VERBS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

1. What is a verb? What kinds can verb be divided into?

The verb is part of speech usually denoting actions, process, experiences or state of being.

There are 6 types of verb:

- Main verb > < auxiliary verb

- Finite > < non-finite

- Notional verb

- Transitive > < intransitive verb

- Link verb

- Phrasal verb

2. What are notional verbs?

Notional verbs are those verbs that have full lexical meaning of their own and can be used in the sentence as simple predicate.

Eg: to come, to live...

3. What are auxiliary verbs?

Auxiliary verbs are those verbs that have no lexical meaning of their own and are used as form-words, thus, having only a purely structural function. They are always accompanied by a notional verb.

Eg: to be (in continuous tenses and passive voice); have (in perfect tenses)

4. What are link verbs?

Link verbs are those verbs which have partly lost their lexical meaning. They can be followed directly by an adjective.

Eg: When I asked her that question, her face turned red.

You look tired.

5. What are modal verbs?

Modal verbs are those verbs which cannot be used independently unaccompanied by a notional verb, though they have lexical meaning of their own. The meaning of action or process which is common to all verbs is very scare in modal verbs and is dominated by the meaning of modality, i.e. of ability, necessity, delegation... to perform an action denoted by a notional verb.

Eg: can may, must, shall, need...

6. What are modal auxiliaries? Give example of different use.

Modal auxiliaries are verbs that can be used as both auxiliaries (to form negative and interrogative sentences) and modals (to denote some modalities of action).

Eg: can, may, must....

Can you give me a lift?

I can't live without him.

7. What are phrasal verbs?

Phrasal verbs are verbs made of two or more words with function semantically and grammatically as single verbs.

Semantically, phrasal verbs can be classified into 3 types:

- Literal phrasal verbs are verbs where the particle retains literal adverbial meaning.

Eg: put up, hang up, hand out...

It's raining. Why don't you put up your umbrella?

- Figurative phrasal verbs are verbs where no systematic way of semantic association between the verb and particle can be found.

Eg: Why did you give up the job?

8. What is the difference between transitive and intransitive verb?

- Transitive verbs are verbs that are connected with their object directly. In other words, transitive verbs are verbs which take direct object.

Eg: She is reading a book.

- Intransitive verbs are verbs that do not take a direct object and cannot be used in passive voice.

Eg: to live, to die, to sleep...

9. What does the term "subject-verb agreement" refer to? Write 3 examples and analyze the subject-verb agreement between them.

Subject-verb agreement is the grammatical concord between the subject and the verb The predicate must agree with the subject in person and number.

Eg:

- Radio and television have changed social habit.

→ Normally, when the subject consists of two or more nouns, it has the force of a plural and takes plural verb.

- Bread and butter is a wholesome food.

→ When two or more nouns represent a compound name of one thing, then the compound is thought of as singular and takes a singular verb.

- 20 kilometers is not a great distance in these days of rapid travel.

→ When a plural number applied to distances, weights, heights or amounts of money and represents a single figure or quantity, it is treated as singular and takes a singular verb.

- There is a teacher and 25 students in that room now.

There are 25 students and one teacher in that room now.

→ When the subject is the former "there", the predicate agrees with the real subject. In case of homogeneous subject, it agrees with the one standing first.

- Professor Brown, together with her assistants has written an article on this problem.

→ Words joined to the subject by "with, together, as well as, in addition to..." do not affect the predicate.

10. In what way can verb be formed?

A new verb in English can be formed in 3 ways:

- Conversion: Words of other classes are converted into verbs.

Eg: hand - to hand; book - to book

- Affixation: Affixes (either prefixes or suffixes) are added to a root to form a verb.

Eg: en → enrich; widen

- Composition: Two or more roots or stems are combined to form verb.

Eg: to babysit, to download...

11. What does the term "verb form" refer to? Make the list of verb forms.

Verb form refers to different forms of verb used in the sentence.

They include finite and non-finite forms:

- Finites are verb forms with a tense (tensed verb).They usually have the subject and a tense.

- Non-finites are those verb forms without a tense (non-tensed verb). They include infinitive, gerund, present participle, past participle.

Eg: The non-finites of the verb "do" are: to do, doing, done, having done, to have done.

12. What is the use of bare infinitive?

Bare infinitives are the base form of the verb (used without "to").

Bare infinitives are used with different syntactic functions:

- As a part of predicate after the modal or auxiliary verb in negative and interrogative sentences.

