WRIT2250 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Linking Verb, Lexical Verb
Week 3 Lecture – Verbs
Verb:
Action or doing word
Notional vs formal
Form vs function
Spot a verb:
Verbs are essential – Can remove the modifying and still have a sentence
Verbs agree with subjects – controls or does the verb (singular or plural with an s) (verb
harmony)
Verbs show tense (past, present and future – not really any future tense, uses modal verb
will)
oRegular (can add ed)
oIrregular (do not follow the same pattern, such as felt and swim)
English tense and aspect:
Perfect aspect – has/had/ have
Progressive – verb ‘to be’ and present participle
Tenses (finite) verbs – first verbs that can be changed
Verb phase – helping verbs(s) + main verb
Helping verbs (auxiliary verbs)
Modal (auxiliary) verbs – always come first in verb phase, always tenses, can be only one
modal
High or low modality:
Variety of subtle meaning about possibility, permission, ability, necessity and obligation
Must reflect precise meaning
Finite first, helping or auxiliary verbs second, then main or lexical verb last
Action vs linking:
Linking verbs – can replace with an = sign, link verbs links to subjects to nouns and
descriptions
Verb ‘to be’ always a linking verb + ‘seem/ become’
170,000 words in use
Verbing:
Use a noun as a verb in a sentence (eg google it)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Verbs are essential can remove the modifying and still have a sentence. Verbs agree with subjects controls or does the verb (singular or plural with an s) (verb harmony) Verbs show tense (past, present and future not really any future tense, uses modal verb will: regular (can add ed, irregular (do not follow the same pattern, such as felt and swim) Progressive verb to be" and present participle. Tenses (finite) verbs first verbs that can be changed. Verb phase helping verbs(s) + main verb. Modal (auxiliary) verbs always come first in verb phase, always tenses, can be only one modal. Variety of subtle meaning about possibility, permission, ability, necessity and obligation. Finite first, helping or auxiliary verbs second, then main or lexical verb last. Linking verbs can replace with an = sign, link verbs links to subjects to nouns and descriptions. Verb to be" always a linking verb + seem/ become".
