Reproduced by kind permission of Erik Smitterberg (PhD, Docent), Department of English, Uppsala University

1. A-level Grammar4: Verbs and Verb Phrases I Reproduced by kind permission of Erik Smitterberg (PhD, Docent), Department of English, Uppsala University

2. Finite Verb Forms I • Finite verb forms express tense (present vs. past), number (singular vs. plural), person (1st, 2nd, 3rd), and/or mood (indicative, imperative, subjunctive) • Tense: He paysmy bills (present) vs. He paidmy bills (past) • Number and person: She paysmy bills (3rd person singular) vs. They pay my bills (not 3rd person singular) • Mood: She pays my bills (indicative) vs. I demand that she pay my bills (subjunctive) vs. Pay my bills! (imperative)

3. Finite Verb Forms II • The present indicative: • We play tennis • He plays tennis • The present subjunctive: • It is crucial that he play well today • The imperative: • Play tennis! • The past indicative: • We/He played tennis • The past subjunctive: • He gave orders as if he were the boss

4. Nonfinite Verb Forms I • Unlike finite verb forms, nonfinite verb forms do not express tense, number, person, or mood • We canplay the violin • She couldplay the violin • I ammowing the lawn • He is mowing the lawn • Playing football is my favourite hobby • Playing football was my favourite hobby

5. Nonfinite Verb Forms II • The infinitive: • I started to read when the light came on • I will read the paper on the train • The present participle or -ing form: • I was reading the paper when you arrived • I love reading a good book • The past participle: • I have read dozens of books this year • This book will be read by millions of people

6. Finite and Nonfinite Forms That Often Look Identical • The pasttenseand the pastparticipleof all regular verbs and someirregular verbs: • I played tennis in 2009 • I haveplayed tennis for fiveyears • The present indicative(except the 3rd person singular in -(e)s), the present subjunctive, the imperative, and the infinitiveof all verbs except modals and be: • Weoftenplay tennis • I demanded that sheplay better • Play better! • Wewouldplay tennis ifwecould

7. Finite Verb Phrases present indicative In a finite verb phrase: • I play tennis past participle present participle present indicative • The first verb form is finite • I havebeenplaying tennis • Any other verb forms are non-finite infinitive past participle past participle past indicative This shouldhavebeendone already

8. Nonfinite Verb Phrases • A nonfinite verb phrase does notcontain a finite verb form present participle past participle Playing tennis is great fun Having been booed off stage, the actor quit his job present participle past participle

9. Main Verbs and Auxiliaries

10. Auxiliaries There are five possible combinations of an auxiliary and another verb form in English: do-support: do + infinitive Did you mow the lawn? Do-support is never used if there are other auxiliaries modal: modal auxiliary + infinitive I willmow the lawn perfect: have + past participle I havemowed the lawn progressive: be + present participle I ammowing the lawn passive: be + past participle The lawn was mowed by me The other verb form may be a main verb (see the above examples) or another auxiliary (see next slide)

11. The Order of Auxiliaries: Modal, Perfect, Progressive, Passive modal: modal auxiliary +infinitive passive: be+past participle This pasta should have been cookedby you perfect: have+pastparticiple perfect: have+pastparticiple Someone musthavebeeneating my potato crisps modal: modal auxiliary +infinitive progressive: be+present participle

12. Finite Verb Forms and the Order of Auxiliaries • The same verb phrase can never contain more than one finite verb form • Any auxiliaries must appear in the correct order • Each auxiliary + verb combination can only occur once in a verb phrase past indicative; modal aux. past indicative; modal aux. past indicative? past participle?; perfect aux. infinitive; perfect aux. I shouldhave left already √ past participle; main verb past participle; main verb *I shouldhad left already ×

13. Do-support Auxiliary do is used to form questions and negations, and for emphasis, when there there is no other auxiliary: past indicative main verb • Exceptions: • The main verb be except in the imperative • Wh-questionswhere the wh-word is the subject The police caught the thief Didthe police catch the thief? past indicative auxiliary do infinitive main verb I am not happy with my performance Who | took | the money? Don’t be shy! S V Od

14. Modal Auxiliaries Corresponding to Swedish Skulle • The word normally corresponding to skulle is would, notshould (which often corresponds to börand borde) • Exceptions: • Shouldkan be used instead of would with 1st-person subjects in BrE: If I knew that I would/should tell you • Should expresses low probability in if-clauses (≈händelsevis skulle): If you should miss the bus, please take a taxi • Should+ infinitive is an alternative to the mandative subjunctive (mostly in BrE): I demanded that he (should) pay for my meal

15. The Mandative Subjunctive • = The present subjunctive when it occurs in that-clauses after triggering expressions that involve suggestions, demands, desires, etc. (see UGE 5.2.2.5) • Identical with the base (infinitive) form of the verb • The tense does not change in the that-clause I demandedthat he pay for the window It is crucialthat they be here tomorrow • In BrE, should + infinitive is an alternative I demandedthat he should pay for the window It is crucialthat they should be here tomorrow

16. Further Reading • Compendium: • Unit 4, Verbs and Verb Phrases I • A University Grammar of English (UGE): • Chapter 5, sections 5.1-5.3; 5.6