Operator: An auxiliary that performs a
grammatical operation. The first auxiliary in
a verb phrase is an operator. In short, this
is the auxiliary that “does the work” in the
verb phrase!
Examples: You have been smoking >>>
have is the operator here.
Exercise: Find the operators in the
following sentences:
Over the years, different methods have
been developed to decaffeinate coffee.
Today three methods are used to
decaffeinate coffee.
The most popular method is called water
processing.
However, the decaffeinated coffee may be a
little less flavorful.
Chemical processing can be used as a
decaffeination method.
Carbon dioxide also may be used to
decaffeinate coffee.
Class question: What do we call the verbs
such as “to decaffeinate” above? Answer:
These are verbs that follow finite verbs.
They are not finite. This is the infinitive. For
our purposes, focus only on the finite: those
verbs that can change for tense, agree with
the subject, etc.
Operation: A change from a simple
declarative “positive” sentence to either a
negative sentence or a question
(interrogative) sentence.
Class example: We reviewed the extremely
simple “negative operation” in Spanish.
Example: Tengo hambre.
Operation (insert “no” before the first word
in the verb phrase): No tengo hambre.
No estoy leyendo el libro. No he tenido otra
alternativa.
Negative: An operation that makes a
positive sentence, negative. The word “not”
is placed behind the first auxiliary. If there
is no auxiliary, an auxiliary must be
made with a form of the word “do.” This
reforms the verb phrase because tense
and subject-verb agreement shift to the
newly formed auxiliary verb. NOTE: BE
is exceptional.
Examples: You have been smoking. You
have not been smoking.
She smokes. She does not smoke.
How we make the negative in English:
1. Identify the finite verb.
2. Count the number of pieces in the
verb phrase.
3. If there are auxiliaries, add “not” after
the first auxiliary. Ex: I am not going.
4. If there are no auxiliaries, make an
auxiliary with “do.” Ex: He do
smokes.
5. Shift the tense and subject-verb
agreement from the lexical verb to the
auxiliary “do.” Ex: He does smoke.
6. Add the word “not” after the newly
formed first auxiliary: He does not
smoke.
7. Exception: When “be” is the lexical
verb and there are no auxiliaries in the
verb phrase, just stick “not” after the
lexical verb. I am not tired. He is not
nice.
8. Change other sentence elements from
positive to negative as needed (e.g.
sometimes you have to make “some”
into any; sometimes you have to
change “not” to “never”).
Exercise: Make these sentences negative:
I enjoy swimming. The pool near my house
is very clean and well maintained. The
water temperature usually stays at a
reasonable temperature. The city is
considering some improvements on this
pool. It will be a perfect pool.