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Lecture Notes - Verbs

Verbs play two main functions in clauses: as the main verb, which determines other elements in the clause, or as auxiliary verbs which qualify the meaning of the main verb. There are three classes of verbs - lexical verbs which only function as main verbs, primary verbs which function as both auxiliary and main verbs, and modal verbs which only function as auxiliary verbs. Verbs can take different valency patterns depending on required clause elements, including intransitive, monotransitive, ditransitive, complex transitive, and copular patterns. Multi-word verbs also exist and function as a single verb, comprising a verb and particle, preposition, or both.

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179 views

Lecture Notes - Verbs

Verbs play two main functions in clauses: as the main verb, which determines other elements in the clause, or as auxiliary verbs which qualify the meaning of the main verb. There are three classes of verbs - lexical verbs which only function as main verbs, primary verbs which function as both auxiliary and main verbs, and modal verbs which only function as auxiliary verbs. Verbs can take different valency patterns depending on required clause elements, including intransitive, monotransitive, ditransitive, complex transitive, and copular patterns. Multi-word verbs also exist and function as a single verb, comprising a verb and particle, preposition, or both.

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Kamalesh Siva
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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HEK 215

Verbs
Functions of Verbs
Verbs play two main functions in clauses:
oThe main verb
➢ is the most essential element in a clause as it determines the other elements.

o Auxiliary verbs
➢ come before a main verb and qualify (describe) its meaning.
e.g., He will think about it.
Classes of Verbs
Verbs can be divided into three classes:
o Lexical verbs function only as main verbs (e.g., write, read, and ponder).
o Primary verbs (be, have, and do) function as both auxiliary and main
verbs.
e.g., She does (auxiliary verb) not do (main verb) her homework.
He has already had his breakfast.
o Modal verbs (can, could, shall, should, will, would, may, might, must)
function only as auxiliary verbs.
Valency Patterns
❑ The patterns vary according to the clause elements required to follow the
verb within the clause, e.g., direct object, indirect object, subject
predicative.
❑ Valency patterns comprise a subject.
❑ Optional adverbials may be added.

Subject Verb Optional adverbial


He went to school
Valency Patterns (Cont.)
There are five patterns of valency:
1. Intransitive
Pattern: subject + verb (S + V)
e.g., They play.

2. Monotransitive
Pattern: subject + verb + direct object (S + V + DO)
e.g., She writes novels.
Valency Patterns (Cont.)
3. Ditransitive
Pattern: subject + verb + indirect object + direct object (S + V + IO + DO).
e.g., She gave her mother a flower.

4. Complex transitive
Complex transitive verbs precede a direct object (a noun phrase) followed by either an
object predicative (a noun phrase or adjective), or an obligatory adverbial.
➢ Patterns: subject + verb + direct object + object predicative (S + V + DO + OP)
e.g., He calls his son champion.
➢ or subject + verb + direct object + obligatory adverbial (S + V + DO + A).
e.g., She put eggs in the fridge.
Valency Patterns (Cont.)
5. Copular
Followed by a subject predicative (a noun, adjective, adverb, or
prepositional phrase) or by an obligatory adverbial.
Patterns:
subject + verb + subject predicative (S + V + SP)
e.g. She felt shy.
or subject + verb + obligatory adverbial (S + V + A)
e.g. Employers keep in touch with alumni employees.
Multi-word verbs
❑ Several multi-word verbs function as a single verb.
❑ They usually have idiomatic meanings.
❑ There are three basic types of multi-word verbs:
➢ Phrasal verbs
o comprise a verb and an adverbial particle (e.g., take off, go on and
sort out).
Multi-word verbs (Cont.)
➢ Prepositional verbs
o comprise a verb and a preposition (e.g., depend on, go into and deal with).

➢ Phrasal-prepositional verbs
o contain both an adverbial particle and a preposition (e.g., get on with, put up with and look
forward to).

❑ Being idiomatic in meaning, multi-word verbs can sometimes be replaced by single word
verbs:
Multi-word verbs (Cont.)
➢ Other multi-words constructions happening with idiomatic meaning:
❖ verb + prepositional phrase combinations
e.g., You have to take into account where the younger shoots are dominant.
❖ verb + verb combinations
e.g., They're having to let 20 employees go.
❖verb + noun phrase combinations.
e.g. Let's have a look at this.
Tense

▪ The time of the situation.


▪ Past (e.g., played)
▪ Present (e.g., plays)
▪ Future (e.g., will play)
▪ Discuss the different types of each tense form and use!
Aspect

✓ Unmarked (or simple aspect) (e.g., plays)


✓ Perfect (e.g., has played)
✓ Progressive (e.g., is playing)
✓ Perfect progressive (e.g., has been playing)
Voice

➢ Active (e.g., eats)


➢ Passive (e.g., is eaten)
➢ Discuss the use of passive voice with different
tenses!
Modality
❖ Unmarked (e.g., swims)
❖ With modal verb (e.g., will/can/might
swim)
Negation

o Positive
e.g., He writes letters.
o Negative
e.g., He doesn’t write letters.
Finite clause type or ‘mood’
❑ Declarative
e.g., Tom’s flat is in Penang.
❑ Interrogative
e.g., Is he from Greece?
❑ Imperative
e.g., Give me his phone number!
❑ Exclamative
e. g., What a beautiful apartment!

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