The verb is a part of speech which expresses an action or a state.
1. The verbs fall under two main divisions: finite forms that express the following grammatical categories: person, number, tense, aspect, voice, mood and can be used as the predicate of the sentence and non-finite forms (verbals): the infinitive, the gerund and the participle (not one of them can be used as a predicate of the sentence). Compare:
Kate looked at me. She smiled looking at me.
She knows English. To know English you must work hard.
2. In English the verb has two aspect forms: the common aspect (represents an action as simply taking place in the present, past or future or makes a bare statement of action) and the continuous aspect (considers the action in its progress). Compare:
It rained yesterday. It was raining yesterday.
We distinguish dynamic verbs that refer to actions (read, run) and stative verbs that refer to states (love, hate). We cannot use stative verbs in continuous forms.
3. All English verbs are divided into: notional verbs: go. come, sit; auxiliary verbs: be, have, do, shall, should, will, would; link verbs: be, become, grow, get, turn (), look () and modal verbs: can (could), may (might), must, should, ought, shall, will, would, need, dare, to be + Infinitive, to have + Infinitive.
4. Verbs may be transitive (have a direct object): to read a book, to translate a text, to see a film; and intransitive: to go to the doctor, to live in Minsk, to arrive at the station, etc.
But very often one and the same verb may be used as transitive and intransitive:
We grow flowers in our garden.
Beautiful flowers grow in our garden.
5. All English verbs are divided into two main classes: regular verbs (always end with -ed: love - loved, ask - asked, cry - cried) and irregular verbs (form the Past Simple and the Past Participle by changing one part only: sell - sold- sold, by changing two parts: know - knew - know; have the same form in all parts: cut - cut - cut.
6. The verb has three main forms: 1) The Infinitive 2) the Past Indefinite/Simple 3) the Past Participle.
to go - went - gone to visit - visited - visited
7. According to their morphological structure verbs are divided into simple (live, speak); derived (having affixes: undo, rewrite); compound (consisting of two stems: whitewash, browbeat) and phrasal verbs. Phrasal verbs consist of a verb and one or more prepositions or adverbs, such as on, in, off, about, across, away, back, by, up, down, through, out, round, around, over, along, etc.
Some phrasal verbs are easily to understand. The phrasal verb is usually more informal than the one-word verb.
find out = discover go back = return go on = continue
come in = enter turn down = refuse leave out = omit
go away = leave make up = invent put off = postpone
Adverbs and prepositions often change the meaning of the verb,
look for - look through -
|
|
|
look forward to + smth/V-ing -
make out - bring up -
put out - see off -
come off -
If phrasal verbs take a direct object, it can be put between the
verb and the adverb or after the adverb.
Switch the light on. Or Switch on the light.
Can you turn the radio down? Can you turn down the radio?
The pronoun in the objective case is usually placed between the
verb and the preposition.
Take off your hat, please. Take it off!!!
Ring up Susan please. Ring her up, please.
With some phrasal verbs the object must go after the adverb/
preposition.
I'll look after the children. I'll look after them.
The object must go after the phrasal verb if it has two adverbs or prepositions.
I get on with Kate. I get on with her.
Some English verbs have the same form as nouns and adjectives: to water - water, to work - work, to present - present, to advise - advice; to dry - dry, to clean - clean, etc.
8. The verb has the category of mood which indicates the attitude of the speaker towards the action expressed by the verb from the point of view of its reality. We distinguish the indicative mood, the imperative mood, and the subjunctive mood.
9. The verb has the category of voice which indicates the relation of the predicate to the subject and the object. English verbs can be used in the active voice and the passive voice. The Active Voice shows that the person or thing denoted by the subject is the doer of the action expressed by the predicate. The Passive Voice shows that the person or thing denoted by the subject is acted upon. (See The Passive Voice, p. 368.) Compare:
The students translated the text.
The text was translated by the students.
10. Verbs are used to express distinctions in time (present, past, future) through tenses.
There are four groups of tenses in the Active Voice: The Indefinite (Simple) Tenses, The Continuous Tenses, The Perfect Tenses, The Perfect Continuous Tenses.
Each group of tenses is represented by the three primary tenses: present, past and future:
| Tenses | Groups | Forms |
| Present | Indefinite/Simple Continuous Perfect Perfect Continuous | write/writes - (he/she/it) am, is, are writing have/has written have/has been writing |
| Past | Indefinite/Simple Continuous Perfect Perfect Continuous | wrote was/were writing had written had been writing |
| Future | Indefinite/Simple Continuous Perfect Perfect Continuous | will write will be writing will have written will have been writing |
The English language has a special form of the future, the Future-in-the Past, to express a future action viewed from a past moment (See the Sequence of Tenses, p. 168).
The Future-in-the Past is formed by means of should/would with the infinitive of the main verb.
