Verb forms

Two present-tense verb-endings from Middle English are still to be found in the Early Modern period: -est for the 2nd person singular following thou (as in thou goest); and -th or -eth for the 3rd person singular (as in she goeth). Both were reducing in frequency, and in due course the -est form would disappear (modern: you go), and the -(e)th form be entirely replaced by -s (modern: she goes).
In Shakespearian English, the verbs which most commonly take the ending are hath (has), doth (does), and saith (says). The factors governing the choice of this ending are not entirely understood. Context is important: -(e)th is used in many formal proclamations, and it is often found in stage directions;

but there are some curious mixtures (‘Enter Douglas; he fighteth with Falstaff, who falls down as if he were dead’, 1H4 V.iv.76). The demands of the metre are also important, -eth giving the poet the option of an extra syllable: a rhythmical contrast with the same verb can be seen at the beginning of Cleon’s speech, ‘Who wanteth food and will not say he wants it’ (Per I.iv.11). The most distinctive verbs, both in Shakespearian and in modern English, are be, have, do, and the set of auxiliary verbs known as the modals, such as can, may, would, and shall. The chief differences between then and now are shown below.

Item	Modern	Description	Example
art	are	2nd person singular, present tense	MND III.i.140 Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful
beest, be’st	be	2nd person singular, present tense [usually in a clause beginning with if]; also a dialect usage	H5 V.ii.201 If ever thou beest mine
be	are	3rd person plural, present tense	KL I.v.31 Be my horses ready?
been	are	3rd person plural, present tense [archaic]	Per Chorus.II.28 when men been
wast	were	2nd person singular, past tense	RJ II.iv.74 Thou wast never with me [Q wert]
wert	were	2nd person singular, past tense	2H4 III.ii.162 I would thou wert a man’s tailor

have

Item	Modern	Description	Example
ha’	have	>> ELISION
hast	have	2nd person singular, present tense	Tem I.i.19 remember whom thou hast aboard
hath	has	3rd person singular, present tense	MW III.iv.100 A kind heart he hath
hadst	had	2nd person singular, past tense	AW V.iii.281 where thou hadst this ring

Item	Modern	Description	Example
dost	do	2nd person singular, present tense	TN III.iv.31 Why dost thou smile so
doth	does	3rd person singular, present tense	1H4 III.iii.92 How doth thy husband?
didst	did	2nd person singular, past tense	TS induction.1.87 thou didst it excellent
didest	did	2nd person singular, past tense [rare]	Ham IV.vii.56 Thus didest thou

Modals

Item	Modern	Description	Example
canst	can	2nd person singular	R3 III.v.1 canst thou quake
’ce	shall	dialect use	KL IV.vi.240 I’ce try
’chill	will	dialect use	KL IV.vi.235 ’Chill not let go
’choud	should	dialect use	KL IV.vi.238 And ’choud ha’ bin zwaggered
mayst	may	2nd person singular	R3 I.iii.203 Long mayst thou live
mought	might	[in the sense of ‘could’]	3H6 V.ii.45 That mought not be distinguished
’s	shall	dialect or colloquial	RJ I.iii.10 thou’s hear our counsel
shalt	shall	2nd person singular	3H6 I.ii.36 thou shalt to London
shouldst	should	2nd person singular	Oth III.iii.378 thou shouldst be honest
’st	will	dialect	Cor I.i.124 you’st hear the belly’s answer
wilt	will	2nd person singular	TG I.i.11 Wilt thou be gone?
wolt	will	[=wilt] dialect	Per IV.i.62 wolt out?
woo	would	2nd person singular	Ham V.i.271 Woo’t weep?
wot	will	[=wilt] dialect	2H4 II.i.54 Thou wot, wot thou
wouldst	would	2nd person singular	MV II.ii.111 Wouldst thou aught with me?