MODULE 8: CORRECT USE OF VERBS

REGULAR VERBS

8a The four principal parts of a verb are the present, the present participle, the
past, and the past participle. All other forms of the verb are derived from the
base form.
EXAMPLES I walk the dog. [present of walk]
I am walking the dog. [present participle of walk]
I walked the dog. [past of walk]
I have walked the dog. [past participle of walk]
NOTE When the present participle and the past participle forms are used as main verbs
(simple predicates) in sentences, they always require helping verbs.
8b A regular verb is one that forms its past and past participle by adding -d or -ed
to the present form.

Present Present Participle Past Past Participle

call (is) calling called (have) called
gnaw (is) gnawing gnawed (have) gnawed
like (is) liking liked (have) liked
paint (is) painting painted (have) painted
tip (is) tipping tipped (have) tipped
watch (is) watching watched (have) watched

The present participle of most regular verbs ending in -e drops the -e before adding -ing.
NOTE A few regular verbs have alternate past and past participle forms ending in -t. For
example, the past and past participle forms of burn are burned or burnt.

EXERCISE 1 Writing the Correct Forms of Regular Verbs

For each of the following sentences, decide what the correct form of the italicized verb
should be. Write the correct verb form on the line before the sentence.
EX. liked The man like his previous job.
______________ 1. The kitten purred when Tina stroke its head.
______________ 2. When Ima is watch tennis, she can’t hear a word I say.
______________ 3. The boy jump back from the window when thunder rumbled.

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Module 8 1

______________ 4. My friend is paint his bicycle a different color.
______________ 5. Most people have listen to different types of music.
____________ 6. Yesterday, my friend Mari play the dulcimer and sang at a coffee
shop.
____________ 7. I call the store for a price, but no one answered the phone.
____________ 8. My dog would have gnaw on the bone instead of licking it.
____________ 9. After Jacques left the store, he notice his wallet was missing.
____________ 10. The contestants have compete in every possible game show.
_____________ 11. Our 11th-grade chorus is visit the local hospital tomorrow.
____________ 12. We have wait long enough for the package to arrive.
_____________ 13. Payat poke his head into the room to tell us dinner was ready.
____________ 14. The city workers have continue to search for the hurricane
victims.
____________ 15. The car screech to a halt when the traffic light changed.

EXERCISE 2 Proofreading Sentences for Correct Verb Forms

In each sentence below, draw a line through any incorrect verb form, and write the
correct verb form before the sentence. If a sentence is correct, write C.
EX. chewed Cary chew the crunchy celery.
____________ 1. This tea taste spicy.
_____________ 2. Yesterday, we watch a documentary about the octopus.
____________ 3. Your uncle fix it, but it could break again.
____________ 4. Stephanie greased the axle carefully.
____________ 5. Bill is call us at the lodge.
____________ 6. Mrs. Vasquez has convince us that she will complete her college
education.
____________ 7. Students have perform the dance well this year.
____________ 8. Many chemicals have polluting our rivers and streams.
____________ 9. The museum presenting a large exhibit of African wildlife.
_____________ 10. Has the company refund your money?

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Module 8 2

MODULE 8: CORRECT USE OF VERBS
IRREGULAR VERBS

8c An irregular verb forms the past and past participle in some other way than by
adding -d or -ed to the present form.

Present Present Participle Past Past Participle

drive (is) driving drove (have) driven
give (is) giving gave (have) given
sing (is) singing sang (have) sung

NOTE If you are not sure about the principal parts of a verb, look in a dictionary.
Entries for irregular verbs give the principal parts.

COMMON IRREGULAR VERBS

Present Present Participle Past Past Participle
be (is) being was, were (have) been
become (is) becoming became (have) become
begin (is) beginning began (have) begun
bite (is) biting bit (have) bitten or bit
blow (is) blowing blew (have) blown
break (is) breaking broke (have) broken
bring (is) bringing brought (have) brought
build (is) building built (have) built
burst (is) bursting burst (have) burst
buy (is) buying bought (have) bought
catch (is) catching caught (have) caught
choose (is) choosing chose (have) chosen
come (is) coming came (have) come
cost (is) costing cost (have) cost
do (is) doing did (have) done
draw (is) drawing drew (have) drawn
drink (is) drinking drank (have) drunk
drive (is) driving drove (have) driven
eat (is) eating ate (have) eaten
fall (is) falling fell (have) fallen

