it╗, can not
- be the third person singular present tense verb forms because they
- #do not end in the appropriate letter ╖s╗.
- Ç C
- 6.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a third per-
- son singular present tense verb form?
-
- A)ïDonald plunged into the creek.
- B)ïDouglas intercepts the pass.
- C)ïThe can spray me too much.
- D)ïå
- #üè╢Intercepts╗, preceded by the third person singular proper noun
- #╢Douglas╗, appropriately ends in the ╢s╗ ending for a third person sin-
- #gular present tense verb form.ï╖Plunge,╗ preceded by the singular noun
- #╖Donald╗, would be a third person singular present tense verb form if it
- #ended in the appropriate letter ╖s╗.ï╖Spray╗, preceded by the singular
- #noun can (╖can╗ is the equivalent of the pronoun ╖it╗) would be a third
- person singular present tense verb form if it ended in the appropriate
- #letter ╖s╗.
- Ç B
- 7.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a correctly
- written third person plural present tense verb?
-
- A)ïThe officials opens their envelopes.
- B)ïThe maids clean with harsh detergents.
- C)ïThey counts on his participation.
- D)ïå
- #üï╢Clean╗, preceded by the noun ╢maids╗ (maids is the equivalent
- of the third person plural pronoun they) is written correctly as a third
- #person plural present tense verb form.ï╖Opens╗, preceded by the plural
- #noun ╖officials╗, would be a properly written verb form in the third
- #person plural present tense if the last letter ╖s╗ were removed.ïThe ╖s
- #ending to the base verb form ╖open╗ indicates that there is a third per-
- son singular noun or pronoun that is the subject of the verb, but
- #╖officials╗ is plural.ï╖Counts╗, preceded by the plural pronoun ╖they╗,
- is also incorrectly written.ïTo be a proper form of the third per-
- #son plural present tense, it would have to drop the ╖s╗ ending, an end-
- #ing that added to the base verb form ╖count╗ creates a third person
- singular present tense form, not a third person plural present tense
- verb form.
- Ç B
- 8.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a third per-
- son plural present tense verb form?
-
- A)ïThey climb sharp vines.
- B)ïSusan has a broken toy.
- C)ïMax often colors with a magic marker.
- D)ïå
- #ü ╢Climb╗, preceded by the third person plural pronoun ╢they╗, is a
- third person plural present tense verb form.ïIn the other two sentences,
- #╖has╖╗, preceded by the singular noun ╖Susan ╗(╖Susan╗ is the equivalent
- #of the pronoun ╖she╗) is a third person singular present tense verb
- #form.ï╖Colors╗, preceded by the singular noun ╖Max╗ (╖Max╗ is the equi-
- #valent of the pronoun ╖he╗) is a third person singular present tense
- verb form.
- Ç A
- 9.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a correctly
- written second person singular present tense verb form?
-
- A)ïAmy, you been a winner of the lottery.
- B)ïFrank, you being the owner of an expensive car.
- C)ïYou be the principal of this school.
- D)ïå
- #ü By themselves, ╖be, been,╗ and ╖being╗ are never correct forms of
- the first, second, or third singular or plural present tense verbs.
- #To correct ç sentences, substitute the verb form ╖are╗ for any one
- of ç words.ïAll three verb forms require helping verbs in front
- #of them, for example, I ╖may╗ be your partner, you ╖have╗ been too cute,
- #they ╖were╗ being funny.
- Ç D
- ä:ïIn the sentence in the Example, underline a regular verb
- in the past tense.
- â:
-
- #êêïThe policemen ╕handcuffed╗ the suspect.
- éS Regular verbs are one-word verbs that in the past tense require
- #an ╖ed╗ or ╖d╗ to be added to the base form of the verb.ïIt makes no
- difference what kind of subject precedes a regular verb in the past
- tense: a noun or a pronoun (first, second, third persons, singular or
- #plural).ïThe ending on the verb will always be ╖ed╗ or ╖d╗.ïA ╖d╗ is
- #added to regular verbs that end in the letter ╖e╗.ïFor example, the
- #past tense of ╖retire╗ is ╖retired╗.ï╖Ed╗ is normally added to regular
- #verbs that end in any letter other than ╖e.╗ïBut before that ╖ed╗ is
- added, one-syllable regular verbs that end in a consonant preceded
- #by a vowel double that consonant before adding ╖ed╗.ïFor example, the
- #past tense of╖ hop╗ is ╖hopped╗.ïAnd two syllable regular verbs, ones
- that end in a consonant prededed by a vowel and that have a heavier
- stress on the second syllable than the first syllable, also double
- #the last consonant before adding the ╖ed.╗ïFor example, the past tense
- #of ╖refer╗ is ╖referred.╗ïA regular verb is not in the past tense if it
- is preceded by one or more helping verbs.
