JMJ Marist Brothers

Notre Dame of Marbel University

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

COURSEPACK
in:
ENGL 103
INTENSIVE GRAMMAR AND
COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Jireh Clarisse T. Salomsom

JMJ Marists Brothers

Notre Dame of Marbel University
College of Arts and Sciences 1|Engl 103
LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT
 JMJ Marist Brothers
Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

Lesson 4: Verb
Presenting the Matter

Nouns are necessary to name people, places, and things.

Verbs are also necessary. They give life to nouns because they are
used to make statements about them (nouns). This part of the
module focuses on verb and its kinds, aspect and tense, mood, and
voice.

Jotting Down Targets:

After working on this module, you should be able to:

1. identify verbs in sentences;

2. determine verb kind, aspect and tense, mood, and voice;
3. use verbs in various communication situations.

Processing the Matter

A verb is a word that expresses time while showing an action,

a condition, or the fact that something exists.

1. She threw the garbage (threw- action);

2. The dog is sick (is- condition);

3. They were here (were- existence).

KINDS of VERBS

1. An action verb is a verb that tells what action someone or something performs.

Ex: Frank painted the wall. The students study.

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Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

Verbs such as painted, study, swings, shouted, and kicks represent visible
actions; however, some action verbs represent mental actions.

Ex: Carlos thought about the problem.

An action verb may be transitive or intransitive.

Transitive verbs are action verbs that direct actions toward someone or
something. The receiver is called the object.

The photographer takes clear pictures.

[the word pictures (direct object) receives the action.]

He baked something for her.

[something (direct object) receives the action.]

i.o.: receives the action of a transitive verb, indirectly.

The producer offered me a good show.

[me (indirect object) receives the action indirectly, while show (direct object)
receives the action directly.]

On the other hand, intransitive verbs are verbs that do not direct action toward
someone or something.

Santino smiled happily.

The tornado blew over the fields.

Most action verbs can be transitive or intransitive depending on their use in the
sentence. Some action verbs, however, can only be transitive while others can
only be intransitive.

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Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

Transitive: She wrote that letter.

Intransitive: She wrote quickly.

Always Transitive: California wines rival those of France.

Always Intransitive: She winced at the sound of his voice.

2. Linking Verbs (or Copula) - express a subject’s condition by linking the subject
to another word in the sentence.

A linking verb connects its subject with a word generally found near the end
of the sentence.

◦ Howard is a writer.

◦ Jenny was a senior.

◦ A recommendation should be drafted.

The verb BE is the most common linking verb.

am am being can be have been

are are being could be has been

is is being may be had been

was was being might be could have been

were were being must be may have been

shall be might have been

should be shall have been

will be should have been

would have been

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Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

Other linking verbs:

appear look sound

become remain stay

feel seem taste

grow smell turn

3. Auxiliary verbs or helping verbs are used to form some of the tenses,
the mood, and the voice of the main verb. Any of the many forms of the verb be
and the other verbs may be used as auxiliary verbs: do, does, did, has, have,
had, shall, should, will, would, can, could, may, might, must.

Auxiliary verbs are divided into 2 categories

(a) Primary auxiliaries

(b) Modal auxiliaries

Primary auxiliaries are the forms of the verbs to be, to have, to do.

Examples:

1. She has sent the invitation

2. The party has been postponed.

3. He did go to the party.

Modal Auxiliaries are shall, should, will, would, can, could, may, might, dare,
need, ought to, used to.

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Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

Modals are followed by principal/main verbs. They express the mode or manner
of happening of an action or event. They are used to give an expression to ideas
of ability, probability, possibility, permission, obligation, duty, threat,
determination, etc.

• Modals do not change according to the number or person of the subject. The
modal does not go alone. It always goes with a full verb.

Rama can run. They can run.

• Can/could, may/might, will/would, shall/should and must are followed by

infinitive without ‘to’.

Sita must go to hospital.

Santi will help you.
She should keep up her word.
He might leave India shortly.

• Ought and used are followed by the infinitive with ‘to’.

You ought to keep up your promise. He used to teach French.

• The negative is formed by putting ‘not’ after the auxiliary.

Students must not wear heavy jewelry with uniform.
She couldn’t walk as she fell down recently.

Can is used to express

(a) Ability – I can speak English fluently.

(b) Permission – Can I smoke in the campus?

You can go home now.

(c) Possibility – malaria can be dangerous.

Could is the past form of can. It is used to express:

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Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

(a) Ability in the past – I could easily run fast those days.

