In English, present tense verbs are used to describe actions that are happening right now or regularly occur. The conjugation is simple, as it only changes in one way.
Regular Verbs
These verbs follow a specific pattern when conjugated in the present tense. To conjugate a regular verb in the present tense, add -s or -es to the base form for the third person singular (he, she, it). Otherwise, the verb stays the same. For example:
- I walk to work every day.
- You walk to work every day.
- He/She/It walks to work every day.
- We walk to work every day.
- They walk to work every day.
Irregular Verbs
These verbs do not follow a specific pattern when conjugated in the present tense. Some examples of irregular verbs are “be,” “have,” and “go.” These verbs have different forms in the present tense, so you will need to memorize their conjugations. For example:
- I am at home.
- You are at home.
- He/She/It is at home.
- We are at home.
- They are at home.
Modal Verbs
These verbs are used to express possibility, necessity, or ability. Examples of modal verbs are “can,” “could,” “will,” and “would.” These verbs are always followed by the base form of another verb. For example:
- I can speak English.
- You can speak English.
- He/She/It can speak English.
- We can speak English.
- They can speak English.