Three Forms of a Verb

Every verb has three forms

1. Simple Present Form

2. Simple Past Form

3. Past Participle Form

For example, the three forms of know, eat, and drink are:

1. Simple Present: know, eat, drink

2. Simple Past: knew, ate, drank

3. Past Participle: known, eaten, drunk

The first two forms can act ONLY as verbs.

The third form can act as:

1. A modifier – we call it a verb-ed modifier or a part participle modifier. 

2. A verb – The third form of a verb CAN NEVER act as a verb on its own; it needs a helping verb to form a verb. The third form can take two kinds of helping verbs:

1. Some form of ‘be’: The third form of a verb, along with some form of ‘be’, forms a passive voice construction. For example, is eaten, was beaten,  has been killed, will be injured, etc

2. Some form of ‘has’: The third form of a verb, along with some form of ‘has’, forms a perfect verb tense construction. For example, has eaten, had beaten, will have killed, etc

(We also have perfect tenses in passive voice. In such cases, forms of both ‘has’ and ‘be’ are used with the third form of the verb. For example, has been honored, had been gifted, will have been announced.)

A complication 

For many verbs, the second form and the third form are the same. For example, for the following verbs, the second and the third forms are the same:

In such cases, when we come across in a sentence the word that represents the second or third form, we need to figure out whether the word is the second form of the verb or the third form of the verb.

How do we make that decision?

1. If there is a helping verb such as a form of ‘be’ or a form of ‘has’, then the word is the third form of the verb and acts as a verb with the help of the helping verb.

2. If there is no helping verb, we decide whether the word is the second or the third form of the verb on the basis of what makes sense in the sentence.

1. If the word is the second form of the verb, then the word will act as a verb in the sentence. Does the sentence make sense with this word as a verb? If yes, we’ll call it a verb.

2. If the sentence DOES NOT make sense with this word as a verb, we’ll call the word the third form of the verb. In such a case, the word will act as a part participle modifier.

Let’s take a few example sentences to understand how we decide whether the word represents a verb’s second or third form.

Ram has attended a few courses.

“Attended” can represent either the second or the third form of the verb. 

However, we see that “attended” has a helping verb ‘has’ in the sentence. Thus, “attended” acts as the third form of the verb and, together with “has”, forms a verb ‘has attended’.

Ram has recently attended a few courses.

“Attended” can represent either the second or the third form of the verb. 

However, we see that “attended” has a helping verb ‘has’ in the sentence. Thus, “attended” acts as the third form of the verb and, together with “has”, forms a verb ‘has attended’. 

At times, the helping verb can be separated from the third form of the verb by an adverb. For example, in this sentence, “recently” appears between ‘has’ and ‘attended’.

CJ will have confidently announced the launch of new courses by the month-end.

“Announced” can represent either the second or the third form of the verb. 

However, we see that “announced” has a helping verb ‘will have’ in the sentence. Thus, “announced” acts as the third form of the verb and, together with “will have”, forms a verb ‘will have announced’. 

At times, the helping verb can be separated from the third form of the verb by an adverb. For example, in this sentence, “confidently” appears between ‘will have’ and ‘announced’.

A few subjects are taught in the school.

“Taught” can represent either the second or the third form of the verb. 

However, we see that “taught” has a helping verb ‘are’ in the sentence. Thus, “taught” acts as the third form of the verb and, together with “are”, forms a verb ‘are taught’.

The laptop is probably already damaged by a fall.

“Damaged” can represent either the second or the third form of the verb. 

However, we see that “damaged” has a helping verb ‘is’ in the sentence. Thus, “damaged” acts as the third form of the verb and, together with “is”, forms a verb ‘is damaged’. 

At times, the helping verb can be separated from the third form of the verb by an adverb. For example, in this sentence, “probably already” appears between ‘is’ and ‘damaged’.

The pebbles found by the roadside were colorful.

“Found” can represent either the second or the third form of the verb. 

We see that “found” doesn’t have a helping verb. Thus, “found” can serve as a verb if its acting as a verb makes sense in the sentence.

Does “found” as a verb make sense in this sentence?

If “found” is a verb, “pebbles” will be the subject for it. Does this subject-verb relationship make sense?

Are “pebbles” the doer of the action of “found”?

No. Pebbles are not finding anything. Pebbles are found by somebody else.

Thus, “found as a verb” doesn’t make sense.

Therefore, “found” acts as a past participle modifier and modifies “pebbles”.

The truck destroyed in a recent accident belonged to Raj.

“Destroyed” can represent either the second or the third form of the verb. 

We see that “destroyed” doesn’t have a helping verb. Thus, “destroyed” can serve as a verb if its acting as a verb makes sense in the sentence.

Does “destroyed” as a verb make sense in this sentence?

If “destroyed” is a verb, “truck” will be the subject for it. Does this subject-verb relationship make sense?

Is “truck” the doer of the action of “destroyed”?

No. The truck is not destroying anything. The truck as destroyed in the accident.

Thus, “destroyed as a verb” doesn’t make sense.

Therefore, “destroyed” acts as a past participle modifier and modifies “truck”.

On the other hand, “belonged” as a verb makes sense since the truck belonged to Raj. Thus, “belonged” acts as a second form of the verb.

The scientists discovered the pebbles in the cave.

We see that “discovered ” doesn’t have a helping verb. Thus, “discovered ” can serve as a verb if its acting as a verb makes sense in the sentence.

Does “discovered ” as a verb make sense in this sentence?

If “discovered ” is a verb, “scientists” will be the subject for it. Does this subject-verb relationship make sense?

Are “scientists” the doer of the action of “discovered “?

Yes. Thus, the subject-verb relationship makes sense here.

Therefore, “discovered” acts as a verb in the sentence.