The Principal Parts
of Verbs
Every verb has three main parts. These are called
principal parts of
the verb. All other forms of the
verb are based on these principal parts.
The principal parts of every verb are the present
tense, the past tense, and the past
participle.
The principal present tense is the same
as the simple present tense.
The principal past tense is the same as
the simple past tense.
The principal past participle is the same
as the simple past tense.
| Principal
Present Tense
(same as simple present tense) |
Principal
Past Tense
(same as simple past tense) |
Principal
Past Participle
(same as simple past tense) |
| talk |
talked |
talked |
| jump |
jumped |
jumped |
| add |
added |
added |
| climb |
climbed |
climbed |
The past participle is put together with
the helping verbs have, has, or had to
make the three perfect tenses.
present
perfect (I have clapped)
past perfect (I had clapped)
future perfect (I will have
clapped)
The past and past participle forms
of most verbs are the same. You can see this in
the chart above. These are the regular verbs.
In all regular verbs, the past and past participle
are made by adding –d or –ed to
the simple present verb.
| Simple
Present |
Add: |
Simple
Past |
Past
Participle |
| divide |
-d |
divided |
had/have
divided |
| talk |
-ed |
talked |
had/have
talked |
Sometimes regular verbs change their spelling
when –d or –ed is added to them.
These changes follow regular spelling rules.
| Simple
Present Tense |
Add: |
Spell: |
| knit |
-ed |
knitted |
| pat |
-ed |
patted |
| try |
-ed |
tried |
| hurry |
-ed |
hurried |
Some
verbs change their spelling this way:
| Simple
Present Tense |
Add: |
Spell: |
| say |
-d |
said |
| pay |
-d |
paid |
| lay |
-d |
laid |
Exercise: These are regular verbs. Change the verb
forms if necessary and write the verbs in the
correct columns.
| worry |
help |
pay |
end |
| like |
hurry |
push |
pass |
| Simple Present |
Simple Past |
Past Participle |
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English
Lessons Table of Contents
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