The auxiliary verbs used to form the future tenses are shall and will. The two must be carefully distinguished because they denote different ideas, according to the person with which they are used. The rule is, to express simple future time, use shall in the first person, will in the second and third persons.
The future tense of the verb walk is conjugated as follows:
| I shall walk | We shall walk |
| You will walk | You will walk |
| He will walk | They will walk |
This is the form to use when you expect the action to take place naturally.
On the other hand, instead of letting things take their natural course as they do in the simple future, you may force them to take place. You may, for example, be determined to walk, or determined to make some one else walk. In that case the use is reversed; as,
| I will walk | We will walk |
| You shall walk | You shall walk |
| He shall walk | They shall walk |
This form is used whenever the speaker has authority to bring about the action indicated by the verb.
In questions of the first person always use shall. In questions of the second and third persons use the same form that you expect in the answer; as,
In the following sentences insert shall or will, giving the reason for your choice:
1. I —— finish the work by three o'clock, I think.
2. To-morrow he —— feel sorry for this; I vow it.
3. I am sorry, but I —— not be able to finish the work before next week.
4. —— you finish your business course in February or in June? I —— finish in June, I think.
5. —— he finish in February? No, he —— finish in June.
6. The foreman declares he —— not have another chance.
7. He —— see his mistake when it is too late.
8. They —— surely be at the station to meet me.
9. I'm afraid you —— be kicked if you go near that horse.
10. If he doesn't take the examination, he —— fail.
11. I am determined that I —— win.
12. I —— sail probably on the fifteenth.
13. He —— be twenty-one to-morrow.
14. I —— go in spite of him.
15. —— you go by train, do you think?
16. I —— be greatly obliged if you —— send the book at once.
17. I promise you John —— know his lesson to-morrow.
18. —— you be at home this evening?
19. —— the train be on time?
20. —— the store be open this evening?
Conjugate the future and future perfect tenses of the following verbs:
| drive | see | go | run | sweep |
| ride | choose | sing | eat | sell |
Should and would are the past tenses of shall and will and, in general, express the same ideas as do shall and will, except that should sometimes means ought; as,
Would, also, sometimes indicates an action that occurs frequently; as,
The use of should and would in indirect statements and questions is sometimes puzzling. First of all, decide whether shall or will would be used in the direct form of the sentence. If the direct form uses shall, use should in the indirect; if the direct uses will, use would in the indirect; as,
Direct: The market will improve.
Indirect: He said that the market would improve.
In conditional clauses (if), use should for all persons.
Insert should or would.
1. If I knew his address, I —— send him a telegram.
2. He promised that he —— not make the mistake again. (The direct form would read, I will not —— )
3. I promised that I —— not make the mistake again.
4. You promised that you —— not make the mistake again.
5. Do you think that I —— go?
6. I —— if I were you.
7. I —— think he —— know better than to apply for that position.
8. John said that, no matter what we thought, he —— not go.
9. If you —— decide to accept the offer, let me know at once.
10. I am sorry he did that. He —— not, of course.
11. If I —— see him, I'd let him know.
12. If he —— come during my absence, ask him to wait.
13. I —— think you would be more careful.
14. Let me know if you —— not be able to come.
Change the italicized verbs to past tense, future, present perfect, past perfect, future perfect. Wherever necessary, add sufficient to make the meaning of the tense clear; as,
Present: The manager is now in his office.
Past: The manager was in his office a few minutes ago.
Future: The manager will be in his office to-morrow at ten o'clock.
Present Perfect: The manager has been in his office all the morning. (It is still morning.)
Past Perfect: The manager had been in his office only a few moments when the president arrived.
Future Perfect: In about five minutes the manager will have been in the president's office exactly three hours.
1. The cashier opens the safe in the morning.
2. The mechanic earns good wages.
3. The buyer leaves to-night.
4. The bookkeeper makes out the statements.
5. The correspondent writes the booklets.
6. The advertising manager approves the copy.
7. The adding machine is broken.
8. The chief clerk attends to the incoming mail.
9. The superintendent visits the factory every day.
10. The salesman is selling five thousand dollars' worth of goods a week.
The present tense is used to indicate general truths—things true in past time and still true. Omit the incorrect form in the following sentences:
1. What did you say is—was the meaning of the term bona fide?
2. What was—is the name of that book that you enjoyed so much?
3. Didn't you know that the lion is—was called the king of beasts?
4. They told me that the legal rate of interest at present is-was six per cent.
5. Have you ever heard him try to prove that black is—was white?
6. What is—was the name of the banker who lectured to us yesterday?
7. I never could remember what the important products of my county are—were.
8. The advocate of Equal Suffrage argued that mothers need—needed the ballot to protect their children.
9. She said that a democracy is—was a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, and that women are-were people as well as men.
