MODULE 2: Verb Phrases

I. The structure of the verb phrase

VERB PHRASE

Auxiliary 1 Auxiliary 2 Auxiliary 3 Auxiliary 4 Main verbs

II. MAIN VERBS
 Main verbs

Base -s form -ing -ed participle

-ed form
form participle
call calls calling called called
speak speaks speaking spoke spoken
 Pronunciation
I/ MAIN VERBS
rules
• -s form:
Voiceless visits /ˈvɪzɪts/
/s/ speaks /spiːks/
No
Ending sound Sibilant
/z/ calls /kɔːlz/
Voiced comes /kʌmz/
Rule of assimilation Yes
• No consecutive identical sounds
• Voiceless + Voiceless passes /ˈpɑːsɪz/
• Voiced + Voiced /ɪz/ pushes /ˈpʊʃɪz/

Exceptions: + say /seɪ/ - says /sɛz/

+ Derivatives of do: undo /ʌnduː/ - undoes /ʌndʌz/
 Pronunciation
I. MAIN VERBS
rules
• -ed form:
Voiceless passed /pɑːst/
/t/ coughed /kɒft/
No
Ending sound /t/ or /d/
called /kɔːld/
/d/
Voiced buzzed /bʌzd/
Rule of assimilation Yes
• No consecutive identical sounds
• Voiceless + Voiceless loaded /ˈləʊdɪd/
• Voiced + Voiced /ɪd/ visited /ˈvɪzɪtɪd/
I. MAIN VERBS Spelling rules 1.
Add/Delete final -e
-s form Add –e
+ After final letters representing sibilant consonants
(e.g. pass – passes)
+ After final -o (e.g. go – goes)

-ed form Delete final mute -e

-ing form (e.g. bake – baking – baked)
Exceptions: Monosyllabic verbs ending with -ye, -oe, -nge /nʤ/
do not lose -e before –ing
(e.g. dye – dyeing – dyed, tinge – tingeing – tinged)

-ed form Delete the final -e: Verbs ending in -ie or -ee
(e.g. tie – tied, agree - agreed)
I. MAIN VERBS Spelling rules 2.
Substitute -y  -i-

-s -y  -ie-
form (e.g. carry – carries, try – tries)

-ed -y  -i-
form (e.g. carry – carried, try – tried)

-ing -ie  -y-

form (e.g. tie – tying, die – dying)
I/ MAIN VERBS Spelling rules 3.
Double final consonant letter

-ed form • Double a final consonant letter following a vowel letter

-ing form 1 consonant sound 1 stressed vowel sound
(e.g. bar – barring – barred, ocˈcur - ocˈcurring - ocˈcurred)

Exceptions:
- The letter -x /ks/ is never doubled
(e.g. fix – fixing – fixed)
- Final silent consonants are not doubled
(e.g. crochet /ˈkrəʊ.ʃeɪ/ - crocheting – crocheted)
I. MAIN VERBS Spelling rules 3.
Double final consonant letter

-ed form • Double final -l, -m(me), -s, -p (more common in BrE)
-ing form travel traveling / travelling traveled / travelled
program programing / programming programed / programmed
focus focusing / focusing focused / focused
worship worshiping / worshipping worshiped / worshipped

• Double final -c as -ck-

(e.g. panic - 'panicking - 'panicked, 'traffic - 'trafficking -trafficked)
Exception: arc – arcking /arcing – arcked / arced
 Note
I. MAIN VERBS
s
1. The -ing form of lightning (v) is:
• A sole exception of the -ing
A. lightninging B. lightning spelling rule

2. The -s form of stomach (v) is: • -ch in stomach /ˈstʌmək/ does

not represent a sibilant sound
A. stomaches B. stomachs  no -e is added

3. The -ing form of row (v) is: • w is part of the spelling -ow
of the diphthong /aʊ/
A. rowing B. rowwing  not doubled as a final
consonant letter
 Irregular
I. MAIN VERBS
verbs
• Irregular verbs: V-ed1 & V-ed2 cannot be predicted by general rules.
Example
Use of V-ed Vowel
Class suffix identity identity
(-ed/-t/ (V-ed1 = V-ed2) (keep the
-en/-n) base vowel) V V-ed1 V-ed2

