Page: 1 [ 2 ] 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
 Learn to Avoid Verb Form Errors Edit verb phrases by looking for a correct combination of FINITE FORM + NONFINITE FORM. For the SIMPLE PRESENT, PAST, and FUTURE TENSES, the verb phrases should be edited for AUX+BASE FORM OF THE MAIN VERB. Note the highlighted verbs in the table below. |
PRESENT TENSE  |
PRESENT TENSE  |
PRESENT TENSE  |
| I/you/we/they understand verb forms. | I/you/we/they don't understand verb forms. | Do the students understand verb forms? |
| S/he understands verb forms. | S/he doesn't understand verb forms. | Doesn't he understand verb forms? |
| PAST TENSE |
PAST TENSE |
PAST TENSE |
| Jack passed his verb form quiz. | Ann didn't pass her verb form quiz. | Did most students pass the verb form quiz? |
| Didn't the students pass the verb form quiz? | ||
| FUTURE IN THE PAST |
FUTURE IN THE PAST |
FUTURE IN THE PAST |
| John was going to come to class, but he got sick. NOTEThe past forms of verbs with be going to have two main uses: 1) to show a past intention. Example: John was going to read a novel but got too busy. 2) to maintain sequence of tense after a past reporting verb. Example: He said he was going to read the novel this evening. |
Our instructor wasn't going to give a quiz today but changed her mind. | Was John going to rest at home today? |
| The students said they were going to get help in the ESL Lab. | They weren't going to work with the software. | Were they going to ask for help with their essays? |
| FUTURE TENSE |
FUTURE TENSE |
FUTURE TENSE |
| Mastering verb forms will be easy. | Mastering verb forms will not be easy? | Will mastering verb forms be easy? |
| Mastering verb forms won't be easy. | Won't mastering verb forms be easy? | |
| I am going to master the verb forms. | I'm afraid I am not going to master the verb forms. | Am I going to master the verb forms? |
| I'm afraid I'm not going to get an A. | Aren't I going to get an A? NOTEWith the be going to future auxiliary verb, the negative form with first person is formed with AREN'T I going to...rather than AM I NOT going to.... | |
| Elena is going to study the verb forms. | Tomás isn't going to study the verb forms. | Isn't Tomás going to study the verb forms? |
| The students are going to learn the verb forms. | The students aren't going to forget the verb forms. | Are the students going to learn the verb forms? |