The third form of the verb 'become' is become.
While 'becomes' is the third-person singular present simple form of the verb, the "third form" typically refers to the past participle (V3) of the base verb, which in this case is 'become'. Understanding verb forms is crucial for constructing various tenses and sentence structures in English.
Understanding Verb Forms: Base, Past Simple, and Past Participle
Verbs in English have different forms depending on their tense and usage. For irregular verbs like 'become', these forms do not follow a standard pattern (like adding '-ed' for past tense). Instead, they change in unique ways.
Here's how the forms of 'become' are categorized:
| Base Form (V1) | Past Simple (V2) | Past Participle (V3) |
|---|---|---|
| become | became | become |
As you can see from the table, the base form (V1) and the past participle (V3) of 'become' are identical.
Usage of the Third Form (Past Participle)
The past participle (V3) form of a verb is used in several important grammatical constructions:
- Perfect Tenses: To form the present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect tenses.
- Present Perfect: "I have become a much better speaker."
- Past Perfect: "She had become very tired before the race ended."
- Future Perfect: "By next year, they will have become experts in their field."
- Passive Voice: To construct passive sentences.
- "The decision was become a point of contention for everyone." (Note: This is an unusual usage for 'become' in passive voice, as it's more common with transitive verbs. 'Become' is generally intransitive, meaning it doesn't take a direct object. However, if used, it would still require the V3 form). More common examples of V3 in passive voice would be: "The car was driven by a professional."
- As an Adjective: The past participle can sometimes function as an adjective.
- "A newly become father." (Less common for 'become', but possible for other verbs like 'broken' in 'a broken vase').
For a comprehensive list of irregular verbs and their forms, you can refer to resources like the Ginger Software Irregular Verbs List.