10. The speaker asserted that this country needs—needed a tariff to protect home industries.
No one can be certain of using the correct form of a verb unless he knows the principal parts. Some verbs are regular; that is, they form their past tense and their perfect participle by adding ed to the present tense; as,
| Present | Past | Perfect Participle |
| walk | walked | walked |
Some verbs, however, are very irregular, having a different form for each of the principal parts. A list of such verbs follows:
Some verbs, though irregularly formed, have the past tense and perfect participle alike. A list of such verbs follows:
Some verbs have all three forms alike. A list of such follows:
| Present | Past | Perfect Participle |
| bet | bet | bet |
| burst | burst | burst |
| cast | cast | cast |
| cost | cost | cost |
| cut | cut | cut |
| hit | hit | hit |
| hurt | hurt | hurt |
| knit | knit | knit |
| let | let | let |
| put | put | put |
| rid | rid | rid |
| set | set | set |
| shed | shed | shed |
| spread | spread | spread |
| sweat | sweat | sweat |
| wet | wet | wet |
Choose the correct form of the italicized words below, and give the reason for your choice.
1. If it don't—doesn't fit you, we shall alter it.
2. I knew—knowed I was right.
3. Aren't—ain't you glad we came?
4. Ain't—isn't he well?
5. We done—did the right thing.
6. Let—leave the book on the table.
7. Let—leave me do as I planned.
8. Mary has broke—broken her arm.
9. My mother has gone—went to Boston.
10. Where was—were you yesterday?
11. When the dinner bell rang—rung, we all come—came running in.
12. He don't—doesn't know what you said.
13. To what hospital have they taken—took him?
14. I saw—seen him a few minutes ago.
15. I saw—seen him yesterday.
16. I should have—of brought my book.
17. My winter coat is wore—worn out.
18. Have you ever rode—ridden in an aeroplane?
19. I have shown—showed you all the styles I have.
20. Don't—doesn't it seem odd that he don't—doesn't come?
21. She don't—doesn't remember you.
22. We began—begun the work yesterday.
23. I'm afraid my foot is froze—frozen.
24. We ran—run all the way.
25. I've shook—shaken him three times, but he don't—doesn't awake.
26. The bell rang—rung just before you entered.
27. She sang—sung very well.
28. He swam—swum all yesterday morning.
29. Why don't—doesn't some one tell John that his coat is tore—torn?
30. Don't—doesn't mother know that the vase is broke—broken?
Lie is intransitive; lay is transitive. Lie signifies to rest; lay, to place. Insert the correct form in the following:
1. He told me to —— the book on the table. It —— there now.
2. I —— all day waiting for help to arrive.
3. Where did you —— the purse?
4. I —— it on your desk.
5. I have —— the letters on your desk.
6. They told me to —— down. I —— down for about two hours.
7. As I wished to bleach the clothes, I —— them on the grass.
8. —— the bundle down and listen to me.
9. You will probably find your cap ——ing where it has —— since you dropped it.
10. They let the field —— fallow.
11. How long has it —— fallow?
12. Yesterday he —— on the grass almost all day.
13. The hunter —— still and watched.
14. He —— his gun beside him and waited.
15. It will —— undisturbed till morning.
16. —— down awhile before dinner.
17. I don't know how long he has —— here.
18. He let his tools —— in the rain.
Sit is intransitive and signifies to rest. Set is transitive and means to place. Insert the correct form:
1. I have —— the ferns in the rain.
2. —— down for a few minutes.
3. She drew up a chair and —— down, while we were ——ting down the probable expenses of the new house.
4. Why don't you —— us a good example?
5. ——ting the table is not strenuous enough for one who has been ——ting all day.
6. The hen is ——ting on her eggs.
7. The man is ——ting out trees.
8. —— still; I'll go.
Remember that birds fly; rivers flow; hunted creatures flee.
