developing an academic writing style and building english vocabulary

Verb Forms
Intensive Course in Research Writing
Texas A&M University July 11-15, 2011

Susan E. Aiello, DVM, ELS


WordsWorld Consulting www.words-world.net
ESL Short Subject
Verb Forms
Infinitive to walk, to speak
Base form walk, speak
Gerund or walking, speaking
present participle
Past participle walked, spoken
Simple past walked, spoke
Verb phrase am speaking,
has spoken,
has been speaking,
will have spoken
Verb-form Error
An error in the formation of the main verb or
any part of a verb phrase
Can significantly affect reader’s ability to
understand the meaning
Essential to know formation of verb tenses
in English, but some specific situations (eg,
verbals that follow verbs) don’t follow rules

Common Problems
Main verb incorrectly formed

Past participle in a verb phrase incorrectly formed
Main verb or adjective incorrectly used instead of
[be + past participle]
Auxiliary verb and main verb that do not go together
have been used in verb phrase
Form of a verbal following a verb is incorrect
Infinitive incorrectly formed
Base form of verb has been used instead of gerund
or infinitive
All are compounded by the many irregular verbs in English.
Common Problems
Main verb incorrectly formed
Examples:
My comment ____ my cousin’s feelings. (to hurt)
Susan ____ to Los Angeles for an Editorial Board
meeting. (to fly)
Past participle in a verb phrase incorrectly formed
Examples:
One of my colleagues was ____ because of work
issues that could not be resolved. (to fire)
The choir had _____ their last song before I arrived.
(to sing)
Common Problems
Main verb or adjective incorrectly used instead of
[be + past participle]
Examples:
I ____ about what you just said. (to confuse)
San Francisco ____ on the northern coast of California.
(to locate)
Auxiliary verb and main verb that do not go together

have been used in verb phrase
Examples:
John felt he deserved his low grade because he ____
enough. (to study)
Tina was discouraged because she ____ very quickly. (to
progress)

Common Problems
Form of a verbal following a verb is incorrect
Examples:
He decided ____ to the concert tonight. (to go)
David avoided ____ the issue. (to discuss)

Remember:
The form of a verbal (infinitive, gerund, or base form)
that follows a verb is not rule-based and is
determined on a case-by-case basis (see handout
for list of common verbs).



Common Problems
Infinitive incorrectly formed
Examples:
I rarely forget ____ my e-mail on the weekend. (to
check)
It was hard for Sandy ____ that she used the wrong
files for data entry. (to admit)

Remember:

Infinitives consist of either [to + base form] with no
-ed ending, or [to + have + past participle] for the
past form of an infinitive.
Common Problems
Base form of verb has been used instead of gerund
or infinitive
Examples:
Jim says that ____ his divorce would be too painful.
(to discuss)
After hearing Karen’s argument, she changed her
way of ____ at the problem. (to look)
Rules for Verb-Phrase Formation
DO (do, does, did) + BASE FORM
I do not know. She does not…
HAVE (have, has, had) + PAST PARTICIPLE
I have already left. She has left. She had…
BE (am, is, are, was, were, have been, has been,
had been) + PRESENT PARTICIPLE
I am studying. She is studying. We are…

Gerunds and Infinitives
Use an infinitive or gerund, not a base form, when a
verbal functions as a subject or an object.
We have benefited greatly from listening to Dr. Gastel’s
lectures.
Reading is one of my favorite hobbies.
Use a gerund, not a base form, as an object of a
preposition.
Peter helped me by coming over to visit.
Abigail talked me into helping her.

Use an infinitive, not a base form, after many adjectives.
I am sorry to see you so unhappy.
I am eager to get my PhD degree.

Gerunds and Infinitives
Use an infinitive, not a base form, to express a purpose.
He went to his supervisor’s office to ask a question.
Use a perfective infinitive (to + have + past participle) in
cases in which the event or condition expressed by the
infinitive is in the past.
To have won the election fulfilled all his dreams.
(He already won the election.)
I am sorry to have seen Mike so unhappy at the last meeting.
(I saw that Mike was unhappy at the last meeting, and I am
sorry about this fact.)
It was thoughtful of you to have done that.
(You already did something thoughtful, and the speaker is
acknowledging it now.)