Billie Call Christian Institute

First Marking Period Lecture Notes

Grade 11 English Grammar
THE FORMS OF A VERB
There are two types of verbs
a) Main verbs
b) Auxiliary verbs

Main verbs
Main verbs are either regular or irregular. With a regular verb, we can determine all the verb forms of an
English verb provided we know its base form. The base form of a verb is what is referred to as the ‘original’
form of the verb. That is the basic, uninflected form that is given as the entry form in the dictionary.
THE BASE THE-S FORM THE-ING FORM THE-ED FORM
ask asks asking asked
bake bakes baking baked
brush brushes brushing brushed
cook cooks cooking cooked
crack cracks cracking cracked
crash crashes crashing crashed
dance dances dancing danced
dress dresses dressing dressed
drop drops dropping dropped
escape escapes escaping escaped
finish finishes finishing finished
guess guesses guessing guessed
Help helps helping helped
hope hopes hoping helped
hike hikes hiking hiked
joke jokes joking joked
jump jumps jumping jumped
knock knocks knocking knocked
kiss kisses kissing kissed
laugh laughs laughing laughed
lock locks locking locked
look looks looking looked
work works working worked
watch watches watching watched
shop shops shopping shopped

IRREGULAR VERBS:
Like regular verbs, we can predict the –s form and –ing form of the irregular verbs provided we know the
base form. For example
THE BASE THE-ING FORM THE-S FORM
come coming comes
eat eating eats
However, with irregular verbs, we cannot predict their past tense or past participle forms even if we are
familiar with their base forms.

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Three main types of irregular verbs are identified:
• Verbs in which all three main parts: the base, the past form, and the participle are identical
• Verbs in which two parts are identical
• Verbs in which all three parts are different
Verbs with all three parts identical
THE INFINITIVE THE SIMPLE PAST THE PAST PARTICIPLE
bet bet, betted bet, betide
broadcast broadcast broadcast
burst burst burst
bust bust, busted bust, busted
cast cast cast
cut cut cut
fit fit, fitted fit, fitted
forecast forecast forecast
hit hit hit
hurt hurt hurt
input input, inputted input, inputted
knit knit, knitted knit, knitted
let let let
miscast miscast miscast
offset offset offset
outbid outbid outbid
put put put
quit quit, quitted quit, quitted
wed wed, wedded wed, wedded
wet wet, wetted wet, wetted

Verbs with two parts identical

The infinitive The simple past The past participle
bend bent bent
bind bound bound
bleed bled bled
bring brought brought
catch caught caught
cling clung clung
clothe Clothed, clad Clothed, clad
creep crept crept
crossbreed crossbred Crossbred
daydream daydreamed, daydreamt daydreamed, daydreamt
dwell dwell, dwelt dwell, dwelt
kneel kneeled, knelt kneeled, knelt
lay laid laid
learn learned, learnt learned, learnt
lean leaned, leant leaned, leant
lie (not tell the truth) lied lied
lose lost lost
speed speeded, sped speeded, sped

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 Verbs with three parts different
The Infinitive The Simple Past The Past Participle
drive drove driven

ride rode ridden

rise rose risen

write wrote written

bite bit bitten

hide hid hidden

break broke broken

choose chose chosen

speak spoke spoken

wake woke woken

blow blew blown

grow grew grown

know knew known

fly flew flown

draw drew drawn

show showed shown

wear wore worn

tear tore torn

begin began begun

Auxiliary and Modal Verbs

Auxiliary verbs are the helping verbs used in sentences along with the verbs to set the mood, tense, tone, etc. of
the sentence.
Thus, if you use the auxiliary ‘might’, it indicates a slight probability. But if you use the auxiliary ‘will’, it
indicates a strong affirmation. We further divide the auxiliaries into two types- primary auxiliaries and modal
auxiliaries.

Primary Auxiliaries
The words “be”, “have” and “do” are called primary auxiliaries. These are known as primary because they are
the most frequently occurring auxiliaries and are used in their different forms in the English language.
Evidently, the forms of “be” are “is”, “am”, “our”, “was”, and “were”. The forms of “have” are “have”, “has”
and “had”. Lastly, the forms of “do” are “do”, “does” and “did”.

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Using Primary Auxiliaries
1] Be
The forms of “be” are:
• Present tense: is, am, are
• Past tense: was, were
• Past participle: been
i) To form continuous tense:
• He is reading a book.
• we were reading a book.
• He has been reading a book.
ii) For passive voice:
• The work is done.
• The work is being done.
iii) To express a previous plan or agreement:
• You were to visit the doctor.
• I am to go to Meerut.
iv) To express a command:
• You are to get the work done by tonight.
• The plumber is to repair the pipeline tomorrow.
v) To express feelings, age, size, weight, price, time etc. :
• Today is a warm day.
• I am not happy.
• My weight is 50 kgs.
2] Have
The forms of “have” are:
• Present tense: has, have
• Past tense: had
• Past participle: had
i) To form perfect tense:
• He has read the book.
• We had done our household chores.
ii) To form passive voice:
• The work has been done.
• The room had been cleaned.
iii) To express a compulsion:
• He had to go.
• You have to obey the law.
iv) To express a job got to be done:
• I have my room cleaned every week.
• She has bread and butter for breakfast.
v) To express the consumption of food, drinks, events etc.
• I have tea in the morning.
• He had the party at his house.
• You have a test tomorrow.
3] Do
The forms of “do” are:
• Present tense: do
• Past tense: did
• Past participle: done

