The Principal Parts of Verbs

InfinitivePresent Participle

PastPast Participle

Infinitive

• Definition: a verb form that can be used as a noun, an adjective, or an adverb. Infinitives begin with to!

– Examples:• No one wants to stay.• To leave now would be rude.• Her goal is to win.

Present Participle

Helping verbs is or are + the –ing form of the verb

–Examples:•Mrs. Bedell is reading a good book.• The students are studying grammar.•He is playing baseball this season.

Past Participle

Helping verbs have, has or had + the past form of the verb

*Irregular verbs have a separate past participle form of the verb– Examples:• My family has gone to Disney World.• The students have studied grammar.• He has run a five minute mile.

Principal Parts of Regular Verbs:

Infinitive Form

Present Participle

Past Past Participle

1. [to] travel traveled [have]

traveled

1. [to] watch [is] watching [have]

watched

1. [to] protect [is] protecting protected

[is] learning learned [have]

learned

Principal Parts of Irregular Verbs:

Infinitive Form

Present Participle

Past Past Participle

1. [to]

become

became [have]

become

1. [to] draw [is] drawing [have] drawn

1. [to] swim [is]

swimming

swam

[is] breaking broke [have]

broken

1. [to] cut cut [have] cut

1. [to] leave [is] leaving [have] left

1. [to] spring [is] springing sprang

Al Capone shines my shoes.

shines

Past Tense

Al Capone shined my shoes.

Future Tense

Al Capone will shine my shoes.

Present Participle

Al Capone is shining my

shoes.

Past Participle

Al Capone has shined my shoes.