Questions tagged [conjugation]

Questions about modification of a verb from its basic form.

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How to parse the sentence for better understanding? [closed]

He doesn’t sound nearly as eager to make small talk with this guy as he was with me. how to understand the above sentence?
kishore kumar's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
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Unusual conjugation of "to be" [closed]

I encountered several times a certain type of sentences (in colloquial contexts) which were clearly grammatically incorrect but seems to be widely spread and, as a non-native English speaker, I would ...
Falcon's user avatar
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Is there a name for a sentence including both past and progressive verbs in different clauses (but not past progressive verbs)?

Say I have a sentence where the first clause is in simple past tense, but the following clauses are in present progressive: "I hesitated, sipping at my tea to gather myself." "She ...
Guest's user avatar
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2 answers
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Which of these sentences is correct? [closed]

Which wording is correct? "She will be graduated from the school on 16/0672023." "She will graduated from the school on 16/06/2023." "She will be graduating from the school ...
fabes's user avatar
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Hung vs Hanged: “going to be hung” or “going to be hanged”? [closed]

Merriam-Webster defines hang transitive verb a: to fasten to some elevated point without support from below: SUSPEND b: to suspend by the neck until dead —often hanged in the past Thus the past ...
releseabe's user avatar
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1 answer
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Is a list always treated as a plural? [duplicate]

I was reading this web page https://www.mobility.siemens.com/global/en/portfolio/rail/rolling-stock/passenger-coaches.html It says "From experience come speed, flexibility, and comfortable travel....
Michael's user avatar
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3 votes
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What is the present progressive conjugation of "loaf of bread"? [closed]

I need to use the phrase "loaf of bread" in the present progressive tense. What is the proper conjugation?
user467743's user avatar
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Wouldst thou like or likest?

The phrase "wouldst thou like" seems more appropriate to me, for the following reason: As far as I know, "thou wilt like" is correct, and "thou wilt likest" is not, ...
GPWR's user avatar
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In which dialects is "knowed" the past tense of know?

In some folk songs, such as Woody Guthrie's "Hard Traveling" and Townes Van Zandt's "Poncho and Lefty," the word "knowed" is used as the past tense of "know." ...
Diogenes Creosote's user avatar
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What is the history of the incomplete "can"/"could" verb?

The verb can/could is incomplete in the following sense. There is a present tense: I can You can He/she/it can […] There is also a past tense: I could You could He/she/it could […] But there is ...
Simd's user avatar
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What is the correct conjugation for "The problem is/are the rules"? [duplicate]

I recently stumbled across the sentence below, but I'm not sure which version is correct (or more specifically, I personally am pretty sure it's the second one, but other people disagreed): The ...
PixelMaster's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
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American using weak conjugations for BrE strong and vice versa

Reading American literature of questionable quality, I often come across words like leaped, kneeled and creeped, and they always cause this Englishman to hesitate. Can anyone explain the usage? I ...
Jóhann's user avatar
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2 answers
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Interpretation of “This to be love…” in Hodgson’s ‘The Night Land’

The Night Land by William Hope Hodgson, published in 1912, begins with the lines: This to be Love, that your spirit to live in a natural holiness with the Beloved, and your bodies to be a sweet and ...
Robbie Goodwin's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
2k views

Which one is correct "they didn't" or "they don't" when using "for" afterwards [closed]

I'm confused whether I should use "didn't" or "don't" in the following sentence: Makki and Mattsun didn't have time to execute their plan, for two not-so-soon-expected guests are ...
Lou's user avatar
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1 answer
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Is "be parented to" grammatically correct?

When "parent" is used as a transitive verb, it should be grammatically correct to use "be parented by" as in the examples in the following pages: https://www.lexico.com/definition/...
Felipe1979's user avatar
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Verb conjugation for singular they [duplicate]

Ostensibly, verb conjugation is plural vs singular: "The apple is big." vs "The apples are big." But that doesn't match up with the centuries-old singular they. "They is nice.&...
Paul Draper's user avatar
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...before a bunch of economists jumps, or jump, down my throat? [duplicate]

In a piece I'm writing about financial markets, I'm worried that I'll stir controversy amongst economists. Do I write: I'll clarify this before a bunch of economists jumps down my throat. or I'll ...
Thomas Browne's user avatar
1 vote
5 answers
175 views

What does a cursor do?

