T2 Verbs

Instructor's Notes

LearningCurve activities on verbs are available at the end of the Troublespots section of this handbook.

Section R2-a reviews the basic English verb forms and includes a list of common irregular verbs. As you edit your writing, pay particular attention to conditional clauses, two-word verbs, helping (auxiliary) verbs, and gerund or infinitive forms after verbs.

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T2-a Select verb tenses carefully in main clauses and conditional clauses.

Conditional clauses beginning with if or unless generally indicate that one thing causes another (a factual relationship); predict future outcomes or possibilities; or speculate about the past, present, or future, or impossible events or circumstances.

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Change both verbs to the same tense to express general or specific truths or actions that happen together habitually.

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Change the verb in the main clause to the future and the verb in the conditional clause to the present to express future possibilities or predictions.

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To speculate about events or conditions that are unreal, improbable, or contrary to fact, change the verb in the main clause to would, could, or might plus the base form, and change the verb in the if conditional clause to the past tense.

Use were rather than was in an if clause.

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To speculate about past actions that did not in fact occur, change the verb in the main clause to would have, might have, could have, or should have plus the past participle, and change the verb in the if clause to the past perfect.

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Note: Do not add would have to the if clause.

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T2-b Learn the meanings of idiomatic two- and three-word verbs used in English.

Idiomatic two- or three-word (or phrasal) verbs usually combine a verb with a word that appears to be a preposition or an adverb (called a particle). The combined meaning cannot be understood literally, and similar expressions often have very different meanings.

hand in means “submit”

hand out means “distribute”

look into means “investigate”

look out for means “watch carefully”

run away means “leave without warning”

run into means “meet by chance”

walk out on means “abandon”

want out means “desire to be free of responsibility”

Native speakers of English will notice misuses of these idiomatic verbs even though they use the verbs without thinking about their literal meanings. When you are unsure of the meaning or usage of such verbs, consult a dictionary or ask a native speaker.

T2-c Use the correct verb forms after helping verbs.

After the helping (auxiliary) verbs do, does, and did, always use the base form of the main verb. After the helping verbs have, has, and had, always use the past participle form of the main verb. (See R2-a and G5.)

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A modal such as will sometimes precedes have, has, or had.

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Following the helping verbs be, am, is, are, was, were, and been (forms of be), use the present participle to show ongoing action (progressive tense).

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Use one of the modal verbs with be. Use have, has, or had with been.

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After the helping verbs am, is, are, was, and were (forms of be), use the past participle to form the passive voice.

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To form the passive, be, being, and been need another helping verb in addition to the past participle.

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After a modal, use the base form.

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T2-d Follow verbs with gerunds or infinitives.

  1. Some verbs can be followed by either a gerund or an infinitive with no change in meaning:

    begin

    continue like prefer
    can’t stand hate love start

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  2. Some verbs change their meaning, depending on whether a gerund or an infinitive follows:

    forget remember stop try

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  3. Some verbs can be followed by a gerund but not an infinitive:

    admit deny keep recall
    appreciate discuss miss resist
    avoid dislike postpone risk
    can’t help enjoy practice suggest
    consider finish put off tolerate
    delay imagine quit

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    Not or never can separate the verb and the gerund.

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  4. Some verbs can be followed by an infinitive but not a gerund:

    agree expect need refuse
    ask fail offer venture
    beg have plan wait
    choose hope pretend want
    claim manage promise wish
    decide mean

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    In a sentence with a verb followed by an infinitive, the meaning changes depending on the placement of a negative word such as not or never.

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  5. Some verbs must be followed by a noun or pronoun and an infinitive:

    advise encourage order teach
    allow force persuade tell
    cause instruct remind urge
    command invite require warn
    convince need

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    Use an infinitive, not that, following a verb such as want or need.

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  6. The verbs let, make (“force”), and have (“cause”) must be followed by a noun or pronoun and the base form of the verb (not the infinitive):

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