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 COMMON IRREGULAR VERBS
Present Present Participle Past Past Participle
feel (is) feeling felt (have) felt
find (is) finding felt (have) felt
forget (is) forgetting forgot (have) forgotten
freeze (is) freezing froze (have) frozen
get (is) getting got (have) gotten or got
give (is) giving gave (have) given
go (is) going went (have) gone
grow (is) growing grew (have) grown
hold (is) holding held (have) held
hurt (is) hurting hurt (have) hurt
keep (is) keeping kept (have) kept
know (is) knowing knew (have) known
lead (is) leading led (have) led
lend (is) lending lent (have) lent
lose (is) losing lost (have) lost
make (is) making made (have) made
meet (is) meeting met (have) met
put (is) putting put (have) put
ride (is) riding rode (have) ridden
ring (is) ringing rang (have) rung
run (is) running ran (have) run
say (is) saying said (have) said
see (is) seeing saw (have) seen
sell (is) selling sold (have) sold
send (is) sending sent (have) sent
shrink (is) shrinking shrank or shrunk (have) shrunk or shrunken
sing (is) singing sang (have) sung
sink (is) sinking sank or sunk (have) sunk
speak (is) speaking spoke (have) spoken
stand (is) standing stood (have) stood
steal (is) stealing stole (have) stolen
swim (is) swimming swam (have) swum
swing (is) swinging swung (have) swung

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Module 8 4

 COMMON IRREGULAR VERBS
Present Present Participle Past Past Participle
take (is) taking took (have) taken
tell (is) telling told (have) told
throw (is) throwing threw (have) thrown
wear (is) wearing wore (have) worn
win (is) winning won (have) won
write (is) writing wrote (have) written

EXERCISE 3 Writing Past and Past Participle Forms of

Irregular Verbs
On the line before each sentence, complete the sentences below by writing the correct
past or past participle form of the verb in italics.
EX. chose The woman choose her new chair.
_______________ 1. The children have speak their own languages.
_______________ 2. The restaurant has freeze the fish for later use.
_______________ 3. As a result of too much heat, the clothes have shrink in the dryer.
_______________ 4. Do you realize that your car tires have wear thin?
_______________ 5. Last year, many people become part of our hiking group.
_______________ 6. The teacher was so busy that she forget to correct the papers.
_______________ 7. Once everyone agreed on a time, the people meet to resolve the
remaining issues.
_______________ 8. After Amara had picked a bushel of apples, she picked one for
herself and bite into it.
_______________ 9. The students have build a shed as a year-long project.
_______________ 10. The ancient Romans get many of their ideas from Greek culture.
_______________ 11. Has everyone take her or his turn yet?
_______________ 12. Last summer, we swim at the pool nearly every day.
_______________ 13. We begin last night’s concert with a popular song.
_______________ 14. We were disappointed that the store had sell all those games.
_______________ 15. My phone had ring twice by the time I found it.
_______________ 16. The performer had blow up the balloon.

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_______________ 17. Many homes were damaged when the dam break.
_______________ 18. Sasha has keep busy all morning returning telephone calls.
_______________ 19. The audience leave quickly after the play was over.
_______________ 20. The sunflowers grow quite tall last summer.

EXERCISE 4 Proofreading a Paragraph for Past or Past

Participle Forms of Verbs
Determine the correct past or past participle form for each of the italicized verbs in the
paragraph below. Write the correct form above the verb.
told
EX. Ms. Franklin tell me about some traditional African sports.

[1] She say that wrestling has been practiced in the Sudan for thousands of years.

[2] In the Ethiopian form of wrestling that she saw, young men from different villages

fight each other. [3] Also in Ethiopia, she was thrilled when teams ride horses in the

game Feres Gugs. [4] One team chased the other to tag their opponents with wands

when the chasers catch them. [5] The riders on the opposing team hold circular shields

to fight off the wands. [6] A spear-throwing competition be particularly popular in

Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo when she was there. [7] The

winner’s spear was the one which was throw farthest and fastest. [8] Ms. Franklin also

has see a langa meet in northern Nigeria. [9] The players run into each other to try to

knock their opponents off balance. [10] She say that the sport requires skill, speed, and

a good sense of balance.

