BAST ENGLISH Free language learning resources.
© Samuel Haldane 2005-2006
BAST Home English Common Errors Grammar Summary Pronunciation Problem Areas Reference Verbmaster
Irregular and Defective Verbs

A defective verb lacks some of its parts. Click here for an explanation of format of these entries.

Root BE
Simple non-past non-3S I am, you are, we are, they are irregular: varies for person
Simple non-past 3S is irregular
Simple past I was, he/she/it was, we were, you were, they were unusual: varies for person
Perfect/passive participle been
Active participle being regular
Event-noun being regular
Infinitive (to) be regular
Imperative be regular
Subject-noun none: use someone who is, etc. absent

Root DO /dū/
Simple non-past non-3S do regular
Simple non-past 3S does /dΛz/ irregular (vowel pronounced differently from root)
Simple past did
Perfect/passive participle done
Active participle doing regular
Event-noun doing regular
Infinitive (to) do regular
Imperative do regular
Subject-noun doer regular

Root GO /gō/
Simple non-past non-3S go regular
Simple non-past 3S goes /gōz/ regular pronunciation but irregular spelling
Simple past went
Perfect/passive participle gone
Active participle going regular
Event-noun going regular
Infinitive (to) go regular
Imperative go regular
Subject-noun goer regular

Root HAVE
Simple non-past non-3S have regular
Simple non-past 3S has irregular
Simple past had
Perfect/passive participle had
Active participle having regular
Event-noun having regular
Infinitive (to) have regular
Imperative have regular
Subject-noun none: use someone who has, etc. absent

Root CAN
Simple non-past non-3S can regular
Simple non-past 3S can irregular
Simple past could
Perfect/passive participle none: use been able to absent
Active participle none: use being able to absent
Event-noun none: use being able to absent
Infinitive none: use (to) be able to absent
Imperative
not used
Subject-noun none: use someone who can, etc. absent

Root MAY
Simple non-past non-3S may regular
Simple non-past 3S may irregular
Simple past might
Perfect/passive participle none: use been able, been allowed, been possible, etc. absent
Active participle none: use able, allowed, possible, etc. absent
Event-noun none: use being able, being allowed, being possible, etc. absent
Infinitive none: use (to) be able, (to) be allowed, (to) be possible, etc. absent
Imperative
not used
Subject-noun none: use someone who may, etc. absent

Root WILL
Simple non-past non-3S will regular
Simple non-past 3S will irregular
Simple past would
Perfect/passive participle none: use been going to absent
Active participle none: use going to, intending to, etc. absent
Event-noun none: use being going to, intending to, etc. absent
Infinitive none: use (to) be going to, (to) be prepared to, (to) be willing to, etc. absent
Imperative
not used
Subject-noun none: use someone who will, someone who is going to, etc. absent
Derivationally related adjective: willing 'ready', 'prepared', 'consenting'

Root SHALL
Simple non-past non-3S shall regular
Simple non-past 3S shall irregular
Simple past should
Perfect/passive participle none: use been going to absent
Active participle none: use going to, intending to, etc. absent
Event-noun none: use being going to, intending to, etc. absent
Infinitive none: use (to) be going to, (to) be prepared to, (to) be willing to, etc. absent
Imperative
not used
Subject-noun none: use someone who shall, someone who is going to, etc. absent

Root MUST
Simple non-past non-3S must regular
Simple non-past 3S must irregular
Simple past none: use had to (in subordinate clauses, must may be used) absent
Perfect/passive participle none: use having had to absent
Active participle none: use having to absent
Event-noun none: use having to absent
Infinitive none: use (to) have to absent
Imperative
not used
Subject-noun none: use someone who must, someone who has to, etc. absent

Root WROUGHT
Simple non-past non-3S none absent
Simple non-past 3S none absent
Simple past wrought
Perfect/passive participle wrought
Active participle none absent
Event-noun none absent
Infinitive none absent
Imperative none absent
Subject-noun none absent

Root QUOTH
Simple non-past non-3S none absent
Simple non-past 3S none absent
Simple past quoth
Perfect/passive participle none absent
Active participle none absent
Event-noun none absent
Infinitive none absent
Imperative none absent
Subject-noun none absent

Could, would, should and might

These four forms are listed as the simple pasts of can, will, shall and may in the entries above. They have these past functions: I could means 'I was able' just as I can means 'I am able'.

But they also have other modal meanings. They all function as simple non-pasts expressing events at the same time as can, will, shall or may.

Could and might may be used in with the same meanings as can and may, but they generally express that the event is less likely to happen. May and might, in particular, are often identical in meaning:

I may clean my flat.
I might clean my flat.

To most speakers, there is no real difference in meaning between these two sentences.

I can lend you some money.
I could lend you some money.

Again, there is no real difference in meaning. But if I ask

Can you lend you some money?

the reply could be

I can. (definite: almost as strong as Yes I will.)
I could. (more uncertain: it sounds like the speaker does not really want to)

Would and could also have optative meanings: they decribe what will happen (would) or what can happen (could) if a certain condition is met. This is generally a condition that is not likely to be met:

I would read more if I had enough time. (I do not have enough time)

A: Can you lend you some money?
B: No I can't. I don't have any money. I could lend you some if I had any.

With a condition that is more likely to be met, can or will is more likely to be used:

I will read this book if I have enough time. (I may or may not have time)
I will read this book when I have enough time. (I expect that I will have time)

Should is used like would by a few speakers, but this is rare. More commonly, should indicates obligation, the correct thing to do:

I should work harder. (It would be right for me to work harder)
I should be paid more. (It would be right for me to have more pay)

Paradigms are given here for these four verbs with these modal meanings, not as simple pasts of other verbs.

Root COULD
Simple non-past non-3S could regular
Simple non-past 3S could irregular
Simple past none: use could have + perfect participle, etc. absent
Perfect/passive participle none: use could have + perfect participle, etc. absent
Active participle none: use who could, etc. absent
Event-noun none: use what could happen, etc. absent
Infinitive none: use (to) be able to, etc. absent
Imperative
not used
Subject-noun none: use someone who could, someone who was able to, etc. absent

Root WOULD
Simple non-past non-3S would regular
Simple non-past 3S would irregular
Simple past none: use would have + perfect participle, etc. absent
Perfect/passive participle none: use would have + perfect participle, etc. absent
Active participle none: use who would, etc. absent
Event-noun none: use what would happen, etc. absent
Infinitive none: use (to) be going to, etc. absent
Imperative
not used
Subject-noun none: use someone who would, someone who was going to, etc. absent

Root SHOULD
Simple non-past non-3S should regular
Simple non-past 3S should irregular
Simple past none: use should have + perfect participle, etc. absent
Perfect/passive participle none: use should have + perfect participle, etc. absent
Active participle none: use who should, etc. absent
Event-noun none: use what should happen, the right thing to do, etc. absent
Infinitive
not used
Imperative
not used
Subject-noun none: use someone who should, someone who was going to, etc. absent

Root MIGHT
Simple non-past non-3S might regular
Simple non-past 3S might irregular
Simple past none: use might have + perfect participle, etc. absent
Perfect/passive participle none: use might have + perfect participle, etc. absent
Active participle none: use who might, etc. absent
Eevent-noun none: what might happen, etc. absent
Infinitive none: use (to) be able to, etc. absent
Imperative
not used
Subject-noun none: use someone who should, someone who was going to, etc. absent

1
Hosted by www.Geocities.ws