(b) A polite request in the present; in the form of a question – Could I see
the manager for a minute?

May is used for all persons in the present and future. It is followed by the
infinitive without ‘to’. May is used to

(a) Seek or grant permission – May I go home in the afternoon?

(b) Express possibility – It may rain in the afternoon.

(c) Express a wish or prayer – May God bless you.

(d) Express a purpose – He goes to gym so that he may be trim.

Might is used to express

(a) A doubtful possibility – He might go to a movie.

(b) To show permission – He told me I might use his car.

(c) Purpose – He left office early so that he might go for a function.

(d) Suggestion – you might visit the big temple which is on your
way to college.

Notice the difference between May and Might.

You may put the lights on. (Giving permission)

You might put the lights on. (Suggesting)

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Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

Might is also used in place of May.

My mother said, “You may go to the movie at three.”

My mother told me that I might go to the movie at three.

Shall is used to express the future when the subject is I or We.

I shall be sixteen next year.

Shall is used to express:

(a) Certainty– If you sing well, you shall be the winner.

(b) Assurance – Take the medicine regularly and you shall be well.

(c) Promise – If you win the match, you shall have a holiday.

(d) Threat – If you do not pass in the exam, you shall be retained in
the same class.

(e) Command – All students shall reach the prayer hall by 4.00p.m.

When shall is used in questions, it asks the will or the desire of the person
addressed.

Shall I go with you for the movie?

Shall we go to the market?

Should is used to express:

(a) Duty or moral obligation

We should take care of our parents during old age.

(b) Advice or instruction or opinion.

You should lock the door when you leave home.

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Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

(c) High degree probability

The team should win the trophy for all the efforts taken.

Should have expresses a past unfulfilled duty or a sensible action which was not
performed.

You should have worn a grand dress for the party.

Must refers to the present or the future tense. It is used to express:

(a) Obligation or necessity – We must obey our parents.

(b) Compulsion – You must finish your assignment by tomorrow.

(c) Possibility – She should have reached home by now.

Must refers to the present or the future tense. It is used to express:

(a) Obligation or necessity – We must obey our parents.

(b) Compulsion – You must finish your assignment by tomorrow.

(c) Possibility – She should have reached home by now.

Ought is used nearly in the same sense as should. It is followed by the infinitive
‘to’. It is used to:

(a) express duty or moral binding – You ought to send money to your
parents.

(b) An inference – The train ought to be arriving late, hence the platform is
crowded.

(c) Possibility – He has done well in the interview. He ought to get the job.

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 JMJ Marist Brothers
Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

Tips to understand the functioning of Modals:

Modals are usually used in statements to express the following:

• Ability – can, could

• Advice – had better, ought to, should certainly or
• Intention – shall, will, would
• Necessity – must, need to
• Obligation – ought to, should
• Permission – can, may
• Possibility – could, may, might
• Willingness – shall, will, would

Modals are used in questions for various purposes, such as the following:

• To find out about a person’s ability –

can/can’t/could/couldn’t (for the past)

• To get suggestions or advice –

shall/should/shouldn’t/ought to/ought/ not to

• To find if something is the right thing to do –

must/mustn’t/should/shouldn’t /ought to/ought not to

• To offer help –
can/can’t/could/couldn’t/may/shall/will/won’t/would

• To get an opinion –

will/would/won’t/wouldn’t

• To express uncertainty–

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Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

could/might/should

May is normally used with the subjects I and we in questions. The modal
shan’t is not used in questions.

The Principal Forms of the Verb

Verbs have fundamental forms that are used to indicate a tense.

Forms Regular Verb Irregular Verb

Simple or base form walk sing

Third person singular form walks sings

Present participle form walking singing

Past form walked sang

Past participle form walked sung

Aspect and Tense

• Tense indicates time. It simply indicates whether an action happened in the

past, present, or future.
• Aspect is a somewhat richer concept, and includes information about how
the events take/took place through time. Was the action instantaneous,
continuous, or habitual?
Languages commonly combine tense and aspect into a single inflectional
category (that is, a single word or affix will give both pieces of information). Other
languages do not mark one or the other.

SIMPLE TENSES

1. Simple Present expresses an action which is happening at the present

time, or which happens regularly. It also indicates general truth/ facts that
are permanently true, and activities to take place in the future.
Forms: simple for plural subjects and –s for singular subjects

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Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

(except for I and singular You).

EMPHATIC FORM: do/does + base form of the verb (Used to emphasize the
action )

Examples:

a. He smiles at her. (happening now)

b. The earth is a sphere. (general truth/ permanent fact)

c. Dave visits his grandfather every weekend. (habitual action)

d. In 1927, Charles Lindbergh flies nonstop across the Atlantic.

