Regular vs irregular verbs

2015-11-09

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The majority of verbs in English are regular in the sense that their past and past participle forms are invariably made up by means of the suffix -ed. For example: talk — talked — talked, cry — cried — cried.

In accordance with the general rule the -ed suffix is pronounced [d] after final vowels or voiced consonants of the present tense form: cry — cried, swallow — swallowed, love — loved, beg — begged; [t] after voiceless consonants: ask — asked, miss — missed, smash — smashed, grudge — grudged; [id] after [d, t] sounds: end — ended, present — presented, doubt— doubted.

Irregular verbs do not follow the usual pattern as far as the formation of past and past participle forms are concerned. Some irregular verbs change their root vowel: run — ran— run, sing — sang — sung, meet — met — met, speak — spoke — spoken.

Some other verbs have one word for the present, past and past participle forms: put — put — put, set — set — set, shut — shut — shut.

Irregular verbs may come from different (suppletive) stems: go — went — gone; am, is, are— was, were — been.

Irregular verbs may have only one or two forms: can — could, may — might, will — would, shall — should, must, ought.Such verbs are often called defective or modals. (See 6.11. — 6.15.)

Classes of verbs: functions

With regard to the type of meaning verbs represent and their function in a sentence they are usually classified into: 1) meaningful (notional) verbs; 2) link-verbs (semi-auxiliary), 3) auxiliary verbs; 4) modal verbs.

Note that some of English verbs such as be and have. may fulfil all the above function. Some other verbs like shall, will, should, would combine auxiliary and modal functions.

Meaningful (notional) verbs such as know, read, jump, feel, cry and so on have independent lexical meaning and function in a sentence. They are used as verbal predicates and express an action or state of a person or thing denoted by the subject: Do you know the answer to the question? He read the book in a day. The children jumped up and down.

Meaningful verbs in the present tense form are characterized by the -(e)s suffix of the third person singular: He knows four languages. She never cries.

The exceptions are the verbs be, and have which in the third person singular have is, and has correspondingly. The third person singular of the verb do is also irregular in terms of its pronunciation: does .

Link-verbs such as be, become, get, grow, etc. are syntactically dependent: they are used as part of a compound verbal or nominal predicate. It is evening. He is a teacher. He has become a teacher. We soon became acclimatized to hot weather. It is getting dark. The noise grew louder. She is growing fat. They preserve their lexical meaning and fulfil the grammatical function: they are supposed to indicate mood, tense and other verbal characteristics. (See 6.8.}

Auxiliaries, that is verbs like be, have, do, shall, will, etc. have no lexical meaning. They are used to form grammatical tenses as parts of the simple verbal predicate. For example: They are watching TV. He has already written the letter. I don't like theatre. We shall never meet again. (See 6.8., 6.9., 6.10., 6.11.,6.12.)

Modals such as can, must, may and so on have a special meaning: they express the speaker's attitude towards the action rendered by means of the infinitive they are always syntactically associated with. Compare: 7 can work. I must work. I will work.

Since such verbs as be, have and do are polyfunc-tional in English each of them deserves special attention.

Be: functions

In the present be has 3 forms: am (the first person singular), is (the third person singular), are (the plural).

The corresponding negative forms are: am not/'m not, is not/isn't, are not/aren't.

In the past be has 2 forms: was (singular), were (plural). The negative forms are: was not/wasn't, were not/ weren 't.

The past participle of be is been. The present participle is being.

Be has 4 main functions:

1. Be may be used as a notional verb in the meaning «exist, take place, happen, go, visit», etc. For example: Where have you been? To be. or not to be — that is the question... (W. Shakespeare)

This function is performed very rarely.

2. Be is often used as a link-verb, i.e. represents both lexical and grammatical meanings expressing mood, tense and other verbal categories. This function is basically revealed in 5 grammatical patterns. They are: 1) be + noun: / am a teacher. They are friends. 2) be + adjective: We are late. She is nervous. In these two cases be together with nouns or adjectives forms the compound nominal predicate. 3) be + gerund: My aim is mastering English. In this sentence is is part of the compound verbal predicate. 4) be + infinitive: My aim is to master English. Here be is part of the compound verbal predicate. 5) be + adverb or adverbial phrase: The book is over there. The children are in the garden. In these sentences be functions as part of the predicate of the mixed type.

3. Be often occurs as an auxiliary that is reflected in the two grammatical patterns. They are as follows: a) be + Participle I to form continuous (or progressive) tenses: / am sitting now. They were playing football, ft has been raining since morning, b) be + Participle II to form the

Passive Voice: The cup is broken. The house was built. The key has been lost. In all these cases be is part of the simple verbal predicate.

