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Verb Formations

Closely related page: Parts of the verb.

A verb refers to a reference time, either past, present or future. At the reference time, an action described by the verb may have started and finished, may have started but not finished, or may not have started yet.

Generally, English verb forms used for a present reference time can also be used for the future. Therefore, these are non-past forms.

A typical English verb has six forms:

Root 3S simple non-past Simple past Perfect/passive participle Active participle and event-noun Subject-noun
write writes wrote written writing writer
walk walks walked walked walking walker

Most of these forms have multiple uses. The perfect participle is identical in form with the passive participle. The active participle is identical in form with the event-noun. The root is used from the infinitive (with or without to) and for the simple non-past for persons other than the third singular.

Simple tenses

A simple verb consists of only one word. There are two simple tenses: non-past and past.

Periphrastic perfect

A periphrastic verb consists of more than one word. The perfect expresses an action before the reference time. It is formed with have plus the perfect participle. It tends to suggest that some state resulting from the action is still going on at the reference time.

Past perfect Non-past perfect Future perfect
I had finished my work. I have finished my work. I will have finished my work.
The train had arrived. The train has arrived. The train will have arrived.

I have finished my work. implies that I am now is a state of not working. The train has arrived. suggests that it is still here. If the train arrived an hour ago and has departed again, we would be more likely to use the simple past: The train arrived an hour ago.

A few verbs may form the perfect with the auxiliary be instead of have. The common ones in use today are go and finish. This used to be done with other verbs of motion such as come, arrive, rise and escape. Occasionally these are still heard, but the language sounds very old-fashioned.

Periphrastic passive

The passive is very much like the perfect. It changes the relations of the verb. It is formed with the passive participle (the same form as the perfect participle), using be or get instead of have.

With the auxiliary get, the passive usually indicates an event happeneing at the reference time:

The window got broken. Past reference time. Event at reference time.
The window gets broken. Present reference time. Event at reference time.
The window will get broken. Future reference time. Event at reference time.

If we change the auxiliary be be, the passive usually becomes perfect. This indicates an event which has already happened before the reference time:

The window was broken. Past reference time. Event before reference time.
The window is broken. Present reference time. Event before reference time.
The window will be broken. Future reference time. Event before reference time.

But in some circumstances, this type of formation can indicate an event at the reference time. This is usually when the reference time is explicitly stated:

The child was born at 2AM. The reference time is 2AM and the event of birth happens at that time.
As the parachutist fell, he was frozen by the cold air. The reference time is as the parachutist falls, and the event of freezing happens at that time.

If we put the auxiliary is put into the imperfect form (is being, is getting), it expresses an event ongoing and unfinished at the reference time:

The child was being born. Past reference time. Event happening and unfinished at reference time.
The child is being born. Present reference time. Event happening and unfinished at reference time.
The child will be being born. Future reference time. Event happening and unfinished at reference time.

Periphrastic imperfect

The imperfect expresses an action at the reference time. It is formed with be and the active participle. There is no one simple rule for when to use the imperfect, and there are many things which could be said equally well with the imperfect or with a simple tense. There are several considerations about when to use the imperfect. These rules are not absolute: there are many situations in English where either an imperfect or a simple tense may equally be used.

1. Incompletive. The imperfect is very often used for an event which has been started but not finished.

Past imperfect Non-past imperfect Future imperfect
I was smoking a cigarette. I am smoking a cigarette. I will be smoking a cigarette.

In these examples, I have started smoking the cigarette but I have not finished it at the reference time.

2. Single event vs habitual/continuous. A habitual event is something done again and again, though it may not actually be going on at the reference time. A continuous event (or state) goes on for a long time without end. This is more commonly expressed with a simple tense, though the imperfect may be used instead.

I smoke. (I am in a continuous state of being a smoker. This does not mean that I have a cigarette in my mouth at this moment.)
You cook every day. (You habitually do this action.)
When I listen to music, it relaxes me. (This has happened may times before, and will happen many times again.)
She has a car. (She is in a continuous state of owning a car.)
He is stupid. (He is in a continuous state of stupidity.)

These things are done again and again, or continuously. But to express doing these things on one particular occasion, the imperfect must be used:

I was smoking and the boss came in and saw me. (I was part-way through smoking a cigarette when it happened.)
I was cooking when the phone rang. (I was part-way through cooking when it happened.)
She is having a sandwich. (She is part-way through the single event of consuming a sandwich.)
He was being stupid. (He was acting in a stupid way at that moment.)

3. Endpoint. We are more likely to use the imperfect for a habitual state if we can forsee that that state will end.

I live in London. (This state of affairs looks likely to continue.)
I'm living in London now, but I'm going to move. (The end of the state can be foreseen.)

4. Specific verbs. Be is usually simple, as He is stupid. or I am busy.. It is often used in the imperfect to indicate how someone is behaving: He is being polite.

Seem is rarely imperfect: It seems fine. is usual but **It is seeming fine. sounds very odd. But feel and look, with similar meanings, are used as either simple or imperfect. The following are all usual.

I feel good right now.
I'm feeling good right now.
It looks good.
It's looking good.

Two periphrastic futures

The first future is formed with the auxiliary will and the infinitive (without to). The second future is formed with be going to and the infinitive. Both generally tend to have the same meanings. Both can express something which is intended but may not be done:

I was going to do it, but there was no time.
I would have done it, but there was no time.

I am going to do it if I can.
I will do it if I can.

Combining periphrastic fomations

English is extremely flexible in its ability to apply several of these periphrastic formations to build complex meanings. Each time a new formation is added, it converts the finite auxiliary to a non-finite form, and adds a new finite auxiliary which may be treated in the same way.


Sentence Formations Reference time Action time
1. The cat eats the mouse. simple non-past present or future same as reference time
2. The mouse gets eaten by the cat. passive non-past present or future same as reference time
3. The mouse has got eaten by the cat. perfect passive non-past present or future before reference time
4. The mouse will have got eaten by the cat. future perfect passive future before reference time

Will is a defective verb which lacks its non-finite parts. As a result, it cannot have these formations applied to it; be going to must be used instead.

Error Correct form
I will do it. becomes **I was willing do it. I am going to do it. becomes I was going to do it.

However, the word willing is an adjective meaning 'consenting'. I am willing to do it. means 'I consent to do it.'

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