Chapter 15: The Four Most Serious Errors

1. The Verb Is a Form of Be, Have, or Do

The verbs be, have, and do do not follow the rules for forming singular and plural forms; they are irregular verbs.

Forms of the Verb Be

PRESENT TENSE	SINGULAR	PLURAL
First person	I am	we are
Second person	you are	you are
Third person	she, he, it is	they are
	the student is	the students are

PAST TENSE
First person	I was	we were
Second person	you were	you were
Third person	she, he, it was	they were
	the student was	the students were

Forms of the Verb Have, Present Tense

	SINGULAR	PLURAL
First person	I have	we have
Second person	you have	you have
Third person	she, he, it has	they have
	the student has	the students have

Forms of the Verb Do, Present Tense

	SINGULAR	PLURAL
First person	I do	we do
Second person	you do	you do
Third person	she, he, it does	they do
	the student does	the students do

These verbs cause problems for writers who in conversation use the same form in all cases: He do the cleaning; they do the cleaning. People also sometimes use the word be instead of the correct form of be: She be on vacation.

In college and at work, use the correct forms of the verbs be, have, and do as shown in the charts above.