Regular Verbs

To avoid mistakes with regular verbs, understand the basic patterns for forming the present, past, and future tenses.

PRESENT-TENSE ENDINGS

The simple present tense is used for actions that are happening at the same time that you are writing about them and about actions that are ongoing. There are two forms for the simple present tense of regular verbs — -s ending or no added ending. Use the -s ending when the subject is she, he, or it, or the name of one person or thing. Do not add any ending for other subjects.

Regular Verbs in the Simple Present Tense

SINGULAR PLURAL
First person I laugh. We laugh.
Second person You laugh. You laugh.
Third person She/he/it laughs. They laugh.
The baby laughs. The babies laugh.

PAST-TENSE ENDINGS

The simple past tense is used for actions that have already happened. An -ed or -d ending is needed for all regular verbs in the past tense.

SIMPLE PRESENT SIMPLE PAST
First person I rush to work. I rushed to work.
Second person You lock the door. You locked the door.
Third person Rufus lives nearby. Rufus lived nearby.

The past-tense form of regular verbs can also serve as the past participle, which can be paired with a helping verb such as have. (To learn about when past participles are used, see “Past Participles.”)

PAST TENSE My car stalled.
PAST PARTICIPLE My car has stalled often.