ENGL 1101
T. Wadley

Principal Parts of Verbs

Regular verbs form the past tense with -ed.  It is very important not to forget the suffix.

work, worked, worked

Irregular verbs change entirely to form the past tense, for example

eat, ate, eaten
The second form is called the "simple past" because it always stands alone -- no helping verb:
We ate out last night.
With a helping verb, use the third form (the past participle):
He hasn't eaten meat for twelve years.
Study the definition and list of irregular verbs on these websites:
Definition
Principal parts with lie/lay, sit/set, rise/raise
Exercises
See also the companion website for our textbook -- click on "grammar concept library" and "verbs."

Then correct these sentences from student papers:

  1. Dick Vitel not only broadcasted the games, but he was also in a couple of movies.
  2. My uncle has giving me so much to live for.
  3. She risk her own life to bring out the truth.
  4. When people sung, they were not always genuine in their expression.
  5. He lets his friends and love ones down easily.
  6. The people are beating on somebody that has not even did anything.
  7. The school thought students would not be prejudice like their parents.
  8. In the third act, melodrama has went to an entirely new level.
  9. Here we are in a nation where everyone is suppose to be equal.
  10. I have became more outspoken and arrogant.
  11. After I lent him the twenty dollars, he stop coming around.
  12. The major characters are introduce bickering.
  13. This is a problem that begun in the 1960s and 70s.
  14. Can we judge somebody by what has happen in the past?
  15. I am still shy, but not as much as I use to be.
  16. At times she seem to enjoy being called a pagan.
  17. His interest in school was shorten by the attractions of surrounding culture.