grammar 1 - english verbs

8/12/2019 Grammar 1 - English Verbs

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Slide 1

English Verbs

A Review of the System


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Slide 2

Three Types of English Verbs

1. to be

2. Auxiliary verbs

i) to do

ii) to have

iii) Modal auxiliaries (can, could, may, might, must,ought to, shall, should, will, would)

3. Main verbs


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Slide 3

The verb to be

to be can function as an auxiliary or as a mainverb, but even as a main verb, it behavessyntactically like an auxiliary, i.e.:

It is directly negated with not:

He is tall > He is not tall

It is inverted to form a question:

He is tall > Is he tall?


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Slide 5

Auxiliaries used alone

Tag questions

You can swim, cant you?You cant swim, can you?

Short answers and additions

Can you swim? Yes, I can.

I can swim and so can my brother.

I cant swim. Neither can I.


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Slide 6

Syntactic Properties of Main Verbs

cannot be directly negated with not:

I like not action moviesI dont like action movies

cannot be inverted to form a question:

Like you action movies?

Do you like action movies?


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Slide 7

The verb to do (1)

Is the hidden auxiliary of the present and

past simple:

You speak Portuguese, dont you?

I studied English and so did my brother.

Has to be used in those tenses to negate andform questions with main verbs:

I dont speak Portuguese.

Did you go to school today?


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Slide 8

The verb to do (2)

Can be inserted for stress:I do speak some Portuguese, but not very well.

I did study English at school, but Ive forgotten itall. With its main verb meaning, it has the syntactic

properties of a main verb:What does she do for a living?What does she for a living?How did you do that?

How did you that?


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Slide 9

The verb to have (1)

Used as an auxiliary to form the perfecttenses:

I hadnt been to Buenos Aires before.

Have you read Harry Potter?

With its main verb meaning, it has thesyntactic properties of a main verb*:

I dont have time right now.

Did you have a good time last night?


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Slide 10

The verb to have (2)

*Sometimes found with auxiliary syntax andmain verb meaning - old-fashioned/formal:

I havent time right now.

Have you enough money to get home?

In British English especially, have got is muchmore common in main verb meaning:

I havent got time right now.

Have you got enough money to get home?


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Slide 11

The system of tenses and aspects

Tense

Present

Past

Aspect

Simple vs. continuous

Perfect (vs. non-perfect)


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Slide 12

Tense and Aspect

Aspects of the present tense: Present simple: I eat Present continuous: I am eating Present perfect: I have eaten Present perfect continuous: I have been eating

Aspects of the past tense: Past simple: I ate Past continuous: I was eating Past perfect: I had eaten Past perfect continuous: I had been eating


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Slide 13

Formation of Tenses

Simple tenses: basic verb forms, present andpast: live lived, eat ate

Continuous tenses: to be + -ing form

Perfect tenses: to have + past participle


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Slide 14

Overview of Tenses

Present tenses English Portuguese

Simple I speak falo

Continuous I am speaking estou falando

Perfect simple I have spoken falei

Perfect continuous I have been speaking tenho falado

Simple I spoke falei / falava

Continuous I was speaking estava falando / falava

Perfect simple I had spoken tinha falado / falei

Perfect continuous I had been speaking tinha f alado / falava


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Slide 16

Portuguese > English Equivalences (2)

eu falava > I spoke/I used to speak /I would speakeu estava falando > I was speakingException:Actions which started at an earlier time and arestill going on at the moment in the past which isbeing described:I had studied English for two years before goingto the States.How long had you been waiting for the bus?Port: Imperfect tense > Eng: Past perfect tense


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Slide 17

Portuguese Imperfect

eu falava >I spokeI used to speak = eu costumava falar/falava antesI would speak = eu falaria

= eu costumava falarI was speaking = eu estava falando

NB: used to also describes situations that are no longertrue:This building used to be a movie theater.Paula used to have long hair.I used to think English was difficult.


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Slide 18

Examples of past imperfect action

She spoke Italian with her grandmother. (ambiguous)

She used to speak Italian with her grandmother. (habitual action oraction that is no longer true)

She would speak Italian with her grandmother. (habitual action)

She was speaking Italian with her grandmother. (ongoing action)

If she could, she would speak Italian with her grandmother.(conditional)


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Slide 19

Portuguese Preterite

falei >

I spoke reports a past action. Time of action iseither specified or implied from context:

Judy broke her arm and had to go to the hospital.I have spoken reports on the current situation.Time of action is irrelevant; what counts is theimpact on the present:

Judy has broken her arm. We have to take her tothe hospital.


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Slide 20

English Present Perfect Rules ofThumb (1)

More advanced Brazilian learners tend tooveruse present perfect (where it is notappropriate). But some American native

speakers hardly ever use the present perfect,so, if in doubt, use the simple past.