4. Be may fulfil a modal function as well when it is associated with the infinitive to express obligation of a pre-planned character or mutual arrangement: She was to meet him at five o'clock sharp. The train is to arrive at nine o'clock p.m. We are to be married in June. In these cases be is part of the compound verbal predicate.

Note that irrespective of its function when used in simple tenses be does not require do as an auxiliary to form questions and negative sentences. For example: She is not my friend. Where is the book? Was the house built? They are not to be married in June.

Have: functions

The present tense forms of the verb are have and in the third person singular — has. The corresponding negative forms are have not/haven't and has not/hasn't.

The past form of have is had. Its negative form is had not/hadn 't.

The past participle of have is had. The present participle is having.

Have can perform 4 functions.

1. Have as well as its synonym have got are often used as notional verbs in the meaning «own, possess» which is realized in the pattern have + noun: / have a daughter. He had some good news today. We must have your answer by Friday.

As a meaningful verb have and have got cannot be used in progressive tenses. To form questions and negative sentences there are three possible ways: 1) Have you got any questions? — / haven't got any questions. 2) Do you have any questions? — I don't have any questions? 3) Have you any questions? — I haven't any questions.

2. As a link-verb have functions in a number of set expressions which are polylexemic equivalents of one word denoting action. Compare: to have breakfast — to breakfast, to have dinner — to dine, to have a smoke — to smoke, to have a bath — to bathe, to have a look — to look and soon.

In this function have can take progressive form: When I came home my family were having tea.

Note that have got is not possible in these expressions. Compare: I have a bath every day. (=1 take a bath every day) — / have got a bath. (=There is a bath in my house.)

In simple tenses the use of do in questions and negations is obligatory: / don't usually have a big lunch. He doesn't have a rest after dinner. Did you have a swim yesterday?

3. Have is used as an auxiliary to form perfect tenses. This function is revealed in the pattern have + past participle: / have broken a cup. The cup has been broken. It has been raining since morning.

Have is also used as an auxiliary in non-finite perfect forms. For example: Having finished the letter he sent it down to be posted. It is better to live than to have lived.

4. In combination with infinitives have as well as have got functions as a modal to express obligation arising out of circumstances: / have to go now. = I have got to go now.

To form questions and negative sentences there arc two possible ways: 1) Do you have to work tomorrow? — 1 don't have to work tomorrow. 2) Have you got to work tomorrow? — I haven't got to work tomorrow.

Note that in the past tense only one variant is possible: Did you have to work last week? — No, I didn't have to work last week.

Do: functions

The present tense forms of the verb are do and in the third person singular — does. The negative forms are do not/don't and does not/doesn 't.

The past form of do is did. Its negative is did not/ didn't.

The past participle form is done, the present participle is doing.

Do may fulfil 4 functions.

1. As a notional verb, do is used in the meaning «perform, carry out (an action), busy oneself with»: What are you doing now? What shall I do next? I will do what I can. I have nothing to do.

Do often takes various nouns to form recurrent set expressions denoting actions which are necessary in order to complete something or bring it into a desired state. For example: to do a crossword/a sum/one's homework (the cooking, the cleaning, the washing, the ironing, the shop-

ping)/one's hair/flowers/rep aires /business/exercises/sci-ence/duty/a favour/harm/good/one's best, etc.

In the Present and Past Simple tenses an additional do is necessary to form questions and negations: Do you do your morning exercises regularly? The photograph do-esn 't do her justice.

2.Asan auxiliary, do is always used in the Present and Past Simple tenses to form questions and negative sentences as well as in the negative form of the imperative mood. For example: Do your children read much? She doesn't do her work properly. I don't work. Don't be so rude.

3. In the Present and Past Simple tenses do may often function as a verb-substitute to replace a verb already used: She plays the piano better than she did last year. The same function is performed in disjunctive questions (or question tags) when do replaces the verb in the statement: He lives in London, doesn't he? So you want to be a doctor, do you?

4. In the Present and Past Simple tenses and in the imperative mood do often performs the emphatic function to stress the affirmative nature of the statement: That's exactly what he did say. I do want to go! Do tell me what happened!

Shall: Junctions

The third person singular of the present tense is shall. The negative form is shall not/shan't.

Shall combines auxiliary and modal functions.

1. Shall may be used as an auxiliary in the first person both singular and plural to form the future tense: / shall have completed my report by Tuesday. We shall be away next week.

Note that in ordinary modern speech mil or its short form 'II is more often used than shall.

2.As a modal, shall is used with all persons to form statements or questions expressing obligation, duty, command and in the negative prohibition. It should be brought out prosodically. For example: Shall I open the window? (= Do you want me to open the window?) Shall the boy wait? You shall not have it! It's mine.

In this meaning shall is often used in formal writing: You shall not kill. (The Bible) Payments shall be made by check.

Will: functions

The third person singular form is will. Thenegative is mil not/won't.

Will performs both auxiliary and modal functions.

