Right Forms of Verbs – Rules

1. Simple Present for Facts and Habits: Use simple present (base verb or base + -s/-es for third-person singular) for general truths, habits, or routines.
   • Example: Singular subjects add -s/-es (e.g., “runs” for “news” in Sentence 1); plural subjects use base form (e.g., “suffer” for “the idle” in Sentence 2).
2. Subject-Verb Agreement: Verbs must agree with the subject in number (singular/plural) and person. Singular subjects take singular verbs; plural subjects take plural verbs.
   • Example: “A dog watches” (Sentence 8); “Dogs bark” (Sentence 9).
3. Passive Voice for Actions on Subject: Use passive voice (form of “to be” + past participle) when the subject receives the action.
   • Example: “was transferred” (Sentence 3); “is composed” (Sentence 12).
4. Simple Past for Completed Actions: Use simple past for actions completed at a specific past time.
   • Example: “found” (Sentence 17); “bought” (Sentence 139).
5. Present Continuous for Current Actions: Use present continuous (am/is/are + verb-ing) for actions happening now or temporarily.
   • Example: “are doing” (Sentence 51); “is doing” (Sentence 125).
6. Present Perfect for Past with Present Relevance: Use present perfect (have/has + past participle) for actions completed with current impact or ongoing relevance.
   • Example: “have had” (Sentence 60); “has not finished” (Sentence 59).
7. Past Perfect for Earlier Past Actions: Use past perfect (had + past participle) for actions completed before another past event.
   • Example: “had left” (Sentence 63); “had started” (Sentence 199).
8. Future Tense for Predictions: Use future tense (will + base verb) for actions expected in the future.
   • Example: “will get” (Sentence 38); “will complete” (Sentence 195).
9. Conditional Sentences (Type 1 – Real): Use present simple in the if-clause and “will” + base verb in the main clause for possible future conditions.
   • Example: “will pass” (Sentence 94); “will catch” (Sentence 98).
10. Conditional Sentences (Type 2 – Unreal Present): Use past simple in the if-clause and “would” + base verb for hypothetical present/future situations.
    • Example: “would plant” (Sentence 41); “would fly” (Sentence 86).
11. Conditional Sentences (Type 3 – Unreal Past): Use past perfect in the if-clause and “would have” + past participle for hypothetical past situations.
    • Example: “would have received” (Sentence 45); “would have joined” (Sentence 197).
12. Gerunds After Specific Verbs/Prepositions: Use gerunds (verb-ing) after verbs like “enjoy,” “mind,” “look forward to,” or prepositions.
    • Example: “taking” (Sentence 155); “meeting” (Sentence 160).
13. Infinitives After Certain Verbs/Expressions: Use infinitives (to + base verb) after verbs like “want,” “need,” or expressions like “had better” (sometimes omitting “to”).
    • Example: “see” (Sentence 142); “do” (Sentence 148).
14. Present Perfect Continuous for Ongoing Duration: Use present perfect continuous (have/has been + verb-ing) for actions starting in the past and continuing or recently stopped.
    • Example: “has been playing” (Sentence 99); “have been suffering” (Sentence 31).
15. Past Continuous for Interrupted Actions: Use past continuous (was/were + verb-ing) for ongoing past actions, often interrupted.
    • Example: “were playing” (Sentence 113); “were playing” (Sentence 191).
16. Subjunctive Mood for Wishes/Hypotheticals: Use past subjunctive (e.g., “were” for all subjects or past simple forms) for wishes or hypothetical situations.
    • Example: “were” (Sentence 143); “knew” (Sentence 90).
17. Modal Verbs Without “To”: Modal verbs like “dare,” “need,” or “would rather” take the base verb without “to” in certain contexts.
    • Example: “disobey” (Sentence 96); “leave” (Sentence 151).
18. Special Expressions with Fixed Verb Forms: Expressions like “it is time,” “no sooner,” or “as soon as” require specific verb forms (e.g., past simple or base verb).
    • Example: “cleaned” (Sentence 152); “stood” (Sentence 146).
19. Negatives with Auxiliary Verbs: Form negatives with auxiliaries (do/does/did, have/has, etc.) matching the tense and subject.
    • Example: “does not cram” (Sentence 19); “does not do” (Sentence 184).
20. Non-Finite Verbs in Participial Phrases: Use participles (verb-ing or past participle) in reduced clauses or descriptive phrases.
    • Example: “carrying” (Sentence 92); “ploughing” (Sentence 150).
21. Collective Nouns and Agreement: Treat collective nouns as singular (for unity) or plural (for individuals) based on context.
    • Example: “was” (Sentence 76); “are” (Sentence 77).
22. Adverbs of Frequency with Tenses: Use simple present or other tenses with adverbs like “usually,” “recently,” ensuring correct verb forms.
    • Example: “do not forget” (Sentence 120); “has increased” (Sentence 129).
23. Verbs in Tag Questions: Use the same auxiliary or main verb from the main clause in the tag question, with opposite polarity (affirmative/negative) and matching tense and subject.

• Example: “She is coming, isn’t she?” (“is” matches the main clause; negative tag for affirmative statement).

24. Future Perfect for Actions Completed by a Future Time: Use the future perfect tense (will have + past participle) for actions expected to be completed before a specific point in the future.

• Example: “By next month, they will have finished the project.” (“will have finished” for future completion).

25. Verbs in Adverbial Clauses of Time: Use the present simple or present perfect in adverbial clauses of time (e.g., with “when,” “until,” “after”) to refer to future actions, not “will.”

• Example: “I will call you when I arrive.” (“arrive” in present simple, not “will arrive”).

26. Bare Infinitive After Perception Verbs: Use the bare infinitive (base verb without “to”) after perception verbs like “see,” “hear,” or “watch” when describing an action in progress.

• Example: “I saw him run across the street.” (“run” as bare infinitive after “saw”).

27. Past Perfect Continuous for Duration Before a Past Event: Use the past perfect continuous tense (had been + verb-ing) for actions that were ongoing up to a point in the past, emphasizing duration.

• Example: “She had been working for hours before she took a break.” (“had been working” for ongoing past action).

28. Verbs in Purpose Clauses: Use the infinitive (to + base verb) or “for” + gerund in purpose clauses to express the reason for an action, depending on the structure.

• Example: “She studied hard to pass the exam.” (“to pass” for purpose); “This tool is for cutting wood.” (“cutting” as gerund).

29. Agreement in Correlative Conjunctions: Ensure verb agreement in sentences with correlative conjunctions like “either…or” or “neither…nor,” where the verb agrees with the closest subject.

• Example: “Neither the teacher nor the students were present.” (“were” agrees with plural “students”).

30. Verbs in Conditional Sentences with Mixed Tenses: Use mixed tenses in conditional sentences to show relationships between different time frames (e.g., past condition affecting present outcome).

• Example: “If she had studied harder, she would be successful now.” (past perfect “had studied” for past condition; “would be” for present result).

31. Verbs in Exclamatory Sentences: Use the base verb or subjunctive forms in exclamatory sentences starting with “how” or “what,” often omitting the subject for emphasis.

• Example: “How beautifully she sings!” (“sings” in present simple for exclamation).

32. Inversion with Adverbs of Negation or Emphasis: Invert the subject and verb after negative or restrictive adverbs like “never,” “rarely,” or “seldom” for emphasis, using an auxiliary if needed.

• Example: “Never have I seen such a sight.” (“have” inverts with “I” after “never”).

You can see the exercise – Here