Quick help: Verbs for multilingual writers

Need help deciding whether your sentence has a problem with verb forms? For more help, follow the links.

Incorrect example sentence: The sun rise in the east and set in the west every day. Explanation: The verbs “rise” and “set” are incorrect.

Correct example sentence: The sun rises in the east and sets in the west every day. Explanation: The verbs “rises” and “sets” are correct.

Get help with simple tenses. Also see Survey of tenses.

Incorrect example sentence: We are gone to the circus tomorrow. Explanation: The verb “are gone” is incorrect.

Correct example sentence: We are going to the circus tomorrow. Explanation: The verb “are going” is correct.

Get help with progressive verb forms. Also see Survey of tenses.

Incorrect example sentence: Maria had ran ten miles before she realized that there was no other runner near her. Explanation: The verb “had ran” is incorrect.

Correct example sentence: Maria had run ten miles before she realized that there was no other runner near her. Explanation: The verb “had run” is correct.

Get help with perfect tenses. Also see Survey of tenses.

Incorrect example sentence: All swimmers could entered the competition without taking a qualifying test. Explanation: The verb “could entered” is incorrect.

Correct example sentence: All swimmers could enter the competition without taking a qualifying test. Explanation: The verb “could enter” is correct.

Get help with verb form after a modal.

Incorrect example sentence: The confetti was threw in the air as the graduates filed out of the hall. Explanation: The verb “was threw” is incorrect.

Correct example sentence: The confetti was thrown in the air as the graduates filed out of the hall. Explanation: The verb “was thrown” is correct.

Get help with passive verbs.

Incorrect example sentence: If the ranger had acted more quickly, she might save the bear cub. Explanation: The verb “might save” is not correct following “had acted” in the “if” clause.

Correct example sentence: If the ranger had acted more quickly, she might have saved the bear cub. Explanation: The verb “might have saved” is correct following “had acted” in the

Get help with conditional sentences.