Verbs Flashcards
Points to remember about verbs
- they do the most “work”
- they change the most
- they report inner processes (thoughts, dreams, feelings)
- report events in the world (actions)
What different endings can they take
Many different endings depending on what tense they are in.
- ed (past)
- ing (progressive)
Types of verb processes
dynamic
stative
modals
auxiliaries
What are dynamic verbs
doing words
run, kick, jump
What are stative verbs
feel, suspect, think, suppose
What are modal verbs
language of probabilities:
may, must, could, should
And also obligations/permissions
What are auxiliary verbs
verbs which determine the tense and aspect.
Different concepts of verbs
tense person number mood aspect voice infinitives/non-finite phrasal verbs
Tense
Three different tenses: past, present and future
although there is no real future tense in English.
Tense: I ran
past
Tense: I am running
present
Tense: I will run
future
Aspect
Three different aspects: simple, perfective, progressive
The continuation or completion of actions.
Aspect: she runs
simple
Aspect: she is running
progressive
Aspect: she has run
perfective
Person
First, second or third person
either singular or plural
1st person
I
2nd person
You
3rd person
He/She/It
1st person plural
We
2nd person plural
You
3rd person plural
They
Mood
Declarative - statement
Imperative - command
Interrogative - question
(Exclamative) - exclamation
The two types of voice
active and passive
Active voice
focus is on the subject of the sentence
Voice: police shot rioters
active voice
Passive voice
focus is on the object of the sentence
- the subject can also be omitted in these cases
Voice: rioters shot
passive voice
Non-finite verbs
have no tense, person or number
to go, to run
“Phil helped to cook the dinner”
non-finite clause
What is the bare infinitive
when the “to” has been omitted from the sentence
“Phil helped cook the dinner”
What are transitive verbs
verbs which have an object to receive the action
“I rode the bicycle”
transitive verb
What are intransitive verbs
verbs which do not have an object to receive the action
“I laughed”
intransitive verb
When combining a verb with an auxiliary verb you make…
a verb phrase
What are phrasal verbs
Verbs with one or two prepositions attached
“run up”
phrasal verb
