Verbs |
Subjects and verbs must agree (be consistent) in terms of tense, number, person, and gender.
Achieving Tense Agreement: Past, Present, and Future
Tense refers to time, be it past, present, or future.
Examples:
• Yesterday, I wrote several e-mails to our customers. (past tense)
• I write to several customers each day. (present tense)
• Tomorrow, I will write to several customers. (future)
You must use the appropriate tense to reflect the correct
time.
(back to top)
Common Subject-Verb Agreement Questions
Using Progressive Forms of Verbs
In addition, each verb form has a perfect form meaning that the action expressed by the verb has been completed (perfected) at a particular point in time: past, present, or future. Thus, we can choose from past perfect, present perfect, or future perfect. The perfect tenses are formed by using what is called the present participle form of the verb along with a helper-have, has, or had.
Examples:
• At 4:00 yesterday afternoon, he had written four letters. (past perfect)
(back to top)
• Today he has written only two letters. (present perfect)
• By 2:00 tomorrow, he will have written all 15 letters. (future perfect)
Recognizing Other Changes in Verb Form
Whether the verb has a singular or a plural subject and whether the subject is in the first, second, or third person will usually affect the form of the verb. For example, notice the change in the verbs do, am, and was as the subject changes from first person to second person, from singular to plural, and so on:
| Subject | Do | Am | Was |
| I | do | am | was |
| we | do | are | were |
| you | do | are | were |
| he/she/it | does | is | was |
| they | do | are | were |
If you're a native English speaker, you've been using all
these forms of verbs most of your life, and you use them correctly
without much thought. The reason that this introduction to
verbs is important to you is that it contains useful terms
you should be familiar with before you study the guidelines
that help you make proper choices of verb tense to fit each
situation.
 PREVIOUS |
 TOP OF PAGE |
NEXT
 |
