forget

To forget is to fail to remember something. The mind is unable to retrieve information, or a person is not mindful of a responsibility. This is a very common, irregular verb. If students make a mistake with this, it’s because they forget how the main verb changes as it is conjugated.

• I forgot my cell phone at home today. (past tense)
• Did you forget anything today? (past tense)
• Donna always forgets her password. (present tense)
• If you forget your password, a new one can be sent to your email. (present tense)
• Don’t forget to bring an umbrella today. It might rain. (command or imperative form)
• Jose thinks the teacher has forgotten his name. (present perfect tense)
• Before they left for the airport, Tina asked her husband if he had forgotten anything. (past perfect tense)
• Henrietta keeps forgetting to take her medication. (gerund)
• The teacher told the students not to forget that there would be a test at the end of the week. (infinitive)

Once on stage, he forgot what he wanted to say.

The word "forgetful" is an adjective. A person who is forgetful, easily forgets things.

• Robert is a very forgetful person. He even forgets his own birthday.
• If you are a forgetful person, it’s a good idea to use reminders on your cell phone. (A reminder helps a person remember something.)
• George ultimately lost his job due to his forgetfulness. (The word "forgetfulness" is a noun.)

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December 7, 2015