The Future-in-the Past
| The Future Indefinite in the Past -The Future Continuous in the Past -The Future Perfect in the Past -The Future Perfect Continuous in the Past - | should/would write should/would be writing should/would have written should/would have been writing |
| would learn English soon. would be learning English at 5 'clock (when 1 came), He said that he would have learnt English by the end of the course. would have been learning English for two years by the end of the course. |
|
|
|
11. The Sequence of Tenses.
In English the tense of the verb in a subordinate clause (mainly in object clauses) depends on that of the verb in the principle clause. The dependence of the tense of the verb of the subordinate clause on the tense of the verb in the principle clause is called the sequence of tenses.
The rules of the sequence of tenses are the following:
a) a present or future tense in the main clause may be followed by any tense in the subordinate clause that is required by the sense.
He tells me he is (was/will be) a student of London University.
I know that she finishes (will finish/finished) her work at 5 p.m.
b) a past tense in the principle clause must be followed by a past tense (Past Simple or Past Continuous, Past Perfect, Fu-ture-in-the Past) in the subordinate clause.
He told me he was going to enter London University.
I knew that she finished her work at 5 p.m.
c) if the action of the principle clause and that of the subordinate take place at the same time in the past, the Past Simple or Continuous is used.
/ realized that he didn't believe me.
I thought that the child was doing his homework but he was
sleeping.
d) when the action of the subordinate clause precedes that of the principle clause, the Past Prefect is used in the subordinate clause.
/ was sure that she had lived in England before.
He understood that he had made some mistakes in his test.
We use the Past Indefinite or Past Continuous when we speak about the exact time in the past with the words: ago, yesterday, in 1990, etc., and the Past Perfect with the words: the day before, two years before, etc.
He said that he went to the cinema yesterday.
I knew he saw her when they were at the party.
We thought she was working in the library yesterday evening.
She said she had gone to the theatre the day before.
e) when the action of the subordinate clause refers to a future moment with regard to the past moment indicated in the principal clause, the verb in the subordinate clause is in the Fu-ture-in-the-past.
She hoped that she would know the truth about it.
He phoned me to tell that he would be playing tennis the
whole evening.
The students knew that they would have passed their exams
by the end of June.
f) If there are several subordinate clauses in a sentence, the rule of sequence of tenses is observed in all of them.
She promised that she would help me if she had any free time when she came home from work. He hoped that he would go abroad as soon as he had received his visa.
The rule about the sequence of tenses applies also to reported speech when the introductory verb is in a past tense (See Reported Speech).
NOTES: There is no sequence of tenses:
1) if subordinate clause states something as universally or logically true.
The children were explained that water consists of oxygen and hydrogen.
A speaker can ignore the rule and use a present tense after past to be more precise.
He told me he is a good tennis-player, (i.e. he still is)
2) if the dependent clause contains a comparison, (after than, as...as, etc.)
Last year you worked less than you work now.
3) if the dependent clause is an attributive clause or an adverbial clause of cause, result and concession the verb may be in any tense that suits the sense.
Yesterday I translated the text which you are translating now. He didn't come yesterday because he has been ill for two weeks already.
/ worked so much yesterday that I am feeling quite weak today.
She decided to spend her holiday in France though she doesn 't speak French at all.
4) note that the verbs must, should, ought as well as infinitive, gerund and present forms of subjunctive mood are not affected by the sequence of tenses rule (however must is generally replaced by had in the past if it expresses necessity arising out of circumstances).
|
|
|
The teacher told the children that they mustnt cross the street against the red light.
She said that we ought to inform the boss at once.
I told her that she should consult the doctor.
She said that she had to answer the telegram at once.
He wanted to go to London for a few days. He remembered visiting this city years ago.
It is/was important that the manager sign the contract.
To Have
| Person | Present | Past | Future | |||||||||
| 1. I | have | had |  shall (will)
| |||||||||
| Singular | 2. You | have | had | will | ||||||||
| 3. He /she /it | has | had | will | |||||||||
| have | ||||||||||||
| 1. We | have | had | shall/will | |||||||||
| Plural | 2. You | have | had | will | ||||||||
| 3. They | have | had | will | |||||||||
| Negative | Interrogative | |||||||||||
| I We You They | don't have/ haven't got | Do | I we you they | have a car"? | Have | I we you they | got a car? | |||||
| He She It | hasn't got/ doesn't have | Does | he she | Has | he she | |||||||
NOTE: the formation of the negative contracted forms (in
speaking and informal writing):
has not he's not hasn't
have not they've not haven't
had not he'd not hadn't
The short forms 've, 's and 'd are not usually used when have is a main verb. You say / have (Not: I've) a shower every morning.
NOTE The structure Have you a car? is considered to be bookish.
Use:
1. A notional verb.
a) Have and have got are both used to express present possession.
Do you have /Have you got any brothers or sisters? Yes, I do. I have. / Yes, I have. I've got two brothers. Only forms of have ( not have got) are used in other tenses.
I had my first car when I was sixteen.
b) To talk about activities we can only use have.
I usually have a rest after dinner. NOT: I've got a rest after dinner.
c) Have got is generally more informal. It is used more in spoken English than in written English. However, they are often interchangeable.
Have with the do / does forms is more common in American English.
2. An auxiliary verb for the formation of Perfect Tenses. He has just left for London.
3. A modal verb (obligation or necessity arising out of circumstances).
Have to can be replaced with have got to for present obligation. Do you have to/Have you got to go now?