Eg: Can't you hear people crying?

- As complement, especially object complement in several structures.

Eg: Don't make me do what I don't want to.

- As the main verb in present subjunctive mood sentences.

Eg: I wish you be happy all your life.

- As the main verb in the imperative sentences.

Eg: Go off immediately.

13. What is the use of present participle in English language?

Basically, present participle is used:

- To form continuous tenses: The professor is briefing the seminar on his new finding.

- As attribute: I like to sit by the sea watching the rising sun.

- As adverbial modifier of:

Time: Hearing that news, her face turned white.

Cause: Being a foreigner, he can't eat dog meat.

Manner: I have a habit of lying in bed thinking of all what happened to me on previous day.

Concession: Although saying he loves her, he never wants to marry her.

14. What is the use of past participle in English language?

Basically, past participle is used:

- To form passive voice: He was promoted president of that company.

- To form perfect tenses: I'll have graduated by this June.

- As attribute: Stolen kisses are sweet.

- As adverbial modifier of:

Time: Seen from distance, Long Bien Bridge looks like a dragon.

Condition: She never opens her mouth unless spoken to.

Manner: Please do as requested.

Concession: Though exhausted, I tried to watch the film.

- As predicative (complement): The shop is closed.

15. What is the use of gerund?

Basically, gerund is used:

- As subject: Learning English is not easy.

- As object: I like listening to music.

- As adverbial modifier: Because of losing a lot of money, she cried terribly.

- As attribute: This is my writing pen.

- As complement: My hobby is reading book.

16. In what ways is gerund a noun? And in what ways is gerund a verb?

- Like the noun, gerund can function as:

+ Subject: Smoking can kill.

+ Object: I like listening to music.

+ Attribute: I've bought a new pair of running shoes.

+ Complement: Giving him money is gambling.

- Like a verb, gerund can:

+ Take object: Reading books broadens your mind

+ Be modified by and adverb: Stop talking so rudely.

17. Why are "dare", "need", "used to" called semi-modals?

"Dare", "need", "used to" are called semi-modals because they can be used as both modal and notional verbs.

Eg:

- Dare:

Dare you tell me the truth? (modal)

I never dare to reach to the moon. (notional)

- Need:

I need your clearer explanation. (notional)

Need I tell you about that again? (modal)

- Used to:

I used to walk around that lake when I have free time. (notional)

Used you to believe that love is true? (modal)

18. What is the difference between "used to st" and "would do st" when both of them are used to denote something usually happening in the past?

- The difference between them is that "would do st" need an indicator of time in the past while "used to do st" doesn't need such an indicator.

Eg: When I was student, I would come to that library.

She used to believe that there were ghosts.

- And besides, only "used to do st" not "would do st" is used to indicate past existence.

Eg: There used to be a small fishing village here.

19. What makes "must" different from "have to" when they are used to express obligation?

- In statement about obligation with "must", the obligation normally comes from the speaker.

Eg: You must tell me the truth, not lie.

- To talk about an obligation that comes from "outside" or imposed by circumstance, "have to" is usually preferred.

Eg: As the manage was out, I have to wait.

20. Name the four traditional moods in English language. Give example.

- Indicative mood: I love you so much.

- Imperative mood: Open the door!

- Interrogative mood: Are you a student?

- Exclamatory mood: What a beautiful girl!

21. Describe the subjunctive mood in English language.

Subjunctive mood in English language is the form of the verb often used to express uncertainty, wishes, desire, supposition... In contrast to the indicative mood, the subjunctive mood usually refers to nonfactual or hypothetical situation.

Three categories of subjunctive may be distinguished:

- Mandative subjunctive: The world people demand that the US withdraw it troops from Iraq immediately.

- Formulaic subjunctive: Long-lived Vietnam.

- Subjunctive "were": I wish she were with me now.

22. What is the use of past-subjunctive mood in English language?

The past subjunctive mood is used to express unreal past, wish that never become true. It also indicates unreality, improbability, regret... Its structure is similar to that of past unreal condition.

Eg: I suppose the story were true.

He looks as if he were ill.

23. What is tense and aspect?

- Tense is the linguistic expression of time relation. Tense of the verb is a grammatical category of the verb indicating the time of an action. Tense form may indicate whether an action or state is past, present of future. There are 3 tenses: past tense, present tense and future tense.

