1 MODULE 3 - BASIC GRAMMAR

2 MODULE 3 - BASIC GRAMMAR

MODULE 3 - BASIC GRAMMAR

INTRODUCTION

There are many thousands of different words in the English language, but there are only eight
different kinds of words. These eight kinds, which are called “parts of speech,” are the noun, the
pronoun, the adjective, the verb, the adverb, the preposition, the conjunction, and the interjection. In
this module, we will study these parts of speech from their definitions, classes/kinds, functions in the
sentence and their significance

The module is divided into four lessons, namely:

Lesson 1: The Noun
Lesson 2: Pronoun
Lesson 3: The Verb
Lesson 4: Adjective and Adverb
Lesson 5: Recognizing Preposition, Conjunction and Interjection

MODULE LEARNING OUTCOME

In this module, you should be able to:
1. distinguish the eight parts of speech from each other;
2. identify the function of each eight parts of speech; and
3. communicate effectively by following the basic rules of grammar.

Lesson 3: THE VERB

SPECIFIC LEARNING OUTCOMES

In this lesson, you are expected to:
• define what is verb;
• identify the different kinds of verbs according to use;
• identify and use correct tenses of the verb; and
• use the correct form of the verb that agrees to its subject

PRE-ASSESSMENT
A. Select the correct verb from within the parentheses for each of the following sentences. Write
your answers on the blank before the numbers.
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1. Liza and Kat (is, are) cousins.

2. The boys (is, are) playing.
3. The news (is, are) very horrifying.
4. One of the students (look, looks) sad.
5. Everybody (is, are) happy.
6. Each teacher and student (was, were) given a gift.
7. Many (has, have) signified their intention to join us.
8. Dj (dance, dances) gracefully.
9. Some ( is, are) coming with us.
10. The teacher, together with her students (is, are) coming.

B. Give the correct form of each verb in parentheses as called for in the sentence.

1. This morning I (am) absent from the class.

2. I went to school but I (do) not go to class.
3. When my teacher arrived, I (hide) the store.
4. I (am told) to go to class but I did not go.
5. From the time on, I (become) regular in class attendance.

LESSON MAP

Regular and Irregular

verbs

Transitive,
Intransitive, Copula,
Verb Attributes: Tense,
Voice Mood
& Auxiliary

Subject-Verb
Agreement

Figure 1: The Verb

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CORE CONTENTS

ENGAGE:
Read/sing the poem. Then, answer the questions below:
I HAVE A DREAM (An Excerpt)
By Westlife
I have a dream, a song to sing
To help me cope with anything
If you see the wonder (wonder)
Of a fairy tale
You can take the future
Even if you fail

I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
I'll cross the stream
I have a dream

I have a dream a fantasy

To help me through reality
And my destination
Makes it worth the while
Pushing through the darkness
Still another mile
Questions:
1. Based on the poem above what can you infer about the speaker’s attitude?

2. Can you relate to the speaker of the poem? How?

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EXPLORE:

The verb can do more than being just an action word. It could become a link between the
subject and the predicate or become a helping verb which help express the meaning of the main
verb. The words “believe”, “can take”, “see”, “know”, “will cross” are some examples of verb.

KINDS OF VERBS

A. According to form
1. Regular verbs- a verb that forms its past and past participle form by adding -d or -ed to
the base form of the verb

Present Past Past Participle

listen listened (have) listened
work worked (have) worked

2. Irregular verbs -a verb whose past and past participle is formed in ways other than
adding -d or -ed to the present form.

Present Past Past Participle

bind bound (have) bound
hit hit (have) hit
eat ate (have) eaten

B. According to structure

1. Transitive verb-expresses an action and it is always followed by an object that receives

the action. An object answers the question who or what.

Example: The funding agencies approved (verb) the project proposal(object). (what did
the funding agencies approved? -proposal)

2. Intransitive verb- expresses an action but is not followed by an object. In other words, it
doesn’t have an object. It doesn’t answer the question who or what.
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Example: Summer vacation (subject) in the Philippines starts (verb) from last week of
March or April.

3. Linking verb- is a word that links or establish a relationship between the subject and its
predicate. They never show an action. The most common form of a linking verb is the “BE
verb”: am, is, are,was, were, be, been, being. Some pertains to the senses: appear,
become, continue, feel, grow, look, remain, seem, smell, sound, taste, turn.

Examples: Lee Min Ho became the branch manager of Jollibee in Surigao City.
Many of my friends are teachers.