The present perfect CANNOT be used if thereis any reference, explicit or implied, to thetime when the action happened EXCEPT:


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Slide 21

English Present Perfect Rules ofThumb (2)

If the time reference is a period of time which hasnot yet ended at the time of speaking:

Have you seen Bob this morning?

(cf. Did you see Bob this morning?) If the time reference is introduced by for or since

referring to action that started in the past and isstill continuing:

We have lived in Rio for seven years.

(cf. We lived in Rio for seven years.)


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Slide 22

Using the Present Perfect

The point in the past is irrelevant whatcounts is the impact on the present:

Have you met my wife? (introduction)

I havent been to Buenos Aires.

Wheres Tim? Hes gone to the store.

Youve given me the wrong change. (paying)


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Slide 23

Using the Present Perfect (2)

Present perfect is often used to introduce a topic,emphasizing its relevance to the present. Details thenfollow in simple past:

Have you met my wife? Yes, I met her earlier.

Yes, I have been to Buenos Aires. I went there last year.Tims gone to the store. He went to buy milk.

Youve given me the wrong change. I gave you a ten -dollar bill.

The prime-minister has resigned. He announced hisresignation this morning.


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Slide 24

Exercise 1

1. Voc j esteve na Inglaterra?2. No comi nada hoje.3. Liguei o ar. Daqui a pouco vai refrescar aqui dentro.4. Voc j foi ao supermercado?5. A Sandra acabou de sair. Ela foi ao supermercado.

6. Ela sempre quis ser cantora.7. Os convidados chegaram. Voc pode fazer as honras

da casa?8. No falei com o Tiago hoje.9. No falei com o Tiago ontem.10. Faz quanto tempo que voc estuda ingls?


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Slide 25

Present Perfect Continuous

I have been doing = tenho feito, venho/andofazendo (except together with for and since)

You look fit. Yes, Ive been working out.

Youre all dirty. What have you been doing?

The business has been growing steadily overthe last few years.


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Slide 26

Perfect Simple vs. Perfect Continuous(1)

The two tenses are often interchangeable, butsimple implies completion while continuousimplies continuation:

Ive been reading a lot about UFOs. (Tenho lido)Ive read a lot about UFOs. (J li)

The price of oil has been falling lately. (vembaixando)

The price of oil has fallen to $50 a barrel. (baixou)


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Slide 27


Examples with for and since:

Ive been living here for seven years. (Estoumorando/Moro )

Ive lived here all my life. (Moro )Shes been learning Portuguese since she movedto Brazil. (Ele aprende ...)

Shes learnt Portuguese since she moved toBrazil. (Ela aprendeu ...)

Your sons grown since I saw him last. (cresceu)


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Slide 28


If the number of times is mentioned, or theadverbs always, never or ever > perfect simpleonly:

Ive read this book three times.

Weve always lived in the same house.

Its the best movie Ive ever seen.

Verb to be has no continuous tenses:

Shes been very understanding. (tem sido)


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Slide 29

Past Perfect Simple

had done = tinha feito

He had forgotten his passport. (tinha esquecido)

English often requires past perfect where

Portuguese uses preterite:Bob realized hed forgotten his passport.

The police asked her when she had last seen herhusband.

For lunch I ate the sandwiches I had brought fromhome.


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Slide 30

Past Perfect Simple vs. Past PerfectContinuous (1)

Principles are the same as for present perfectsimple vs. continuous, but point of reference is inthe past rather than the present:Id been studying Portuguese for a number of

years before I moved to Brazil.I had been to Brazil many times before I camehere to live.He told me about a book he had been reading. (...que ele lia)He told me about a book he had read. (... que ele

leu)


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Slide 31

Past Perfect Simple vs. Past PerfectContinuous (2)

Examples with for and since (corresponds toimperfect in Portuguese):

They had been living in So Paulo since 1974.(Eles moravam ...)

How long had you been married when youhad your first child? (...era...)

He had grown since I had last seen him.


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Slide 32

EXERCISE 2

1. Faz tempo que voc est me esperando?2. O Brasil mudou muito desde a primeira vez que vim aqui em 1981.3. Acho que voc errou o caminho. melhor voltar.4. Voc tem acompanhado a novela?5. No tem sido fcil me adaptar vida aqui.6. Eu estava usando um chapu de palha que comprei o ano anterior.7. Ele casou com a mulher que namorava fazia oito anos.8. Perguntei Sandra quanto tempo ela trabalhava como professora.9. Quando fui a Londres, fiquei impressionado com o quanto mudou

desde a ltima vez que estive l havia vinte anos.10. O que que voc anda aprontando?


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Slide 33

Talking about the futureEnglish Connotation Portuguese

will + infinitive I will see Ann onMonday.

Inevitability orspontaneousdecision

Vou ver/verei/vejo...

going to + infinitive I am going to seeAnn on Monday.

Intention orinevitability

Vou ver ...

present continuous I am seeing Ann onMonday.

Arrangement Vou ver ...

present simple I see Ann onMonday.

Fixed schedule, list(or regularoccurrence)

Vejo ...