- 10.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a regular
- verb in the past tense?
-
- A)ïThe tigers were subdued by the animal trainer.
- B)ïThe mountain was fortified by the enemy.
- C)ïHenry flopped into bed.
- D)ïå
- ü
- #ëAlthough there are verbs in all three sentences that end in ╖ed╗,
- #only ╢flopped╗ is in the past tense.ïThe other verbs ╖subdued ╗and ╖
- #╖fortified╗, because they are preceded by the helping verbs ╖were╗ and
- #╖was╗, are not past tense forms of regular verbs.
- Ç C
- 11.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a regular
- verb in the past tense?
-
- A)ïHave you been deserted in Afghanistan?
- B)ïCould you be challenged by so many tests?
- C)ïI quickened my steps in the dark.
- D)ïå
- ü
- #ë╢Quickened╗ is the past tense of the regular verb ╢quicken╗.ïThe
- #other verbs (╖deserted╗ and ╖challenged╗) ending is ╖ed╗ are not past
- tense forms of regular verbs because they are preceded by the help-
- #ing verbs ╖have been╗ and ╖could be╗.
- Ç C
- 12.ïWhich one of the following regular verbs has the proper
- past tense form?
-
- A)ïoffered
- B)ïprefered
- C)ïgrabed
- D)ïnone
- #ü ╢Offered╗ is correct.ïAn ╢ed╗ is appropriately added to the base
- #form of the verb ╢offer╗.ïEven though ╢offer╗ ends in a consonant pre-
- #ceded by a vowel, the final ╢r╗ is not doubled because the stress is
- #heavier on the first syllable (╢of╗) than the last (╢fer╗).ï╖Prefered╗
- #is the incorrect past tense form of the regular verb ╖prefer╗.ïThe last
- #╖r╗ must be doubled before adding the ╖ed╗: the base form of the verb
- #ends in a consonant (╖r╗) preceded by a vowel (╖e╗), and the stress is
- #on the second syllable.ï╖Grabed╗ is the incorrect past tense form of
- #the regular verb ╖grab╗.ïThe last ╖b╗ must be doubled before adding the
- #╖ed╗:the base form of the one-syllable verb that ends in a consonant
- #(╖b╗) preceded by a vowel (╖a╗) automatically requires that last conso-
- nant to be doubled.
- Ç A
- ä:ïUnderline the past tense forms of irregular verbs in the
- sentence in the Example.
- â:
-
- #êêèI ╕met╗ Hank before I ╕drove╗ into town.
- éS Unlike the past tense form of regular verbs, the past tense
- #form of irregular verbs is not created by adding ╖d╗ or ╖ed╗ to the base
- form of the verb.ïThe dictionary is the best guide to help you dis-
- cover just what the past tense form of an irregular verb is.ïUnfortu-
- nately there are no rules to learn, and the transformation from the
- base form of an irregular verb to the past tense form is complicated.
- For example, sometimes the past tense form of an irregular verb is the
- #same as the base form: ╖set╗ is an irregular verb whose past tense form
- #is ╖set╗.ïIn other cases, one letter is substituted for another in cre-
- #ating the past tense form of an irregular verb: the ╖i╗ in ╖drive╗ is
- #replaced by an ╖o╗ to create the past tense form ╖drove╗.ïOccasionally
- #one letter of the base is removed and two new letters are added: ╖did╗
- #is the past tense form of ╖do╗.ïOr the past tense form may be shorter
- #than the base form of the verb: ╖froze╗, the past tense form of ╖freeze,
- is one letter shorter than the base form.ïIt is possible that there
- #will be two past tense forms of the irregular verb.ï╖Stank╗ or ╖stunk
- #are both acceptable past tense forms of ╖stink╗.ïEven though regular
- verbs and irregular verbs take very different forms in the past tense,
- in the present tense they follow the same format, except for the
- #irregular verb ╖be╗.
