A verb tells the state or action of a subject.
Verbs have three moods:
The indicative, for most statements and questions
The imperative, for commands
The subjunctive, for expressing wishes and certain untrue situation.
Verbs have two voices:
The active for most statements and questions
In an active voice sentence, the subject is the performer of the action of the verb.
An active voice sentence emphasizes the subject of the sentence.
Verbs have a number of tenses.
The verb tense indicates the time of the action. In certain, Verbs change according to the subject of the sentence.
The verb be changed in the present, the past, the present progressive, and the past progressive tenses
All other verbs change he / she/ it form n the present tense and the present perfect tense.
The basic verb= the dictionary form
The infinitive= to + the basic verb
The present principle= the basic verb+ing
The past form= the basic verb +ed ( irregular past forms)
Are listed on pp.
The past participle= the basic verb+ ed ( irregular past participles are listed on pp.
To make questions, put the verb before the subject.
To show a surprised response, use subject + verb+ ?
Using be:
Be connects the subject of a sentence with a fact about the subject. It has several different meanings.
Be identifies the following noun or pronoun as the same person, place thing, abstraction as the subject.
Be+ a possessive noun/ pronoun / adjective identifies the owner of the subject
Be+ a descriptive adjective describes the subject or tells its condition.
Be+ an adverb or prepositional phrase identifies the location, origin or time of the subject.
The subject there + be indicates the existence of the following noun.
Use there is for a singular or non- count noun.
Use there are for a plural noun.
Use there are to indicate 0.) Zero):
Use it+ is to indicate the present time and the present weather conditions.
All verbs except be and models form the present tense according to the charts below:
Use the basic verb with the subjects/ I We/ You? You and they
Use do+ subject+ basic verb to make a question.
Use do + basic verb to make an emphatic response.
Use do+ not (don’t) + basic verb to make a negative.
Use do or don’t without the basic verb to make a short answer.
For most verbs, use the basic verb+ s with the subjects, he/ she and it.
Use does+ subject + basic verb to make a question.
Use does+ not (doesn’t) basic verb to make a negative.
Use does or doesn’t without the basic verb to make a short answer.
To spell the he/ she/ it form,
Add s to most basic verbs:
Add es to verbs ending in o, ch, sh, ss and x
For verb ending in y after a consonant, drop the Y and add ies
Use has for the verb have:
Questions and statements
Use verbs in the present tense to ask for or to state facts.
To show a surprised response, use the subject + form of do+?
Use information questions with the present tense to learn facts.
Question word+ do/ does + subject+ basic verb
A linking verb, a verb that connects the subject with an adjective or noun that describes the subject is used.
Add like before a noun.
A direct object after the verb answers the question
A prepositional phrase after the verb answers the question
An adverb after the verb answers the question
A frequency adverb before the verb expresses general or habitual action.
The adverb sometimes is an exception. Place it either before the subject or at the end of the phrase.
When no time expression is used,
A positive statement= sometimes
A negative statement= never
You can also express a usual or habitual activity with an adverbial or prepositional phrase. Place it at the end of the sentence.
To emphasize the time express you can place if before the subject.
Because + subject+ verb answers the question.
Using the information questions who and what
Who…? ( informal English, whom….?
Refers to the object in the answer.
Use the pattern: who (m) +do/ does + subject+ verb( + preposition).
Who…. Refers to the subject in the answer.
Use the pattern: who + he/ she it verb( Do not use do or does in the question)
Who with a subject answers and always followed by a singular verb even when the answer is plural.
Use do or does for short answers and for negative questions and answers.
What…? Refers to the direct object in the answer.
Use do or does in the question.
When what..? which…? Or whose …? Refer the subject in the answer do not use do / does in the question.
What with a subject answer is always followed by a singular verb even when the answer is plural.
Use do /does in short answers and in negative questions and answers:
A modal auxiliary is a word that comes before a verb and modifies its meaning.
The form is simple:
Use the same form for all persons.
Usage is tricky.
A modal may have a different meaning in another tense.
A modal may have a different meaning in the negative
A modal may require a different modal as a response
Some modals have negative contractions; others don’t certain expressions with be and have have modal meanings, but the normal forms of those verbs.
