delexical verbs like have, take, make and givePatterns with common verbs and nouns? We often use common verbs like have and take with nouns like a shower, a drink: I took a shower = I showered. She had a drink = She drank something. We call these delexical verbs because the important part of the meaning is taken out of the verb and put into the noun. We often put adjectives in front of the noun: I took a cold shower. She had a nice, refreshing drink. The verbs used most frequently in this way are:

have take make give

We also use go and do as delexical verbs, but they have different patterns: Shall we go swimming this afternoon? Or shall we go for a walk? Its you turn to do the cooking. Ill have to do my hair before the party. We use have with: Food and drink: a meal; breakfast, lunch, dinner, a snack, a cup of tea Talking: a chat, a conversation, a discussion, a talk, Washing: a bath, a shower, a wash, a scrub Resting: a break, a holiday, a rest Disagreeing: argument, dispute, fight, quarrel I had a good breakfast before I left home. We had a long talk about the problem. The kids should have a bath before they go to bed.

She generally had a short holiday in July or August. They had a serious quarrel about their fathers will. We use take with: Washing: a bath, a shower, a wash Resting: a break, a holiday, a rest I always take a cold shower in the morning You look tired. You need to take a break. and with these words: care, care of, a chance, a risk, a decision, a photograph, trouble, a turn, turns We took hundreds of photographs on holiday. Jane always takes a lot of trouble with her homework. We also use have and take with nouns formed from verbs: I think you should have a look at this. She took a bite of the cake. Im thirsty. Im going to have a drink of water. I had a listen to that new CD in the car. They are going to have a swim. We use give with: Noises: a cry, a laugh, a scream, a shout, a whistle Facial expressions: a smile, a grin, a look, a glance Hitting: a kick, a punch, a slap, a push, a knock, a blow Affectionate actions: a hug, a kiss, a stroke, Talking: advice, an answer, information, an interview, a lecture, some news, a report, a speech, a talk, a warning. She gave a loud laugh. John gave a happy smile. He gave me a nasty kick on the leg. She gave the children a goodnight kiss and put them to bed. I have to give a speech at the meeting tomorrow. We use make with:

Talking: and sounds: a comment, an enquiry, a noise, a point, a promise, a sound, a speech, a suggestion Plans: arrangements, a choice, a decision, a plan, plans Travel: a journey, a trip, a tour of, a visit to We use go with an -ing verb or for common activities: We usually go walking at the weekend. He goes running every evening after supper. Mums out. Shes gone shopping. We use go for a with a verb for common activities that involve moving: a jog, a ride, a swim, a run, a stroll, a walk I want to get out of here. Lets go for a walk. Hes gone for a ride on his bike. We use do the with -ing nouns to do with work, especially work in the house, and with other nouns to do with work: Its your turn to do the cooking. You do the washing up and Ill do the drying. I need to do a few jobs around the house. I cant come out this evening. I have a lot of work to do. We use do with nouns when it is obvious what the action is: Ill have to do my hair before we go out [= Ill have to brush my hair.] Have you done your teeth? [= Have you cleaned your teeth?] A question like: Have you done the car? could mean: Have you washed the car? or Have you mended the car? or Have you filled the car with petrol? depending on the context.

ability, permission, requests and adviceThe modal verbs are can, could, may, might, shall, should, will and would. The modals are used to do things like talking about ability, asking permission making requests, and so on.

Ability:We use can to talk about someones skill or general abilities: She can speak several languages. He can swim like a fish. They cant dance very well. We use can to talk about the ability to do something at a given time in the present or future: You can make a lot of money if you are lucky. Help. I cant breathe. They can run but they cant hide. We use could to talk about past time: She could speak several languages. They couldnt dance very well. We use could have to say that someone had the ability/opportunity to do something, but did not do it: She could have learned Swahili, but she didnt have time. I could have danced all night [but didn't].

Permission:We use can to ask for permission to do something: Can I ask a question, please? Can we go home now. could is more formal and polite than can:

Could I ask a question please? Could we go home now? may is another more formal and polite way of asking for permission: May I ask a question please? May we go home now? We use can to give permission: You can go home now if you like. You can borrow my pen if you like. may is a more formal and polite way of giving permission: You may go home now, if you like. We use can to say that someone has permission to do something: We can go out whenever we want. Students can travel free. may is a more formal and polite way of saying that someone has permission: Students may travel free.