1 + + + burn burned/burnt burned/burnt

2 + ± + saw sawed sawed/sawn
3 + + – bring brought brought
4 + – – break broke broken
5 – + + cut cut cut
6 – + – strike struck struck
7 – – – swim swam swum
II. TENSE, PERSON AND
NUMBER
Base form (I, we, you, they)
Present
-s form (he, she, it)
TENSE FORMS
Past -ed

Except: - Be (has three form for the present tense: am/ is/ are
- Be (has two form for the past: was/ were
II. TENSE, PERSON AND NUMBER

First person

PERSON Second person

Third person
II. TENSE, PERSON AND NUMBER
Singular
NUMBERS
Plural
- For all verbs there are two forms for the present: the -s form and the base form. The -s form is
used for the third person singular, that is with he, she, it, and singular noun phrases as subject:
Eg: He plays football every day.
The road seems narrower.
- The base form is used for all other subjects: I, you, we, they, and plural noun phrases as subject:
Eg: I play football every day.
The roads seem narrower
- Be has three forms for the present tense:
am – first person singular
is – third person singular
are – others
- For all verbs there is only one past form:
Eg: He (or They) played football yesterday.
The road (or roads) seemed narrower
- Be has two forms for the past:
was – first and third person singular
were – others
 III.
ASPECT
Aspect is a grammatical category referring to the way that the time of a
situation is viewed by the speaker or writer; the aspect is indicated by a
- two present tense forms
combination of auxiliary and verb form.
(has, have)
Auxiliary Eg: I have closed the shop
for the day.
the perfect aspect The shop has closed for the
-ed participle day.
- one past form (had)
VERBS Eg: The police had closed
the shop months ago
the progressive
aspect
III.
ASPECT
Aspect is a grammatical category referring to the way that the time of a
situation is viewed by the speaker or writer; the aspect is indicated by a
combination of auxiliary and verb form. Auxiliary

the perfect aspect

-ed participle

VERBS auxiliary be
Eg:
the progressive - You are neglecting your
aspect work.
-ing participle
- I am resting just now.
- The children were fighting
all morning.
- We were waiting for you in
the lobby.
IV. VOICE
VERBS
auxiliary be

active passive
- ed participle
Note!
Some -ed participle forms may be used as adjectives
Eg:
She was annoyed with them.
I am worried about Edward.
My teachers are pleased with my progress

the -ed forms are adjectives, not passive participles

V. Expressing future time
- There are various ways of expressing future time.

★ the simple present

★ the present progressive
★ the modal verb will (or shall) with the base form of a verb
★ the modal verb will (or shall) with the progressive
★ a form of be with the infinitive
★ a semi-auxiliary such as to be going to or to be about to
 Will/ Shall + infinitive
NOTE

★ With a 2nd or 3rd person subject, will can also express an

abrupt and quasi-military command:
You will do as I say.
Other will report for duty at 600 hours.
 Be going to + infinitive
NOTE

• Be going to does occur with conditional sentences like the following:

If you’re expecting a first-class hotel, you’re going to be disappointed.

• The time of orientation for be going to is the present, it is used in conditional

sentences only when the causal link between the meanings of the 2 clauses
exists at the present time.
• In the more usual case, this link is placed in the future, so will is used instead.
 Present progressive
NOTE

 It is easy to confuse this future use of the present progressive with

the anticipatory of the present progressive with transitional events
or acts. In principle, however, the distinction is clear between a
future event which is planned and imminent, and a future event for
which preparations are already taking place.

I’m leaving => be understood in either of these ways.

The old man was dying => be understood in anticipatory sense.
 Simple present
NOTE

★ Although the simple present is the normal type of future

construction to use in conditional clauses, the future use of will and
be going to in such clauses is by no means impossible:
 Simple present
NOTE

★ Corresponding to the future use of the simple present in

adverbial clauses is the following use of the present
perfective referring to the past in the future.
 Will/ Shall + progressive infinitive

NOTE

★ Verbs that do not normally take the progressive can do so

after future will/shall in this ‘matter- of-course’ sense:

He'll be owning his own house next.

 Be to + infinitive
NOTE
★ Be to + infinitive in referring to the future also conveys the
connotations of ‘requirement’ and ‘destiny’ in examples
such as:

You are to be back by 10 o’clock. [*... required to be...’]

If he’s to succeed in his new profession, he must try harder.