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Module 8 6

MODULE 8: CORRECT USE OF VERBS
LIE AND LAY

8d The verb lie means “to rest,” “to recline,” or “to remain in a lying position.”
Lie never takes an object. The verb lay means “to put (something) in a place.”
Lay usually takes an object.

PRINCIPAL PARTS OF LIE AND LAY

Present Present Participle Past Past Participle
lie (to rest) (is) lying lay (have) lain
lay (to put) (is) laying laid (have) laid

The following example shows how you can ask questions to determine which verb—lie
or lay—should be used.
EXAMPLE The cat (lay, laid) on the top shelf, hiding.
Question 1: What do I want to say? Is the meaning “to be in a lying position,” or is it
“to put something down”?
The meaning is “to be in a lying position.” Therefore, the verb should be
lie.
Question 2: What time does the verb express, and which principal part is used to show
this time?
The verb expresses the past, and the sentence requires the past form. The
past form of lie is lay.
ANSWER The cat lay on the top shelf, hiding.

EXERCISE 5 Choosing the Correct Forms of Lie and Lay

In each of the following sentences, underline the correct form of lie or lay in parentheses.
EX. The doctor is (lying, laying) the instruments on the table.

1. After Robert (lay, laid) on the couch, he felt better.

2. I (laid, lay) my jacket on the ground so the kitten would have a warm place to sleep.
3. The animals have (lain, laid) in the sun for hours.
4. Bricklayers (lay, lie) thousands of bricks a year.
5. Where have you (laid, lain) the sweater to dry?
6. I would like to (lay, lie) my papers over there.
7. (Lie, Lay) the box on the dining room table.

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Module 8 7

 8. Have all the students (laid, lain) their assignments on the desk?
9. A cloudy mist (lay, laid) over the valley.
10. Let’s (lie, lay) on the beach for a few minutes.
11. The patient is (lying, laying) in bed in order to help heal his broken leg.
12. Military officers (lay, lie) down rules as helpful guidelines for their troops.
13. He is (lying, laying) the new carpet on the floor.
14. Many of the squirrels have (laid, lain) acorns beneath the tree.
15. The workers have (lain, laid) asphalt the length of the street.

EXERCISE 6 Proofreading Sentences for the Correct Use of Lie

and Lay
In the sentences below, draw a line through each incorrect form of lie and lay. Write the
correct verb form on the line before each sentence. If a sentence is correct, write C.
EX. laid I have lain the blanket on the bed.
_____________ 1. After its morning workout, the horse laid in the stall.
_____________ 2. The customer is laying his money on the counter.
_____________ 3. Be quiet. My mother is laying on the couch.
_____________ 4. Amir and his brother have lain their coats on the sofa.
_____________ 5. Queen bees lay fertilized eggs that will develop into new queens.
_____________ 6. The tigers have laid near the water to keep cool.
_____________ 7. Monkeys like to lay on the branches of trees.
_____________ 8. Please lie my sweater on the railing.
_____________ 9. It is difficult to lie tile correctly.
_____________ 10. After you have laid in the sun a bit, your swimsuit should be dry.
_____________ 11. Yesterday, Sam laid in bed for an hour after the game was over.
_____________ 12. Our neighbor is laying in bed, recovering from her illness.
_____________ 13. The leather is lying on the rocks to dry.
_____________ 14. Lay down in your room before you get too tired.
_____________ 15. The father lay his baby in her crib.

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Module 8 8

MODULE 8: CORRECT USE OF VERBS
SIT AND SET AND RISE AND RAISE

8e The verb sit means “to rest in an upright, seated position.” Sit almost never
takes an object. The verb set means “to put (something) in a place.” Set usually
takes an object.

PRINCIPAL PARTS OF SIT AND SET

Present Present Participle Past Past Participle
sit (to rest) (is) sitting sat (have) sat
set (to put) (is) setting set (have) set

EXAMPLES Please sit down. Set it down gently.

The vase sat on the table. Don’t set it there.
8f The verb rise means “to go in an upward direction.” Rise rarely takes an
object. The verb raise means “to move or lift (something) in an upward
direction.” Raise usually takes an object.

