Lecture 11

English 3318: Studies in English Grammar

Phrases: Finite/Nonfinite Verb Forms

Dr. Svetlana Nuernberg

Objectives

● Understand the difference among time, tense and aspect

● Recognize the difference between main verbs and auxiliary verbs

● Recognize the meaning of modal auxiliaries

Tense● Tense can be either present or past

– present● the verb will occur either in the base form or with an allomorph

of verb inflection {-s} – I go, you go, we go, they go, but Sue goes

– past● the main verb will acquire an allomorph of {-ed} MVP MVP

AUX MV AUX MV

TENSE TENSE

present go go(es) past go went

Present and Past Tenses with HAVE

● The main verb with phrase with helping verb HAVE as a constituent of the auxiliary– since have comes immediately after TENSE it will inflect for

present or past (have/has) or (had) MVP MVP

MVAUX MV AUX

TENSE HAVE + {-en} TENSE HAVE + {-en}

present past gogo

have/has gone had gone

Present and Past Tenses with BE● When Be immediately follows TENSE, it inflects th

show the present or past tense– becoming am, is or are if the tense is present and {-ing}

morpheme attaches to the main verb– becoming was, were if the tense is past and {-ing} morpheme

converts the main verb into present participle MVP

AUX MV

TENSE BE + {-ING}

present go am/is/are going past go was/were going

Present and Past Tenses with HAVE and BE MVP

AUX MV

TENSE HAVE + {-EN} BE + {-ING}

present go past

present – have/has been goingpast – had been going

Present and Past Tenses with MODAL

● AUX includes a modal as a helping verb– TENSE is not signaled by an inflection, as modal

constitute a set of verbs that do not take any inflections● Verbs that follow modal are always in a base form

– assume that all modals are in the present tense MPV

AUX MV

TENSE MODAL

present will go will go

Time, Tense and Aspect● The distinction between form and function

– help to understand how English verbs signal time, tense ans aspect

● form – physical shape or configuration of a grammatical unit● function – the role it plays in a larger grammatical structure

● Main verb phrase contain tense morphemes– help to signal the time when an action took place– time ≠tense (not always match)

● the inflection of the verb identify its tense: past and present● time (present, past, future) referred to is often determined by

other elements in the sentences ( especially adverbs) ● Aspect of the verb

– single or repeated occurrence– completed or progressive actions

Simple Tenses● When neither HAVE {-en} nor BE {-ing} occurs in

the AUX – it is simple present– two inflections are possible: past or present

● The simple present form (present + MV)– can express a variety of actual times:

● I feel good today. (present time)● Ed swims every afternoon. (repeated action: past, present,

future implied)● She leaves for Chicago tomorrow. (future time)

– notice the importance of adverb phrases for signaling the meaning of the present tense

● The simple past form (past + MV)– expresses past time:

● We saw a good movie last night.

Expressing Simple Future Time

● Simple future time must be expressed by other words in the sentence:

● modals– I shall be out of town all week.– Larry definitely will be at the party.

● present tense + adverbial modifier– This class ends at 11:00.– Leave a message when you call.– Susan is leaving for New York on Thursday.

Finite Verbs● The main verb phrase must include a verb inflected

for tense – a finite verb– He eats. Finite verb eat, present tense– He ate. Finite verb eat, past tense– He is eating. Finite auxiliary verb be, present tense– He was eating. Finite auxiliary verb be, past tense– He has eaten. Finite auxiliary verb have, present tense– He had eaten. Finite auxiliary verb have, past tense

● Tense is a required part of a main verb phrase, even when there is no visible mark– I eat. Finite verb eat, present tense– He might eat less. Finite modal verb might, present

tense

Verb Tense and Aspect in AAEV● African American Vernacular English has its own

syntactical structure– the inflectional past form morpheme {-ed} can be used in

many contexts– past tense can also be conveyed through the present tense

plus adverbial expressions of past time (last night, yesterday, on Sunday)

● He pass the exam – (intended to use past tense, but dropped t between the consonant and the end or the past tense has been omitted)

