Verbs may have different forms depending on whether their subjects are in the first person, the second person, or the third person, and whether they are singular or plural.
- I am
- it is
- you are
- they are
- he is
- we are
Verbs may also change their form depending on whether they are referring to the past, the present, or the future.
- he eats
- it rains
- he ate
- it rained
- he will eat
- it will rain
There is a regular pattern of verb forms that most verbs follow:
cry | cries | crying | cried |
open | opens | opening | opened |
pour | pours | pouring | poured |
walk | walks | walking | walked |
Some verbs, however, are irregular:
come | comes | coming | came | come |
go | goes | going | went | gone |
run | runs | running | ran | run |
sing | sings | singing | sang | sung |
Verbs come in three moods. The indicative mood is used for statements and questions, the imperative mood is used for commands and requests, and the subjunctive mood is used to express wishes, commands, suggestions, doubts and possibilities.