PRINCIPAL PARTS OF RISE AND RAISE

Present Present Participle Past Past Participle
rise (to get up) (is) rising rose (have) risen
raise (to lift up) (is) raising raised (have) raised

EXAMPLES I always rise before sunup.

Raise that corner just a little more.
Bad weather meant food prices rose again.
Have the grocers raised their prices yet?

EXERCISE 7 Proofreading Sentences for Correct Use of Sit and

Set and Rise and Raise
In the following sentences, draw a line through each incorrect form of sit, set, rise, and
raise. Write the correct verb form on the line before each sentence. If a sentence is
correct, write C.
EX. sat The hen set on her eggs.
_____________ 1. We didn’t want to set down on the damp ground.
_____________ 2. The vase of roses is sitting on Mei’s desk.

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_____________ 3. The Mayan farmers rised maize as their primary crop.
_____________ 4. Each generation rises its crops a little differently than the
previous one.
_____________ 5. Ask your brother where he sat the bucket of worms.
_____________ 6. Gas prices dropped for a few years and now are raising again.
_____________ 7. Some islands in the Pacific are volcanoes that raise up from the
ocean floor.
_____________ 8. The intricate woven basket set in a prominent place.
_____________ 9. People the world over have raised sheep for wool.
_____________ 10. How would we survive if the sun never raised again?
_____________ 11. I could tell that you looked in the trunk because the lid was
slightly risen.
_____________ 12. The jurors entered the room and set around the table.
_____________ 13. If you’re tired of standing, set on a folding chair.
_____________ 14. I have has sat your suitcase by the airport van.
_____________ 15. Getting a baby to set still for a photograph is no easy job.
_____________ 16. Set the piano down gently, please.
_____________ 17. Kate had risen her hand and was waving it wildly.
_____________ 18. Has the bread raised yet?
_____________ 19. We won’t leave the tent until the sun has risen.
_____________ 20. When Pang heard his name called, he set up straighter.
_____________ 21. When my grandfather enters a room, he rises his hand and nods.
_____________ 22. Steam was rising from the kettle on the stove.
_____________ 23. As the lava cools, the ground level actually raises.
_____________ 24. I could sit through this film again and again.
_____________ 25. If that chair sets in the rain any longer, it will be ruined.

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Module 8 10

MODULE 8: CORRECT USE OF VERBS
REVIEW EXERCISE

A. Using the Past and Past Participle Forms of Verbs

On the lines provided, complete the paragraph below by writing the correct past or past
participle form of the verb given in parentheses.
EX. Flax has been raised (raise) for many centuries to make clothes and rope.
[1] People have _____________ (make) linen, yarn, and rope from flax since at
least 8000 BCE. [2] The ancient Egyptians _____________ (wear) linen clothes and
wrapped mummies in linen. [3] Linen cloth _____________ (become) part of
domestic life around the Mediterranean long before the Christian era. [4] Some early
linen fabrics _____________ (is) extremely fine, with five hundred threads to the inch.
[5] In the ninth century, Charlemagne _____________ (set) up centers for linen
weaving in Flemish cities. [6] By the late Middle Ages, many Europeans
_____________ (weave) cloth made of wool and linen. [7] At that time, most
European monasteries _____________ (produce) flax for their own use. [8] By the
mid-eighteenth century, Ireland had _____________ (become) a center of linen
weaving. [9] The early colonists _____________ (take) flax with them to North
America. [10] A fabric made from linen and wool _____________ (is) the main
clothing material in the colonies.

B. Using the Past and Past Participle Forms Correctly

For each of the following sentences, decide whether the italicized verb is correct. If it is
not, write the correct verb form on the line before the sentence. If a sentence is correct,
write C.
EX. rose A small tree raised up from the rock.
_______________ 1. The price of gas had raised.
_______________ 2. Mr. Ito set on the board of trustees for the library.
_______________ 3. The principal has call for you twice.
_______________ 4. Bright and smooth, the new patchwork quilt lay on the bed.

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Module 8 11

_______________ 5. Surprisingly, silkworms have became incapable of surviving on
their own in nature.
_______________ 6. The concert was nearly wash out because of the storm.
_______________ 7. You sample the eggplant salad, didn’t you?
_______________ 8. Where have you lay that history book you were reading?
_______________ 9. Having a party together nearly ruin Shing’s and Yori’s
friendship.
_______________ 10. What happen during yesterday's physics class?

