Hello and welcome my dear friends to the eighth lecture of Grammar 3.

In this lecture, our teacher is going to cover the following points:

Finite and non-finite verb phrases
Tense, aspect, and mood
The Present

The teacher's speech:

Good morning everyone. Today's lecture will be about finite and non-
finite verb phrases. Open you book on page 38
Finite and non-finite verb phrases
3.23
Let us start our lecture by talking about the finite verb phrases.
Finite verb phrases have a number of properties which include the
following characteristics:
1. Finite verb phrases have tense distinction:

This means that they have present tense forms and past tense forms, as we
can see in the following examples:
 He studies English literature. [present tense]
 He studied English literature. [past tense]

These are examples of finite verbs because they carry tense. For example,
if you look at the first example, you can see that 'studies' here refers to the
present simple tense, and in the second example, 'studied' refers to the
past simple tense. Accordingly, these finite verbs have tense distinctions
(~s for the present simple, and ed for the past simple.)
2. Finite verb phrases occur as the verb element of a clause.

This means that the finite verb can be used as the main verb in the
sentence. In addition, we can notice that there is person and number
agreement between the subject and the finite verb. Concord means
"agreement" between the subject and verb. Concord is particularly
clearly shown with verb to be:
 I = am
 You/we/they = are
 He/she/it = is
With most lexical verbs, concord (or subject-verb agreement) is
limited to a contrast between 3rd person plural and 3rd person
singular present:
 He reads the paper every morning.
 They read the paper every morning.

Here we add the third person singular (-s) to the verb when the subject is
he/ she/ it.
With the other pronouns, the agreement is not shown on the verb form;
there is no change or addition of anything:
 I read/ we read/ you read.

Furthermore, in the past simple form there is no clear agreement between

the subject and the verb. For example, we say:
 I / he/ she/ it / they / you / we went / played/ swam ….

With the modal auxiliary verbs in English, there is, however, no

concord or agreement, as in the following examples:
 I/you/he/we/they can play the cello.
 She/ I/you/he/we/they must go home.

Of course, we do not add ~s to the verb after modal auxiliaries because

we use the infinitive form of verb after them. Thus, after modal
auxiliaries, we use the same form of verb with all pronouns.
3. Finite verb phrases have mood.

In addition to the usual INDICATIVE MOOD (normal sentences), finite

verbs also have the IMPERATIVE (giving orders and commands), and
SUBJUNCTIVE (expressing wishes and obligations, etc.) moods. We
call the indicative mood is 'unmaked' while the subjunctive and the
imperative are marked. We will come to explain these later on.
Until now, we have realized that finite verbs express tense, mood and
may have agreement. Let us move to the non-finite verb phrases:
4. The non-finite forms of the verb:

There are three non-finite verb forms in English:

 The infinitive ((to) call)
 The -ing participle (calling)
  The -ed participle (called)

Non-finite verb phrases consist of one or more such items. Compare:

FINITE VERB PIIRASES
 He smokes heavily (present / main verb / subject-verb agreement)

 He is working (present continuous / main verb / subject-verb

agreement)
 He had been offended (past perfect / main verb / subject-verb
agreement)

NON-FINITE VERB PHRASES

 To smoke like that must be dangerous (Infinitive)
 I found him working.(Present participle –ing form)
 Having been offended before, he was sensitive. (Past participle)

2.24
Now we will examine some properties of the verbs used after modals and
the verb forms used with the perfective and progressive aspects and with
the passive voice.
The modal, perfective, progressive and passive auxiliaries follow a
specific strict order in the complex verb phrase:
[I] MODALS are always followed by an infinitive (without "to"), as
in the following example:
 He would visit his friends

Thus, after modals (would, will, shall, should, etc…), we use the bare
infinitive (the infinitive without ''to'').
[II] PERFECTIVE is always followed by Past Participle or V3 form,
as in
 He had visited his friends.
 He would have visited his friends.

So simple, after the tense of perfect (present perfect, past perfect), we use
the V3 form.
[III] PROGRESSIVE is always followed by an -ing form, as in
  He was visiting his friends.
 He would have been visiting his friends.

Again, after the continuous tense, we use the ing form.

[IV] PASSIVE is always followed by an -ed (V3) form, as in
 He was visited by John.
 He would have been being visited.

In the last example, we can see that the modal (would) is followed by the
perfect (have been), the progressive (being) and finally this progressive is
followed by the passive V3 (visited).
Section 3.25 End of Page 39:
Contrasts expressed in the verb phrase
In the previous section, we talked about some properties of the verb
phrase in English, and here we will talk about some more properties
which affect the structure of the verb phrase, such as the contrasts of
voice, questions, negation, emphasis and imperatives:
a. Voice, which refers to the active-passive relation, as in
A doctor will examine the applicants. (Active voice)
The applicants will be examined by a doctor (passive voice)

Usually the subject in an active sentence performs some action whereas

the subject of the passive sentence does not do any kind of action and this
is the meaning of "passive", as in:
The boy ate the apple. (Active sentence)
The apple was eaten by the boy. (Passive sentence)
The subject in the active sentence (the boy) is doing some action (ate),
whereas in the second example the subject (the apple) is not doing any
kind of action.
b. Questions which require subject movement involve the use of
an auxiliary as operator:
John will sing— Will John sing?
John sang . ___ Did John sing?

In the first example, we move the modal 'will' and use it as an operator
and place it before the subject "John". In the second example, we do not
have any auxiliaries. So we use the auxiliary "did" as operator in order to
form a question.
c. Negation : we use operators, as in:
John will sung John won't sing
John sang John didn't sing

In negation, we need to use an auxiliary plus (not)

d. Emphasis, which is frequently carried by the operator as in
John WILL sing! John DID sing!