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i) In additions to avoid repetition of verbs:
• He likes to read and so do I.
• You liked to dance and so did she.
ii) In question tags and short answers:
• You liked the film; didn’t you?
• Yes, I did.
iii) To form interrogative and negative forms of present and past indefinite tenses and imperatives:
• Do not lean over the fence.
• He does not work. Does he?
iv) To stress some action in the present and past indefinite tenses and in imperatives:
• I do go to the class every day.
• I did the work daily.
• Do finish the work for me.
Modal Auxiliaries/ Modal Verbs
The commonly used modal auxiliaries, also known as modal verbs, are as follows:
Can and Could
• ‘Can’ states ability: I can walk to the hotel.
• It also indicates permission: You can go to the party tonight.
• ‘Could’ is used for a request: Could I go to the party tonight?
• It is used as the past tense of can in indirect speech: You said you could help me.
• Could is used to indicate ability in the past; He could dance well when I last met him.
May and Might
• May is used to ask for permission: May I come in?
• It is used to express a wish: May you have a good life ahead.
• We can also use ‘may’ to express possibility: There may be some hope.
• ‘May’ indicates a weak possibility whereas ‘might’ indicates a weaker possibility: I may come
today. OR She might come tomorrow.
Shall, Should, Will, Would
i) Shall is used in the first person and will in the second and third person:
• I shall not come today.
• You will work for me.
• He will not listen to you.
ii) We can also use shall in second or third person to express a threat, command or a promise:
• You shall be awarded suitably.
• He shall never show up here again.
iii) Shall can also be used in the first person to indicate an offer or suggestion:
• Shall I accompany you?
iv) Will is used to express a decision:
• I will not come today.
v) It can also be used to indicate a habit:
• He will drink a cup of coffee as usual.
vi) We can also use will for an invitation:
• Will you attend my cousin’s wedding?
vii) In clauses that start with if, ‘should’ is used to express a probable event:
• If it should rain, the match will be called off.
Must and Ought
• ‘Must’ is a modal verb that can be used to express necessity: You must come tonight.
• We can also use ‘must’ to express fixed determination: I must have an opportunity to do what I
wish.
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 • Ought can express certainty: We ought to win this.
Used
• It can indicate a discontinued habit: I used to go to the gym every evening.
Need
• ‘Need’ can be used to denote certainty: We need to win this.
• We can also use need to denote requirement: I need you to stay.
Dare
• Dare is a modal verb that indicates strong ability or being bold enough: How dare you argue with
me?
• We can also use dare to strike a challenge: I dare you to cross the bridge in 30 seconds.

TENSE AND ASPECT

Often, a speaker expresses an idea or thought in relation to time. Tense is therefore the relationship
between a verb and the concept of time. Primarily, there are two tenses in English. These are present and
past tenses. It is only these two tenses that are associated with verb forms.
In English, both perfection and progression in a strict sense are not tenses but aspects. We, therefore,
have the aspect of progression and the aspect of perfection.
Futurity in English is also not tense. To indicate the future, we may use the infinitive and an auxiliary.
Usually, ‘will’ and ‘shall’ are used. There are also other forms of expressing the future apart from the use
of the infinitive and the auxiliary ‘will’ and ‘shall’.

For example
The verb to be + going to
I am going to Monrovia
The ‘going to’ expresses an element of intention in the future time.

1. Present Tense
The present may contain three different kinds of action:
a. Simple action (simple present)
This is the bare statement of the action without any reference to the length of time taken or to the degree of
completion concerned. For example
They go, I teach, etc.
Note: The simple present is the base form of the verb which changes in 3 rd person singular.
For example
‘go’ and ‘goes’
1. He goes to church
2. They go to church
The simple present tense is used for a number of purposes.
b. Historic present
This expresses one’s comment on what has happened.
For example
1. I learn he has won the race.
2. We hear the school has dismissed him.

c. Habitual present
This expresses repetitive/ repeated action
For example
1. The teacher teaches well
2. She eats cake every day.
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 d. Instantaneous present
This expresses an action currently taking place. It brings the action alive as in commentary. For example
Emmanuel ‘receives’ a pass from David, he ‘gives’ it to Joseph who ‘sends’ a terrific shot past the
goalkeeper.

e. Premeditated action
This expresses an action that will happen at a future time but which is definite.
For example
1. Emmanuel leaves for America tomorrow.
2. They visit him next week.

f. Present continuous
The verb ‘be’ + - ing’ form of the week verb/ auxiliary verb.
For example
I am teaching.
This expresses an action in progress.

g. Present perfect
Has / have + -en- and ‘ed’ form.
1. He has completed the job.
2. He has taken the book.

h. Present perfect continuous

Used to refer to an action that started sometime in the past up to the present.
Has / have + been + ‘-ing’
For example
1. He has been working seriously.
2. They have been working seriously.