C. Proofreading a Paragraph for the Correct Use of Irregular Verbs

Most of the sentences in the paragraph below contain an error in the use of irregular
verbs. Draw a line through each error, and write the correct verb form above the error.
Write C above any sentences without errors.
forgotten
EX. In our family, my first camping trip will never be forgot.

[1] Lanie and I been seven when we decided to camp near the stream behind my

house. [2] We spended an hour setting up the tent about a hundred yards from the

house. [3] Lanie had bringed essential supplies of apples and popcorn. [4] My older

brother Ben telled us scary stories all evening. [5] Then we gone out with our

flashlights to the tent. [6] We made shadows on the tent walls until our batteries run

out of power. [7] After we stopped talking, the night sounds taken over. [8] An animal

nosing around the tent, probably smelling the popcorn, maked us panic. [9] Be it a

skunk or a rat? [10] We wished Lanie had thought fresh batteries were more important

than fresh popcorn.

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Module 8 12

MODULE 8: CORRECT USE OF VERBS
VERB TENSE

8g The tense of a verb indicates the time of the action or state of being expressed
by the verb.
(1) The present tense expresses an action (or a state of being) occurring now. The
present tense is also used to show a customary or habitual action (or state of
being); to convey a general truth, something that is always true; and to
summarize the plot or subject matter of a literary work (such use is called the
literary present).
EXAMPLES In the evenings, I run laps at the track. [customary action]
In “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” a child learns about respecting
others’ privacy and property. [literary present]
(2) The past tense expresses an action (or a state of being) that occurred in the past
but does not continue into the present.
EXAMPLE I ran an extra lap last night.
(3) The future tense expresses an action or a state of being that will occur but has
not yet occurred. The future tense is formed with will or shall and the base
form.
EXAMPLE Next week I will run in my first race.

NOTE A future tense verb may also be expressed by using the present tense of be
followed by either going to or about to and the present form of a verb.
EXAMPLES My best friends are going to visit Austin in September.
Dr. Steele is about to announce the winner.
(4) The present perfect tense expresses an action or a state of being that occurred at
some indefinite time in the past. The present perfect tense always includes the
helping verb have or has.
EXAMPLE I have not run in a race before.
(5) The past perfect tense expresses an action or a state of being that occurred in the
past and was completed before some other past occurrence. The past perfect
tense always includes the helping verb had.
EXAMPLE I had run for eight months before I decided to enter the race.

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Module 8 13

(6) The future perfect tense expresses an action (or a state of being) that will be
completed in the future before some other future occurrence. The future perfect
tense always includes the helping verbs will have or shall have.
EXAMPLE By the time I leave the track, I will have run twelve laps.
Each of the tenses also has a progressive form, which expresses a continuing action or
state of being. It consists of a form of the verb be plus the present participle of a verb.
The progressive is not a separate tense but an additional form of each of the six tenses.
EXAMPLE Are we running together? [present progressive]
Was Johanna gardening with you?

Form Examples
Present Progressive am, is, are running
Past Progressive was, were running
Future Progressive will (shall) be running
Present Perfect Progressive has been, have been running
Past Perfect Progressive had been running
Future Perfect Progressive will (shall) have been running

EXERCISE 8 Identifying Verb Tense

For each of the sentences below, identify the tense of the italicized verb. On the line before
each sentence, write PR for present, PA for past, F for future, PRP for present perfect, PAP
for past perfect, or FP for future perfect. Include PF for progressive form where appropriate.
EX. PA, PF George was trying to get tickets to the concert.
_______________ 1. Every month, Sean calculates the interest earned by his savings
account.
_______________ 2. I’m afraid that I will never see an alien spaceship.
_______________ 3. The refrigerator had been running nonstop for three days.
_______________ 4. Kuri brought home the new Webster’s New World Dictionary
and Roget’s Thesaurus.
_______________ 5. Kaloma is not carrying your groceries home again.
_______________ 6. I had seen the amazing running of the athlete at the Olympic Games.
_______________ 7. Will you have bought a car by this time next year?
_______________ 8. Archaeologists have found some Mayan temples by studying
Landsat photographs from space.
_______________ 9. Vladimir Nabokov saw colors in connection with letters of the
alphabet.
_______________ 10. The waves have been pounding this shore for a million years.