9. Still the river —— on its accustomed course.
10. Every autumn the birds —— south.
11. The birds have not yet —— away.
12. The deer —— before the dogs.
Rise is intransitive; raise is transitive.
13. I have been trying all morning to —— this window.
14. I set the bread to ——.
15. He will surely —— in his profession.
16. Will you —— me how to play tennis?
17. I thought you had —— how to play tennis.
18. I —— (past tense) her the new system of filing.
May signifies permission; can denotes possibility.
19. —— I use your book?
20. —— you write shorthand?
21. —— I go with you?
22. My mother says that I —— go with you.
Might is the past tense of may, and could is the past tense of can.
23. He said that I —— go.
24. He —— do the work if he wished.
25. Did you say I —— use your typewriter?
Accept means to receive. Except as a verb means to exclude; as a preposition it means with the exception of. Insert the correct form in the following:
1. Did you —— the position? Yes, no one applied for it —— me.
2. I have no other reason for not ——ing your invitation —— that I shall not be in the city.
3. —— Mary all ——ed the invitation.
4. He would not —— the money —— on one condition.
5. Why do you —— him from the general offer that you are making?
6. I agree with you —— on one point.
7. He ——ed the rebuke in silence.
8. We were forced to —— their conditions.
9. He said he would not —— the money —— that he knew he could return it.
10. You have answered everything —— what I asked you.
Affect means to influence. It is always a verb. Effect as a verb means to bring to pass; as a noun it means result. Insert the correct form in the following sentences:
1. His opinion does not —— the case.
2. How does war —— trade?
3. His walking has had a good —— upon his health.
4. The ruling did not —— the wholesale dealers, but it had a big —— upon us.
5. What —— did the loss have upon him?
6. The failure of the bank ——ed the small depositors but had no —— upon the big business men.
7. The —— of the law has been startling because of the number of people ——ed by it.
8. They ——ed the consolidation, but thereby produced a bad —— upon the price of their stock.
9. The accident seriously ——ed his nervous system. In fact, the —— of the fall is only gradually disappearing.
10. Did the celebrated physician really —— a cure?
Lose is a verb, while loose is usually an adjective. The two should be carefully distinguished. Insert the correct form:
1. I have a note book with —— leaves.
2. Aren't you afraid you will —— some of the —— leaves of that book?
3. Be careful that you don't —— that —— bolt.
4. Do you remember that you had warned me that I'd —— the —— button on my coat? I did —— it not five minutes afterward.
5. One of the hinges of the door has become ——.
6. Do not —— the —— change in that pocket.
7. He will —— the parcel as the cord is ——.
8. Did you —— the —— leaf journal?
9. She may —— the money, as the clasp of her purse is ——.
10. I keep my —— journal paper together by a rubber band so that there will be no chance of ——ing it.
Correct the following sentences:
1. I had ought to have studied harder.
2. You ought to do it, hadn't you?
3. Hadn't you ought to have gone?
4. Yes, I had ought to have gone yesterday.
5. Do you think I had ought to have accepted?
6. He had ought to come to-morrow.
7. The tickets had ought to have come from the printer's yesterday.
8. We had not ought to stay out so late.
9. You had ought to wear your coat.
10. He had ought to have become naturalized.
11. You had ought to have washed the dishes before you went out.
12. You had ought to take an umbrella.
13. You had ought to have heard what she said.
14. We hadn't ought to disagree.
15. You ought to have invested, hadn't you?
Conjugation of the verb be in the
The verb be is used to form the progressive tenses of the active voice (See Exercise 102) and the simple tenses of the passive voice; as,
If we add the progressive form wherever it may be used, we have the following synopsis of the indicative mood:
| Tenses | Bracket | Primary | Bracket | Present | I am followed (simple) |
| I am being followed (progressive) | |||||
| Past | I was followed (simple) | ||||
| I was being followed (progressive) | |||||
| Future | I shall be followed | ||||
| Perfect | Bracket | Present Perfect | I have been followed | ||
| Past Perfect | I had been followed | ||||
| Future Perfect | I shall have been followed |
Conjugate the following in the passive voice:
1. Simple present of pay.
2. Progressive past of pay.
3. Present perfect of throw.
4. Future of praise.
6. Progressive present of choose.
7. Past progressive of choose.
8. Future of choose.
9. Future perfect of choose.
10. Past perfect of choose.
Supply the verb forms indicated. Use the active unless the passive is definitely called for.
