1. Verbs: Basic Forms and
Transitivity
E. Siler

2. The English Verb
• Every English verb has five forms that we use
as the “building blocks” to form verb phrases.
• Those parts are:
– The simple
– The –s form
– The –ing form
– The past tense form
– The past participle form

3. Examples
Form Walk Eat Vanish Sleep
simple Walk Eat Vanish Sleep
-s form Walks Eats Vanishes Sleeps
-ing form Walking Eating Vanishing Sleeping
Past tense form Walked Ate Vanished Slept
Past participle Walked Eaten Vanished Slept
form

4. 1 Grossly Irregular Verb
FORM BE
Simple Form Be
-S form Is
-ing form Being
Past Tense Form Was/Were (depending on the subject)
Past Participle Form Been
OTHER FORMS (TWO OTHER PRESENT Am/Are (depending on the sujbect0
FORMS)

5. Using the Five Forms
• We use the five forms, sometimes with other
verbs, to form VERB PHRASES.
• All English verb phrases are formed from
combinations of these verb forms.

6. Use #1
• The Present Tense.
• Requires the simple form and the –s form.
PERSON Singular Plural
First I have We have
Second You have You have
Third He/she it/ has They have

7. Use #2
• The Past Tense
• Requires the past tense form (NOT THE PAST
PARTICIPLE).
PERSON Singular Plural
First I ate We ate
Second You ate You ate
Third He/she/it ate They ate

8. Use #3
• The Progressive Tenses
• Require a present or past tense form of “to
be” and the –ing form of another verb. The
past progressive:
PERSON Singular Plural
First I was doing We were doing
Second You were doing You were doing
Third He/she/it was They were doing
doing

9. Use #4
• The Perfect Tenses
• Require a present or past tense form of “to
have” and the past participle form (NOT THE
PAST TENSE). The present perfect:
Person Singular Plural
First I have gone We have gone
Second You have gone You have gone
Third He/she/ it has gone We have gone

10. Use #5
• The Perfect Progressive Tenses
• Require a form of “to have” (present or past), the past
participle of “to be” (been) and an –ing form of another verb.
The present perfect progressive:
PERSON Singular Plural
First I have been We have been
sleeping sleeping
Second You have been You have been
sleeping sleeping
Third He/she/it has been They have been
sleeping sleeping

11. Another Division
• In addition to the five forms, all verbs can be
classified another way: as either transitive or
intransitive or sometimes both.
• Transitive verbs are marked in the dictionary
with the word “transitive” and intransitives
are marked with the word “intransitive.”

12. The Difference
• Transitive verbs have direct objects (I bought
the food).
• Intransitive do not (The food smells bad).

13. Switch Hitters
• Some verbs are sometimes transitive and
sometimes intransitive, depending on
whether a direct object is used.
– I ate dinner (transitive).
– I ate quickly (intransitive).

14. Rule #1
• Only verbs that are transitive or used as
transitives can be made passive.
• We will talk about passives later.
• However, this is the important thing to
remember: intransitives cannot be passive.

15. What This Rule Means
• This rule means that you can NEVER, EVER
have a form of the verb “to be” in front of
– the past participle form or
– past tense form or
– simple form
• of an intransitive verb.
• You can NEVER say any of these sentences:
– The accident was happen.
– The accident was happened.

16. How to Edit
• Check the dictionary.
• Is the verb transitive or intransitive? If it’s both,
which way are you using it?
• If the verb is intransitive (or you are using it that
way), what form did you use?
• Did you use a form of the verb “to be” in front of
it?
• IF SO, YOU NEED TO FIX SOMETHING RIGHT
NOW!
• Start by removing the form of the verb “to be.”

17. HOW I MARK THIS
• IVF (Intransitive Verb Form)

18. Examples
• Landfill gas is occurred.
• However, liners will be decayed.
• Leachateis keep going down.
• The plastic will be break.
• The leachate is come to the plant.