186. First, master that little verb be in all its forms. The only way to do this is to commit to memory these forms. Say them over and over until any other form does not sound right.

PresentPastFuture
SingularSingularSingular
1. I am.I was. I shall be.
2. You are.You were.You will be.
3. He is.He was.He will be.
PluralPluralPlural
1. We are.We were.We shall be.
2. You are.You were.You will be.
3. They are. They were.They will be.
Pres. Perf.Past Perf.Fut. Perf.
Have been.Had been.Shall have been.

187. Do not use aint for is not or am not. Do not say, He aint here, or I aint going. Say, He isn't here; I am not going.

A FREQUENT MISTAKE

188. Perhaps one of the most frequent mistakes is the confusion in the use of the past time form and the past participle. Remember that the past time form is never used except in expressing past time; never use it in forming a verb phrase. Take the verb do, for example—say, He did the work, never, He done the work; but we should say, He has done the work, never, He has did the work. Say and seen are confused in the same manner. Watch this carefully.

Exercise 1

Underline the correct word in the following:

  1. Who did—done it?
  2. He sung—sang well.
  3. He sunk—sank before we could reach him.
  4. She written—wrote him a letter.
  5. He taken—took the book.
  6. They swum—swam the river.
  7. I saw—seen him do it.
  8. They drank—drunk too much.
  9. He soon began—begun to fail.
  10. The lad ran—run home.
  11. They come—came yesterday.

WITH HELPING VERBS