– Complex tense-aspect system● He be reading all day - (be marks habitual, continuative aspect, all

day intensifies the continuative aspect)● He bin reading to her – (been has perfect progressive meaning)● He done did it – (emphasize the perfect aspect of an action)

Compound Verb Forms

● Compound verb forms– contain participles– are said to express aspects of action

● ongoing (progressive aspect)● completed (perfect aspect)

– indicate whether a particular state or action has been completed or is in progress

● when tense and perfect are combined, the function of tense changes

● instead of signaling simple time, it indicates whether an action has been completed before the present time (present perfect) or before some past time (past perfect)

Compound Verb Forms

● Perfect Verb Form– Created by using the auxiliary verb HAVE followed by

a past participle form of a verb● Progressive Verb Form

– Formed by using the auxiliary BE followed by the present participle (BE + {-ing} + MV) in the main verb phrase

● Perfect Progressive Form– Result when both the auxiliary HAVE followed by a

past participle (HAVE+{-en}) and the auxiliary BE followed by a present participle (BE+{-ing}) occur in the same main verb phrase

Perfect Verb Forms● The present perfect (present + Perfect + MV)

● refers to an action that was completed in the immediate past or one that began in the past and continues in the present

● I have finished the book you lent me. (immediate past)● He has taught at Harvard for 20 years. (past, into the present)

● The past perfect (past + Perfect + MV)● always expresses past time, the action that took place before

another one● After he had shoveled the walk, it began to snow again.● He believed that the play had already ended.

● The future perfect (present+will/shall+Perfect+MV)● signals an action that will occur before some time or event in

the future● On August 30, Jan will have owned the same car for 20 years● The airplane will have left before we reach the airport

Progressive Verb Form● The present progressive (present + Progressive + MV)

● express an ongoing action or state in the present time, a habitual or a future action

● A dog is barking in the yard next door (present time)● Edward is leaving for South America tonight (future time)● John is always snarling at someone (habitual action)

● The past progressive (past + Progressive + MV)● signifies an action that was ongoing in the past, can also occur in

simple past● A hearty soup was simmering on the back of the stove (past time)● The telephone was ringing when I opened the front door.

● The future progressive (present+will/shall+Progressive+MV)

● signals that an action will take place in the future● I shall be seeing him tomorrow afternoon (future time)● It will be snowing by the time we get to the mountains

Perfect Progressive Verb Forms● The present-perfect progressive (present + Perfect +

Progressive + MV) ● signifies an action that began in the past and is still ongoing in the

present - They have been testing our phone for the last hour.● The past-perfect progressive (past + Perfect+

Progressive + MV)● identifies an action that began before a time or another action in the

past - By 11:00, she had been singing for three hours.● They had been waiting for 25 minutes when we arrived.

● The future perfect progressive (present + will/shall +Perfect + MV)

● expresses an action that began at some unspecified time before another time or event in the future and that continues into the future - By Friday, the cup will have been sitting there for ten days

● When you get this card, I will have been traveling for three weeks

Exercise 1● Identify by name the form of each of the italicized

main verb phrases in the following sentences. Break each into its underlying structure.– A huge rabbit from Austria recently invaded Italy.– A Viennese art group has erected a giant pink bunny on an

Italian mountainside.– The 200-foot-long rabbit has been lying on Mt. Colletto

Fava in Northern Italy for several months.– Dozens of women must have contributed to the knitting of

the giant rabbit.– It will be lying on its back there for the next 20 years.– The art group is allowing people to clamber up the rabbit's

20-foot sides.– People can also lie on its big pink stomach when they are

feeling tired of climbing.