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Module 8 14

MODULE 8: CORRECT USE OF VERBS
SEQUENCE OF TENSES

8h When describing events that occur at the same time, use verbs in the same tense.
EXAMPLE The car zoomed by and dust flew into the air.

8i When describing events that occur at different times, use verbs in different
tenses to show the order of events.
EXAMPLE Kip plays the tuba, but years ago he played the trumpet. [Kip plays the
tuba now, so plays is in the present tense. He used to play the trumpet, so
played is in the past tense.]
8j Avoid the use of would have in “if clauses” that express the earlier of two past
actions. Use the past perfect tense.
INCORRECT If I would have studied more, I would have done better in history.
CORRECT If I had studied more, I would have done better in history.
Correct Structure: Use past perfect tense in the "if" clause to indicate the earlier action,
followed by the simple past tense or "would have" in the main clause if needed.
EXERCISE 9 Using Tenses Correctly
Draw a line through each incorrect verb form below. Write the correct form above it.
blew
EX. Hallie blows the dust off and read the inscription.
1. The clock fell and breaks into several pieces.
2. We stand in line 40 minutes or so before we could buy tickets.
3. I had eaten the entire fish before I see the bowls of vegetables.
4. If I sunk this shot, I will have made 19 out of 20.
5. If the team would have practiced more, it would have won the game.
6. Have the stores closed for the holiday, or were they open until five?
7. Lara had sung for 16 years before she gets her first career break.
8. If you would have closed the window, the rain would not have ruined the book.
9. Mario hummed softly while he is wrapping up the romano cheese.
10. Because Hans injures his knee, he no longer skates.

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Module 8 15

8k The present infinitive expresses an action or a state of being that follows
another action or state of being.
EXAMPLE Julianne wants to ride with me. [The action expressed by to ride follows the
action expressed by wants.]
8l The present perfect infinitive expresses an action or a state of being that comes
before another action or state of being.
EXAMPLE They hoped to have been here by now. [The state of being expressed by to
have been comes before the action expressed by hoped.]
8m The present participle expresses an action or a state of being that occurs at the
same time as another action or state of being.
EXAMPLE Smiling through the window, her mother waved to her. [The action
expressed by Smiling occurs at the same time as the action expressed by
waved.]
8n The present perfect participle expresses an action or a state of being that
precedes another action or state of being.
EXAMPLE Having finished his sculpture, he began to clean up. [The action expressed
by Having finished comes before the action expressed by began.]

EXERCISE 10 Revising Sentences for Correct Verb Tense

Draw a line through the incorrect verb forms in the sentences below, and write the correct
forms above them.
to have dropped
EX. The ball signaling the new year was supposed to drop by now.

1. Fighting back a smile, Lucas will give back the toddler’s toy.

2. The girls scattered to have hidden from Amanda.

3. Hitting the clock, the startled cats jumped off the mantlepiece.

4. Liz expected to hand in her resignation by now.

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Module 8 16

 5. Winning the National Book Critics Circle Award, Maxine Hong Kingston became

well known for her writings about the Asian American experience.

6. To have sung at the Met is what she wants most of all.

7. Deciding to take a drawing class, Rene registered at the Art Institute.

8. After a tough day like today, it is hard not to have asked, “Why me?”

9. Waiting for the bus yesterday, I nearly freeze.

10. The Luttrells had wanted to have been there by noon.

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Module 8 17

MODULE 8: CORRECT USE OF VERBS
ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE

Voice is the form a transitive verb takes to indicate whether the subject of the verb
performs or receives the action. Reminder: A transitive verb is an action verb that takes
an object.
8o A verb in the active voice expresses an action done by its subject. A verb in the
passive voice expresses an action done to its subject.
ACTIVE VOICE Trina and Luis washed the car. [The subject, Trina and Luis, performed
the action.]
PASSIVE VOICE The car was washed by Trina and Luis. [The subject, car, received the
action.]
A transitive verb in the active voice often has an indirect object as well as a direct object.
Either object can become the subject or can remain a complement in the passive
construction.
S V IO DO
ACTIVE VOICE Grandpa gave each of us a two-dollar bill.
PASSIVE VOICE Each of us was given a two-dollar bill (by Grandpa).
PASSIVE VOICE A two-dollar bill was given to each of us (by Grandpa).
In the preceding examples, the direct object two-dollar bill in the active construction
becomes the complement in the first passive construction, and the indirect object each
becomes the subject. In the second passive construction, two-dollar bill is the subject, and
each is the object of the preposition.
8p Avoid using the passive voice except in special circumstances.
(1) Use the passive voice when you do not know who or what performed the action.
EXAMPLES Did you know that this sweater was made by hand?
I heard that a new bookstore had been opened at the mall.
(2) Use the passive voice when you do not want to reveal who or what performed
the action.
EXAMPLES Many mistakes were made in today’s game.
The museum will be given one million dollars.
(3) Use the passive voice when you want to emphasize the receiver of the action.
EXAMPLES Were you absolutely soaked by the rain?
Some fabulous antiques were found in the attic.

