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What is Conjugation? – Definition & Examples

A conjugation is an arrangement of the changing of verb forms in accordance with a person, tense, number, gender, or aspect. It means that verbs do change its form to express a grammatically correct idea.

Let us check out how verb form changes to show a different gender, person, number, tense, or aspect.

Person

There are different persons in English, such as,

1. First person:

  • Singular > I
  • Plural > We

2. Second person:

  • Singular > You
  • Plural > You

3. Third person:

  • Singular > He, She, It
  • Plural > They

Let us see how the verb ‘to be’ conjugate for each of the above person.

1. First person:

  • Singular > I am
  • Plural > We are

2. Second person:

  • Singular > You are
  • Plural > You are

3. Third person:

  • Singular > He is, She is, It is
  • Plural > They are

Conjugation For Tense + Aspect

Conjugation for ‘tenses’ are very obvious in sentences; they help in expressing the time or duration of a particular action. For instance, whether the action took place in the present, past, or future tense. However, the ‘aspect‘ tells the degree at which the action is completed (i.e. continuous, perfect, or progressive.)

Check out the conjugation in the examples below:

Verb used: ‘to like’

1. Simple Present > He, She, It (likes) + I, We, You, They (like)

  • Present Continuous > I (am liking) + He, She, It (is liking) + We, You, They (are liking)
  • Present Perfect > I, We, You, They (have liked) + He, She, It (has liked)
  • and Present Perfect Continuous > I, We, You, They (have been liking) + He, She, It (has been liking)

2. Simple Past > He, She, It, I, We, You, They (liked)

  • Past Continuous > He, She, It (was liking) + I, We, You, They (were liking)
  • Past Perfect > He, She, It, I, We, You, They (had liked)
  • and Past Perfect Continuous > He, She, It, I, We, You, They (had been liked)

3. Simple Future > I, We, You, They, He, She, It (will like)

  • Future Continuous > I, We, You, They, He, She, It (will be liking)
  • Future Perfect > I, We, You, They, He, She, It (will have liked)
  • and Future Perfect Continuous > I, We, You, They, He, She, It (will have been liking)

Number

For ‘number’, the verb is conjugated according to the number of the subject i.e. whether the subject is singular or plural. For example, ‘he, she, it’ are singular subjects. So, conjugated verbs need an –s at the end to express the singular subject, like;

  • He writes.
  • She writes.
  • It writes.

In the same way, plural subjects ‘you, they, we’ do not need an –s.

  • You write
  • They write
  • We write

Gender

There is no such influence of conjugation on gender.

  • She writes.
  • He writes.

Irregular Verbs

Not all verbs follow regular conjugation rules, especially in past tense and past participle forms. Irregular verbs change unpredictably.

Regular: walk, walked, walked

Irregular: go, went, gone

Regular: play, played, played

Irregular: eat, ate, eaten

Common irregular verbs include drink (drank, drunk) and take (took, taken). These verbs don’t follow the usual “-ed” ending for past tense, so they must be memorized.

Conjugation in Negative Sentences and Questions

In negative sentences and questions, auxiliary verbs like do, does, and did are used to form the correct structure.

Negative: She does not like coffee.

Question: Does she like coffee?

Negative: They did not finish their work.

Question: Did they finish their work?

The main verb stays in its base form after do/does/did in questions and negatives. The auxiliary verb changes depending on the tense and subject.

Common Mistakes in Verb Conjugation

Errors in verb conjugation often involve mixing singular/plural forms or incorrect tense usage.

Mistake: He like football.

Correction: He likes football.

Mistake: I have saw that movie.

Correction: I have seen that movie.

To avoid these errors, ensure subject-verb agreement (e.g., singular subjects need verbs ending in -s) and use the correct past participle for perfect tenses.

What Did You Learn?

Conjugation is such a changing process in which a verb form changes according to the person, number, tense, or aspect. Conjugation should be properly understood to make writing grammatically correct and error-free.

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What is a Consonant? – Definition & Examples

A consonant is such a speech sound or a letter that is not a vowel. It means that in English alphabets, other than vowels, all the other letters are consonants.

Check out the below lists of vowels and consonants.

  • Vowels: A, E, I, O, U.
  • Consonants: B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z.

Note: Sometimes, Y does not act as a consonant.

About Syllables

A syllable is known as a unit of pronunciation which is formed with the combination of vowels and consonants. See the examples below,

1. Remove

In the above word, there are two syllables. ‘Re’ (in which ‘r’ is a consonant and ‘e’ is a vowel) and ‘move’ (in which ‘m’ and ‘v’ are consonants whereas, ‘o’ and ‘e’ are vowels.)

2. Please

In the above word, there is only one syllable having three consonants (‘p’, ‘l’, and‘s’) and two vowels (‘e’ and ‘a’).

Check Out: What Is a Conjunction?

Consonant as an Adjective

Consonant is also used as an adjective within a sentence which is synonymous with agreeable, in agreement, or consistent. See the example sentence below,

  • Nothing is more consonant with Nature than that she puts into operation in the smallest detail that which she intends as a whole. (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)

Types of Consonants

Consonants can be categorized into several types based on their articulation and characteristics. Two important distinctions are between voiced and voiceless consonants, as well as hard and soft consonants.Voiced vs. Voiceless Consonants:

Voiced consonants occur when the vocal cords vibrate during the articulation of the sound.

  • The sound /b/ in “bat” is voiced; you can feel the vibration in your throat when pronouncing it.

Voiceless consonants are produced without vocal cord vibration.

  • The sound /p/ in “pat” is voiceless; there’s no vibration when you say it.

Hard vs. Soft Consonants

Hard consonants are those that create a stronger, more abrupt sound.

