Principal Parts of Verbs

Principal Parts of Verbs

Every verb has four basic forms, which are called the principal parts of the verb.

• ​Base

• Present Participle

• Past

• Past Participle

  • All participle forms need a helping verb, like is, are, has, or have.

Base and Present Participle

Formed by adding -ing to the end of the base form:

• [is] calling

• [is] happening

• [is] running

​Present Participle

Smallest form:

• call

• happen

• run

​Base Form

Fill in the Blanks

Write the present participle form of the following verb:

elect

Fill in the Blanks

Write the present participle form of the following verb:

provide

Fill in the Blanks

Write the present participle form of the following verb:

gain

Past and Past Participle

Needs a helping verb, but is usually the same as past form

• [have] called

• [have] happened

​Past Participle

Usually formed by adding -d or -ed to the base form:

• called

• happened

​Past

Fill in the Blanks

What is the past form of this verb?

play

Fill in the Blanks

What is the past form of this verb?

elect

Fill in the Blanks

What is the past form of this verb?

gain

​Irregular Verbs

• Words that form past and past participle forms in ways other than using -d or -ed are called irregular verbs.

Open Ended

What is the past form of this verb?

run

Open Ended

What is the past participle form of this verb?

run

[have]

Multiple Choice

Identify the form of the verb in the following sentence.

Yesterday, the first daffodils pushed up through the soil

• base

• present participle

• past

• past participle

Multiple Choice

Identify the form of the verb in the following sentence.

The older children are already practicing their baseball skills.

• base

• present participle

• past

• past participle

Multiple Choice

Identify the form of the verb in the following sentence.

Has your grandmother planted her spring herbs yet?

• base

• present participle

• past

• past participle

Multiple Choice

Identify the form of the verb in the following sentence.

I run five miles every day.

• base

• present participle

• past

• past participle

Multiple Choice

Identify the form of the verb in the following sentence.

I ran up the hill.

• base

• present participle

• past

• past participle

Multiple Choice

Identify the form of the verb in the following sentence.

Has she mentioned the weather lately?

• base

• present participle

• past

• past participle

Multiple Choice

Identify the form of the verb in the following sentence.

Lily is hurrying down the hall today!

• base

• present participle

• past

• past participle

Multiple Choice

Identify the form of the verb in the following sentence.

Kyla jumped over the fence to escape.

• base

• present participle

• past

• past participle

Multiple Choice

Identify the form of the verb in the following sentence.

Remi is chasing the frisbee with determination.

• base

• present participle

• past

• past participle

Multiple Choice

Identify the form of the verb in the following sentence.

When are we running to town?

• base

• present participle

• past

• past participle

Multiple Choice

Identify the form of the verb in the following sentence.

They have called several times today.

• base

• present participle

• past

• past participle

Multiple Choice

Identify the form of the verb in the following sentence.

I play clarinet in my free time.

• base

• present participle

• past

• past participle