The prisoner is to be handed over

 Future time in the past
 MODAL VERB CONSTRUCTION with would (rare; literary narrative style)
The time was not far off when he would regret this decision.
 BE GOING TO + INFINITIVE (often with the sense of ‘unfulfilled intention’)
You were going to give me your address. […but you didn’t…]
 PAST PROGRESSIVE (arrangement predetermined in the past)
I was meeting him in Paris the next day.
 BE TO + INFINITIVE (formal)
The meeting was to be held the following week. [arrangement]
 BE ABOUT TO + INFINITIVE (with the sense of ‘unfulfilled intention’)
He was about to hit me.
 Future time in the past
NOTE
These future-in-the-past interpretations, whether or not they imply
fulfilment, should be distinguished from those of the same constructions
used in indirect speech or free indirect speech:
I was convinced that no one would interfere.
Surely no one would object, she thought.
He told us he was going to resign.
➔ In these cases, would and was going to report what was said or
thought to be the case, according to some explicit or implicit ‘speaker’
or ‘thinker’.
VI. The sequence of
auxiliaries
VERB PHRASE

Auxiliary 1 Auxiliary 2 Auxiliary 3 Auxiliary 4 Main verbs

modal
auxiliary, perfect progressiv passive
such as can, auxiliary e auxiliary auxiliary
may, will have be be
followed by followed by - followed by - followed by -
base form: ed participle: ing participle: ed participle:
have phoned was phoning was phoned
may phone
 Gaps in the sequence are of course normal:

[1] + [3]: will be phoning (modal + progressive)

[2] + [4]: has been phoned (perfect + passive)
[2] + [3]: has been phoning (perfect + progressive)
[1] + [4]: can be phoned (modal + passive)

The sequence does not take account of the dummy operator do

The auxiliary verb do used with a main verb when
(cf. 3.4), which is introduced when there would otherwise not be forming interrogative or negative sentences, or for
adding emphasis. Also called the DUMMY
an auxiliary in the verb phrase.
OPERATOR.
Eg: Eg:
It is followed by the base form: I do not like cheese
I did phone. Don't cross the road
Did you phone? Do you want some coffee?
I did not phone. Do leave me alone!
Martha phoned, and I did too.
 phrasal auxiliaries

auxiliaries main verbs.

Eg:
1. Sandra is going to apply for the job.
2. I had better eat now.
3. My parents are about to leave.
4. We have got to speak to her.
5. Jennifer is supposed to phone us today.

Only the first word in a phrasal auxiliary is a true auxiliary, since only that word
functions as an operator ( is/ had/ are/ have)
Eg:
1. We play football every day.
finite V
2. We played in a football match last week.
finite V
3. She plays hockey
finite V
4. We will play football later today.
finite verb non-finite
5. We have played football every day this week.
finite verb non-finite

All the verb phrases in [1]–[5] are finite verb phrases because they
begin with a finite verb.
The following are the non-finite verb forms:
1. the infinitive, often introduced by to: (to) phone
2. the -ing participle: phoning
3. the -ed participle: phoned
Eg:
1. He was afraid to predict the next day’s weather.
non-finite verb
2. Having stayed in their house, I can remember how frequently they quarreled.
non-finite verb
3. The new system, described in a recent report, provides criteria for evaluating
scientific priorities. non-finite verb
✔ Indicates tense, aspect, mood
✔ Is the first/only word in a finite verb phrase

Finite verb Finite verb phrase Finite clause

(+ nonfinite
call verbs) call I call her.
am am calling I am calling her.

✔ Does not indicate tense, aspect, mood

✔ Is the first/only word in a nonfinite verb phrase

Nonfinite verb Nonfinite verb phrase Nonfinite clause

(+ other
calling nonfinite verbs) calling Calling her, I was anxious.
called called She was tired when called.

Verbless clause
Tired, she hung up quickly.
VIl. MOOD
Mood refers to distinctions in the form of the verb that express the
attitude of the speaker to what is said. Finite verb phrases have three
moods:
indicative

imperative

subjunctive
1. The indicative is the usual mood in declarative, interrogative, and
exclamative sentences:

Ex:
1. Roger has known me for a long time.
2. How well does Rosalind play?
3. What a heavy coat you are wearing!
2. The imperative has the base form. It is used chiefly as a
directive to request action:

Ex: Stop them!

3. The subjunctive has two forms :

the present subjunctive

the past subjunctive.