Note here that the writer uses capitalization to show that certain words are
emphasized (WILL) and (DID).
e. Imperatives, (giving orders and commands ‫ )صيغة األمر‬as in:
Go home, John;
You go home, John;
Don't (you) go yet;
Let's go home.
Come here, now.
Stay where you are.

All of these are examples of imperative (giving orders).

Section 3.26 Page 40:
Tense, aspect, and mood
In this part of the lecture, we will discuss some important definitions.
The first definition is the definition of the concept of "time".
Time is a universal, non-linguistic (philosophical) concept with three
divisions: past, present, and future.
The past means before now or before the moment of speaking. The
present means "now". The future means a time that has not come yet.
Tense refers to the correspondence (relation) between the form of the
verb and our concept of time.
For example, if I want to tell a story of the past, I need to relate the time
(past) with the verb form (ed form) that suits the past tense; in that way,
my concept of tense will tell me to use the ed~form with the past tense.
Aspect means the manner in which the verbal action is regarded (for
example as completed "perfect" or in progress (incomplete-
"continuous").
Aspect means whether the verbs are used in the progressive or in the
perfective forms.
The term "Mood" is used to refer to the relation between the verbal
action to such conditions as certainty, obligation, necessity, and
possibility.
As we have seen earlier, we have the indicative, imperative, and
subjunctive moods.
To sum up, time refers to the present (now), the past and the future. On
the other hand, tense refers to the form of the verb (present simple, past
simple). Are the two concepts the same? Is time the same as tense?
According to our book tense and time are two different concepts. For
example, in many cases, we have a verb in the present but this verb does
not refer to the present. For example when we say "I go to school by
bus", it does not mean that I go now but it is just a repeated action. Also
when we say "The earth goes round the sun" it does not mean only at
present. It is a general fact without time. It is always true.
In addition, we have many cases in which the verb is in the past tense but
it does not refer to a past time. Consider the case of wishes or unreal past:
I wish I knew her name.
The verb "knew" is the past tense, but it refers to the present time (I knew
her name now). Also, consider the case of conditional sentences:
If you studied hard, you would pass your exams.
Again here the verbs in the past (studied) and (would pass) do not refer to
the past time. They refer to the future time.
Section 3.27
Tense and aspect
In this part of the lecture, we will examine the present and the past tenses
and compare them with the progressive and perfective aspects in terms of
structure and meaning.
In English, we have two simple tenses:
the present simple
 the past simple

There are a number of complex tenses such as the present and the past
progressive, and the present and past perfect. In addition, we also have
the present perfect progressive and the past perfect progressive.
Now, think about the possible meaning of the sentence when we use the
different forms of the verb (write) in the space:
"I ---------- with a special pen"
1. I write with a special pen (PRESENT HABIT)
2. I am writing with a special pen (NOW)
3. I wrote with a special pen (FINISHED PAST)
4. I have written with a special pen (FINISHED WITH RESULT)
5. I was writing with a special pen (CONTINUOUS IN THE
PAST)
6. I have been writing with a special pen (PAST UNTIL NOW)
7. I had been writing with a special pen (PAST CONTINUOUS)

3.28 The Present

We can distinguish three basic types of present:
(a). Timeless Present:
This kind of present is expressed with the simple present form:
I (always) write with a special pen (no specific time)

In this example, we do not have any specific time given in the sentence. It
is just a habitual repeated action.
In addition to expressing habitual action, the timeless present is also
used for universal statements (general facts/ scientific facts) such as
The sun sets in the west (fact)
Spiders have eight legs (fact)

(b). Limited Present:

In this type of present the action is temporary (it is expected to
continue for a short period of time) This kind of present is usually
expressed with the present progressive:
I am writing (on this occasion) with a special pen
 Normally he lives in London but at present he is living in Boston

In the first example, the writing is doing the action of writing at the time
of speaking only (not a habitual action). Also, in the second sentence, he
lives in Boston for a limited short time.
When the progressive tenses is used to indicate that the action is viewed
as in process and of limited duration, it can express the fact that the action
is not complete (incompleteness) even with a verb of short duration like
"stop", as in the following example:
The bus is stopping. (= it is slowing down)

Here the meaning is that the action is not complete and the bus is slowing
down and it has not stopped.
In addition, when the progressive is used with an adverb like "always",
the meaning that we get is that the speaker is irritated (not happy) with a
certain situation as in the following example:
He is always writing with a special pen - just because he likes to
be different.

So here the speaker is irritated by the behavior of the other person; he

thinks that this person likes to look different from others.
(c). Instantaneous Present:
This type of present refers to a kind of action which is happening now at
the time of speaking).
This kind of present is expressed with either the simple present
(especially in a series = a number or group of actions together) or the
progressive verb form, as in the following examples:
Watch carefully now: first, I write with my ordinary pen; now, I
write with a special pen. (simple present)
As you see, I am dropping the stone into the water (present
continuous).

The simple present is, however, usual in radio commentary on sport:

'Moore passes to Charlton'. (present simple)

Thus, we can use the present simple to talk about instantaneous present
only when we talk about a series (a number or group) of actions
happening together or one after the other.
Note:
The verbs keep/ go on have similar function to the normal
progressive auxiliary be
John keeps/goes on asking silly questions.

Thus, after 'go on' and 'keep', we normally use the ~ing form just as we
do when we use verb to be (am/is/are/was/were).
That is everything for today. See you next week.
Done by: Moussa Al-Rashed
Scanned by: Ahmad Jawad