2 PAST TENSE
Forms of the past tense.
a. Simple past
‘ed’ for regular verbs.
Irregular verbs are variable.
1. The captain kicked the ball. (regular)
2. The girl sang well. (irregular)
3. He came here. (irregular)
b. Past continuous
Past tense of the verb ‘be’ + ‘ing’ of the main verb.
For example
Yassah was selling her husband’s book.

Uses
i) Used to express an action that was taking place during a certain period in the past. For
example
I was choked while eating the food.
Note
i) I heard her sing.
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 ii) I heard her singing.
In sentence (i) I listened to her until she stopped.
Sentence (ii) implies that I ceased listening to her even when she was still singing.

ii) The past continuous aspect is also used to show an action, which was going on at a time
when another action, which was more important, happened
.
c. Past perfect
Past tense of has/have + a past participle of the main verb. That is, it is formed by had + ‘en’ of the
main verb. For example
My brother had already left before I arrived.
Here, we notice that two actions occurred in the past. ‘Had’ is therefore used to indicate the former
past. In the sentence above, my brother’s leaving happened before my arrival. For example
She had attended JHS before she came to the SHS.

It is also used to express a past condition containing a negative idea. For example
1. If the student had known that he needed the book, he would have saved towards it.
2. He would have finished in time if he had worked hard.

d. Past perfect continuous had been + present participle.

It is used to show the happening of an action up to a certain period in the past. For example
1. The farmer had been working when I went to the farm.
2. The perfect wanted to know what the form one (1) student had been doing since the light went
out.
e. The future
As indicated earlier futurity is not a tense form. It is not tense because there is no specific tense maker in
English to indicate the future. It is for this reason that the auxiliaries ‘will’ and ‘shall’ are used with an
infinitive. For example
I will go tomorrow.
The auxiliary ‘will’ is usually used with 1st, 2nd, or 3rd persons. When used this way, it expresses what is
called a plain future or colorless future. Thus, a future is not modified by the person’s attitude or
predisposition.
If one says he will do something but is unable to do it he could not be held responsible. So, you can say: ‘we’
or ‘I’ will come tomorrow. This is not a promise. But ‘I’ shall come is a promise’

Other forms of expressing the future

i) Verb to be + going + infinitive.
For example
I am going to visit you.
‘Going to’ expresses an element of intention in the future time.
ii) For expressing future of present cause found in the non-personal subject
For example
I am leaving for Monrovia tomorrow.
This refers to a future happening anticipated in the present. It implies a fixed arrangement of time
or program in the future. Usually, a time adverb is added to the sentence. For example
I am leaving for cape coast next week.
The above sentence implies that the speaker or someone else has made arrangements. Thus, the
process of leaving has been set in motion. The present progression form is normally used with
verbs of promotion.
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 For example
Arrive, come, go, start, etc.

• Be + to-infinitive. For example

I am about to finish teaching.
This is used to express a near future or imminent future.
i. Will /shall + to be + progressive.
For example
I shall be going.
This is used to express the future as a matter of course.

SUMMARY
1. Present and past tense
The English verbs are inflected for two tenses: present (talks) and past (talked). In other words, tense is
indicated by morphological marking: zero/-s for present tense and –ed for regular past tense. Tense is not
necessarily straightforwardly related to what TIME the event represented by the verb takes place. For
instance, the simple present tense can be used to refer to various times, as it is used for:
a. Events that happen regularly or habitually:
For example
He smokes, drinks, betrays people, and has no regret whatever.
b. Timeless truths; for example
The sun rises in the east.
c. Present events. For example
1. I declare the meeting open.
2. Emmanuel passes the ball to joseph
d. Historic present, especially in literary English but also in oral narrative. It recalls or recounts the past
as vividly as if it were present:
For example
He just walks into the room and sits down in front of the congregation without saying a word to anyone.
e. Events that are expected to happen in the future:
For example
When our grandfather returns to the village thirty years later.

2 The concept of TIME

We can, of course, situate events in time, but this is not only done by means of grammatical tense. The two
tenses, present, and past, combine with the aspects discussed below to indicate how the event is viewed in
relation to time. From the timeline perspective, we can talk about the past, present, and future times. English
does not have a separate verb form for the future. Consequently, there is no future tense in English, even
though there are, of course, many different ways in which we can talk about the future time:
• The plane will arrive tomorrow. (Modal auxiliary ‘will’)
• The plane is going to arrive tomorrow (be going to)
• The plane is arriving tomorrow (present progressive)
• The plane arrives tomorrow (simple present)
• The plane will be arriving tomorrow. (Modal auxiliary will + progressive aspect)