Unit 13: Avoiding Common Errors with Verbs

Units 10-12 explain the ways to form present, past, and future tenses of verbs. This unit
explains how to recognize and avoid common errors in the forms and uses of verbs. For
information on the principal parts of verbs and a list of helping verbs, see Appendix C.
Incorrect Verb Forms
Problem: Not using d or ed with the past tense or past participle of a regular verb.
Verbs to watch for:
I used to lack self-confidence, but now I am perfect. [NOT I use to lack . . .]
Hilary was supposed to meet us at Tim Hortons, but she forgot. [NOT Hilary
was suppose to . . .]
Has Daniel asked you to be a member of his study group? [NOT Has Daniel ask
you . . .]
Problem: Confusing the past tense with the past participle of irregular verbs.
Verbs to watch for:
I saw the video three times. [NOT I seen the video . . .]
Someone has drunk all the chocolate milk. [NOT Someone has drank . . .]
Joe has swum every summer since he was a child. [NOT Joe has swam . . .]
Remember: Helping verbs such as have, has, had, or will have are used with participles
to create complex tenses.
The past tense does not take a helping verb. [Lee wore his new jeans.]
The past participle does take a helping verb. [Lee has worn a hole in his new
jeans.]
Problem: Using of as a verb. Of is a preposition (George is a barrel of fun.) Have is a
verb.
Verbs to watch for:
You should have seen the look on his face. [NOT You should of seen . . .]
If I had known about the party, I would have gone. [NOT I would of gone.]
You could have done better if you had studied harder. [NOT You could of . . .]
Problem: Using the wrong verb form in an if statement.
Verbs to watch for:
If I had known your car battery was dead, I would have given you a lift. [NOT If
I would have known . . .]
If I had had more time, I could have finished the exam. [NOT If I could have
had more time . . .]
For more information, see Appendix E: Using Verbs in Conditional Sentences.

Problem: Confusing verbs with some similar forms.

Verbs to watch for:
I think I will lie down and have a nap. [NOT I think I will lay down . . .]
Yesterday, John lay down for a short nap but slept for two hours. [NOT
Yesterday, John laid down . . .]
The dog has been lying in the sunny spot on the carpet all afternoon. [NOT The
dog has been laying . . .]
The dog has lain in the same spot all afternoon. [NOT The dog has laid . . .]
Remember: Lie means to recline. The principal parts are lie, lay, lying, lain.
Lay means to place. The principal parts are lay, laid, laying, laid.
The only way to avoid errors in these verbs is to memorize the principal parts and to
know which part to use with a helping verb. Here are some tenses of lie.
Present tense

Past tense

I lie
we lie
you lie
you lie
he/she/it lies they lie

I lay
you lay
he/she/it lay

we lay
you lay
they lay

Progressive tenses
I was/am/will be lying
you were/are/will be lying
he/she/it was/were/will be lying

we were/are/will be lying
you were/are/will be lying
they were/are/will be lying

NOTE: Dont confuse lie meaning to recline with lie meaning to state an untruth.
The principal parts of the latter are lie, lied, lying, lied. So you would say, Hank lies all
the time or Yesterday Hank lied to me or I cant tell whether or not Hank is lying.

Exercise
Directions: Correct the errors in verb forms in the following sentences.
1. Ivan should of did the laundry before he run out of clean clothes.
2. The kitten is laying on the blanket fast asleep.
3. Gino would have went to the concert if he had had enough money to buy a ticket.
4. If you would have came to class, you would not have missed the instructions for the
assignment.
5. Jerry and Caroline seen Christine across the street, but they couldnt catch her
attention.

Errors in Agreement
One basic rule of grammar is that subjects and verbs must agree in number. That is, you
must use a singular subject with a singular verb and a plural subject with a plural verb.
Most of the time, you will use the correct number of the verb automatically, but here are
some tricky situations to look for.
1. Sentences Beginning with Here and There
In sentences beginning with here and there, the subject comes after the verb. Dont
automatically use a singular verb such as is before you determine whether the subject is
singular or plural. [Remember: Heres is a contraction of here is and theres is a
contraction of there is.]
Here are the books you ordered. [NOT Heres the books you ordered.]
There are five new e-mail messages for you. [NOT Theres five new e-mail
messages for you.]
2. Sentences with a Prepositional Phrase between Subject and Verb
A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition and a noun or pronoun that is the object
of the preposition. A prepositional phrase that comes between a subject and verb acts as
an adjective to describe the subject. Here are some common prepositions:
along with

in

in addition to

including

of

For a more complete list of prepositions, see Appendix A.

The object of the preposition does not affect the number of the verb. For example, if the
object of the preposition is plural and the subject of the sentence is singular, you must use
a singular verb.
The manager, along with all assistant managers, invites you to the company
barbecue. [NOT The manager, along with all assistant managers, invite you . . .]
In particular, watch for prepositional phrases that come between the following indefinite
pronouns and the verb. These pronouns are singular:
any, each, either, neither
anyone , anybody, anything
no one, nobody, nothing

one
everyone, everybody, everything
someone, somebody, something

Neither of the boys has confessed to breaking the window. [NOT Neither of the
boys have confessed . . .]
Each of you has a chance of getting an interview. [NOT Each of you have . . .]

3. Sentences with Subjects Joined by Paired (Correlative) Conjunctions

Paired (correlative) conjunctions are pairs of words used to join two subjects. These
conjunctions are either/or, neither/nor, and not only/but also. If you use one of these
pairs to join two singular subjects, the verb is singular.
Neither Jill nor her sister plans to attend university this year.
If you use paired conjunctions to join a singular subject and a plural subject, put the
plural subject last and use a plural verb.
Neither Jill nor her two sisters plan to attend university this year.
Exercise
Directions: Revise any errors in agreement between subject and verb in the following
sentences.
1. Theres two good reasons to help me clean the garage.
2. During the violent wind storm, everything loose in the cabins were thrown to the deck.
3. Each of these articles are an excellent reference for your research paper.
4. Planning, including planning for all assignments, are crucial to your success as a
student.
5. Either Jared or his cousin are willing to help you move on Saturday.