3.1 The present subjunctive has the base form. It is used in:
1. that-clauses after the expression of such notions as demand or request:
[1] We demand that he take the witness stand.
[2] I accept your suggestion that my secretary omit this item from the minutes.
[3] My boss insists that I be on time.
[4] I move that the meeting be adjourned.
For all persons the negative sentence need not have an operator
[1b] We demand that he/they not take the witness stand.
[4a] I move that the meeting not be adjourned
In the contexts exemplified in [1]–[4] we commonly use should followed by the
base form, instead of the subjunctive:
[1c] We demand that he should take the witness stand.
[3a] My boss insists that I should be on time.
Another possibility, when the verb is not be, is the indicative:
[1d] We demand that he takes the witness stand
 2. certain set expressions:
Ex: Long live the Republic!

3.2 The past subjunctive were is used chiefly to convey that the speaker is not sure
that the situation will happen or is happening:

[5] If he were to be appointed, I would leave.

[6] If they were in the city, they would contact us.
[7] I wish you were here.
[8] I wish I were somewhere hotter than here.
Were is also the past indicative form, so that the subjunctive and indicative
are identical except where was is required as a past indicative – in the first
and third persons singular (I was, he was).

Were therefore is a distinctive form as subjunctive only in [5] and [8].

except in formal style, indicative was is commonly used in place of the
past subjunctive in the first and third persons singular:

Eg:
[5a] If he was to be appointed, I would leave.
[8a] I wish I was somewhere hotter than here.
VIII. MULTI – WORD VERBS
Multi-word verbs are combinations of a verb and one or more other words. They are
called multi-word verbs because in certain respects they behave as a single verb.

major types

prepositional phrasal-
phrasal verbs, prepositional
verbs, verbs
• e.g. give • e.g. look • e.g. look
in, blow up after, down on,
approve of catch up with
There are sometimes one-word verbs that are similar in meaning to the
multiword verbs. The one-word verbs are more formal:

phrasal verb give in – surrender

prepositional verb look after – tend

phrasal prepositional verb put up with –

tolerate
Phrasal verbs and prepositional
verbs = a verb and one particle

phrasal-prepositional verbs have

two particles

A prepositional verb requires an

object
 A prepositional verb requires an object to complete the sentence:

Eg: [1] Peter is looking after his elderly parents.

 A transitive phrasal verb also requires an object:

Eg: [2] All the students have handed in their essays.

 An intransitive phrasal verb does not require an object:

[3] I give up.

• The particle of a phrasal verb can take either position because it is an adverb and like
most adverbs it is not confined to one position.
Eg:
[1a] All the students have handed in their essays.
[2b] All the students have handed their essays in.

• If the object is a personal pronoun, however, the particle in a phrasal verb normally
must come after the object:
Eg:
[2c] All the students have handed them in.

• On the other hand, the particle of a prepositional verb is a preposition and must
always come before the object, as in [1] above and in [1a]:

Eg:
[1a] Peter is looking after them.
 prepositional verbs.

has two objects: a has two objects but

followed by a direct object and a the first is an
prepositional object prepositional object indirect object

Eg:
Eg: Eg:
- My aunt is looking - He blamed the - They told us
after my brothers. accident on the about your
- The principal called weather success.
for references. - They were - She forgave me
making fun of for my rude
you. remark
There are two types of phrasal-prepositional verbs, which have two
particles (an adverb followed by a preposition).
1. The first type has just the prepositional object:
Eg:
I have been catching up on my reading.
They look down on their neighbours
2. The second type has a direct object and a prepositional object:
Eg:
I have put his problem down to inexperience.
We put him up for election.
Exercise 4.9 Main verbs (cf. 4.12) Identify whether the underlined verb in each sentence
is the base form, -s form, past form, -ing participle, or -ed participle.

1. Cats were held in high esteem among the ancient Egyptians. -ed participle

2. Egyptian law protected cats from injury and death. past form

base form
3. The Egyptians used to embalm the corpses of their cats.
base form
4. They put them in mummy cases made of precious materials.
5. Entire cat cemeteries have been unearthed by archaeologists. base form

6. The Egyptians were impressed by the way a cat could survive numerous
base form
high falls.
Exercise 4.9 Main verbs (cf. 4.12) Identify whether the underlined verb in each sentence
is the base form, -s form, past form, -ing participle, or -ed participle.
-s form
7. They originated the belief that the cat possesses nine lives.
past form
8. Dread of cats first arose in Europe in the Middle Ages.
-ed participle
9. Alley cats were often fed by poor, lonely old women.
10. When witch hysteria spread through Europe, such women were accused of
past form
witchcraft.
-ed participle
11. Their cats, especially black ones, were also considered guilty.
12. Many innocent women and their cats were burnt at the stake. -ed participle

