Terminology Verbs and Participles.

Question

HiI am working the tense area of a grammar text and note that sometimes the rule for tenses such as past simple is written as base form + ed while in the present perfect the verb + ed is referred to as the past participle likewise for verbs ending ing. In some tenses the verb + ing is written like that and in others its refered to as the present participle. Is there a reason for this? are all verbs + ed past participles and all verbs ending ing present participles?Thanks Grant

Avangi · Accepted Answer

Perhaps it depends on whether the discussion is about spelling or about constructions.
There isn't really a whole lot you can say about the formation of the simple present and the simple past.
When two or more words are required to form a tense, it becomes more interesting. What do we call the components? How do we identify them?

workmanIs there a reason for this? are all verbs + ed past participles and all verbs ending ing present participles?

Some functionally different components are identical in form.
As you've pointed out, the simple past can be identical to the past participle. (But sometimes it's not.)
The "-ing" form can have several different names, depending on its function in the sentence. It can be an adjective.
If you want to raise some hackles, try calling a gerund a participle.

Dimsumexpress · Answer

Hi,
I don't have a definite answer to your questions regarding participles in particular. I learned them as they are. But this is my take. When we call a verb + ing we know we are talking about a gerund or a present participle, depending on the sentence construction. i.e. I saw Mary shopping at the mall. "Shopping" is a present participle. John's hobby is hunting. "Hunting" in this construction is a gerund. "Ing" verbs can also be adjectives. i.e. " Paul is a hard -working man. For past participles, they are used to form present perfect and past perfect sentence structures, as well as past participle adjectives. i.e.
" an emptied bottle". To be honest with you, I have never heard of any reasons given for the questions you have.

Workman · Answer

Thanks Avangi

CalifJim · Answer

workmansometimes the rule for tenses such as past simple is written as base form + ed while in the present perfect the verb + ed is referred to as the past participle

The past is usually called the -ed form and the past participle is the -en form, even when those are not the endings, as in the case of many irregular verbs and all regular verbs. I don't think your book is using that terminology.

You need to learn at least three forms for every verb. Each of the three has multiple names.

1. The dictionary entry for the verb has no ending. It is called the base form or the bare infinitive form or the infinitive without to or just the infinitive.
2. The simple past. For regular verbs this is the base form with an ed or d ending. Various irregular forms are also possible.
3. The past participle. For regular verbs and for many irregular verbs as well, this form is exactly the same as the simple past. Irregular verbs have a separate form for the past participle, often ending in n.

1, 2, 3 are shown below for several verbs.

wait, waited, waited regular (2 and 3 the same.)
rest, rested, rested regular (2 and 3 the same.)

put, put, put irreg. (All three forms are the same.)
find, found, found irreg. (2 and 3 are the same.)
send, sent, sent irreg. (2 and 3 are the same.)
take, took, taken irreg. (All three different.)
sing, sang, sung irreg. (All three different.)

workmanare all verbs + ed past participles and all verbs ending ing present participles?

There is a difference between the name of a form and the use of a form.

If a base form is used after to, it forms an infinitive. If the base form is used as the main verb in a clause, it's called present tense.

The form named the past participle may be indistinguishable from the form named the simple past, as we saw above. If that form is used as a past participle, it is called a past participle. If it is used as a simple past, it is called a simple past.

The form named the present participle can be used as part of a verb phrase or in an adjectival construction. In that case it is called a present participle. If it is used as a noun, it is called a gerund.

Don't try to learn all of this at once.

CJ

Workman · Answer

Thanks for the help and the advise I will take it slowly. CJ

Terminology Verbs and Participles.

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