Download 1. to 7. verbs

Lesson #1 – Verb Types
VERBS: a verb is a word or phrase that expresses action, being, or state of being.
A verb can express action - we call this a DYNAMIC VERB.
eg. He JUMPS. She KICKS. They SING. (words)
He IS JUMPING. She WAS KICKING. They WILL BE SINGING. (phrases)
Write your own short sentence examples of a dynamic verb with the verb underlined:
1. __________________________________________________________________.
2. __________________________________________________________________.
A verb can express state of being - we call this a STATIVE VERB. Generally, STATIVE verbs are verbs of
the mind (assume, doubt, expect), verbs of emotion (love, enjoy, care), verbs of possession (have, own,
contain), verbs of state (need, want, seem).
Eg. He ENJOYS music. We NEED nourishment. I DOUBT it. I ASSUME you’ll go.
Write your own short sentence examples of a stative verb with the verb underlined:
1. __________________________________________________________________.
2. __________________________________________________________________.
A verb can link the subject to a description of a quality possessed by the subject (called the subject
complement). We call these verbs LINKING VERBS.
eg. You ARE tall. I AM tired. It WAS in the bed. He BECAME ill. It SEEMS crazy.
Write your own short sentence examples of a linking verb with the verb underlined:
1. __________________________________________________________________.
2. __________________________________________________________________.
A verb can help other verbs to express tense, aspect, or person. We call these verbs AUXILLIARY VERBS
or HELPING VERBS.
eg. They ARE finishing the race. We WILL BE arriving in 5 minutes. You WERE eating.
**Together, the auxilliary verb and the “main” verb are called a VERB PHRASE. Generally, verb phrases
act as a single unit, but we separate them here for teaching purposes.
Write your own short examples of a helping verb(s) with just the helping verb(s) underlined:
1. __________________________________________________________________.
2. __________________________________________________________________.
Finally - Some words function as different types of verbs, depending on their use:
eg. It FEELS wrong.
S
Cats FEEL soft.
L
I FEEL the baby kicking. D
I HAVE children.
S
She’s HAVING twins.
D
I HAVE to go.
A
I THINK it’s open.
S
I am THINKING.
D
I AM thinking.
A
Lesson #2 – Verb Forms
In general, there are five verb forms: BARE, SIMPLE PRESENT, SIMPLE PAST, PRESENT
PARTICIPLE, and PAST PARTICIPLE.
BARE: The most basic form of the verb in English is the BARE form. This is the infinitive without the
preposition. Example: Infinitive: to go bare form: go
SIMPLE PRESENT: with regular verbs, the simple present is usually the same as the bare form.
Regular Verb: Infinitive: to jump
bare form: jump
simple present: jump, jumps (3rd p. sing.)
Irregular Verb: Infinitive: to be
bare form: be
simple present: am, are, is
SIMPLE PAST: with regular verbs, created by adding “ed” to the bare form (follow spelling rules).
Regular:
Bare: jump
simple past: jumped
Irregular:
Bare: swim
simple past: swam
PRESENT PARTICIPLE: for both regular and irregular verbs, add “ing” to the bare form.
Regular: Bare: jump
present participle: (am) jumping
Irregular: Bare: be
present participle: (are) being
PAST PARTICIPLE: for regular verbs, created by adding “ed” to the bare form. The past participle will be
the same as the simple past form with regular verbs, but different for irregular verbs. The past participle is
not used alone; it needs the auxiliary verb “have” to act as a verb.
Regular:
Bare: jump
simple past: jumped
past participle: (have) jumped
Irregular:
Bare: swim
simple past: swam
past participle: (have) swum
Questions:
1. Look at the explanations for the simple past and the past participle forms. What is the difference between
the simple past and the past participle?
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2. Work with a partner to make a list of 10 regular and 10 irregular verbs and then in chart form, write out
the proper form for each verb.
Eg.
Infinitive
Reg/Irr?
Base
Simple Pres.
Simple Past
Present Participle
Past Part.
To run
Irr.
run
Run, runs
ran
(is, am) running
(have) run
To see
Irr.
see
See, sees
saw
(is, am) seeing
(have) seen
Lesson #3 – Verb Tenses and Aspects: An Introduction
There’s a fairly lively, ongoing debate about how many tenses English has. Some say two, some say six,
some say twelve. Many linguists stress emphatically that tense does not mean time. If you decide to study
this subject at the university level, you will likely encounter, and perhaps participate, in this debate. For
now, let’s simplify things and agree that tense indicates time.
Since tense indicates time (no arguing), then there are three tenses, or three places in time: PAST,
PRESENT, and FUTURE. This is grammar, not physics, so no quibbling over this point.
However, verbs give us information about more than just the action and the time. Verbs also tell us about the
nature of the action. Did it just happen once? Was it ongoing? Will it start in the future and continue for
awhile? Does it happen all the time? Information about the type of action is given through the ASPECT of
the verb.
