In speech, some people use verb forms and tenses that match a home dialect or variety of English. In writing, use Standard English verb forms unless you are quoting nonstandard speech or using alternative forms for literary effect. (See 17d.)
Except for the verb be, all verbs in English have five forms. The following list shows the five forms and provides a sample sentence in which each might appear.
| base form | Usually I (walk, ride). |
| past tense | Yesterday I (walked, rode). |
| past participle | I have (walked, ridden) many times before. |
| present participle | I am (walking, riding) right now. |
| -s form | He/she/it (walks, rides) regularly. |
The verb be has eight forms instead of the usual five: be, am, is, are, was, were, being, been.