Verb

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How do we recognize verbs?

• typically actions, processes, states or events

– Inflection:

• Base form (infinitive)

• -s

• - ed1

• - ed2

• - ing

– Derivation: -ize, -ate, -en

– Verbs can be modified by:

– AdvPs She dances so gracefully.

– PPs I’m singing in the rain.

– Verbs can be complemented by:

– NPs I love my life.

– PPs We are in trouble.

– AdjPs The gin is cold, but the piano’s hot.

– VPs We want to have a break.

Verbal inflections:
• -s

• 3rd person singular present tense

He loves me so, this funny-honey of mine.

• - ed1

• Past tense So I took a shotgun off the wall...

• -ed2

• Perfective aspect It must have been love.


• Passive voice She was granted one more start.

• -ing

• Present participle I’m singing in the rain.

• Gerund I like singing in the rain.

Verb express:
• Tense:

– 2 tenses: Present Simple and Past Simple

– 16 tenses

Present Simple

I walk / She walks

Present Continuous

I am walking.

Present Perfect

I have walked.

Present Perfect Cont.

I have been walking.

Past Simple

I walked.

Past Continuous

I was walking.

Past Perfect

I had walked.

Past Perfect Cont.

I had been walking.

• Aspect: tells us how we see the event (e.g. in progress or completed)

– Simple
– Continuous

– Perfect

– Perfect Continuous

• Person / number

– The –s ending for the 3rd person singular, present tense

– Forms of the verb ‘to be’ – am, is, are

• Voice: the relationship between the action and its participants.

– Active

– Passive

• Mood (tryb):

– Indicative: factual statements

• Water boils at 100 °C.

– Conditional: hypothethical statements

• I’d rather be a sparrow than a snake.

– Subjunctive: formal wishes

• Long live the Queen!

• They demanded that he go at once.

Verb forms (and VPs) can be:


• Finite

He smokes heavily.

when he is working

We have finished.

– Have tenses

– Always have subjects

– Combined with NPs they can make full sentences


• Non-finite

To smoke like that must be dangerous

I found him working.

Having finished, we had some tea.

• Non-finite

– Are infinitives and participles

– Usually don’t have subjects

– They cannot make complete sentences.

Verbs can be divided into:


• ordinary / lexical verbs, walk, go, think

• auxiliary verbs

• Principal auxiliaries be, have, do

• Modal auxiliaries can could

may might

must had to

shall should

will would

ought to

• Semi-modals need, dare, used to

• Ordinary verb pattern

I like coffee

Do you like coffee?

I don’t like coffee.

To make questions and negations, ordinary/lexical


verbs need auxiliaries.
• Auxiliary verb pattern

I can swim.

Can you swim?

I can’t swim.

Auxiliary verbs move in questions and combine with the negative particle

• Semi-modals can take both patterns: Do you need to go?

• I don’t need to go.

• How do you dare to interrupt?

• Did you use to smoke?

• Need you go?

• I needn’t go.

• How dare you interrupt?

• Used you to smoke?

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