2. Verb phrase Flashcards
VP definition
- VP operates in a clause as V (predicate)
- VP consist of 1 or more verbs (no other word classes) – even one verb is a VP, but in a verb phrase there must be ONLY verbs:
-> He must have been being examined.
Finite / Nonfinite VP
-
FINITE = When the first (or only) verb is finite
- the whole phrase is finite – only the 1st is finite, the rest are non-finite verbs
-> Mary is being examined.
Pozn. Finite VP – independent in a clause, Have tense, have person and number, mood
- Modals are always finite -
NON-FINITE = When the first verb is non-finite
- the whole phrase is non-finite - the rest are non-finite verbs
-> having been examined, she could ….
Pozn. To infinitive, bare infinitive, -ing participle, -ed2 participle
Simple / Complex VP
- SIMPLE consists of 1 verb (full)
-
COMPLEX (2 or more verbs)
A. modal (Modal Auxiliary + inf.) – can do
B. perfect (have + ed2) – have done
C. progressive (be + ing) – was watching
D. passive (be + ed2) – is gone
* ↑ combinations (order), there’s always only 1 FULL verb – the last one
* AB may have done
* AC may be watching
* AD may be gone
* BC have been watching
* BD has been lost
* CD is being lost
* ABC may have been doing
* ABD may have been gone
* ACD may be being examined
* BCD have been being lost
* ABCD He must have been being examined.
Grammatical categories identified in a verb phrase
- Person
-
Number
1. Time (future, present, past)
2. Tense (present, past)
3. Aspect (progressive, perfect)
4. Mood (indicative, imperative, subjunctive)
5. Voice (active, passive)
6. Finiteness (finite, non-finite)
Time
- Abstract from any language
- Expressed by verb phrases
Present = NOW (depends on a context because what is now?)
-> Now I’m studying
-> Now I’m working as a taxi driver. (wider present)
Some grammarians – present = “nonpast”
- because by present tense we can communicate also future, but not past → therefore only two time references:
a) past
b) nonpast
Tense
Requires a choice between present and past in the first or only verb in a finite verb phrase
Linguistic terminology
- relates the events to speech time (location in time)
- grammatical category that is realized by verb inflection
- two tenses:
a) present (-s)
b) past (-ed1)
( future is expressed by various phrases, not by verb inflection)
Pedagogical terminology
- any verb phrases that relate the events to speech time
- used in textbooks, teaching materials, etc.
(e.g. present continuous, future perfect passive….)
Progressive tense / Aspect
- Action in progress - He is walking.
- Duration - We are having a lecture.
- Development, change (vs. fixed) - The climate is changing.
- Temporary (vs. permanent) - I´m working here.; She is being lazy.
- Repetition – (very) regular - He is kicking me.; I´m drinking juice every morning
- Irritation, annoyance - She is always coming late. / asking Qs.
- Atmosphere - The sun is shining, birds are …
- Politeness - I´m hoping that you…
-
(Emotions, emphasis) - I have been wanting to…; They are having to wait for the rescue team.
!!! SK: don´t overuse progressive tenses !!!
Perfective tense / Aspect
- Completed – an activity which has been completed
- Uncompleted – an activity which has started in past and still continues and will likely continue in future
Aspect
- Expresses my perspective
- Grammatical category that reflects how the meaning of the verb is viewed (by a speaker) with respect to time.
A. Subjective - Not real time, but psychological –> how I perceive the reality
B. Temporal nature of the action (completion, duration)
4 possibilities:
-> I live in BA – very permanent
-> I’m living in BA – temporary; how I perceive it
-> I’ve lived in BA for two years.
-> I’ve been living in BA since 2020.
Voice
Involves a contrast between active and passive
1. Active - A doctor will examine the applicants
2. Passive - The applicants will be examined by a doctor
Linguistic characteristics Voice
-
Transitive verbs (SVO)
-> John wrote a letter -
Ditransitive verbs (SVOiOd)
-> A teacher gave Mary a book -> A book was given to Mary (by a teacher) -> Mary was given a book.
- very important to use
- depends on the context, what do we want to emphasize
- the second one is more personal, frequent -
Some stative verbs – no passive
-> have, lack, hold, contain, suit, cost … -
To be +ed2
(to get - informal, personal responsibility, process)
-> The thief was caught -> The thief got caught.; John was married -> got married.
- Fixed phrases – get married, get caught, get dressed -
Difference
a. statal passive (Adj)
-> His car was repaired (SVC) (repaired as an adjective – copular verb + Cs)
-> Someone repaired his car. (can be rephrased)
b. dynamic passive
-> His car was repaired every week. (SVA) (repaired as a verb) -> His car was in a state of repairing -
It construction (personal construction)
- with reporting (introducing) verbs + a clause
-> They believe that Peter is right. (active non personal)
-> It is believed that Peter is right. (better than ↑)
-> Peter is believed to be right. (natives prefer this one)
- tell/say (different meanings in passive)
-> Mary was told… / Mary was said…
-> Mary was told to go home. (povedali jej, aby..)
-> Mary was said to be the best student. (hovorilo sa o nej…) -
Prepositions
-> Mary Was taken care of by the best doctors
Use of the passive Voice
- In English more common than in Slovak
Depends on the context: -
Stress on the process
-> My car was stolen. -
Stress on Od (not S)
-> John was admitted (not Paul) -
Theme – rheme (theme is context, rheme is the information)
-> Mary was given a book -> A book was given to Mary. - In formal, written, scientific, technical, impersonal language
-
When the agent is:
a) Not known
-> My bike was stolen.
b) Not relevant
-> The building was refurbished.
c) Obvious
-> The burglar was arrested. -
All verb phrases (also progressive !!!)
-> My car is being repaired.
-> My car has been repaired three times since …
-> The rules will be explained before the competition
types of Mood
- Indicative – factual information
- Imperative – require someone to do something
-
Subjunctive – hypothetical, non-factual states
Irrealis – not all moods are indicated grammatically
Subjunctive mood (podmieňovací spôsob, similar to conditional clauses)
Present Subjunctive Mood
Present subjunctive (“be” – verb is used in a base form, without suffixes)
1. Mandative
-> The rule demands that John be dropped from the school
- in “that“ clauses (aby, že)
- after verbs introducing a clause (demand, require, insist, suggest, prefer…)
- more in formal style, AE
- can be replaced by indicative, to infinitive or should + infinitive
-> The committee recommend that he resign (AE)
-> The committee recommend that he resigns. (BE) - indicative
-> The committee recommend that he should resign (him to resign)
Negative “not be”
-> The committee recommend that he not resign (should not resign)
Putative should
- expressing worry or surprise
-> I’m surprised that he should feel lonely
- expressing subjunctive – necessity, plan or intention
-> I prefer she should drive
2. Formulaic
- In formulas, fixed phrases, fixed expressions
-> Long live the king!
-> God save the queen!
-> So be it!
Past subjunctive Mood
Past subjunctive (“were” – past tense of a verb, WAS – less formal
a) Conditional clauses
- in conditional and concessive clauses
-> I would come if I knew that
- hypothetical or unreal meaning
-> If I were you, I would
- after conditional conjunctions
-> if, if only, even if, as if, even though…
b) After phrases
- wish, it´s time, I´d rather, suppose…
-> I wish I were your sister = NOW
-> I wish I had been home yesterday = PAST
-> It´s time we went home.
c) Can be replaced by to infinitive (if there is different subject)
-> It´s time we went home -> It´s time to go home.
d) Some fixed phrases
-> If I were you, as it were…