4. Causative with have.
We use have something done to say that we arrange for somebody else to do something for us. The verb have shows the tense of the sentence.
- A re you going to fix the car yourself?
- No, I'm going to have it fixed.
Practice
1. Explain the use of the verb to have in the following sentences.
1. I often have to travel on business. 2. I must have my watch fixed. 3. We have just closed a very good deal. 4. They hardly have enough money to live on. 5. I've got an appointment with Mr Lewis at ten o'clock. 6. Did you have good teachers when you were at school? 7. She had brunch and took a nap. 8. I've had my shoes repaired and now they look brand new. 9. He usually has to get to work at eight. 10. We went for a drive in the country at the weekend and had a good time.
2. Read the texts and answer the questions that follow.
|
|
|
1. Hi there, fans! My name's Diana Rich. I'm a famous actress - a superstar! I'm from New York. I have an apartment in New York and a house in Hollywood with a swimming pool and a tennis court. I have a new Mercedes and a lot of money in the bank. I have a husband and three wonderful children in Hollywood. I have everything. Life's great.
Questions: Does Diana Rich have her own house in Hollywood? Does she have an apartment in Hollywood too? What kind of car does she have? Does she have two or three children? She has everything, doesn't she?
2. Gloria Gusto is a famous actress. She's from London. She's got a flat in London and a house in Hollywood. She's got a new Rolls-Royce and a lot of money in the bank. She's got a husband and two children. Life's great. She's got everything.
Questions: Has Gloria Gusto got a flat or a house in London? She has got a lot of money in the bank, hasn't she? How many children has she got? Has she got everything?
3. First make the sentences negative, then ask questions about them.
a) She's got a lot of friends.
b) I usually have breakfast at 8.00.
c) I have just bought a new pair of gloves.
d) They are having a row about money.
e) We had a good time on holiday.
f) I have to work ten hours a day.
g) I had to get up at 6.00 this morning.
h) He has just had his hair cut.
i) I'm having my nails done.
j) He will have to return back on Monday.
4. a) Work with a partner. Ask and answer about the list below. Find out more information.
(Your answers needn't be honest.)
Model: - Have you got a computer? - Do you have a computer?
- Yes, I have. - Yes, I do.
- What kind is it? - What kind is it?
- It's an Apple Mac. - It's an Apple Mac.
(Prompts: a computer, a pet, a bike, a car, a boyfriend/a girlfriend, a mobile phone, an interesting job, a fax machine, a house or a flat.)
b) With a new partner, ask and answer about your previous partners.
Model: Has Maria got a computer? Yes, she has. It's a....
Does Maria have a computer? Yes, she does. It's a....
4. Ask your partner about his / her everyday life. Use the expressions with have (without got) to talk about activities.
Model: When do you normally have breakfast?
Do you have a rest after classes?
1. to have breakfast, lunch, supper, dinner, a meal.
2. to have tea, coffee, a coke, a beer, a drink.
3. to have a wash, a bath, a shower, a shave.
4. to have a rest, a sleep, a dream.
5. to have a swim, a walk, a party, a ride.
6. to have a holiday, a good time, a pleasant evening.
7. to have a good / bad day, a day off.
8. to have a talk, a chat, a conversation, a word with someone.
9. to have a disagreement, a quarrel with someone, an argument, a row.
10. to have a look at something.
11. to have a nervous breakdown.
12. to have difficulty, trouble.
13. to have a smoke.
6. Learn the dialogue. Make similar dialogues with the words and the phrases below.
- What can I do for you, ma'am?
- It's my watch. It's wrong. I have to have it fixed.
- Yes, what's wrong with it? May I have a look at your watch? Can you come back tomorrow?
- Yes, it suits me all right. How much do I owe you?
- Two pounds, ma'am.
- Do I pay now?
- Oh, you can pay later.
 |
1. shirt, dirty, have it washed
2. tooth, bad, have it pulled out
3. suit, stained, have it cleaned
4. nails, long and untidy, have them done
5. boots, be down at the heel, have them tapped
6. desk, broken, have it mended
7. Answer the following questions using the causative with have where necessary:
1) Did you build your house yourself?
2) Do you usually do your flat up yourself?
3) Do you sweep your yard yourself every week?
4) Will you feed your dogs and cats yourself over the holidays?
5) Has your father fixed his shoes himself lately?
6) Did you take the photos yourself last summer?
7) Do you cut / dye / perm your hair yourself?
8. Translate the following sentences into Russian.
1. , . 2. , . 3. ? . 4. , . 5. ? - . 6. , ? 7. , . 8. , . 9. , , .
|
|
|
Intentionally blank page
Be
| Person | Present | Past | Future | ||
| I | am | was | shall /will | ||
| Singular | You | are | were | will | |
| He/she/it | is | was | will | ||
| We | shall / will | be | |||
| Plural | You | are | were | will | |
| They | will |
The formation of the interrogative:
The basic pattern is:
BE + SUBJECT...?
Are you a first year student?
Was he in London in summer?
Will they be happy if she comes?