There are four ASPECTS in English (and there’s debate about this point which we will overlook):
SIMPLE, PROGRESSIVE, PERFECT, PERFECT PROGRESSIVE.
SIMPLE – the simple aspect is used for regular or frequent actions and used with linking verbs.
PROGRESSIVE – the progressive aspect is used for an action in progress now or continuously.
PERFECT – use this aspect when the action is finished but there are continuing effects.
PERFECT PROGRESSIVE – use for actions that started in the past and continue to the present
Exercises
1. List two more examples for each of the aspects
SIMPLE – I SKI . ________________________________________________________________________
PROGRESSIVE – I AM SKIING. __________________________________________________________
PERFECT – I HAVE SKIED. ______________________________________________________________
PERFECT PROGRESSIVE – I HAVE BEEN SKIING. _________________________________________
2. Transcribe the following passage to a different aspect. It is written in the progressive aspect. You can
choose to change the tense as well if you like.
We are going to the zoo. We are sitting in a bus which is still idling in the parking lot. Our tour guide is
telling us about some of the things we are going to see and warning us to be careful around the lions.
Apparently, they have a habit of escaping from their compound and eating visitors. I have to admit, I am
starting to worry.
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Why is it a bad idea to use simple present as your choice for transcription? Why is it not possible to write the
passage entirely in one aspect?
Lesson #4 – Simple Aspect
TENSE
FORM
(regular)
PRESENT
Base form of verb
He/She/It: add s/es
ex. study/ she studies
USE
to denote habitual actions,
scientific facts, and widely held
beliefs; ALSO used to describe a
play-by-play or in newspaper
headlines ALSO used when
discussing literature and films
ALSO used as linking verbs to
describe something/someone.
EXAMPLES I jog. (habitual); The earth rotates
(fact); He moves in for the shot.
(play-by-play); She is tall (linking).
PAST
Base verb + ed
(irregular will vary)
ex. studied
Action completed in the past,
usually at some specified
time; ALSO for actions that
happened regularly in the
past; ALSO past habits or
states of being; ALSO in
story-telling or in marking
dialogue
I jogged before dinner. (action
completed); I played piano as
a child. (habit in past)
FUTURE
WILL + base form
Ex. Will study OR
Am going to + base
Action to be started
and completed in the
future
I will jog before
dinner. OR I am
going to jog before
dinner.
Simple Present is an interesting case. We do not generally use it to describe what we are doing right now.
For that we use Present Progressive. Check the chart to see all of the uses of Simple Present.
1. Correct the following sentences by changing the verb aspect from progressive to simple.
a) The earth is rotating around the sun. ____________________________________________________
b) He is shooting! He is scoring! ________________________________________________________
c) In one scene, the protagonist is going to the doctor. _______________________________________
d) She is being sad. __________________________________________________________________
2. Write a short, active passage using simple present to convey action and tension (play-by-play). This
works best where there is strong action, such as sports or an intense moment in first person.
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SIMPLE PAST:
-used for an distinct action that was completed in the past, at some specified time (not always mentioned).
Eg. We ate dinner at 6:30. Or We ate dinner last night. Or We ate dinner.
-used for past habits or for a state of being which is now finished.
Eg. We walked to school, uphill both ways in the snow. I played the piano for five years.
Eg. I lived in Guelph. I was sad. (“Used to” + BASE form can also be used instead of simple past for
past habits or states, such as I USED TO LIVE in Guelph.)
-used in story-telling or in marking dialogue
Eg. Goldilocks climbed up the stairs and found a long room with three beds in it.
“ This bed is too hard,” she complained. “This bed is too soft,” she continued, “but this bed is just
right.”
1. Using only simple past, write a few sentences to summarize your actions so far in class today. (Keep it
appropriate, in case you have to share…)
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SIMPLE FUTURE
- used for an action to be completed sometime in the future.
Can be formed using the auxilliary modal WILL or the phrase BE GOING TO, although WILL is
generally more for promises or voluntary actions and BE GOING TO is for plans.
Eg. I WILL go to the office for you. I AM GOING TO fly to Paris in May.
1. Get proactive and write out your plans for studying for the final exams. List five things that you hope or
plan to do in order to excel on exam day. You don’t need to write complete sentences, but you do need to
use Simple Future.
A) ____________________________________________________________________________
B) ____________________________________________________________________________
C) ____________________________________________________________________________
D) ____________________________________________________________________________
Think about your use of “will” or “am going to”. Did one feel stronger than the other?
Lesson #5 – The Progressive Aspect
The progressive aspect used to denote an action in progress. IN PROGRESS implies that the action
has/had/will have some duration.