Will is used as an auxiliary in the second and third person singular and plural to form the future tense in statements, questions and negative sentences. For example: You will miss your train unless you hurry. They say it will rain tomorrow. What time will she be arriving? He won't come to the party.

In modern English the short form 'II is regularly used in the first person singular as part of the future tense as well as mil which acquires a modal meaning of wish,

willingness or unwillingness in the negative: / will have finished the job by that time. I will never come again.

2. As a modal, will can be used with all persons and has a variety of uses. In most cases it is brought out prosodically.

a) It expresses willingness, intention, consent (and unwillingness in the negative): All right, I will come. We will pay the money soon. He will have his own way. We can't find anyone who who will take the job. I won't do the work. He won't listen to me.

b) When will is used in polite requests it is often equivalent to «please»: Will you come in? Will you have a cup of tea? Shut the door, will you?

c) Will may be used in negative sentences with reference to objects to show them as unable to fulfil their function: The pen won't write. The knife won't cut. The lift won't work.

d) Will may express various degrees of possibility. For example: This car will hold five people comfortably. (=can) This will be the postman at the door now. (=must) To refer action to the past mil takes a perfect infinitive: Do you think he will have got my letter yet?

e) Will is also used to indicate characteristic behaviour or regular actions in the present. For example: Accidents will happen. Boys will be boys. She will ask silly questions. He will sit there for hours looking at the traffic go by.

Should: functions

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The third person singular is should. The negative formis should not/shouldn 't.

Should can fulfil auxiliary and modal functions.

1. Asan auxiliary, should is used in three grammatical patterns.

a) In the first person it indicates the Future-in-the Past in reported speech: / told him that I should see him the next day. We promised we should he back before nightfall

b) With all persons it is used as part of the Suppositional Mood: / was anxious our plan should not

fail. He suggests we should help him. If it should rain tomorrow we shall stay home.

c) In the first person it may occur as part of the Conditional Mood though in Modern English such uses are regarded as either formal or old-fashioned. For example: / should be surprised if he came.

2. As a modal, should is used in its full form with all persons and performs two functions.

a) It is used to express mild obligation in the form of advice or recommendation: If you see anything unusual you should call the police. He shouldn't be so impatient with the child.

To refer action to the past should takes passive infinitive: You should have told me this long ago. He shouldn 't have said this.

b)It may express probability: The photos should be ready by tomorrow morning. He studied much, he should pass the examination. There shouldn't be any difficulty about getting this book.

Would: functions

The third person singular is would. Thenegative' form is would not/wouldn't.

Would performs auxiliary and modal functions.

1. Asan auxiliary, would is used in the two grammatical patterns.

a) In the second and third persons it indicates the Future-in-the Past in reported speech: They said they would meet us at the station. I knew she would be annoyed.

b) In the second and third persons it is used to form the Conditional Mood: She would be surprised if he came. What would you do if you won a million dollars?

2. As a modal would is basically used in its full form which is prosodically stressed. It may be observed in a variety of cases.

a) With all persons it is used to show willingness or in the negative — unwilligness in the past: They couldn't find anyone who would take the job. He said there had been a serious accident, but wouldn 't give any details.

b) In the second person it is used to form a polite request: Would you please lend me your pencil? Shut the door, would you?

c) It is used in the negative with reference to the object unable to fulfil its function: My car wouldn't start yesterday. The lift wouldn't work for two days.

d) It is used to show regular actions in the past: We used to work in the same office and we would often have coffee together.

Modals

Modal verbs are used to express the speaker's attitude towards the action or state denoted by the infinitive they are grammatically associated with, that is they show actions denoted by infinitives as obligatory, necessary, advisable, desirable, possible, impossible, uncertain, etc. They are: must, can (could), may (might), ought, shall, will, should, would, be, have, need, dare.

Modals are called defective verbs since most of them lack the non-finite forms and cannot be used in the analytical patterns such as perfect, continuous, passive as well as future tense forms. The exceptions are: be, have, need and dare. Besides, modals do not take the -(e)s suffix in the first person singular. Such verbs as be and have are characterized by the special forms of their own: The train is to arrive in an hour. The boy has to go to school.

Modals normally take infinitives without to with the exception of ought, be, have and sometimes dare and need.

Modals do not require any auxiliary to form questions and negative sentences except for the verb have. Do your children have to wear a uniform at school? Does she have to get up early tomorrow?

According to the meaning modals can be classified into several groups: 1) verbs expressing obligation, necessity — must, have to, be to, shall, should, ought to; 2) verbs denoting supposition, possibility, certainty/uncertainty — must, may(might), can(could), should, ought to, will, 3) verbs expressing ability — can(could), 4) verbs expressing permission, requests, offers, invitations — may/

might, will/would, can/could, 5) verbs denotingwillingness — will, would.

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