The English Verb System Part One

The English Verb System: 

The English Verb System Tense Aspect Voice Mood Modality Auxiliary and Main Verbs Primary and Secondary Auxiliaries Modal Verbs Modal Auxiliaries Semi-Modals Periphrastic Expressions Catenative Verbs Operators Tense Aspect Voice Mood Modality Auxiliary and Main Verbs Primary and Secondary Auxiliaries Modal Verbs Modal Auxiliaries Semi-Modals Periphrastic Expressions Catenative Verbs Operators Tense Aspect Voice Mood

The Problem: 

The Problem Has English grammar been forced into descriptive categories that don’t really describe it at all?

Voice: 

Voice Active Passive A wasp stung David David was stung by a wasp Passive or Adjective? David was drunk. *David was drunk by ---- David was very drunk *David was very stung David was very bored by the film David was very offended by what you said. And with “get”? David got stung David got drunk

Mood: 

Mood Examples : Indicative – declarative of fact : I gave him your message Subjunctive – non-factual: Eg Italian, French Imperative – directing : Give him this message! Interrogative – querying : Some languages (eg Welsh) … and putative, optative, conditional and many others. Some languages have as many as sixteen different moods

Tense: 

Tense An inflected, independent verb form often linked with the expression of time (present, past, future etc). So English has traditionally been said to have two tenses : present (see) past (saw) But time not the best way to explain the meaning of the two English “tenses” ?

The So Called “Present” Tense: 

The So Called “Present” Tense I live in Milan I love chocolate Water boils at 100°C I play tennis on Tuesdays If there’s a time concept here it’s of a permanent (or timeless) event rather than of a present event?

The So Called “Past” Tense: 

The So Called “Past” Tense I was in Rome yesterday. I wish I was in Rome. What was the name please? The “past” tense doesn’t always express past time – again, the traditional equation between tense and time doesn’t hold up.

Aspect: 

Aspect Expresses the kind of event : habitual, changing, repeated, complete, on-going etc English : simple, progressive and perfective aspect

Verb Forms: 

Verb Forms So : every verb form should be described using four labels I live in Milan Present Simple Active Indicative Tense Aspect Voice Mood

A closer look at “tense”: 

A closer look at “tense” Lewis: The English Verb Replaces the idea of present, past and tense with : First Form Verbs : express events related to “here and now” immediate reality. Second Form Verbs : express events “remote” from here and now reality

First form verbs: 

First form verbs The use of the first form gives the event a sense of “here and now” immediacy : So he comes up to me and says … Have you seen John? vs Did you see John?

Second form verbs: 

Second form verbs Express remoteness or “distance” from “here and now”. This can be : 1. Remoteness in time – ie past : I saw John this morning 2. Remoteness from reality – ie hypothetical events: Imagine you won the lottery … 3. Psychological remoteness – ie indirectness : I wanted to see you for a moment

The Subjunctive in English ???: 

The Subjunctive in English ??? English has no subjunctive. Non-factual (= hypothetical) ideas, which in other languages are expressed by an inflected verb, are in English expressed through other verb forms – Possibly the infinitive – this however is rarely used in modern English : If what you say be true …; I suggested he wait.

If I were you, I’d forget the subjunctive …: 

If I were you, I’d forget the subjunctive … Notice that the use of were to express hypothetical events with 1st and 3rd person singular is not subjunctive but the regular second form of Be Rule : Second form verbs are never inflected for person – I played, she played, they played; I went, he went, they went etc The forms I were, he were, they were are therefore the regular form of Be and need no ulterior explanation If anything needs explaining it’s the irregular forms I was, it was etc which are used to express past events

Hypothetical Events: 

Hypothetical Events The main way of expressing remoteness from reality in English is by using the second form of the verb. It’s raining = Expression of Fact I wish it wasn’t raining = Non-factual expression I live in London so I can’t go skiing very often If I lived in Milan, I could go skiing every weekend in winter I’ve broken my leg I wish I hadn’t broken my leg

And the modal verbs …?: 

And the modal verbs …? I can’t go to the meeting. I couldn’t go to yesterday’s meeting. I wish I could go to the meeting. Could you go to the meeting in my place?

And the modal verbs …?: 

And the modal verbs …? I’ll go to the meeting for you. I asked her to go but she wouldn’t. I wish you would go in my place. Would you go to the meeting for me?