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Tenses of Verbs

A verb has three principal parts: the present, past, and past participle. All six of the tenses are formed from these principal parts.

• The past and past participle of regular verbs are formed by adding -ed

• Irregular verbs are formed with different spellings. (See page 541.)

540.1 Present Tense

A verb is in the present tense when it expresses action or existence that is happening now or that happens continually or regularly.

An ocean dead zone is oxygen deprived. No fish live there.