Grammar & Vocabulary Articles

Article / Updated 05-03-2023

Dozens and dozens of English verbs have irregular past tense forms, as well as irregular past participles. If you are studying English grammar, you may want to memorize the common irregular past and past participles listed here. This list is not exhaustive by any means, but these are common verbs English speakers use every day. Lucky for you, English present participles, except for the occasional change from the letter y to the letter i, are fairly straightforward. Just add ing. If you have questions about a particular verb, check your dictionary. In the following table, the first column is the infinitive form of the verb. (The infinitive is the “to + verb” form — to laugh, to cry, to learn grammar, and so on.) The second column is the simple past tense. The third column is the past participle, which is combined with has (singular) or have (plural) to form the present perfect tense. The past participle is also used with had to form the past perfect tense. Forms of Irregular Participles Verb Past Past Participle bear bore borne become became become begin began begun bite bit bitten break broke broken bring brought brought catch caught caught choose chose chosen come came come do did done drink drank drunk drive drove driven eat ate eaten fall fell fallen feel felt felt fly flew flown freeze froze frozen get got got or gotten go went gone know knew known lay laid laid lead led led lend lent lent lie lay lain lose lost lost ride rode ridden ring rang rung rise rose risen run ran run say said said see saw seen set set set shake shook shaken sing sang sung sink sank or sunk sunk sit sat sat sleep slept slept speak spoke spoken steal stole stolen swim swam swum take took taken throw threw thrown wear wore worn win won won write wrote written

Article / Updated 04-17-2023

Three little letters — not — turn a positive comment (“I like your boots”) to a negative one (“I do not like your boots”). Apart from the fashion critique, what do you notice about the negative statement? The verb changes from like to do like. You need that extra part because “I not like” isn’t proper English. Negative verbs don’t always rely on a form of the verb do. Sometimes have, has, or had does the job. Sentences with a be verb can turn negative without any help at all. You can try your hand at not creating the wrong negative verb. Take a look at this example. Rewrite the sentence as a negative expression. Mark's acting received an Academy Award. Mark's acting did not receive an Academy Award. Two things change when the positive verb (received) becomes negative (did not receive). Received, a past-tense form, turned into the basic, no-frills, bare infinitive (receive). The helping verb did pairs with it. As you probably noticed, not is tucked between the two parts of this verb, its usual spot. Practice questions She wanted to be a beekeeper. The bee flying near our picnic table left Sheila alone all afternoon. Answers to practice questions She did not want to be a beekeeper. The past-tense verb form wanted turns to did want. Not completes the negative transformation. The bee flying near our picnic table did not leave Sheila alone all afternoon. The past-tense verb form left changes to did leave, which becomes negative with the addition of not. Were you confused by flying? Although flying expresses action, it isn’t the verb.

Article / Updated 04-04-2023

The verb to be is possibly the weirdest verb in the English language, but you have to know it because you will use it all the time. Not only do you want to tell other people all about you, you need to be able to conjugate the verb to be to create prefect and progressive tenses of regular English verbs. Here it is, tense by tense. Present tense Singular Plural I am we are you are you are he, she, it is they are Note that the singular forms are in the first column and plural forms are in the second column. Singulars are for one person or thing and plurals for more than one. “You” is listed twice because it may refer to one person or to a group. (Just one more bit of illogic in the language.) Past tense Singular Plural I was we were you were you were he, she, it was they were Future tense Singular Plural I will be we will be you will be you will be he, she, it will be they will be Present perfect Singular Plural I have been we have been you have been you have been he, she, it has been they have been Past perfect Singular Plural I had been we had been you had been you had been he, she, it had been they had been Future perfect Singular Plural I will have been we will have been you will have been you will have been he, she, it will have been they will have been

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-09-2023

If you're learning English grammar or trying to brush up on some of it, this Cheat Sheet will come in handy. It includes the parts of speech, sentence essentials, tips on using pronouns and punctuation, adding style to your writing, and more.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 05-13-2022

As the old saying goes, "practice makes perfect," and while you're on the road to grammar perfection, a quick glance at the rules for proper grammar usage may help. Review some basic — and important — points related to sentence creation, common errors in new media communication, and overall polished grammar.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 05-02-2022

This handy Cheat Sheet will help you grapple with English grammar problems, clear up confusion caused by similar-sounding words, and improve your writing skills, in general.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-12-2022

As a copyeditor or proofreader, you can’t possibly remember everything, so you need outside resources and references, and lots of them. Although most resources are available online, it’s still helpful to have certain books on hand. And, of course, you need to know your proofreading symbols so that you can make changes and understand other editors’ changes.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-18-2022

If you use word games and flashcards, improving your vocabulary can be not only fun but key to increasing your general knowledge. Knowing the parts of speech and the meanings of prefixes and suffixes can help you understand English and some foreign words.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 02-24-2022

English grammar is not a mystery; it's a set of traditions and patterns of language handed down through the ages. With a little practice, you can learn the rules of Standard English so you can express yourself confidently and correctly.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 01-19-2022

Whether you’re engaging in everyday speech or writing the perfect paper, you need to be familiar with the various parts of English grammar. Knowing how to correctly use nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns, prepositions, and punctuation as well as how to properly structure a sentence can make or break a good grade or a professional presentation.