SYNTAX
Verbs
ISFD N°18
Prof. M. Belén Prokopczuk
CATEGORIES AND FUNCTIONS
CATEGORY: it denotes what a word/phrase/clause is.
FUNCTION: it denotes what a word/phrase/clause does.
Example: The dogs ate all the food.
The dogs all the food
Category: (NOUN PHRASE ) ( NOUN PHRASE)
Function: SUBJECT DIRECT OBJECT
FUNCTION OR CATEGORY?
● ADVERBIAL ADJUNCT OF TIME
● PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE
● INDIRECT OBJECT
● ADVERB
● DIRECT OBJECT
● AUXILIARY VERB
● HEAD OF THE SUBJECT
● ADVERBIAL PHRASE
● DEMONSTRATIVE PRONOUN
Finite Verbs (Conjugated Verbs)
Finite verbs carry a number of grammatical
features such as tense, aspect, modality and
voice.
Tense
Tense refers to the propositional or clausal time from
the point of view of the speaker or writer, and can be
said to be either present or past.
Aspect
Aspect expresses the progress and/or completion of
the event or state denoted by the verb and can be said
to be either progressive or perfective.
Modality
Modality conveys attitude on the part of the
speaker or writer through modal verbs like must,
can, may, could, might, shall and should.
Voice
Voice communicates the relationship between the verb
and the participants it selects and can be said to be
either active or passive.
Active Voice
A verb is said to be in "active voice" when the subject performs
the verb.
Passive Voice
When the opposite is true (i.e., the subject of the sentence is
being acted upon by the verb), it is said to be in passive voice.
Main Verbs
The main verb is also called the lexical verb. This term
refers to the verb that typically shows the action or state of
being of the subject.
Main verbs can stand alone, or they can be used with a
helping verb, also called an auxiliary verb.
Auxiliary Verbs
An auxiliary verb (or a helping verb as it's also called)
is used with a main verb to help express the main
verb's tense, mood, or voice.
Modal Auxiliary Verbs
Modal auxiliary verbs combine with other verbs to express ideas
such as necessity, possibility, intention, and ability.
The modal auxiliary verbs are can, could, may, might, must, ought to,
shall, should, will, and would. The modal auxiliary verbs never
change their forms.
Auxiliary or main verb?
1. I will have the soup
2. Police are investigating the incident
3. It is very peaceful here
4. Where does your brother work?
5. They have decided to advertise your job
6. He does his homework on the way to school
Classification of main verbs
TRANSITIVE AND INTRANSITIVE VERBS
Transitive verbs take an object.
Intransitive verbs do not take an object.
Mrs. Jones bakes wonderful pies.
She walks very fast.
Some verbs are listed in the dictionary as both transitive and intransitive
depending on the context in which they are used.
For example, the verb ran has one meaning in the sentence “The horse ran
very fast.” (intransitive)
and a different meaning in “The women ran a bazaar at the fair”. (transitive)
Transitive Verbs: monotransitive or ditransitive?
Monotransitive: they take only a Direct Object.
I studied German at university.
Ditransitive: they take both a Direct Object and an Indirect
Object.
I told my friend a secret last week.
Pseudo-Intransitive Verb
A normally transitive verb in which a direct object is not explicitly
stated.
Margaret is cooking.
I am reading at the moment.
Middle Verbs
Not all Direct Objects can undergo passivisation.
This happens mainly with noun clauses as Direct Object and in the
case of Direct Objects of the so called middle verbs.
Examples of middle verbs: verbs of possession, such as have or
possess; or lack of possession, such as lack; or measure verbs
such as cost, measure, suit, or fit.
Middle Verbs
The transitive verbs have and take also require a Direct
Object that resists passivisation in a number of informal
expressions that can be classified as eventive:
have a good time, have a row, have/take a look,
have/take a swim, have/take a nap, etc.
TRANSITIVE OR INTRANSITIVE VERB?
1) You should buy your father a present.
2) My head aches.
3)Frank studies law at university.
4)Someone opened the door.
5)The door opened.
TYPES OF OBJECTS
A direct object answers the question "who?" or
"what?"
Example: "I saw John this morning.": John is the
direct object of the verb .(Who did you see?)
Indirect Object
In addition to a direct object, a sentence may have an
indirect object.
An indirect object anwers the question "to whom?", "for
whom?", it is the recipient of the direct object.
There must be a direct object for an indirect object to be placed
in a sentence. In other words an indirect object cannot exist
without a direct object.
Example: "The teacher sent an email to the students last week.":
to all the students is the indirect object of the verb. (To whom did
the teacher send an email?)
HOMEWORK
1. My best friend told me a story last night.
2. The lonely lady baked some cookies yesterday.
3. The teacher sent us homework today.
4. The brother plays the piano very well.
