Common Verb Problems

Common Verb Problems

Poll

Do you agree with the statement: I feel confident about using verbs correctly in English.

• Yes

• No

• I haven't thought about it.

Incorrect Answers Usually...

Are not a verb

They may be an infinitive, gerund, or participle.

Drag and Drop

These sentences all have a verb error. Match what is being used instead of a verb in each sentence.

He knowing a lot of things.​

Placeholder

He to know a lot of things. ​

Placeholder

He known a lot of things. ​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

gerund

infinitive

participle

Incorrect Answers Usually...

have an active verb that should be passive or a passive verb that should be active

Drag and Drop

The architect ​

Placeholder

the building.

The building ​

Placeholder

by the architect.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

designed

was designed

Incorrect Answers Usually...

have a have a verb that does not agree with the subject

Drag and Drop

They ​

Placeholder

a lot of questions today.

She ​

Placeholder

a lot of questions today.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

have

has

Incorrect Answers Usually...

have a have a verb in the wrong tense

Drag and Drop

He ​

Placeholder

in the shower right now.

He usually​

Placeholder

in the shower.

He ​

Placeholder

on stage before.

He​

Placeholder

in the car on his road trip last week.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

is singing

sings

has sung

sang

Incorrect Answers Usually...

have an unnecessary element before the verb

Sarah she is here.

Robert who is here.

They and are here.

Multiple Choice

R. M. Bartlett of Philadelphia _______ the first private business college in the United States in 1843.

• founding

• founded

• was founded

• founds

Multiple Choice

In 1989 the space probe Voyager 2 _______ by the planet Neptune.

• fly

• having flown

• flying

• flew

Multiple Choice

A cupful of stagnant water may _______ millions of microorganisms,

• contains

• to contain

• contain

• containing

Multiple Choice

Computers and new methods of communication _______ revolutionized the modern office.

• have

• to have

• that have

• has

Multiple Choice

Sarah Knight _______ a fascinating account of a journey she made from Boston to New York in 1704.

• written

• write

• wrote

• writing

Multiple Choice

All animals _______ on other animals or plants.

• feed

• feeds

• fed

• feeding

Multiple Choice

Chromium _______in the manufacture of stainless steel.

• using

• is used

• uses

• is using

Multiple Choice

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad _______ the first air conditioning system for trains in 1931.

• has installed

• installed

• to have installed

• installing

Multiple Choice

Porous rocks such as chalk and sandstone allow water _______ through them.

• soaks

• is soaked

• to soak

• can soak

Multiple Choice

By 1790, rice _______ an important crop in the South.

• being

• has been

• was

• was being

Multiple Choice

Weavers are social birds that _______complex nests housing hundreds of families.

• build

• are built

• are building

• built

Multiple Choice

The American dancer Maria Tallchief first _______ prominent in Europe.

• to become

• become

• has become

• became

Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement

A sentence with two subjects joined by and takes a plural verb.

Dropdown

The chemistry lab and physics lab ​

Select answer

down the hall.

Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement

Some words end in -s but are singular.

Many of these are fields of study (economics' physics, etc.)

Another example is news.

Dropdown

The news ​

Select answer

shocking.

Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement

Remember irregular plurals like children, feet, mice, etc.

Dropdown

The women ​

Select answer

happy to see her.

Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement

When a clause begins with there, look at the noun after the verb.

Drag and Drop

There ​

Placeholder

a loud noise.

There ​

Placeholder

a few problems.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

was

were

Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement

Subjects with each and every take singular verbs.

Drag and Drop

Everyone ​

Placeholder

him to leave office. (get out of politics)

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

wants

want

Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement

The verb in a relative clause depends on the noun that the relative clause refers to.

Drag and Drop

The house that ​

Placeholder

built last year is already damaged.

The students who ​

Placeholder

selected to perform need to go to the auditorium.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

was

were

Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement

The number of + plural noun takes a singular verb

A number of + plural noun takes a plural verb

Drag and Drop

The number of trees​

Placeholder

decreasing.

A number of important matters ​

Placeholder

been ignored.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

is

have

Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement

Singular subjects with phrases like along with, accompanied by, together with, as well as, and in addition to take singular verbs.

Drag and Drop

The mayor, along with the city council,​

Placeholder

proud to welcome the foreign guest.

Together with his friends, Mark ​

Placeholder

worked at the pizza shop for years.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

is

has

are

have

Errors in Subject-Verb Agreement

Quantities of time, money, distance, etc. usually take a singular verb.

Drag and Drop

Ten miles​

Placeholder

a long distance to run for a beginner.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

is

are

Errors Involving Tense

The simple present is a general time tense.

The simple past tense is used for a specific time.

The present perfect tense is used when an event started in the past and continues into the present. It is also used for an unspecified time.

Incorrect Verb Forms

The simple form follows all modal auxiliaries (helping verbs).

Dropdown

He must ​

Select answer

that his friends went to the party without him.

Incorrect Verb Forms

The past participle is used after a form of have in all perfect forms of the verb.

Dropdown

What has he ​

Select answer

now?

Incorrect Verb Forms

The -ing form is used after a form of be in all progressive forms of the verb.

Dropdown

Shhh! The baby is ​

Select answer

in the next room.

Incorrect Verb Forms

The past participle is used after a form of be in all passive forms of the verb.

Drag and Drop

Coats are ​

Placeholder

in the winter.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

worn

wear

weared

wears

In your book: exercise 34.3

HW: do page 262

read pages 159 and 209

You have a quiz on pages 261&2 next week