4. Auxiliary Verbs- those that are combined with action words to express the ideas exactly.
They help express the meaning of the main verb. The four groups of helping verb are:
a. Verb “Be” group- am, is, are,was, were, be, been, being.
b. “Have” group- has, have, had
c. “Do” group (emphatic)- do, does, did
d. Modal Auxiliaries- may, might, must, can,could, shall, should, will, would
Example: Jenny is working very hard for her family.
I have purchased a round-trip ticket to Japan for December this year.
She does believe in the power of prayer.
I might resign and try my luck abroad.

ATTRIBUTES OF VERB

A. Tense -denotes time of action or of being

Verb tenses and forms:

Simple Tense Progressive Perfect tense Perfect

Tense Progressive
Tense
Present -s/no -s form of Am/is/are + -ing Have/has + Have/has been +
the verb from of the verb past participle -ing form of the
form of the verb
verb
Past -d, -ed, or the Was/were + -ing had + past had been + -ing
irregular form from of the verb participle form form of the verb
of the verb of the verb
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Future Will/ shall + Will/ shall +be + Will/ shall + Will/ shall + have
base form of -ing from of the have + past + been + -ing form
the verb verb participle form of the verb
of the verb

1. Simple Tenses

a. Simple Present Tense -denotes present time; express habitual action,

general truth, and permanent condition.
Example: I drink ten glasses of water everyday. (habitual)

b. Simple Past Tense - denotes past time, past action.

Example: The photographer captured the scenes at Siargao Islands.

c. Simple Future Tense- denotes that the action will be taking place some
time in the future.
Example: She will deliver her valedictory address on Monday, the
graduation Day.

2. Progressive Tense

a. Present Progressive Tense- describes an ongoing action that is happening

at the same time the statement is written (see the formula in the table above).

Example: the professor is checking the final requirements of his students.

b. Past Progressive Tense- describes a past action which was happening when
another action occurred.
Example: The student-leaders were having a meeting when the
administrative officer told them to vacate the Conference Room.

c. Future Progressive Tense- describes an ongoing or continuous action that will

take place in the future.
Example: NEMCO will be hosting the Uni-wide Business Summit this
coming September.
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3. Perfect Tense
a. Present Perfect Tense- signifies that the action started I the past and still
going on in the present.
Example: Liza has already published a book on Literature.
b. Past Perfect Tense - signifies that an action happened in the past when
another action took place.
Example: Enrique had finished his manuscript when Liza came.
c. Future Perfect Tense- signifies that the action will be completed some time in
the future.
Example: I will have submitted my project by this time tomorrow.
4. Perfect Progressive Tense
a. Present Perfect Progressive Tense - describes an action that began in the
past, continues in the present, and may continue in the future.
Example: Dr. Padilla has been considering is luck to teach outside the
Philippines where income would be bigger.
b. Past Perfect Progressive Tense- describes a past, ongoing action that was
completed before some other past action.
Example: Before the memo on cost cutting measures, the offices had
been using the air-con as early as seven in the morning.
c. Future Perfect Progressive Tense- describes a future, ongoing action that
will occur before some specified future time.
Example: James will have been studying English for 14 years by year 2022.
B. Voice-the quality of the verb which pertains to the way a verb functions relative to the
subject of the sentence. It shows whether the subject is the doer or the receiver of the action.
1. Active Voice- The subject performs the action. The action is linear and
straightforward.
Example: Dr. J. Reid examined the pregnant with care.
(subject) (Transitive verb) (object)
(The subject, Dr. J. Reid, is the doer of the action)
2. Passive Voice - the subject is the recipient of the action. The verb acts upon the
subject
Example: The pregnant was examined with care by Dr. J. Reid
(subject) (intransitive verb)
(The subject, pregnant, is the receiver of the action.)
C. Mood- the quality of the verb that shows the mode or manner in which the action or
condition is conceived, expressed, or intended. It tells whether the writer regards the statement
is a fact, command /request, wish possibility, or condition contrary to the fact.
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1. Indicative mood- states a fact of some sort, describes what happens, or gives
details about reality or asks a question.
2. Imperative Mood- indicates a state of command, entreaty, or advice.
3. Subjunctive mood- indicates a hypothetical state, a doubt, a state a contrary to
reality like a wish, a desire, or an imaginary situation.

Mood Sample Sentences

Indicative Surigao City is the capital of Surigao del Norte.
Imperative Fall in line when paying your fees.
Subjunctive If I were the president, I would eliminate the corruption.

SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Basic Rule: A singular subject (she, Bill, car) takes a singular verb (is, goes, shines), whereas
a plural subject takes a plural verb.
1. The pronoun “you” whether singular or plural takes a plural verb.
Example: You make my day complete.
2. Intervening words such as along with, together with, including, with, in coordination
with, and others do not affect the agreement.
Example: Celia, with all her relatives, is attending the wedding.
3. Prepositional phrases between the subject and verb usually do not affect agreement.
Example: The order of the three ladies has not yet been delivered.
4. When sentences start with “there” or “here,” the subject will always be placed after
the verb, so care needs to be taken to identify it correctly.
Example: Here are the papers you requested. (Papers-subject; are-verb)
5. Subjects don’t always come before verbs in questions. Make sure you accurately
identify the subject before deciding on the proper verb form to use.
Example: Where are the documents I requested you to submit? (documents- subject)
6. If two subjects are joined by “and”, they typically require a plural verb form. But if the
subject joined by “and” refers to the same person or thing, singular verb is
required.
Example: Reading and watching are my favorite past times. (plural)
Rice and fish makes a good dish. (singular)
7. When a compound subject is composed of a negative and positive elements, the verb
agrees with the affirmative.
Example: The director, not the producers, deserves an applause.
8. If one of the words each, every,or no comes before the subject, the verb is singular.
Example: Every man and women is required to be in executive suit.
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9. If the subject is joined by the words “or,” “nor,” “neither…nor…,” either…or…” and
“not only…but also…,” the verb agrees with nearest subject.
Example: Either you and I am assigned to proctor the examination.
10. The object of the preposition determines the form of the verb if it is preceded by
words like “some,” “half,” “none,” “more,” “all,” etc. as subjects
Example: Some of the investments of the firm seem to have been affected by the
market changes.
11. Words or phrases that express periods of time, weights, and money taken as a unit
are generally singular.
Example: Two gallons of whitewash is all that the dentist needs.
12. Singular indefinite pronouns take singular verb, while plural indefinite pronouns take
plural verb. (see list of indefinite pronouns in Lesson 2)
Example: Everyone wants a passing mark.
Few were left alive after the tsunamis.
13. When verbals such as gerunds and infinitives are used as the subject of a sentence,
they take the singular verb, but when they are link by “and” they take the plural form.
Example: Smoking cigarette and drinking liquor cost a lot of money.
To collect stamps is an expensive hobby.
14. Nouns in plural for but singular in meaning take singular verb.
Example: Measles threatens lives of children
15. Mass nouns or things that cannot be counted are singular unless preceded by “lots
of,” “pieces of,” “kinds of,”an the like.
Example: The chalk is not enough for the board work.
The pieces of chalk are nowhere to be found.
16. Collective nouns (group, jury, crowd, team, etc.) may be singular or plural, depending
on meaning.
Example: The jury has awarded the custody to the grandmother. (“jury “ is regarded as
one entity; they had a consensus to give the custody to the grandmother)
The jury have been arguing for five days. (“jury” is regarded as separate
individuals giving their own argument)
17. Titles of books, movies, short stories, poems, novels and others are treated as
singular and take a singular verb.
Example: Edgar Allan Poe’s The Bells makes good piece for speech choir.
18. Sentences beginning with the phrase “the number” take singular verbs, while
sentences beginning with “a number” take plural verb.
Example: The number of applicants in the call center world grows each year. (singular)
A number of test takers in the Licensure Examination for Teachers are now waiting
for the result. (plural)
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19. A clause used as subject needs a singular verb.

Example: What you are is God’s gift to you.

EXPLAIN:
Activity 3:
From the poem in Engage, pick out the verbs used and list them down below.

1. Based from the words you listed above, what is a verb?

2. Explain the significance of studying verb.

TOPIC SUMMARY
In this lesson, you have learned that …
⚫ Verbs are the action words in a sentence that describe what the subject is doing. Along
with nouns, verbs are the main part of a sentence or phrase, telling a story about what is
taking place.
⚫ The verb can do more than being just an action word. It could become a link between
the subject and the predicate or become a helping verb which help express the meaning
of the main verb. The words “believe”, “can take”, “see”, “know”, “will cross” are some
examples of verb.
⚫ Verbs are classified according to its form (regular/irregular) and structure
(transitive/intransitive/ copula/auxiliary).
⚫ There are three attributes of the verb namely tense, voice and mood.
⚫ The basic rule for subject-verb agreement is “a singular subject takes a singular verb,
whereas a plural subject takes a plural verb.

References:

Books:
De La Cruz, A. O. (2014). Basics of English Grammar: A Textbook -Workbook for
English Language Learners. Wiseman’s Book Trading, Inc.: Philippines.
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San Miguel, J.G., Barraquio, D.C.T., & Revilla, R. DV.(2010). Smart English: (More
Than) A Worktext for Grammar and Syntax. 2nd Ed. C&E Publishing, Inc.:
Quezon City