1. Mr. Gambler’s 8th ELA (DISCOVERY)
Verb Forms
Mr. Gambler’s 8th ELA (DISCOVERY)

2. Definitions: Infinitive- The basic form of a verb.
Simple present- The simple present tense is simple to form. Just use the base form of the verb: (I take, you take, we take, they take) The 3rd person singular takes an -s at the end. (he takes, she takes)
Simple Past- is the basic form of past tense in English. The time of the action can be in the recent past or the distant past and action duration is not important.

3. Definitions continued
Past Participle- Past participles (just like present participles) can be used as adjectives or used to form verb tenses.
Present participles (just like past participles) can be used as adjectives or used to form verb tenses. For example:

4. Regular verbs have reliable forms
Infinitive
Simple Present
Simple Past
Past Participle
Present Participle
To laugh
Laughs
Laughed
Laughing
To start
Starts
Started
Starting
To travel
Travels
Traveled
traveling

5. Irregular verbs, however, have no consistent patterns
Infinitive
Simple Present
Simple Past
Past Participle
Present Participle
To drive
Drives
Drove
Driven
Driving
To think
Thinks
Thought
Thinking
To drink
Drinks
Drank
Drunk
Drinking
To swim
Swims
Swam
Swum
swimming

6. When in doubt? Rely on your gut feeling.
Your eyes have seen in print- and your brain has registered- all the possible verb forms that you will encounter for this skill. If you don’t recognize the right answer go with the one that feels right.

7. Don’t confuse of and have
Instead of skipping class to go fishing Yolanda should have studied for her accounting exam.

8. Example of Regular vs Irregular Verbs
Regular verb: I learn easily. I learned that material yesterday. (For the verb “learn,” “learned” is both the simple past and past participle).
Irregular verb: I hurt my foot today. I hurt my foot yesterday. (For the verb “hurt,” “hurt” is both the simple past and past participle. You would not write “I hurted my foot yesterday”).