Instructions and requests:We use could you and would you as polite ways of telling or asking someone to do something: Could you take a message please? Would you carry this for me please? Could I have my bill please? can and will are less polite: Can you take a message please? Will you carry this for me please?

Suggestions and advice:We use should to make suggestions and give advice: You should send an email. We should go by train.

We use could to make suggestions: We could meet at the weekend. You could eat out tonight. We use conditionals to give advice: Dan will help you if you ask him. Past tenses are more polite: Dan would help you if you asked him.

Offers and invitations:We use can I and to make offers: Can I help you? Can I do that for you? We can also use shall I Shall I help you with that? Shall I call you on your mobile? We sometime say I can ... or I could ... or Ill (I will) ... to make an offer: I can do that for you if you like. I can give you a lift to the station. Ill do that for you if you like. Ill give you a lift to the station. We use would you like (to) ... for invitations: Would you like to come round to morrow? Would you like another drink? We use you must or we must for a very polite invitation: You must come round and see us. We must meet again soon.

Obligation and necessityWe use must to say that it is necessary to do something:

You must stop at a red light. Everyone must bring something to eat. You can wear what you like, but you must look neat and tidy. Im sorry, but you mustnt make a noise in here. We use had to for this if we are talking about the past: Everyone had to bring something to eat. We could wear what we liked, but we had to look neat and tidy.

-ing formsWe can use the -ing form of the verb: as a noun: I love swimming. Swimming is very good for your health. You can get fit by swimming regularly. -ing nouns are nearly always uncount nouns

as an adjective:

The main problem today is rising prices. That programme was really boring. He saw a woman lying on the floor. Because the -ing noun or adjective is formed from a verb it can have any of the patterns which follow a verb, for example:

... an object:

Learning English can be difficult. I like playing tennis. I saw a dog chasing a cat.

... or an adverbial:

You can earn a lot of money by working hard. There were several people waiting for the bus.

... or a clause:

I heard someone saying that. The -ing noun can be used:

as the subject of a verb:

Learning English is not easy.

as the object of a verb:

We enjoy learning English. Common verbs followed by an -ing object are:

admit suggest

like enjoy

hate dislike

start begin

avoid finish

as the object of a preposition

Some people are not interested in learning English. The -ing adjective can come:

in front of a noun:

I read an interesting article in the newspaper today. We saw a really exciting match on Sunday. The commonest ing adjectives used in front of the noun are amusing boring tiring

linteresting surprising annoying

worrying exciting

shocking terrifying

disappointing frightening

after a noun:

Who is that man standing over there? The boy talking to Angela is her younger brother.

and especially after verbs like see, watch, hear, smell etc.

I heard someone playing the piano. I can smell something burning.

present tenseThere are two tenses in English past and present. The present tenses in English are used:

to talk about the present to talk about the future to talk about the past when we are telling a story in spoken English or when we are summarising a book, film, play etc.

There are four present tense forms in English: Present simple: Present continuous: Present perfect: Present perfect continuous: I work I am working I have worked I have been working

We use these forms:

to talk about the present:

He works at McDonalds. He has worked there for three months now. He is working at McDonalds. He has been working there for three months now. London is the capital of Britain.

to talk about the future:

The next train leaves at this evening at 1700 hours. Ill phone you when I get home. Hes meeting Peter in town this afternoon. Ill come home as soon as I have finished work. You will be tired out after you have been working all night.

present simpleThe present tense is the base form of the verb: I work in London. But the third person (she/he/it) adds an -s: She works in London.

UseWe use the present tense to talk about:

something that is true in the present:

Im nineteen years old. He lives in London. Im a student.

something that happens again and again in the present:

I play football every weekend. We use words like sometimes, often. always, and never (adverbs of frequency) with the present tense: I sometimes go to the cinema. She never plays football.

something that is always true:

The human body contains 206 bones. Light travels at almost 300,000 kilometres per second.

something that is fixed in the future.