1. The vegetables (present perfect of lie) in water all the morning.
2. Rumors (past progressive passive of spread) far and wide that Germany would fight England.
3. I thought the gingham (past perfect passive of shrink) before the dress (past passive of made).
4. I am afraid my ear (present progressive of freeze).
5. Is it true that your ring (present perfect passive of steal)?
6. A sudden storm (past of arise) yesterday afternoon, and a little boy (past passive of drown) in the river where he and several of his companions (past perfect progressive of swim) since noon.
7. I (present perfect of speak) of the matter to no one.
8. I suppose that it (present perfect passive of break).
9. I must (present perfect of show) him twenty different styles, but he (past of choose) none of them, for as soon as I (past of show) him one, he (past of shake) his head.
10. She (past progressive of wring) out the clothes when the door bell (past of ring).
11. I am afraid my purse (present passive of lose).
12. The knight (past of say) that he (past perfect of decide) (infinitive of follow) the quest.
13. I thought I (past perfect of bring) you the morning paper.
14. He (past of swim) the river twice yesterday.
15. There he stood (present participle of ring) the dinner bell.
16. His coat (present perfect passive of wet) through more than once.
17. The trip (past of cost) him a hundred dollars.
18. I (past of see) the superintendent yesterday, but he said that there (present of be) no vacancies at present.
19. They (past of lay) the clippings on the desk, and then they (past of sit) down.
20. As he (past of speak), he (past progressive of shake) from head to foot.
21. The clouds (past of lie) low on the horizon.
22. The building in which I work (present perfect passive of burn).
23. Your employer (present perfect deal) fairly with you.
24. I (present perfect of have) the same position for three years.
25. I (future of lend) him no money.
26. The floor (past passive of lay) by an expert workman.
27. The beads (past passive of string) on a waxed thread.
28. He (present perfect of throw) the whole office into confusion.
29. Before he came forward, he (past of set) the child down.
30. After the storm, leaves and twigs (past progressive of lie) thick upon the roads.
31. He (past of drive) to town yesterday. He (future of go) again to-morrow.
32. The dictionary (present progressive of lie) on the table where you (past of lay) it.
33. The dog (past of lay) the bone down, and then he (past of lie) down.
34. He (past of set) the chair by the window and then (past of sit) down.
35. I think we (future of see) him as we pass, for he usually (present of lie) on a couch by the window.
36. The snow (past perfect progressive of fall) for several hours and now (past of lie) deep on every path.
37. Everything (present perfect passive of lay) in readiness.
38. (Present participle of lie) in the hammock, he soon fell asleep.
39. I saw the man (present participle of lie) on the ground.
40. After he (past perfect of lie) there a few minutes, he suddenly (past of sit) up.
41. The biplane, which (past perfect progressive of lie) in the hangar since it (past perfect passive of raise) from the water in which it (past perfect of lie) for two weeks, (past of rise) up over the city.
42. Large crowds (past progressive of sit) on the fields, (present participle of wait) for the aeroplane (infinitive of rise).
43. Many people (past perfect of set) tents on the field during the night and now (past progressive of get) a good view of the flight.
44. All eyes (past progressive of turn) toward the aeroplane, which (past progressive of rise) steadily.
45. The biplane (past of rise) until it (past perfect of rise) about five hundred feet above the tallest building; then it (past passive of raise) about fifty feet more to get it out of an air current that (past progressive of raise) one end of it.
Infinitives are verb forms that are used as nouns, as adjectives, or as adverbs. Participles are verb forms that are used as adjectives. Thus at the same time each acts as two parts of speech. As verbs both have the meaning of the verbs from which they are made; both have tense and voice; both may be modified by adverbial expressions; and, if they are made from transitive verbs, both may take objects.
The tenses and voices of the participle are as follows:
| Active Voice | |
| Present | |
| Simple | Progressive |
| selling | —— |
| Perfect | |
| having sold | having been selling |
| Passive Voice | |
| Present | |
| being sold | —— |
| Perfect | |
| having been sold | —— |
The participle frequently introduces a phrase. Usually the phrase is used like an adjective; occasionally it is used like a noun (sometimes called the gerund phrase).