Irregular Verb Conjugation: Do

Principal Parts of the Verb

English verbs are often described using three principal parts, essential for forming different tenses and verb forms. Understanding these parts allows for correct usage in various grammatical contexts.

Base Form (Infinitive)

The base form is the dictionary form of the verb, often preceded by "to." For do, this is "do." It is used for the present simple tense (except for the third-person singular) and to form the infinitive.

Simple Past Form

The simple past, also known as the past simple, indicates an action completed in the past. The form of do in the simple past is did. It describes events that happened and finished at a specific time in the past.

Past Participle Form

The past participle is used with auxiliary verbs (such as have, has, had, is, are, was, were, been) to form perfect tenses (present perfect, past perfect, future perfect) and the passive voice. For do, this form is done.

Examples in Context

• Present Perfect: I have done my homework.
• Past Perfect: She had done her chores before leaving.
• Passive Voice: The report was done by a team of experts.

Irregularity

The verb do is classified as an irregular verb because its simple past and past participle forms (did and done, respectively) do not follow the regular English verb conjugation pattern (adding -ed to the base form).