TENSE
FORM
(regular)
USE
PRESENT
Auxiliary: TO BE (present tense)
+
Present Participle of main verb
NOTE: the auxiliary verb
indicates the tense
AM STUDYING - AM is 1st
person singular present tense TO
BE
Used to denote an action
currently in progress – short or
longer term. Confusingly, we
also use it for some immediate
future plans.
EXAMPLES You ARE READING about the
uses of the progressive aspect.
He IS STUDYING jazz.
I AM MEETING some people
after work.
PAST
Aux.: TO BE (past tense) +
Present Participle of main
verb. (Yes, even though
it’s a past tense, you use
the present participle. The
auxiliary indicates the
tense.)
WAS STUDYING
Action was in progress
sometime in the past,
generally with a specific
time given or with respect
to another action
I WAS JOGGING before
dinner. I WAS JOGGING
when I saw the robbery.
FUTURE
Modal: WILL +
Aux: BE
+
Present Participle of the
main verb.
NOTE: The modal WILL
in this case indicates the
tense.
ALSO - BE GOING TO
BE
Action in progress in the
future, generally with a
specific time given or with
respect to another action.
I WILL BE SLEEPING
when you get home.
I AM GOING TO BE
SLEEPING long before
the band goes on.
1. Write sentences for each of the following verbs using the progressive aspect and the given tense.
A) defenestrate (past tense) The burglar was defenestrating when the owners returned home and shot him.
B) operate (present tense) ________________________________________________________________
C) collaborate (future tense) _______________________________________________________________
D) harass (present tense) _________________________________________________________________
2. Write complex sentences (both independent and dependent clause) with at least one progressive aspect,
using the following prompts:
A) While you were _______________________________________________________________________
B) After we _____________________________________________________________________________
C) When he ____________________________________________________________________________
D) Unless you __________________________________________________________________________
E) Even though _________________________________________________________________________
Lesson #6 – The Perfect Aspect
The perfect aspect denotes a completed action (hence perfect) from an unspecified time in the past, but
generally the focus with perfect is on an experience that has lasting consequences. The perfect can also be
used for stative experiences that continue in the present.
TENSE
FORM
(regular)
PRESENT
Auxiliary: TO HAVE +
Past participle of main verb
NOTE: the auxiliary indicates
the tense, not the main verb
TO HAVE = have, has
USE
Completed action with ongoing
consequences or state of being
still ongoing
EXAMPLES They have already eaten.
I have lived here for 2 years.
PAST
Aux.: TO HAVE
+
Past Participle of the main
verb
TO HAVE = had
FUTURE
Modal: WILL
+
Aux: TO HAVE +
Past Participle of main
verb
Modal indicates tense
Completed action before
Completed action before
something else happened in something else in the
the past.
future.
They had already eaten.
They will have eaten when
I had lived there for 20
they arrive.
years before we moved.
If I don’t move out, I will
have lived in this house
my whole life.
1. Write three versions (past, present, and future) for the following sentences using the perfect aspect:
A) I have finished / had finished / will have finished my homework.
B) I _____________________________________________ to France.
C) They ___________________________________________________diligently to get full scholarships.
D) We ________________________________________________ to prepare our Little Theatre production.
2. Read the following pairs of sentences and identify the subtly different implications between the two
(besides the aspect).:
A) They ate all of their dinner.
They have eaten all of their dinner.
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B) They spent a great deal of time researching their topic. They have spent a great deal of time
researching their topic.
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Lesson #7 – The Perfect Progressive Aspect
The perfect progressive aspect denotes an action or condition that began in the past and continued for a
duration that is generally specified.
TENSE
FORM
(regular)
USE
PRESENT
Auxiliary: TO HAVE +
Auxilliary: BEEN
+
Present Participle of main
verb
Tense is with TO HAVE
An action or condition
started in the past and has
continued uninterrupted to
the present
EXAMPLES I have been reading for three
hours.
PAST
Auxiliary: TO HAVE +
Auxilliary: BEEN
+
Present Participle of main
verb
Tense is with TO HAVE
An action or condition
started in the past and
continued uninterrupted to
another action or condition
in the past
I had been reading for three
hours when my eyes got
tired and the words went
blurry.
FUTURE
Auxiliary: TO HAVE +
Auxilliary: BEEN
+
Present Participle of main
verb
Tense is with TO HAVE
An action or condition started
in the past and will continue
to some other point or
condition in the future
I will have been living in
Canada for forty years this
coming July.
A. Take a look back at the lesson on the progressive aspect. What is the main difference you see between
the two aspects?
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B. Change the following sentences from simple present to present perfect progressive.
1. I play the piano. ______________________________________________________________________
2. He feels sick. ________________________________________________________________________
3. Students study grammar. _______________________________________________________________
C. Write a short dialogue in perfect progressive between two people who are trying to one-up each other or
some other competitive situation that requires bragging about their accomplishments (eg. I am a more
worthwhile recipient of the award because I have been …). See if you can use more than one tense.
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