QUICK TIPS: ENGLISH

Types of verbs

There are forms of verbs:
- Main verb
- Simple past tense
- Past participle
- Present participle

Main verb
I go to Tokyo.

Simple past tense
I went to Tokyo last year.

Past participle
I have gone to Tokyo before.

Present participle
I am going to Tokyo.

Types of verbs
- Main verbs
- Helping verbs
- Modal verbs
- Participles: past and present

1. MAIN VERBS
They are doing or action words.
- Regular verbs
- Irregular verbs

LIST OF REGULAR VERBS
• ask (asks, asking, asked)
• answer (answers, answering, answered)
• call (calls, calling, called)
• celebrate (celebrates, celebrating, celebrated)
• invite (invites, inviting, invited)
• plan (plans, planning, planned)
• share (shares, sharing, shared)
• switch (switches, switching, switched)
• visit (visits, visiting, visited)

LIST OF IRREGULAR VERBS
• buy (buys, buying, bought)
• catch (catches, catching, caught)
• dig (digs, digging, dug)
• choose (chooses, choosing, chose, chosen)
• give (gives, giving, gave, given)
• ride (rides, riding, rode)
• begin (begins, beginning, began, begun)

2. AUXILIARY VERBS
They help the main verb.

• Verbs 'to be' (am, is, are, was, were)
- to tell about something
Examples:
- She is happy.
- We are at the zoo.
- I am hungry.

- used in the continuous tense
Examples:
- They are playing football at the field.
- I am reading a book now.
- He was teaching just now.

- used in the passive voice
Examples:
- The flowers are arranged by my aunt.
- Muthu and Kamal were given a book each.

• Verbs 'to do' (does, do, did)
- to show performing an action
Example:
- He does the gardening every day.

- to ask and answer questions
Examples:
- Does he like to watch TV?
- Do you go to the library often?

• Verbs 'to have' (has, have, had)
- to show possession
Examples:
- She had a rabbit when she was younger.
- Aini has a dictionary.
- I have a bicycle.

- to show activities
Examples:
- He had his bath at five o'clock this morning.
- They had their lunch early every Sunday.

- to show perfect tense
Examples:
- They have done their homework.
- Mother has cooked all the dishes.
- I had posted the letter.

3. MODAL VERBS
Modals are words that help to add a special meaning of the main verb.

Can
- shows ability
- shows possibility
- asks permission
Examples:
• I can dance well.
• They can climb the hill in an hour.
• Can I go and play?

Could
- past tense of 'can'
- shows possibility in the past
- shows past ability
- expresses condition
Examples:
• You could have passed the exams with flying colours if you wanted to.
• The comedian could make you laugh the whole time with his jokes.
• I could take a taxi if I had the money.

May
- requests permission
- gives permission
- expresses possibility
- wishes
Examples:
• May I go to the toilet?
• Yes, you may go to the toilet.
• My sister may be getting married in July.
• May this New Year brings you health and prosperity.