The Verb PhraseGrammar II – 2015Jorgelina MecchiaUNVM

The Verb Phrase

The garden is huge.

Mark might have been waiting outside for you.

The Structure of the Verb Phrase Main Verb

Forms of the main verb Tense Person Number Aspect Future time

Auxiliary verbs Primary verbs Modal Auxiliaries The sequence of auxiliaries

Main VerbForms of the main verb

Base form: laugh, mention, give, speak, be

Present form: laughs, mentions, gives, speaks, is-are-am

Past form: laughed, mentioned, gave, spoke, was-were

-ed participle: laughed, mentioned, given, spoken, been

-ing participle: laughing, mentioning, giving, speaking, being

Main Verb

Tense:

Present

Past

Person:

First person

Second person

Third person

Number:

Singular

Plural

EXAMPLES:

- I am a dancer.

Tense: present

Person: first

Number: singular

- They played football yesterday.

Tense: past

Person: third

Number: plural

Main Verb Forms Tense Person Number Aspect Future time

Main Verb

Aspect:

Perfective (auxiliary have + -ed participle)

I have closed the shop for the day.

The shop has closed for the day.

The police had closed the shops months ago.

Progressive (auxiliary be+ -ing participle)

You are neglecting your work.

I am resting just now.

The children were fighting all morning.

I was waiting for you in the lobby.

The Structure of the Verb Phrase Main Verb

Forms of the main verb Tense Person Number Aspect Future time

Auxiliary verbs Primary verbs Modal Auxiliaries The sequence of auxiliaries

Auxiliary Verbs

Primary Verbs: be – do – haveI am listening to music.Do you always put the cat out at night? I have never travelled to China.

Modal Auxiliaries

The sequence of Auxiliaries

Modal auxiliary (You should be careful.)

Perfect auxiliary (You should have been more careful.)

Progressive auxiliary (You should have been cutting the carrots.)

Passive auxiliary (The room should have been cleaned yesterday.)

TENSES: REVIEW

PAST – PRESENT – FUTURE FORMS

Present perfect and past simple

Present perfect and past simple

Past Perfect Simple

Future Forms

Future Forms (2)

Future Forms (3)Form Meaning/ Use Example

Future continuous Actions in progress at a particular time in the future

Future Perfect Activities that will be completed before a particular time in the future