english verb system

ENGLISH VERB SYSTEM

Jessie Grace U. Rubrico, PhD

TESL PROGRAM

University of Malaya

14 February 2011

verbs

main

dynamic/ action

static/state of being

cognition, perception, emotion, relation

aux

be, do, have, modals

Dr. Jessie Grace U. Rubrico, TESL Program Universiti Malaya KL/feb 2011

TENSE

TIME

PAST

PRESENT

FUTURE

ASPECT

SIMPLE

CONTINUOUS

PERFECT

RUBRICO, Jessie Grace/PBET 1103 2011

TIME

PAST

PRESENT

FUTURE


ASPECT

SIMPLE

CONTINUOUS

PERFECT

PERFECT CONTINUOUS


TENSES IN ENGLISH

T I M E

ASPECT PAST PRESENT FUTURE

SIMPLE Simple Past Simple Pres Simple Fut

CONTINUOUS Past Cont Pres Cont Future Cont

PERFECT Past Perf Pres Perf Future Perf

PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Past Perfect Continuous

Pres PerfContinuous

Future PerfContunuous

Source: Master, P. (1996), p.48.Jessie Grace U. Rubrico, PhD

TESL Program Universiti Malaya KL

Inflections of verbs

Ø-s

SUFFIXES -ing-ed-en

Inflection: number (Subj-V agr); tenseDr. Jessie Grace U. Rubrico, TESL Program Universiti Malaya KL/feb 2011

Simple Tenses

•SIMPLE PRESENT

•SIMPLE PAST

•SIMPLE FUTURE


Simple Present Tense

Usage• habitual action; recurring action

Structure: Verbbase-S

-Ø

> adverbs of frequency: often, always, frequently, usually, sometimes, seldom, rarely, never, etc.


Simple FutureTense

Usage: action/states in a future time

Structure will + Verbbase

be going to

Simple Pres + future time expression:

We leave for Kelantan tomorrow.Dr. Jessie Grace U. Rubrico, TESL Program Universiti Malaya KL/feb 2011

Will or Be going to?

Making prediction

• will : for general prediction

> It will rain tomorrow

• be going to: linking prediction to present

circumstance

> They are going to find it difficult to get

tickets to Manila.


Will or Be going to?

Making decisions

• will: in the process of making

> When will you get the ticket?

• be going to: decisions are already made

> I’m going to drive up North tomorrow.


Simple Past Tense

Usage: actions that happened in the past that has no connection to the present

Structure: Verbbase -ed (regular)-irregular

Subject-Verb Agr > NIL, except for BE


Present Continuous Tense

• STRUCTURE:

– BE {am, is, are} + Verb-ing

• USAGE: ongoing actions


Past Continuous Tense

• STRUCTURE:

- BE {was, were} + Verb-ing

USAGE: V1 was happening when

V2 happened

V2 > simple past: reference timeDr. Jessie Grace U. Rubrico, TESL Program Universiti Malaya KL/feb 2011

We came to Malaysia on 27 June 2009. Ourfriend was waiting for us when our planetouched down at KLIA. It was raining when wearrived but the sun was still up at 7PM. We werehungry, so we went to a restaurant near theHilton. While we were ordering, our friend calledmy boss to let him know that we were here. Aswe were leaving the restaurant, we saw a friendin a taxi but he did not see us. We were goingback to the Hilton when we met another friendand we went for coffee.


Notes: PCT

PCT is generally NOT used in English unless there are TWO verbs present:

PAST CONTINUOUS

SIMPLE PAST - reference time


Future Continuous Tense

• STRUCTURE:

WILL

BE { is, am, are} going to + be Verb-ing

• USAGE: X will be happening when

Y takes place


Kevin is very excited because next year he is going to beworking for the Peace Corps in Sudan. The plan is asfollows: When he arrives, he will be living in Khartoum fora short while until he becomes accustomed to the life andculture of this desert nation. After two weeks, he will bemoving into a house with other volunteers in a villagenear Juba. There they will be helping the local populationto learn new techniques of growing cotton. He will also beteaching an English class in the village school because hehas an MA degree in teaching English. Later he will betraining young adults to work in a food processing plant.Of course, while he is there he will be learning Arabic. Itwill be a difficult assignment, but he knows that he andhis colleagues are going to be experiencing a completelydifferent culture, and he knows the rewards will betremendous. (Source: Master, 1996; p65).

PERFECT TENSES : completed action

• Present Perfect: Action is completed vis-à-vis the present. > I have read it.

