Strong and Weak verbs in oe contents

NOTE: Most tenses use verb take the conjugation in the auxiliary verb form.

What Are Phrasal Verbs?

Phrasal verbs are verbs that are made up of short phrases, usually two or three words. The phrasal verb consists of the principal verb and one or two particles (usually prepositions). Phrasal verbs are very common in spoken English but are used in written English as well. Here are some phrasal verbs you may know:

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  pick up - I picked him up at the airport.
  
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  get away - The thief got away with the robbery.
  
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  look after - I looked after my sister's cat for the weekend.
  

You might want more on information on phrasal verbs.

Different Verb Functions

Verbs take on different functions. Generally, we think of verbs as 'main verbs'. These are verbs such as 'play, eat, drive, etc.'. However, verbs can also serve as helping (auxiliary) verbs or modal verbs. 
Helping verbs include: do/does, did, am/is/are, was/were, have/has, had.

• 
  How often does she go to New York?
  
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  I didn't understand the question yesterday.
  
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  They have lived in Chicago for five years.
  
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  I had already eaten when he arrived. 
  

Modal Verbs include: should, can, must, might.

• 
  I can't believe your story!
  
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  She must have gone to class.
  
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  What should I do?
  
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  He might be late to work today.
  

Verb Conjugation

Verbs are used in tenses. Tenses are conjugated. Here are the principal tenses in English with an example sentence for each:

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  Present Simple - I work at a bank.
  
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  Present Continuous (progressive) - Mary is watching TV now.
  
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  Present Perfect - She has lived in New York since 2002.
  
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  Present Perfect Continuous - We've been playing tennis since three o'clock.
  
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  Future With Will - I will make you a sandwich.
  
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  Future With Going to - Mary is going to fly to Chicago next week.
  
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  Future Continuous - They will be studying later today.
  
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  Future Perfect - She will have finished the report by six o'clock.
  
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  Past Simple - I bought a new car last month.
  
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  Past Perfect - They had finished lunch by the time he came.
  
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  Past Perfect Continuous - They had been working for two hours when he came in the door.