How and When use the Verb Forms ?

VERB FORMS

? WHEN DO YOU USE THAT ONE

When you use the base form:                                               Examples

1.  As basic present in 1^st and 2^nd person                                I work              You work

2. As a second verb after “do” or modals                               I didn’t go       She will go

3.  In imperatives (commands)                                                Turn right        Stand up

4.  As a second verb in causatives (make, let, help, have)      I made her do it    Let me go

5.  As a second verb after suggest, recommend, insist, demand        I insist that she be there.

When you use the –s form:

1.  As a first verb only                                                                        She works        She doesn’t work

2.  In all present tenses when

 the subject is 3^rd person singular                                That store sells good stuff.

                                                                                    The bird is singing right now.

                                                                                    My son has gone to the store.

When you use the present participle/gerund/-ing form

1.  As a second verb only                                                        I am talking     She likes cooking

2.  In a progressive tenses after “be”                                      I was driving when I heard it.

3.  When the meaning is “in process”                                     I saw it falling

4.  As a noun subject or object – name of activity                  Writing is hard.  My hobby is sewing.

5.  After certain verbs: admit, avoid, can’t stand, consider, deny, dislike, enjoy, feel like, finish, give up, imagine, keep (continue), mind (object to), miss, practice, prevent, prohibit, quit, recommend, resent, risk.

When you use the past form:

1.  As a first verb only                                                                        I didn’t go       She liked to swim

2.  When you mean a past finished event                               I worked yesterday

When you use the past participle form:

1.  As a second verb only

2.  In present perfect tense after “have”                                 I have eaten     I haven’t done it yet

3.  As an adjective                                                                  The broken window

4.  In passive voice after “be”                                                 I was born       My car was stolen

5.  In past and future perfect after “have”                              I had finished   I will have eaten

When you use the infinitive form:

1.  As a second verb only                                                        I plan to go      I learned to swim

2.  When you tell why (“infinitive of purpose”)                     Why did you go?  To see the doctor.

3.  As the name of the verb                                                     The verb “to be” is very difficult.

4.  As a noun subject or object                                                To eat right is very important.

                                                                                                            My fear is to die alone.

5.  After verbs: agree, ask, arrange, can’t afford, can’t wait, choose, decide, deserve, expect, fail, hesitate, hope, intend, learn, manage, mean, need, offer, plan, prefer, prepare, pretend, promise, refuse, seem, want, wish, would like

EXCEPTIONS

Note:  there are a few verbs that can be followed by either a gerund or infinitive with no major change in meaning.  These are:    begin, continue, like, love, hate, start and try.

I like cooking, I like to cook.  I start studying, I start to study.

A few verbs change meaning when you change from gerund to infinitive:

forget, remember, stop

Example:  I stop smoking (no more)               I stop to smoke (I take a break and go smoke)

            I remember locking the door (I did it and can remember it still.)   

I remember to lock the door (I think about it before I leave, so I always do it)

            I forgot locking the door (I did it, but didn’t remember that I did)

            I forgot to lock the door (I forgot first, so I didn’t lock it.

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