An executor executes, a parser parses, readers read, etc. Does a cursor curse? If not, what does it do?
Corey's user avatar
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Term for person conjugation error

What is the right term for the grammatical mistake in the following: As someone who loves animals, lions are beautiful. The error is that the sentence after the comma should have as the object the ...
wit221's user avatar
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3 answers
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What is the correct verb form for a list of tasks/responsibilities in CV?

In my CV I have short lists of responsibilities/tasks that I was assigned in my past jobs. Should I use the -ing form of a verb in such lists or rather the infinitive? For example: Accountant at XYZ ...
Max's user avatar
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How to use "or" and the adverb "as"?

The preface of the book, Physics and Music (Dover Publications), states: Almost everyone enjoys music, whether as a performer or as a listener. I was wondering if such a repetition of as is ...
Kedar Mhaswade's user avatar
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156 views

Why does the verb sometimes change when we go from declarative to interrogative?

I have noticed this error in non-native speakers more and more recently**, but I don't know how to explain it, i.e., I don't know what this phenomenon is called nor what the rule is. An example: Does ...
Derek Allums's user avatar
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What are the verbs that need a gerund after “to”?

So could someone tell me what the verbs are that must have “ing” (gerund) after “to”? (a small list) I know we have : “look forward to”, “admit to”, “be opposed to”... but are there other verbs?
Lou's user avatar
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1 answer
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Gerunds/present participles of two-verb compounds

I use making-believe instead of make-believing if I need to make a gerund/present participle out of "make-believe", but I just saw this line: Brenda rode along, make-believing she was a knight ...
Eddie Kal's user avatar
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At the moment with present perfect

Yesterday I was doing some english exercises and I've had some problems with a sentence: At the moment, most of the work is being done. (solution) At the moment, most of the work has been done. (my ...
cacasbura's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
34 views

Effect of negative statement after the conjuction 'and'

I just read the following statement, 100% Administrator Trust Administrators have and will never have access to any unencrypted data. I am sure that author wanted to imply that (1) Administrators ...
KarateKid's user avatar
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Plural or singular: "The socks in these pictures [are/is] the left one, before and after it was cleaned." Is the correct conjugation "are" or "is"? [duplicate]

"The socks in question [are or is] the left one, before and after it was cleaned." Is the correct conjugation "are" or "is"? In the above sentence (and this one), a pair of socks is expected, but it ...
Notabot's user avatar
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1 answer
1k views

Is "leadering" an actual word? [closed]

I've seen it used by non-native English speakers as some form of leadership infinitive (not sure why it is not just "leading") but I am not sure if it as actual word (or special form or conjugation). ...
jdrm's user avatar
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Proper conjugation when using "trio" [duplicate]

I have a question regarding word usage when using "trio" in a sentence. Here's an example sentence: The trio tries to find the way but appear to be lost. Should "tries" be in the third person, ...
Simon B's user avatar
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3 answers
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Proper conjugation of "to wit." [closed]

Obviously, wot is the present tense, and wist is the preterite, but what is the auxiliary form of this verb? I have always assumed it to be wist, so I have always said, ... have/had wist, but I am ...
Matthew T. Scarbrough's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
182 views

"I asks"? How is that?

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes — The Red-Headed League: “‘I wish to the Lord, Mr. Wilson, that I was a red-headed man.’ “‘Why that?’ I asks. Why has the writer written "I asks" and not "I ...
undefined's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
74 views

Proper use of the verb "to need" when the subject is "bread" [duplicate]

If I have multiple loaves of bread on the table, and I'm referring to all of them, which usage of the verb "need" is correct? The bread need to be put in the fridge. The bread needs to be put in the ...
Youssef's user avatar
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Why isn't "s"' 3rd person used in "Japan refuse to ban..."?

Japan refuse to ban colonial rising sun flag at Olympics as spat with Korea deepens Why is “refuse” used instead of “refuses”? Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/09/05/japan-refuse-ban-...
Alexis's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
110 views

American English. Please help me identify the correct form of 'become' in the following sentence: [duplicate]

I'm sure we'd all rather I became a bit more self-sufficient. Using became feels right, but I would appreciate anyone who could explain what's going on grammatically here. I think become is in the ...
Sam's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
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He told me he often felt like he can reach me faster than his own wife - proper past tense?

