English Grammar II_edited 25.11

8/6/2019 English Grammar II_edited 25.11

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English Grammar

Session II



Session II

Topics to be covered :

Verbs- definition, transitive , intransitive

Finite verbs and infinite verbs (Gerunds,infinitives, participles)

Usage (Verbs)

Exercises on the topicPractice Tests



Verbs

A verb is a word (part of speech) that usually denotes an action (bring ,

read ), an occurrence (decompose, glitter ), or a state of being (exist ,

stand ).

A verb may tell us ±

What a person or thing does; as,

e.g. 1.Hari laughs. 2. The clock strikes.

What is done to a person or thing; as,

e.g. 1. Hari is scolded. 2.The window is broken

What a person or thing is; as,

e.g. 1.The man is angry. 2. Glass is brittle. 3. I feel sorry.

A verb often consist of more than one word; as,1. The girls were

singing. 2. I have learnt my lesson.3. The watch has been found.



VERBS

Types Forms

1. Transitive Verbs 1. Participles

2. Intransitive Verbs 2. Gerunds

3. Auxiliary Verbs 3. Infinitives

4. Linking Verbs



TRANSITIVE VERBS

� Verbs that need an object to make the sentence complete or meaningful are

called transitive verbs. Here the action gets transferred from the subject tothe object.

� The hunter k illed the tiger.

� I watched a movie.

In the above sentences, the verbs µkilled¶ and µwatched¶ need objects to

make the sentence complete. Without the objects, the sentences will not

make any sense.



INTRANSITIVE VERBS

� Verbs that don¶t need an object to make the sentence complete or

meaningful are called intransitive verbs. Here the actions do not get

transferred from the subject to the object.

� The baby cries.

� The wind blows.

� Nandini runs fast.

� In the above sentences, the verbs are intransitive as they don¶t need an

object to make the sentence meaningful or complete.

� It depends on the usage, whether a verb is transitive or intransitive. Most of the verbs can be used transitively as well as intransitively.

� µTell¶ is a transitive verb whereas µSay¶ is an intransitive verb. µTell¶ needs a

receiver or listener.



� The building collapsed . (Used intransitively)

� The earthquake collapsed the building. (Used transitively)

� This horse never k ic k s. (Used intransitively)� This horse k ic k ed the little boy. (Used transitively)

� In the above sentences, the verbs µcollapsed¶ and µkick¶ have been used

transitively as well as intransitively.

Present Past Past Participle

Lie Lay Lain (Intransitive)

Lay Laid Laid (Transitive)

The doctor asked me to lie down.

Please lay the table for me.

He lay on the beach.

The hen laid 3 eggs.

Last Sunday, I had lain in the bed for over 12 hours.



AUXILIARY VERBS

� Auxiliaries are helping verbs that indicate the tense or the mood of the

sentence.

� Is, am, are, was, were, has, have, had, be, been, being, do, does, did are

called Pr imar y Auxiliar ies.

� Can, could, shall, should, will, would, may, might, must, dare, ought to,has to, have to, had to, need, needn¶t are called Modal Auxiliar ies.

� I am singing a song. (indicates tense)

� She has submitted her project. (indicates tense)

� I can cook Continental cuisine. (indicates mood)� You must work hard. (indicates mood)



LINKING VERBS

�Linking verbs link or connect the subject to the predicate (i.e. the remainingpart of the sentence) The Predicate identifies or describes the subject.

Linking verbs do not indicate any action.

� The pizza smells delicious.

� The flowers appear to be fresh.

� The movie seems interesting.

� She was a brilliant student.

� I am a teacher.

� In the above sentences, the verbs do not indicate any action. They are just

connecting the subject to the rest of the part of the sentence.



PARTICIPLES

� Participles are of two types ± Present and Past

� Present Participle is verb + ing

� µWriting¶ and µWritten¶ are the two participles of µWrite¶

� µDancing¶ and µDanced¶ are the two participles of µDance¶

� The participles can act as an adjective as well as a noun.

� The crying baby had a wet diaper.

� The burning log fell off the fire.

� I sold the brok en chair as scrap.

� I am not interested in this proposal.

� In the above sentences, the participles have been used as adjectives.



GERUND

�When a participle is used as a noun, it is called a gerund.

� S mok ing is injurious to health.

� I want to try paragliding .

� She hates cook ing .

� S wimming is the best form of exercise.

� In the above sentences, the participles are used as nouns. They are either

the subject or the object or complement but not verbs. These are called

gerunds.



INFINITIVES

� Infinitives are to + verb. They can act as a noun.

� I love to sleep.

� To wait seemed foolish when decisive action was required.

� I want to go to Goa.

� Do you wish to register ?



Usage (Verbs) Make a verb agree in number with it¶s subject.

1. The list of spare parts was long.

2 . The lists of spare parts were long.

3. Even an animal has its own territory.

4. Even animals have their own territory.

5 . The box of Nestle¶s chocolates is missing.

6. His experience as teacher to boys and girls gives him understanding.

7. The prices of the new model vary from town to town.

Subject joined by and are usually plur al and take plur al verbs.1. His typewriter and my radio were stolen.

2. Sony and Sanjay are going to Chennai today.

Exceptions :

a. If a subject consisting of two singular noun connected by and refers to the same person or thing or suggest one idea to mind, a singular

verb is used. 1.My best friend and advisor has changed his mind again.