The school terms starts next week. The train leaves at 1945 this evening. We fly to Paris next week.

Questions and negativesLook at these questions:

Do you play the piano? Where do you live? Does Jack play football? Where does he come from? Do Rita and Angela live in Manchester? Where do they work?

With the present tense, we use do and does to make questions. We use does for the third person (she/he/it) and we use do for the others.

We use do and does with question words like where, what and why:

But look at these questions with who: Who lives in London? Who plays football at the weekend? Who works at Liverpool City Hospital? Look at these sentences: I like tennis, but I dont like football. (dont = do not) I dont live in London now. I dont play the piano, but I play the guitar. They dont work at the weekend. John doesnt live in Manchester. (doesnt = does not) Angela doesnt drive to work. She goes by bus.

With the present tense we use do and does to make negatives. We use does not (doesnt) for the third person (she/he/it) and we use do not (dont) for the others.

present continuousThe present continuous tense is formed from the present tense of the verb be and the present participle (-ing form) of a verb: Use 1. We use the present continuous tense to talk about the present:

for something that is happening at the moment of speaking:

Im just leaving work. Ill be home in an hour. Please be quiet. The children are sleeping.

for something which is happening before and after a given time:

At eight oclock we are usually having breakfast. When I get home the children are doing their homework.

for something which we think is temporary:

Michael is at university. Hes studying history. Im working in London for the next two weeks.

for something which is new and contrasts with a previous state:

These days most people are using email instead of writing letters. What sort of clothes are teenagers wearing nowadays? What sort of music are they listening to?

to show that something is changing, growing or developing:

The children are growing quickly. The climate is changing rapidly. Your English is improving.

for something which happens again and again:

Its always raining in London. They are always arguing. George is great. Hes always laughing. Note: We normally use always with this use. 2. We use the present continuous tense to talk about the future:

for something which has been arranged or planned:

Mary is going to a new school next term. What are you doing next week? 3. We can use the present continuous to talk about the past:

When we are telling a story:

present perfectThe present perfect is formed from the present tense of the verb have and the past participle of a verb: The present perfect continuous is formed with have/has been and the -ing form of the verb:

UseWe use the present perfect tense:

for something that started in the past and continues in the present:

Theyve been married for nearly fifty years. She has lived in Liverpool all her life. Note: We normally use the present perfect continuous for this: She has been living in Liverpool all her life. Its been raining for hours.

for something we have done several times in the past and continue to do:

Ive played the guitar ever since I was a teenager. He has written three books and he is working on another one. Ive been watching that programme every week. We often use a clause with since to show when something started in the past: Theyve been staying with us since last week. I have worked here since I left school. Ive been watching that programme every week since it started.

when we are talking about our experience up to the present:

Note: We often use the adverb ever to talk about experience up to the present: My last birthday was the worst day I have ever had.

Note: and we use never for the negative form: Have you ever met George? Yes, but Ive never met his wife.

for something that happened in the past but is important at the time of speaking:

I cant get in the house. Ive lost my keys. Teresa isnt at home. I think she has gone shopping. Im tired out. Ive been working all day.

We use the present perfect of be when someone has gone to a place and returned: A: Where have you been? B: Ive just been out to the supermarket. A: Have you ever been to San Francisco? B: No, but Ive been to Los Angeles. But when someone has not returned we use have/has gone: A: Where is Maria? I havent seen her for weeks. B: She's gone to Paris for a week. Shell be back tomorrow. We often use the present perfect with time adverbials which refer to the recent past: just; only just; recently; Scientists have recently discovered a new breed of monkey. We have just got back from our holidays. or adverbials which include the present: ever (in questions); so far; until now; up to now; yet (in questions and negatives) Have you ever seen a ghost? Where have you been up to now? Have you finished your homework yet? No, so far Ive only done my history. WARNING: We do not use the present perfect with an adverbial which refers to past time which is finished:

I have seen that film yesterday. We have just bought a new car last week. When we were children we have been to California. But we can use it to refer to a time which is not yet finished: Have you seen Helen today? We have bought a new car this week.