(to make historical events seem current: historical present)

e. In Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck shows us the extremes of life during

the depression. (to discuss a literary work: literary present)

f. She turns 18 on December 20. (future event)

g. Paolo does eat with his bare hands. (emphatic)

2. Simple past tense expresses something that happened entirely in the

past, action which is completed at a particular time in the past.

Form: past form; used to + base form of the verb

Emphatic: did + base form of the verb

Examples:

a. The children watched cartoons yesterday.

b. The driver used to clean the car.

c. The President lived in Kansas before.

d. She did take her vacation in Baguio last year.

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Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

3. Simple future tense expresses action which will take place in the future.

Forms: will or shall plus the base form of the verb; be verb + going to+
base form of the verb

Examples:

a. My family will ride the train to Chicago.

b. Ronald is going to spend his vacation in Dipolog next summer.
c. Despite his height, Barry is going to make it in the basketball team.

The other ways of expressing simple future tense besides using will or shall:

1. am/is/are + going to + base form of the verb

Ex. Our school is going to buy a service vehicle

2. am/is/ are + about to + base form of the verb

Ex. Our school is about to buy a service vehicle.

PERFECT TENSES

1. Present Perfect Tense expresses an action or a state of being that

occurred at an indefinite time in the past; expresses an action that began in
the past and continues to the present.
Form: has or have plus the past participle of the verb;

has or have plus been; with time expressions since and for

Examples:

a. I have submitted my report already. (recent past)

b. The cabinet has needed a new lock for a long time. (indefinite past)

c. Mike has been in several parades. (indefinite past)

d. He has waited for two hours.

(began in the past and continues to the present)

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Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

e. My sister has just left for the party. (recent past)

6. Ms. De Jesus has taught English since 1990.

(began in the past and continues to the present)

2. Past Perfect Tense expresses a past action that happened before another past
action. The earlier action is expressed in the past perfect tense and the latter action
is expressed in the simple past tense.

Form: had + past participle form of the verb

Examples:

a. She had gone home before the rain came.

b. Father had slept for an hour when the telephone rang.

3. Future Perfect Tense expresses an action or state of being that will have been
completed or finished at some future time.

Form: will or shall + have+ past participle form of the verb; will have been

Examples:

a. Before my friend arrives, I will have finished my project.

b. By the time you receive this letter, she will have returned home.

c. After this trip, he will have been to Chicago three times.

PROGRESSIVE TENSES

1. The Present Progressive Tense (Form: is/are/am + present participle or –ing

form of the verb) is used in the following contexts:

a. To describe an incomplete action which is in progress at the moment of

speaking; usually with time expressions such as now, at the moment, right now.

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 JMJ Marist Brothers
Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

Ex: We are discussing the project at the moment.

b. To describe a plan or arrangement in the near future; usually with time

expressions such as tonight, tomorrow, this week, this Monday.

Ex: Jim is leaving for Brussels this evening.

c. To express actions that are repeated regularly; usually with a negative meaning
and with the time expressions: always or forever.

Ex: Her husband is always complaining about his health.

• Note: A common mistake is using this form to describe what a company

sells or produces. In general, a company sells something on a regular basis,
so you need to use the present simple tense and not the present
progressive.

Incorrect: We are producing high-end plastic pipes.

Correct: We produce high-end plastic pipes.

2. The past progressive (Form: was/ were + present participle or –ing

form of the verb) describes an action that was in progress at a specific time in
the past.
It is used:

a. To describe an action that started in the past and was interrupted

by another action:

Examples:

• He was writing an e-mail when the phone rang.

• When the phone rang, he was writing an e-mail.
• While he was writing an e-mail, the phone rang

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 JMJ Marist Brothers
Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

b. To describe two actions that were in progress at the same time in the
past.

• I was preparing dinner while Melanie was working upstairs.

• While Melanie was working upstairs, I was preparing dinner.
• Note: The word order in the sentence can be switched around as
in the examples above, however, it is important to remember that
we use the time expression while before the past progressive
and the word when before the simple past part of the
sentence. Use only one of these time expressions in each
sentence.
3. The future progressive tense, also called the future continuous tense, (Form:
will/ shall be+ present participle or –ing form of the verb) indicates an action that
will occur over a period of time at some point in the future.

a. The future progressive expresses events that will last for a duration of
time at some point in the future.