- Aspect is a grammatical category of the verb showing the way in which an action is performed or the different characteristics of an action. There are 3 aspects:

+ The indefinite aspect indicates:

• A habitual or repeated action.

• A permanent property of an action.

+ Continuous aspect indicates:

• An action in progress at the moment of speech.

• The continuity of an action.

• Near future action (with previous arrangement).

+ Perfect aspect indicates:

• An action completed before a certain moment.

• The duration of an action counting from the starting point up to a certain moment.

24. What is the use of continuous aspect in English language?

The continuous (progressive) aspect has 3 functions:

- It denotes an action happening at a certain moment.

Eg: She's playing piano in her sitting room.

This time yesterday I was drinking coffee with my friends.

- It denotes the continuity of an action.

Eg: That boy is playing computer games all the time.

She's always thinking highly of herself.

- It denotes a future action.

Eg: They are building a new hotel at the end of this year.

The prime minister is leaving Vietnam for the USA today week

25. State the use of present progressive.

The present progressive is used to indicate:

- Event or action in progress.

Eg: She's cleaning her room now.

- Temporary activity (action will end and therefore lacks the permanent of the simple present tense)

Eg: My parents are living in Ho Chi Minh city.

- Repetition or iteration in a series of similar ongoing actions.

Eg: The demonstrators are walking on the street, shouting slogan.

- Future action (when the event is planned, arranged in advance; usually with future time adverbial)

Eg: They are holding their wedding party next week.

26. Set the rules to change the direct imperative sentences into the reported one.

When we turn direct imperative sentences (command) into indirect one, the following changes are necessary:

- The introductory verb "say" changes to a verb of command or request, such as: "tell", "order", "ask"...

Eg: He said, "Close the door, John"

→ He told John to close the door.

- The introductory verb of the indirect imperative sentence must be follow immediately by the person addressed and the infinitive.

Eg: He said, "Get your coat, Mary."

→ He told Mary to get her coat.

- Negative imperative are expressed by placing "not" before the infinitve.

Eg: The said, "Don't move, boys."

→ He told the boys not to move.

- Pronouns and adverbs of place and time change as in statements:

Eg: He said, "Don't come tomorrow as I won't be here"

→ He told us not to come the next day as he wouldn't be there.

27. What situation are conditional sentences used to talk about?

Basically, conditional sentences are used to talk about:

- A situation which sometimes exists or existed.

Eg: If they lose weight during an illness, they soon regain it afterward.

- A situation which you know does not exist.

Eg: If there were no water, there would not be life on Earth.

- A situation when you don't know whether it exists or not.

Eg: If he is right it would be possible once more to manage the economy in the old way.

- A situation which may exist in the future.

Eg: If I have enough money I will by a TV.

28. Identify different types of factual conditional sentences and explain the use.

Factual conditionals include 4 types:

- Generic conditionals: expresses relationship that are true and unchanging (not bounded in time)

Eg: If you boil shrimps, they turn red.

- Habitual conditionals: resembles generic, expressing relationships that are not bounded in time, but the relationships are based on habit in stead of physical law. They express either past or present relationships that are typically or habitually true.

Eg: If he goes to work, his wife will stay at home to look after their baby.

- Implicit inference conditionals: expresses inferences about specific time-bound relationships. They make use of a much wider range of tenses and aspect markers and also occur with certain modal auxiliaries, tending to maintain the same tense and aspect or the same modal auxiliaries in both clauses.

Eg: If the Manchester United can beat Liverpool, it can beat Chelsea.

- Explicit inference conditionals: is the only case when there is not strict parallelism: the two clauses have different tenses, aspects or modals.

Eg: If someone is at the door, it must be Peter.

29. When is the passive voice used in English language?

- When the agent is redundant.

Eg: Only dragon fruit can be grown on this soil.

- To emphasize the receiver or result of action.

Eg: Immediate action was taken to curb inflation.

- To make a sentence sound more objective without revealing the source of information.

Eg: It is reported that he embezzled VND 10 billion.

- To be tactful or evasive by not mentioning the agent or when the agent cannot be identified.

Eg: It appears that some errors were made in this report.

- To retain the same grammatical subject in the successive clauses.

Eg: When I arrived at the company, I was interviewed by the director.

- When the passive is more appropriate than the active (usually in complex sentences)

Eg: The initiative which had been proposed by labour leaders was warmly welcome.

- When the theme is given information and the agent is new information.

Eg: How beautiful the poem is! It was composed by a very young poet.