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Slide 34

Present simple with future meaning(1)

Scheduled events, more often with inanimatesubject and always with time specified.

Present tense also used in Portuguese:Tomorrow is Monday. ()

Its my birthday next week. (fao)

The game starts at 9.00 p.m. (comea)

My flight leaves at six in the morning. (sai)

Classes resume on Thursday. (recomeam)


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Slide 35

Present simple with future meaning(2) With personal subject, connotation is that

schedule is imposed:

I leave on Monday. (no tenho escolha)

He doesnt get off work till late tomorrow.

Also used to list your schedule:

On Friday I fly to So Paulo, return to Rio onSunday and leave for London the day after.

With personal subject, present continuous canalways be used instead.


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Slide 37

Present continuous with futuremeaning (2)

Inanimate subject also possible, especially inpassive:

The old stadium is being imploded on Sunday.

In other cases, present continuous implies achange to expected schedule:

Tonights game is starting slightly later than

usual.

(cf. Tonights game starts at 9.00 p.m.)


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Slide 38

going to + infinitive

Intended action, usually with animate subject. Connotessome premeditation. Portuguese uses ir+ infinitive:Im going to buy a new computer. (vou comprar)

Why are you going to study Chinese? (vai estudar)Theyre going to leave their car at our place. (vo deixar)

Talking about the immediate future based on the presentcircumstances:It looks like Federer is going to lose this game. (vai perder)I think its going to rain. (vai chover)The river is going to burst its banks if it doesnt stop raining

soon. (vai transbordar)


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Slide 39

will + infinitive

Spontaneous (unpremeditated) statements about thefuture, usually in response to circumstances. Usuallypresent in Portuguese:Ill see you tomorrow. (te vejo)Thats the phone. Ill get it. (eu atendo)Ill have a mineral water, please. (vou querer/quero)Ill drop you off at the station if you like. (te deixo)Well help with the cleaning. (a gente ajuda)

Promises (ir + infinitive in Portuguese):Ill do my best. (vou fazer)Well never let you down. (nunca vamos)


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Slide 40

will or going to

In other cases, will and going to are largelyinterchangeable, with a preference for going to in lessformal language. Examples:

I think Ill/Im going to make some tea.Dad will/is going to be furious when he finds out.Well/were going to have to find a solution sooner orlater.Youll/Youre going to be late if you dont hurry.

Im sure youll/youre going to have a good time.

They said itll/its going to rain on Sunday.

Ill/Im going to see Ann tomorrow.


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Slide 41

Differences in emphasis

The company will open its Rio office in April.(news report, formal writing)

The company is going to open its Rio office inApril. (speech, less formal writing)

The company is opening its Rio office in April.

(emphasizes arrangements already made)

The company opens its Rio office in April.

(emphasizes firmness of plan, also journalese)


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Slide 42

Some Practical Tips for Spoken English

Present simple and present continuous canalways be replaced by going to

(NB going to go is normally simplified to justgoing)

EXCEPT in spontaneous statements about thefuture and promises, will can always bereplaced by going to

If in doubt, going to is safest option


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Slide 43

Exercise 3

1. Uma encomenda para mim? Vou descer.2. O ministro vai renunciar por conta do escndalo.3. Vai cair um tor a qualquer momento.

4. A presidente se reunir amanh com o embaixadoramericano.5. No sei se vai dar tempo para ler tudo.6. No se preocupem, eu ajudo vocs.7. Quando eu receber meu salrio, vou comprar um

computador novo.8. Quando eu precisar de ajuda, te aviso.9. O meu irmo vai pegar o voo das 22h45.

10. A que horas termina o filme?


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Slide 44

Other future tenses

will/going to be doing (future continuous)This time next week Im going to be sitting on thebeach.

You go into the pharmacy, Ill be waiting outside. will have done (future perfect)

Will you have finished the job by Friday?They will have been married 50 years in June.

will have been doing (future perfect continuous)By the time we finish, well have been working 24

hours non-stop.


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Slide 45

Future from a past perspective

would doBob: Ill help > Bob said hed help.

was going to doSara: Im going to get a dog. > Sara said she was going

to get a dog. was doing

When are you leaving? > I asked him when he wasleaving.

didThe movie starts at eight. > They told us the movie

started at eight.


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Slide 46

Other Conditional Tenses

would be doing (conditional continuous)

They warned us theyd be arriving late.

would have done (perfect conditional)

He wasnt sure he would have finished all hiswork in time to make it to the party.

would have been doing (perfect conditionalcontinuous)

He said he would have been traveling for 36hours by the time he got home.


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Slide 47

Exercise 4

1. Do you think the students will have done thehomework you gave them?

2. Will you be needing a ride home?

3. She said she would have preferred to stay at home.

4. My husband was going to have painted the house intime for Christmas.

5. What time did you say your flight left tomorrow?

6. She told me she was meeting Trish this afternoon.


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grammar 1 - english verbs

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