  • The sound /k/ in “cat” is a hard consonant, producing a sharp, clear sound.

Soft consonants have a gentler, more fluid sound.

  • The sound /s/ in “see” is a soft consonant, characterized by its smoother articulation.

What Did You Learn?

As a grammatical term, consonants are speech sounds. Other than vowels, rests of the letters are all consonants, for instance, b, d, p, q, z, etc. Vowels and consonants, when paired together, make up syllables.

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How Do We Write Academic Titles in AP Style?

Some of the academic titles examples are,

• Professor
• Chancellor
• Chairman
• President
• Dean, etc.

According to AP Style, you cannot capitalize any academic titles within sentences. Titles should be in lowercase. For example,

1. She has a master’s degree in Computer Science; she should apply as a professor at his own university.

2. The chairman is not allowed to ask questions about our personal life.

Capitalize Academic Titles

You have to remember just one rule through which you can capitalize the academic titles.

You can capitalize an academic title when used before names.

For example,

1. Professor Smith asked us to submit all the assignments before deadline.

2. If you want an appointment with Dean Smith, then I will fix a suitable time for you.

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How Do We Use Abbreviations and Acronyms in AP Style?

If you are confused in using abbreviations and acronyms, then continue reading the whole post to clear up your mind.

According to AP Style, you cannot use abbreviations everywhere. There are some specific or common areas to use abbreviations and acronyms. AP Style says that an abbreviation or an acronym should be common or well-known enough to be used within sentences. Otherwise, there is no need to use such abbreviations that are not recognized publicly.

For example,

• NATO > This particular abbreviation is universally recognized abbreviation. It means that it is well-known or prominent enough to be used without spelled out first.

However, there are other abbreviations that are well-known but it is necessary to use those abbreviations on second reference. It means that you have to spell out the whole word first, then you can use an abbreviation for that word.

For example,

• FWA> It is necessary to spell out the whole word, first, as Financial Women’s Association that is the full version of FWA. After that, you can use an abbreviation for Financial Women’s Association as FWA on second reference.

Got it?

So, you have to be careful in using abbreviations or acronyms. If you come across an abbreviation or acronym, search it to find out that is it a common abbreviation/acronym or not? If yes, then, should it be used on first reference or on second reference?

Check Out: How Do We Write Academic Titles in AP Style?

Some common abbreviations that you can use without any hesitation

• Mr., Mrs., Ms., Col., Gen., Maj., Rep., etc.
The above abbreviations come before a name like, Mrs. Smith, Dr. John etc.

• Ph.D., Jr., Ltd., Inc., Co., etc.
The above abbreviations come after a name like, Transport Co., Henry Clinton, Ph.D.

• You can use A.D., B.C., a.m., p.m., No. and also months (Jan., Feb., Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., and Dec.) with figures. You cannot use the given abbreviated months alone or when only the year is mentioned. For example, 9:00 a.m., in 300 A.D., on Sept. 12, 2017, at Street No. 9 etc.

• You can use Ave., St., and Blvd. for numbered addresses. For example, St. No. 7, at 20 Jinnah Ave., etc.

What Did You Learn?

Hence, it is clear that the abbreviations or acronyms that are not common or well-known enough to be recognized quickly should be avoided to be used within sentences.

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How Do We Use ‘A’ and ‘An’ in AP Style?

Using “a” and “an” correctly is essential for clear and effective communication in writing. Although it may seem straightforward, the rules for these articles can be nuanced, particularly when it comes to pronunciation.

A An In AP Style

According to AP style, the use is not so difficult to understand. There is one standard rule that you have to follow.

> You have to use ‘a’ before consonant sounds that are non-vowel sounds. For example,

• A traditional look.

• A one-year old boy.

Note: Though ‘o’ in ‘one’ is vowel, but it sounds like –w in ‘one’. That is why, ‘o’ is taken as a consonant sound.

> You have to use ‘an’ before vowel sounds. The letters a, e, i, o, u represent vowel sounds. For example,

• An optical disc.

• Half an hour later.

Note: ‘H’ in ‘hour’ and ‘N’ in ‘NGO‘ sounds completely like vowels (i.e. ‘h’ sounds like –a and ‘N’ sounds like –e).

‘A’ = Before Consonant Sounds

‘An’ = Before Vowel Sounds

Check Out: How Do We Use Abbreviations and Acronyms in AP Style?

Common Exceptions to the Rules

While the rules for using “a” and “an” are generally straightforward, several exceptions can cause confusion. Here are a couple of key examples.

Words Beginning with a Silent ‘H’: Use “an” before words that start with a silent ‘H’:

  • An hour
  • An honor

Acronyms Starting with Vowel Sounds: Use “an” before acronyms that begin with a vowel sound:

  • An MBA (the ‘M’ is pronounced ’em’)
  • An NGO (the ‘N’ is pronounced ‘en’)

Special Cases with Abbreviations

When dealing with abbreviations and acronyms, the rules for using “a” and “an” depend on their pronunciation rather than their spelling.

Acronyms Starting with Consonant Sounds: Use “a” before acronyms that begin with a consonant sound:

  • A UFO (the ‘U’ is pronounced ‘yoo’)

Acronyms Starting with Vowel Sounds: Use “an” before acronyms that start with a vowel sound:

  • An MRI (the ‘M’ is pronounced ’em’)

What Did You Learn?

The correct use of “a” and “an” hinges on consonant and vowel sounds rather than just the letters themselves. Remember to use “a” before consonant sounds and “an” before vowel sounds, including cases where the initial letter may be a consonant but produces vowel sound.

Mastering these rules will enhance the clarity and professionalism of your writing, ensuring effective communication in various contexts. By paying attention to pronunciation, you can avoid common pitfalls and strengthen your overall writing skills.