- 13.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains the past
- tense form of an irregular verb?
-
- A)ïAbove the clouds we saw the sun.
- B)ïThe river flowed over its bank.
- C)ïHe received a new file cabinet yesterday.
- D)ïå
- ü
-
- #ë╢Saw╗ is the past tense form of the irregular verb ╢see.ïThe other
- #two verbs╖ flowed╗ and ╖received╗ are regular verbs ending in ╖ed╗.
- Ç A
- 14.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains an irregu-
- lar verb that does not change from the basic form of the verb to
- create the past tense?
- A)ïThey burst into the room yesterday.
- B)ïShe tore her blouse.
- C)ïAndy shook his foot gently.
- D)ïå
- ü
-
- #ë╢Burst╗ in the past tense doesn't change from the basic form of
- #the verb╢ burst.╗ï╖Tore╗ is created from tear; ╖shook╗ is created from
- shake.
- Ç A
- 15.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains an irregu-
- lar verb in the past tense that has another past tense form?
-
- A)ïThe sun sank behind the hills.
- B)ïHe said too much about my family.
- C)ïWanda stole the sandwich from the cat.
- D)ïå
- ü
-
- #ë╢Sank╗ is only one of the past tense forms of the verb ╢sink: sunk
- #is another one.ï╖Said╗ and ╖stole╗ do not have other past tense forms
- #of the verbs ╖say╗ and ╖steal╗.
- Ç A
- ä:ïIn the sentence in the Example, underline the verb form
- in the future tense.
- â:
-
- #êêë I ╕will╗ ╕return╗ your staple gun.
- #éS The future tense of a verb is created by putting a ╖will╗ or
- #╖shall╗ in front of the basic verb form of a regular or irregular verb.
- Future tense verbs thus consist of only two words.ïWhether the sub-
- ject of that verb is a noun or a singular or plural first, second, or
- third person pronoun does not change the established pattern.ïNo
- changes are made to the basic verb form, nor are changes made in the
- #form of the helping verbs ╖will╗ or ╖shall╗.ïFor example, ╖I will re-
- #╖turn, you will return; he, she, ╗or ╖it will return; we will return,
- #╖you will return, they will return, Rose will return, Mark will re-
- #╖turn, the cat will return, Hope will return╗.ïEven though there are
- many situations that involve time in the future, for a verb to be in
- the future tense, it must be the base form of the verb and it must be
- preceded by will or shall.
- 16.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a future
- tense verb?
-
- A)ïShe shall soon divide his possessions.
- B)ïShe perhaps is upset about the leaky sink.
- C)ïThe explorers probably left early today.
- D)ïå
- ü
- #ë╢Shall divide╗ is the future tense form of the verb ╢divide╗.ï╖Is╗
- #is a third person singular present tense verb form, and ╖left╗ is the
- past tense form of the irregular verb leave.ïNotice in each sen-
- tence a word that is not a verb comes between the subject and the
- verb in all three tenses: soon, perhaps, and probably.
- Ç A
- 17.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a future
- tense verb?
-
- A)ïThe attorneys plead his case.
- B)ïWill you eat the salad?
- C)ïCrumbs fell onto the carpet.
- D)ïå
- ü
-
- #ë╢Will eat╗ is the future tense form of the irregular verb ╢eat╗.
- #╖Plead╗ is a third person plural form of the present tense regular verb
- #╖plead╗, and ╖fell╗ is the past tense form of the irregular verb ╖fall╗.
- Ç B
- 18.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a future
- tense verb?
-
- A)ïThe question was going to be easy.
- B)ïThe auditorium could be empty tomorrow.
- C)ïThe stick will not remain clean.
- D)ïå
- #ü ╢Will remain╗ is the future tense verb form.ïIn the other two
- #sentences, future tense is indicated, (╖was going to be╗ and ╖could
- #╖be╗), but the future tense is not used.ïThere are many verb groups
- that indicate future tense but are not considered as part of the
- #future tense.ïFor example in ╖I could╗ (or ╖can╗, or ╖would╗, or ╖
- #╖might╗, or ╖may╗, or ╖should) be a surgeon╗, future time is indicated,
- #but the future tense is not used.ïIn ╖I am going to be a surgeon╗,
- future time is indicated, but the future tense is not used.
- Ç C
-
-