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Module 8 18

EXERCISE 11 Classifying Voice in Sentences
Classify each verb in the sentences below as active or passive. Write A for active or P for
passive on the line before each sentence.
EX. A The team carried the coach down the field.
_______ 1. Several moths were attracted to the light.
_______ 2. Sometime during the night, the store windows had been broken.
_______ 3. My research report makes connections between art and politics.
_______ 4. At the induction ceremony, new members are given club badges by the
senior officers.
_______ 5. Who was handing out pamphlets at the transfer station?
_______ 6. The wet mail was delivered by an equally wet carrier.
_______ 7. You may donate canned goods for the food drive at the supermarket.
_______ 8. The snow will soon be shoveled from the driveway.
_______ 9. The relay team passed the baton smoothly after each lap.
_______ 10. Vivian was singled out for high praise.

EXERCISE 12 Revising Sentences in the Passive Voice

Rewrite the sentences below to change passive voice verbs to the active voice.
EX. My package is delivered by a man driving a 2018 van.
A man driving a 2018 van delivers my package.
1. Witch hazel was used by the Cherokees to make a medicinal tea.

2. My lawn mower was tuned up by Emma, who does odd jobs in the neighborhood.

3. The old cellar was filled in by a construction worker driving a bulldozer.

4. After being directed to the ticket office by the conductor, we found our gate.

5. Water may be saved by the use of low-flow faucets.

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MODULE 8: CORRECT USE OF VERBS
MOOD

Mood is the form a verb takes to indicate the attitude of the person using the verb. Verbs
may be in one of three moods: the indicative, the imperative, or the subjunctive.
8q The indicative mood expresses a fact, an opinion, or a question.
EXAMPLES We went to the circus Saturday.
I think the clowns were terrific.
Will you come with us next year?
8r The imperative mood expresses a direct command or request.
EXAMPLES Get off my toe!
Hand me that wrench.
8s The subjunctive mood expresses a suggestion, a necessity, a condition contrary
to fact, or a wish.
EXAMPLES It is requested that everyone arrive before 9:00 a.m.
If I were a sailor, I would sail about Chesapeake Bay.
(1) The present subjunctive expresses a suggestion or a necessity.
EXAMPLES Dad suggested we build a mount for the TV.
It is important that I visit Aunt Willoughby.
(2) The past subjunctive expresses a wish or a condition contrary to fact.
EXAMPLES I wish I were taller.
He bossed us as if he were king.

EXERCISE 13 Classifying the Mood of Verbs

Classify the mood for each of the italicized verbs in the following sentences. Write IND
for indicative, IMP for imperative, or S for subjunctive on the line before each sentence.
EX. IMP Look out for the ball!
_______ 1. If you were president, how would you change the budget?
_______ 2. The Dorset people used stone lamps to light the dark Arctic winters.
_______ 3. Please accept my apologies for not writing sooner.
_______ 4. Take two aspirin to ease the pain in your knee.