Ex: You will be calling the station at noon.

b. Actions that will be in progress at a certain point or at a certain time

period in the future.

Examples:

They will be dancing all night long!

What will they be doing all night long?

This guy will be sleeping when you find him.

Tomorrow at three o'clock Josh will be cooking.

It will be raining the entire week.

He will be running until he's too tired to move.

When you come, I will be waiting.

I will be watching TV when you call this evening.

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Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

When we arrive at their house tonight, they will be waiting.

PERFECT PROGRESSIVE TENSES

1. Present Perfect Progressive Tense

• You form the present perfect progressive by using have been (or has been)
followed by an –ing verb.
• For instance, “She has been sitting in class since early this morning.” The
action, sitting, is continuing. But the emphasis is on the completed part of
the action. Here are some more examples: I have been waiting for 20
minutes.
I have been studying since I was a child.
It has been snowing all day long.
• In all of these sentences, the emphasis is on how the finished activity relates
to the present.
2. Past Perfect Progressive (Form: had been + –ing verb) emphasizes the
duration of a past action before another action happened.

Ex: “I had been smoking for 10 years before I quit.”

• Notice how the past perfect progressive often includes the

adverbs for and since to express duration. You will also see the
adverbs before, when or by the time used to introduce a second action.
The second action uses the simple past tense or past perfect tense.

Examples:

a. I had been studying for 12 years by the time I graduated from

high school.

b. She had been living there since she was a child.

c. He had been teaching for 12 years before he was certified.

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Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

3. The future perfect progressive describes the duration of an action as it

relates to a future event.

• There are two ways to form the future perfect progressive. Both require two
actions. One is by using “will have been” + the present participle,
followed by “when” or “by the time” and the second action.

Example: “I will have been working for 35 years by the time I retire.”

Notice that the second planned action, retire, is in the simple present. The
simple future is never used with the second action.

• The other way to form the future perfect progressive is using “be + going
to have been + a present participle followed by “when” or “by the time”
and the second action. The order of the actions can be reversed with
either form.
Example: “By the time the plane arrives, I am going to have been waiting for
five hours.”

• With the future perfect progressive, it is not always clear if the –ing verb
started in the past or will start in the future. For example, “The doctor will
have been working for 24 hours by the time his shift is finished.”
• The future perfect progressive is rare because it is difficult to know the
duration of an activity relative to another future event.

The Mood of the Verbs

The mood of the verb indicates the tone or attitude with which the statement
is made.

1. The indicative mood is used in stating a fact or in posing a question.

Examples:
a. The car is expensive. (Statement of fact)
b. Is the car expensive? (Question)
2. The imperative mood is used in giving a command or a request.

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Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

Examples:
a. Please close the windows.
b. Stop smoking.
3. The subjunctive mood is used in expressing a wish, a doubt, or a
condition contrary to fact.
a. I wish I were a genius.
b. He behaves as if he were the crowd’s favorite.
c. If I were rich, a would put up a foundation for poor students.

The Voice of the Verbs

In addition to showing time by their tense, most verbs can show whether the
subject is performing the action or having the action performed on it. This quality
of a verb is called VOICE.
There are two voices in English: active and passive. Only action verbs show
voice; linking verbs do not.

Using active and passive voice: Once you have learned how to form verbs in the
active and passive voice, you need to know WHEN to use which voice. There are
no firm rules, but good writers follow certain conventions with regard to voice.

• Use the active voice whenever possible. It is more direct and economical.
Active: Debbie repaired the dripping faucet.

Passive: The dripping faucet was repaired by Debbie.

• The passive voice has 2 important uses:

To emphasize the receiver of the action rather than the performer of
an action.

To point out the receiver of an action whenever the performer is not

important or not easily identified.

Receiver, emphasized: Lori was mystified by the message.

Performer, unknown: A ransom note was tacked to the door.
Performer, unimportant: The potholes will be repaired soon.

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Notre Dame of Marbel University
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
City of Koronadal, South Cotabato

The Forms of Passive Verbs

Changing from the active to the passive voice alters the form of the verb.
Passive verbs always have two parts.

A passive verb is made from a form of be plus the past participle of a

transitive verb.

Remember that all forms of a verb in the passive voice require the past
participle, regardless of the tense. It is only the helping verb that changes and
thus determines the tense.

The verb BRING in the passive voice

Active Passive

Simple Present brings/bring is/are brought

Present Progressive is/ are bringing is/are being brought

Present Perfect has/have brought has/have been brought

Present Perfect has/have been bringing has/have been being

Progressive brought

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