13. Some superstitious people think that if a black cat crosses their path they will
-s form
have bad luck.
-ing participle
14. I have been thinking of buying a black cat.
 Exercise 4.10 Main verbs (cf. 4.12)
Specify the tense (present or past) of the underlined verbs in the sentences below.
Where necessary, distinguish also the person and number of the verbs.
present
1. The price of oil has dropped considerably in the past few years.
past
2. Prices dropped a few years ago because there was an oil glut.
3. Prices continue to drop because oil-producing nations are refining too much
present
crude oil.
present + third
4. OPEC wants prices to rise. person singular
5. However, its members disagree about how to raise prices. present

6. ‘I am in favour of higher prices,’ an OPEC member was recently quoted as

saying. present

7. ‘However, we are not in favour of lowering our production because of the

many debts we have.’ present

8. Unless OPEC nations lower their production quotas, prices will remainpresent
low.
Exercise 4.11 Aspect (cf. 4.14)
Identify the italicized verbs as present perfect, past perfect, present progressive,
past progressive, present perfect progressive, or past perfect progressive.

1. People are realizing that trying to keep fit can be dangerous.

present progressive
2. Ted was celebrating his 40th birthday last week.
past progressive
3. She implied that he had become stale.
past perfect
4. She believes that she has been enjoying good health by taking large daily doses

of Vitamin C. present perfect progressive

5. They had been making regular visits to an osteopath.

past perfect progressive
Exercise 4.11 Aspect (cf. 4.14)
Identify the italicized verbs as present perfect, past perfect, present progressive,
past progressive, present perfect progressive, or past perfect progressive.

6. Doreen has been looking much younger lately.

present perfect progressive
7. They have given evidence of the health advantages of a sedentary life.
present perfect
8. We have been jogging several times a week.
present perfect progressive
9. She has never taken time off to relax.
present perfect
10. Some tycoons are regularly eating heavy four-course business lunches.
present progressive
Exercise 4.14 Voice (cf. 4.15)
Identify whether the underlined words are passive participles or adjectives.

1. Her book has just been published in New York. passive participles

2. I was amazed at Patrick’s indifference. adjectives

3. Their arrival was certainly unexpected. adjectives

4. His face was distorted with rage. adjectives

5. Many of these projects should not have been built at all. passive participles

6. I was chiefly interested in modern novels. adjectives

7. I cannot understand why you are so depressed. adjectives

8. None of these products is manufactured in our country. passive participles

passive participles
9. Pele’s goalscoring record is still unbroken. (Unbreakable is an adjective.)

10. Tony was disgusted with all of us. adjectives

Exercise 4.20 Finite and non-finite verb phrases (cf.
4.18)
1. The V-2 was ………………………….a
(Finite) big step towards a spaceliner.
2. It could reach ………………………..………space.
(non-finite)
(non-finite)
3. But there was still a major breakthrough to be made: ………………………reaching
(Finite) (non-finite)
orbit.
4. The main obstacle to this was …………………the(non-finite)
amount of fuel
required………………………
(Finite)
5. Most of the work from the engine was used to accelerate …………………………..the
V-2 to high speed. (non-finite)

6. To reach orbit an object must ……………………………..accelerate to a speed of

about 17,500 miles per hour (called ………………………….satellite speed or orbital
velocity) in a horizontal direction.
7. It is …………………………………far
(Finite) easier to launch a spacecraft to reach
…………………………satellite
(non-finite) height than satellite speed.
8. If you threw ……………………….a (Finite) ball upwards from the ground at 4000 miles
per hour, it would reach a maximum height of 100 miles before falling……...........
…………back (non-finite)
to Earth about six
minutes later.
(non-finite)
9. This is less than a quarter of the speed needed………………………………to
sustain a satellite in orbit.
(finite)
10. It requires ……………………………………less than one-sixteenth of the
energy (which is proportional to the speed squared). ……………………..
(non-finite)
11. In order to reach orbit a V-2 would …………………………….have (finite) to be filled
………………………with
(non-finite) propellant up to as
much as 98 per cent of its take-off weight.
12. To build(non-finite) …………………………a vehicle that (non-finite) could achieve
……………………………..the speed required to put a satellite in orbit it would
therefore be necessary to(non-finite) build a series of vehicles mounted
………………………….on top of each other.
Thanks for attending!