• Past Perfect: Action is completed vis-à-vis the past. > I had read it.

• Future Perfect: Action is completed vis-à-vis the future. > I will have read it.


Present Perfect Tense

Structure : {has/have} + Verben

• actions that occurred sometime in the past but have relevance in the present

• Verben - past participle of the verb


USAGE -

1. To talk about experiences.

• Examples I have been to Spain. She has never visited us. Have you ever tried crabs?

• never and ever -often used with the Present Perfect Tense to talk about experiences.


2. To talk about an action which started in the past and continues up to now.

Examples I have been a teacher for more than ten years. We haven't seen the President since Friday. How long have you been in UM?

• since and for- express how long the action has lasted.


3. To talk about a past action that has an effect in the present.

Examples • I have lost my card. > I don't have it now.

• June has gone to London. > She isn't here now.


Present Perfect & Past Simple tenses

Past Simple tense - definite finished time in the past. For example: yesterday, last week, when I was abroad, then, after etc.

• Examples I finished college twenty years ago. Where did they first meet? I didn't study Mandarin then.


Present Perfect tense - time references that refer to the time up to now.

For example: today, this week, this month, ever, never, already, recently, yet, etc.

• ExamplesI haven't seen Tom today.Have you ever smoked a cigar?I have never been abroad.

Dr. Jessie Grace U. Rubrico, TESL Program Universiti Malaya KL/feb2011

Past Perfect Tense

Structure: had + Verben

Usage: X had happened

before Y happened


When the professor finally showed up, the students hadwaited for more than twenty minutes. He apologized andtold them that he had misplaced his watch. He asked oneof the students for the time, but the student replied that hehad misplaced his watch, too. Another student announcedthat she had seen Big Ben the summer before if that wasany help. By the time the students had really settled down,it was almost a quarter to four. The professor proceeded toask the students some questions which he had prepared forthem. When he had finished, he asked them to turn in acomposition which he had assigned two weeks earlier. Afterhe had given them another assignment for the week, hedismissed the class right on time. Most of the students wereused to this because they had the same professor theprevious semester.

Source: Master, P. (1996), p.73.

Future Perfect Tense

Structure:

will have + Verben

Usage: V1 will have happened

before V2 happens


Going to a Conference in JapanBy the time they get to Tokyo, the doctors will have flown formore than 14 hours. They will have crossed six thousand miles ofocean and have eaten at least four meals. They will not havetaken a shower since they left Chicago, so they are bound tomake their presence known. Hopefully, before they attend theconference, they will have had time to bathe, to rest, and torecover from jetlag. They will also have met the hosts and will nodoubt have introduced themselves to the other members of theinternational panel, which is the highlight of the conference andtheir principal reason for coming to Japan. The leader of thisgroup says that, when it is over, this will have been the thirdconference he has participated in this year, although it is the firstone at which he will have presented a paper. The Japanese hostssay that, at the conclusion of this meeting, it will have been thesecond conference in as many years that has taken place inTokyo, and they hope to host many more such meetings in thefuture. (Master, 1996; p. 76)

PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSES

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS


PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

STRUCTURE

have {has, have} + been + Verb-ing

USAGE :

X began happening and

has continued until NOW


Examples: Present Perfect Continuous

• They have been waiting at the Café for over an hour.

• I have been working here for two years.

• She has not been reporting to work since Monday.

• Peter and Nona have been quarreling over money lately.


Past Perfect Continuous Tense

STRUCTURE

had been + Verb-ing

USAGE

X (past perfect continuous) started happening and continued to happen before Y happened (simple past)


Examples: Past Perfect Continuous

• Joni and John had been discussing the problem for three hours before Cindy arrived.

• They failed PBET 1103 because they had not been attending class.

• The customers had been waiting for three months before their orders were finally shipped.


Future Perfect Continuous Tense

STRUCTURE: will have been + Verb-ing

USAGE:

X will continue to happen until

Y happens at a particular future time


Examples: Future Perfect Cont

• When you get to Kelantan, you will have been driving for over five hours.

• By the time we finish the semester, we shall have been meeting continuously for 14 weeks.

• If the runner finishes within the next five minutes, he will have been running for 2 hours.


References

• Carter, R. Hughes, R. & McCarthy, M. 2002 (2007, 8th printing). Exploring Grammar in Context. NY: Cambridge University Press.

• Master, P. 1996. Systems in English Grammar: An Introduction for Language Teachers. NJ: Prentice Hall Regents.


english verb system

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