What I want is to put this into past tense: He often feels like he can reach me faster than... (e.g. his own wife) 1) "He told me that he often felt like he was able to reach me faster than ...",...
NSGaga's user avatar
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1 answer
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Plural Noun + Are/Is + uncountable noun

I am trying to write a sentence like the following: The skills I acquired is/are knowledge in A, B, and C. However, I know that uncountable nouns such as knowledge doesn't go with are. Yet, the ...
Jack's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
123 views

As for you, Frodo, in so far as lies in me

It's from The Lord of the Rings: ‘Then I will declare my doom,’ said Faramir. ‘As for you, Frodo, in so far as lies in me under higher authority, I declare you free in the realm of Gondor to ...
BangolPhoenix's user avatar
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3 answers
612 views

“There are believed to be some ghosts” or ”There is …”?

There are believed to be some ghosts in that house There is believed to be some ghosts in that house Can anyone tell me which of the to be verb is correct in this case?
Vi Kiet Tieu's user avatar
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1 answer
172 views

Past tense English conjugation in a whole sentence

You should have let me given you a ride home. You should have let me give you a ride home. Your should have let me gave you a ride home. You should have let me driven you home. You should have let ...
Eric's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
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Is “stang” so out of use it is widely considered an incorrect form of “stung”?

I have a sentence in a short story which wants to use 'stang' instead of 'stung'. Dictionaries that include 'stang' say it is 'obsolete'. Would you as a reader accept it? a shriek so fierce her ...
Stephen Boston's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
510 views

when did things like "thou canst" go? [duplicate]

I'm reading Kim and there are many lines like "Canst thou?". Seems this is a conjugation of verbs on the 2nd person pronoun. Nowadays seems English only has conjugation on the 3rd person pronoun. ...
athos's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
69 views

Why do verbs go without an "S" in these cases? [duplicate]

Here are two examples of the word "lest": They should fill in the hole on that playground lest anyone fall into it. She was not ready and was worried lest anyone see her naked. I'm wondering why ...
zoli's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
128 views

Are there verbs that conjugate with the person in the simple past or simple future?

We all know that verbs conjugate according to the person in the simple present, typically with the third person singular. My question is: Are there verbs that change according to the person in the ...
user332336's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
9k views

You've got or gotten? [duplicate]

I would like to properly use the verb get in the following sentence: "You've ___ bigger since the last time I saw you, Bobby." Should the past tense got be used or the past participle gotten? I ...
aitía's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
157 views

Conjugation when not substituting pronouns for proper nouns

Pronouns take the place of proper nouns when context allows. However, it seems proper nouns are only ever conjugated in the third person, singular or plural. Is this a rule? For example, if I'm ...
John Rhoades's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
2k views

I wish my father "were having the stuff" or "was having the stuff"? [duplicate]

"I wish my father were having the stuff" or "I wish my father was having the stuff" .. "And what if I wish my father having the stuff", is that bring different time definition? Thank you..
siti sal's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
2k views

Conjugation of 'shall' in Early Modern English

In Shakespeare's Macbeth, the Third Witch says to Banquo: "Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none" (1.3.65); if I want to quote that line and write it in the third person singular, how should I ...
Jess's user avatar
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6 votes
5 answers
12k views

Is “have went” gaining common currency in AmE and BrE?

In the following article from English today there is a survey about the usage of the erroneous, but apparently rather commonly used expression “have went” in place of “have gone”: ... several ...
user 66974's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
418 views

"Leaving flowers on your grave / Show that I still care": why is there no Present Simple S to the verb in this sentence?

In The Offspring's song "Gone Away" there is a line that goes: "Leaving flowers on your grave Show that I still care" and the same goes with the new cover by Five Finger Death Punch, the exact same ...
Uhtred Ragnarsson's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
4k views

"You mentioned that you want" vs. "You mentioned that you wanted"

Which is correct in this scenario? "When you mentioned that you wanted this book, I knew I had to get it for you." "When you mentioned that you want this book, I knew I had to get it for you." The ...
Alex Parker's user avatar