2.Cornflakes and milk is our Sunday Breakfast.

b. When two subjects connected by and are preceded by each, every,many a, a singular verb is used:

1. Each man and boy is expected to meet his obligation. 2. Every shirt, tie andcoat is marked for reduction sale.



Usages (Verbs)

The most common way the Examiner confuses the number of the subject is to split up the subject and the verb by inser ting a phr ase in between. We must learn to eliminate the intervening phr ase.

The houses of that rich man contain (And not contains) very expensivefurniture.

Do not get confused by subjects followed by the word Of . These Of constructions are just clever middlemen that tr y to disguise the true subject.

The discovery of new lands (was/were) vital to the expansion of the BritishEmpire.

The discovery of new lands w as vital to the expansion of the British Empire.

The building of tall skyscrapers (has/have) increased in the past few years.

The building of tall skyscrapers

has increased in the past few years.

The actions of my friend (is/are) not very wise.

The actions of my friend are not very wise.



Usage (Verbs)

Words like with, together with, along with, besides, as well as,including, in addition to, etc . do not affect the number of the verb. If thesubject is singular, a singular verb is required. If the subject is plural, aplural verb is required.

1. The television, along with the cabinet, is to be sold.

2. Mrs. Paula, with her son and daughter, is going to the theatre, thisevening.

3. Our chief competitor, as well as ourselves, is obliged to increase prices.

4. The decoration of the room, including the carpets and furniture, is mostpleasing.

If the subject is made up of both singular and plural words connected byor, nor, either---or, not only---- but also, the verb agrees with thenearer part of the subject.

1. Neither the quality nor the prices have changed.2. Neither the prices nor the quality has changed.

3. Not only the headmaster but also the teachers are in favour of theexpansion of the school.

4. Not only the teachers but also the headmaster is in favour of theexpansion of the school.



Usage (Verbs) S ome verbs tak e a to-infinitive and other tak es a

gerund : T o infinitive: 1.Do you t hink w e¶ll be able to afford to go to

India?2. Brian agreed to pay half t he cost. 3. Would youcare to come along w it h us?

Gerund : 1.I suggested tak ing a taxi. 2. I can¶t stand sitting around doing not hing.3. I advised tak ing a taxi? 4.I don¶t allow sunbathing here?

³but´ 1. I advised the girls to tak e a taxi. 2. They don¶t allow people to sunbathe here.

Verbs + to infinitive: afford, agree, aim, appear, arrange,ask, attempt, be dying, beg, can¶t w ait, care, c hoose,claim, come, dare, decide, demand, expect, fail.

Verbs +gerund: admit, advise, allow , anticipate, appreciate,avoid, can¶t help, confess, consider, delay, deny, detest,

dislike, enjoy, escape.



Usage (Verbs)

Avoid split inf initives (Avoid sentences that inser t a wor d between to and the verb.)

I need you to quic k ly run out to the store. I need you to run quickly out to the store. We would expect the police to thoroughly investigate the case.

We would expect the police to investigate the case thoroughly . Government will do well to carefully examine the reasons for this

popular discontent. Government will do well to examine the reasons for this popular

discontent carefully . I wish to really understand his motive.

I really wish to understand his motive. I wish really to understand his motive. I wish to understand his motive really .



Usage (Verbs) After except and but we normally use a bare infinitive:

1. As for the housework, I do everything except cook (Not cook ing).2. You have done nothing but grumble all day.

The infinitive µto¶ is also used after had better, had rather, wouldrather, sooner than, rather than; as

1. You had better ask permission.

2. I had r ather play than work.3. I would r ather die than suffer so.

4. I would stay here and eat flies sooner than go with them.

5. I decided to skip lunch r ather than eat in the cafeteria again.

The subject can be possessive when used with gerunds,

especially when it is a personal pronoun or a name.1. It¶s a bit inconvenient your (not you) coming in late.

2. Do you mind my (not me) sitting here?

3. I¶m fed up with S arah¶s (not S arah) laughing at my accent.



Usage (Verbs)

1. He is addicted to gambling.

2. I assisted her in climbing the hill.

3. He is averse to playing cards.

4. I do not believe in pamper ing

servants.

5. I am bent on attending themeeting.

6. He has hardly any chance of

succeeding.

7. He is confident of secur ing the first

prize.

8. He is desirous of visiting Japan.9. He appreciated the necessity of

acting promptly.

10. It was only pretext of delaying the

matter.

11. He despaired of achieving his

objective.

12. There is some difficulty in

per ceiving his meaning.

13. Hereafter he is disqualified for

holding any government post.14. Remember the duty of helping the

poor.

15. The firm was fortunate in secur ing

the government¶s support.

16. He is intent on visiting Norway.

17. You were justified in imputing motives to them.

18. He lacks the power of impar ting,

although he is a good mathematical

scholar.

Do not use the infinitive with certain words which require a preposition

followed by a gerund or by a Verbal Noun.



Usage (Verbs)

On the other hand, cer tain wor ds always take the inf initive af ter

them; as,

1. He advised us to desist from that attempt.

2. I decline to say further.

3. I expect to meet opposition.

4. It is hard to get access to him.

5. He hopes to win the first prize.

6. We are all inclined to judge of others as we find them.

7. He intends to compile a Hebrew dictionary.



END

of

Session

II

Documents

English Grammar II_edited 25.11