Traditional Names of English Verb FormsForm Name – structure Example

Our dog barksOur dog barkedOur dog will barkOur dog is barkingOur dog was barkingOur dog will be barkingOur dog has barkedOur dog had barked

+ HAVE + {-ing}] Our dog will have barked

+ HAVE + {-en} + BE + {-ing}] Our dog has been barking

+ {-en} + BE + {-ing}] Our dog had been barking

+ MODAL + HAVE + {-en} + BE + {-ing}] Our dog will have been barking

Simple Present [present]Simple Past [past]Future Time [present + MODAL]Present Progressive [present + BE + {-ing}]Past Progressive [past + BE + {-ing}]Future Progressive [present + MODAL + BE + {-ing}]Present Perfect [present + HAVE + {-en}]Past Perfect [past + HAVE + {-en}] Future Perfect [present + MODAL +

Present -Perfect Progressive [present +

Past-Perfect Progressive [past + HAVE +

Future -Perfect Progressive [present +

The Meaning of Modals● Modals do not inflect to show tense like ordinary

verbs● Multiple meaning of the same modal seem to be

related to one another– can refers to

● the “ability to do something”– Sharon can pilot jet aircraft

● indicated potentiality to do something– Winds near the eye of hurricane can reach speeds close to 200 miles

per hour● common meaning “having the permission to do something”

– Professor Brown says we can turn in our papers late– might refers to

● “a rather weak potentiality”– It might rain.

● unfulfilled obligation to do something (through sarcasm)– You might show some gratitude

Other Auxiliaries● Modal auxiliaries form a special class

– due to their function in the sentences– due to their inability to inflect for tense

● Other verb and verb phrases performing similar functions as helping verbs in the main verb phrase– are excluded from the main formula

● idiosyncrasies in their behavior modal other

They must leave They have to leave They have got to leaveIt will rain soon It is doing to rain soonThey should be on the table They ought to be on the tableSometimes, we would disagree Sometimes we used to disagree

Meaning of Modal AuxiliariesModal Meaning Examplecan ability Mike can play tennis

permission Yes, you can go to the moviespotentiality A redwood can grow to be extremely tall

could ability I could ride a bike when I was sevenpermission He said I could go with youpotentiality It could rain

May potentiality It may rainpermission Yes, you may go to the movies

might potentiality It might rainobligation You might show some gratitude

will promise I will be therecertainty The sun will rise tomorrowcommand Sophomores will report at 10 amfuture time They will probably be late

would past habit Sometimes he would sing for usobstinacy You would do that, wouldn't you?

shall promise I shall be therelegal command The Vice President shall presidefuture We shall have to redo this report

should weak obligation You should study for the testpossibility If he should come, tell him I called

must strong obligation You must pay your taxesdeduction The streets are wet. It must have rained

Have and Be as Main Verbs

● Have and be (unlike the modals) can appear as main verbs, auxiliaries or both– The dinner is already on the table. - be is the main verb

[TENSE (present) + be]– Those children are being noisy. - the first be is an

auxiliary and the second is a main verb [TENSE (present) + BE + {-ing} + be]

– They have three automobiles in their garage. - have is the main verb [TENSE (present) + have]

– He has had three colds this winter. - the first have is an auxiliary and the second is the main verb [TENSE (present) + HAVE + {-en} + have]

Exercise 2In each of the following sentences, draw a line under the

subject and circle the main verb phrase. Then break each main verb phrase into its underlying structure

and indicate whether have and /or be are auxiliaries or main verbs.

1. The National Zoo is hoping to reopen its Panda House soon; it will be ready for huge crowds.

2. Zoo keepers had closed the house to the public just before their mother panda gave birth in July.

3. The public has been able to see just the father panda, who has been spending time outside in his yard.

4. The mother has only occasionally appeared in her yard, and visitors have not yet seen the baby.

5. When the Panda House reopens, zoo officials will be giving out timed admission tickets.

6. Officials are expecting that the male baby cub will have a name by then.

Summary● Main Verb Phrase Formula (Revised)

1. MVP = AUX + MV2. AUX = TENSE + (MODAL) + (PERFECT) +

(PROGRESSIVE)3. TENSE = past or present4. MODAL = can, could, will, would, shall, should, may,

might, must5. PRFECT = [HAVE + {-en}]6. PROGRESSIVE = [BE +{-en}]