Verb forms
verb to be has eight forms:
be
am
is
are
was
were
been
being
(base form)
(first person present)
(third person present –s )
(present plural)
(past singular)
(Past plural)
(past participle, -en)
(present participle, -ing)
This could be a mistake.
I am a teacher
He is a teacher
We are students
He was a teacher three years ago.
They were from the South.
He has been a teacher for many years.
He is being mean to his student.
Regular verbs usually have five forms:
walk
walks
walked
walking
walked
the "s" form
the "ed" form
the "-ing" form
the "-en" form
the base form
(third person)
(past form)
(Present participle)
(past participle)
As auxiliary verbs
As main verbs
Be
He is being funny.
We are students.
Have
The students have been working hard.
I have three brothers.
Do
I don’t have any brothers or sisters.
He does his chores diligently.
Modals
We should have given him another chance.
0
Modal auxiliaries are so named because they affect the mood of the verbs. Mood
refers to the manner in which a verb is expressed, such as a fact, a desire, a
possibility, or a command and an obligation. Modal auxiliaries never fill the
main verb slots like "have" and "be" do.
Finding Auxiliaries
1. One of the most noticeable differences between Edited American English (WAE)
and African American Vernacular English (AAVE) is the use of the verbexpansion rules.
2. The press has recently labeled our new senator a radical on domestic issues.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
During the campaign everyone was calling him a reactionary.
The teacher should have given the class more information before the test.
According to his campaign aids, the candidate was downright secretive.
In Florida the Coast Guard is now confiscating the boats of drug runners.
Some sports reporters have called Oriole Park in Baltimore the architecture of
nostalgia.
8. The president may soon name three women to top posts in the Department of
State.
9. Our company will try new vocation schedule in the summer.
10. Pat has been jogging regularly for six years.
11. Until last week, Mario had never told me his middle name.
12. Many large firms are now hiring liberal arts majors for management positions.
13. I should have been studying on a regular basis throughout the semester.
14. People are constantly testing me about my southern accent.
15. Apparently, they have never heard a southern accent around here before.
Write the verb expansion rules for these sentences.
Verb string:
was working
Verb expansion rule:
T(past) + be + -ing + MV (work)
Underline verb strings in each sentence and write verb expansion rules:
1. One of the most noticeable differences between Edited American English (WAE)
and African American Vernacular English (AAVE) is the use of the verbexpansion rules.
2. The press has recently labeled our new senator a radical on domestic issues.
3. During the campaign everyone was calling him a reactionary.
4. The teacher should have given the class more information before the test.
5. According to his campaign aids, the candidate was downright secretive.
6. In Florida the Coast Guard is now confiscating the boats of drug runners.
7. Some sports reporters have called Oriole Park in Baltimore the architecture of
nostalgia.
8. The president may soon name three women to top posts in the Department of
State.
9. Our company will try new vocation schedule in the summer.
10. Pat has been jogging regularly for six years.
11. Until last week, Mario had never told me his middle name.
12. My large firms are now hiring liberal arts majors for management positions.
13. I should have been studying on a regular basis throughout the semester.
14. People are constantly testing me about my southern accent.
15. Apparently, they have never heard a southern accent around here before.
The most powerful rule that is capable of generating all sentences in active voice:
T + (m) + (have + -en) + (be + -ing) +MV
Passive voice sentences:
Historians have written many books about the Civil War.
Many books have been written about the Civil War.
Rule:
Rule:
A professional photographer will take our graduation pictures.
Our graduation pictures will be taken by a professional photographer.
The little boy is eating the pizza.
The pizza is being eaten by the little boy.
Rule:
Rule:
Rule:
Rule:
Which verb patterns allow passive voice?
How to pattern passive voice sentences?
The verb expansion rule that is capable of generating all sentences, passive and active:
T + (m) + (have + -en) + (be + -ing) + (be + -en) MV