C
ONJUGATION
, T
ENSES, AND
I
NFLECTION
Verbs change forms tore ect the person doing the acting (Ii you, we, he, she, it,
they), how many things or people are acting (number), and when something happens (tense). The changes inform can mean the addition of letters to the basic form of the verb or its root (the core letters that contain its meaning, such as “-vis-”
in envision a root that conveys the sense of seeing or being seen such changes are called inflection, and the patterns of changes are called conjugations. Verb changes of this kind can produce di erent person, number, or tense I talk, he or she talks,
they talked, we talked Some verbs make the main tenses in di erent patterns
(adding es rather than Sin the present tense) or are altogether irregular verbs.
Other words are also combined with verbs or forms of them to produce di erent tenses I talk, you will talk, he has talked, we will have talked, you had talked, they are talking Seethe entries on tenses for further information. The added verbs are called “auxiliary verbs.”
Some of the forms that combine to make new tenses are specially in ected forms of verbs the present participle (“ing” form talking) and the past participle (ed or
“d” form, usually the same as the past tense form. The participles can function outside verbal constructions, becoming gerunds, adjectives, and even nouns:
“Swimming is enjoying a revival, predicated on raised expectations All the underlined words in the example are participles.
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