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_______ 5. This plane will take three hours to get to Miami.
_______ 6. Our boss insisted that we wear safety helmets.
_______ 7. Home to the Algonquian and Athapaskan peoples, the Subarctic has
always been sparsely populated.
_______ 8. First, thread the needle with fishing line.
_______ 9. Helia guessed that the hummingbirds migrate each spring and fall.
_______ 10. It is impossible that Marty visit his uncle in Rome.
_______ 11. At that instant, Rosa wished she were anyplace else.
_______ 12. If you do not have a hook and line, you can’t go fishing.
_______ 13. Bison provided many necessities to the Native Americans of the Plains.
_______ 14. Before dinner, take this key over to Shannon’s house.
_______ 15. Hoa suggested that I call my brother.
_______ 16. Is there a word for someone who has lost the sense of smell?
_______ 17. If I were the cook, I would add spice to the chili.
_______ 18. Quick, hand me the pliers!
_______ 19. Mr. Varga asks that all club members be present to vote.
_______ 20. Listen carefully; you might learn something.
_______ 21. Write your answers on the back of the page.
_______ 22. I should have asked if Yuan were the last one on board.
_______ 23. Contrary to common belief, snakes are not slimy.
_______ 24. Try on this old dress, and take a look in the mirror.
_______ 25. A whippoorwill is a bird that sounds as if it carries a megaphone.

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MODULE 8: CORRECT USE OF VERBS
MODULE REVIEW

A. Proofreading Sentences for Correct Verb Usage

Identify the errors in verb usage in each of the sentences below. Draw a line through each
incorrect verb form, and write the correct form of the verb above it. Write C above any
sentence without errors.
heard
EX. Aviva hear that she got the job.
1. The two tourists ride the elevator to the 70th floor and saw the city sparkling below.
2. Set down on that sofa, and I’ll bring you some of my mother’s curried eggs.

3. Ms. Chiago laid the unfinished frame on top of the canvas.

4. By the time we arrive, I have finished reading your letter.

5. Ari has worked on that coconut-shell carving since Monday.

6. Jobelle fixes cars at the crossroads, but last summer she works at a repair shop near
Route 60.

7. If Jacy would have received a scholarship, he would have gone to college.

8. Around here, the flag is risen at sunup each day.

9. The receptionist suggested that everyone keeps a schedule on the computer.

10. I wish it were a nice summer day instead of a rainy fall one.

11. We rise in the morning and start on our chores.

12. Since last Monday we have not losed a single game.

13. It looks as though your clothes has shrank in the dryer.

14. Lian has studied every night before last week’s test, and it showed.

15. Duncan is very polite, although he used to have been less courteous.

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B. Proofreading a Paragraph for Correct Verb Usage
Identify the errors in verb usage in the following paragraph. Draw a line through each
incorrect verb form, and write the correct form of the verb above it. Write C above any
sentence without errors.
were
EX. Have you ever imagined you are traveling through someone else’s body as a
microscopic being?
[1] Fantastic Voyage, a novel by Isaac Asimov, describe what traveling inside a

human might be like. [2] Having liked the book, I decided that I would imagine being

inside a jellyfish. [3] This decision may rise a few eyebrows among you readers. [4]

However, those of you who have float on an inner tube, pushed along by a mild

current, will understand the idea’s appeal. [5] Some jellyfish that drift in tropical seas

be so large that I wouldn’t have to shrink much to fit inside. [6] Also, some jellyfish

are colonies builded of several kinds of members. [7] I hope this spirit of cooperation

would allow the colony to temporarily accept a stranger like me. [8] I made up my

mind to have spent a quiet day in a tropical jellyfish when an idea striked me. [9]

Jellyfish caught smaller animals by stinging them with tentacles. [10] How could I get

through the tentacles without being stinged?

C. Writing Notes for a Presentation

You are one of the leaders for a Wilderness Club troop of boys and girls from eleven to
twelve years old. You have been asked to give a presentation on first aid at the next
meeting. To prepare for your presentation, write your notes so that you can study them.
First, choose an emergency that you could give instructions for, such as a burn, sprain,
cut, nosebleed, or bee sting. Research the first-aid steps in Red Cross manuals, health
books, other reference materials, or on the internet. Then, write the first-aid steps in
proper sequence, using complete sentences. Use the active voice, and be sure to use
correct verb forms in your sentences.

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 EX.

First Aid for a Sprained Ankle

The symptoms of a sprained ankle are pain, swelling, and bruising. Start
treating a sprained ankle by sponging it with cold water or by applying ice to it.
You should wrap the ice in a cloth before putting it on bare skin. After that, wrap
the ankle in an elastic bandage to give it support. The bandage manufacturers
enclose instructions and diagrams on how to apply these bandages properly. Now,
I’ll demonstrate how to bandage a sprain.

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