Unit 3

The Verb
[3.1] How to study this unit?
[3.2] The verbal group
[3.3] Auxiliaries and their use
[3.4] Time
[3.5] Aspect
[3.6] Active and passive
[3.7] Phrasal verbs
[3.8] Bibliographical references
3
UNIT
Scheme
UNIT 3 – Scheme
Verbal group
➢ Finite forms: “marked for either tense or modality but

not both” (Downing and Locke, 2006, p. 12). Phrasal verbs
➢ Non finite forms: those verb-forms that are not
marked for either tense or modality are considered non-
finite.
Elements of
the verbal
group Time and Tense Aspect Active & passive
voice
Operator Main Verb

Future Past Progressive Progressive
Head Present
Dynamic Stative
verbs verbs
Grammatical Lexical
function auxiliary verbs
English Grammar
© Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

English Grammar
Pay attention to…
3.1. How to Study this Unit?
In order to study this unit you should read:
Hewings, M. (2005). Advanced Grammar in Use. Cambridge: Cambridge University

Press. (p. 44, p.48). Available at the virtual campus under the art. 32.4 of the Spanish
Intellectual Property Law.
Payne, Thomas E. (2011). Understanding English Grammar: A Linguistic

Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (pp. 152-157).
Available at the virtual campus under the art. 32.4 of the Spanish Intellectual Property
Law.
In this unit we will study different aspects of the English verb.
» Firstly, we will describe the verbal group and its elements.

» Secondly, we will analyse the different types of auxiliaries and their use. We
will explain concepts like time and tense and the grammatical aspect in English.
» And finally we will discuss the characteristics of the phrasal verbs.
3.2. The Verbal Group
According to Downing and Locke, “The Verbal Group is the grammatical unit by means
of which we most typically express our perception of events” and “[it] consists of a
lexical verb (e.g. take) or a primary verb (a form of be, have or do) as main verb (v),
either alone or preceded by one or more grammatical elements - the auxiliaries (x) like
in has been or has taken” (2006, p. 317, bold and italics in original). The first auxiliary
has special functions and is called operator.
UNIT 3 – Pay attention to… © Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

English Grammar
The Verbal Group

(VG)
Operator (o) Auxiliary (x) Auxiliary (x) Main verb (v)

will have been working
Figure 1. The Verbal Group.

I saw a film.
Saw (verb) is the verbal group.
Sue believes in him.
Believes (verb) is the verbal group.
I am watching a film now.
The VG is am watching, which is formed by an operator (o) and the verb (v).
They were running fast.
The VG is were running, which is formed by were (o) and the running (v).
I have been writing a short story.
The VG is have (o) been (x) writing (v).
Tom has been swimming for two hours.
The VG is has (o) been (x) swimming (v).
Next month you will have been working for this company for ten years.
The VG is will (o) have (x) been (x) working (v).
I will have finished this project by the end of the month.
The VG is will (o) have (x) finished (v)

English Grammar
As shown in the examples above, the VG can have four types of structure:
v I watched the football match yesterday.
ov You must try Thai food once. It’s delicious!

Beyoncé in Madrid! The celebrity has been
oxv
seen strolling around the Puerta del Sol.
oxxv In June, we will have been married for 7 years.
Table 1. Structures of the VG.
Each of these structures can eventually have the following meanings:
» Structures: o v
o Perfect: have seen
o Modal: must see
o Progressive: is seeing
o Passive: was seen
» Structures: o x v
o Modal + perfect - should have seen
o Modal + progressive - should be seeing
o Modal + passive - should be seen
o Perfect + progressive - have been seeing
o Perfect + passive - have been seen
» Structures: o x x v
o Modal + perfect + progressive - must have been writing
o Modal + perfect + passive - must have been written
o Modal + progressive + passive - must be being written
o Perfect + progressive + passive - has been being written
The elements of the verbal group can be:

» Lexical verbs (go, bring, sing, meet)
» Primary verbs: be, have, and do. They carry grammatical meaning, like tense, aspect,
person and number.
They are trying to win the match.

English Grammar
In the VG -are trying- are is the primary verb and trying is the lexical verb.
» Modal auxiliary verbs: will, would, shall, should, can, could, may, might, must,
ought to. They express probability, obligation, necessity, etc.
» Semi-modal auxiliary verbs: dare, need, used to.
The primary verbs be, have, and do can function as auxiliary verbs or as lexical
elements.
Who is the most beautiful actress in the world at the moment?
In the VG, is (v) acts as a lexical element.
Who is helping you with the dishes?
The structure of the VG (is helping) is as follows: is operator / helping - lexical verb.
The four major features of the operator element are:
NICE
N Negation
I Inversion
C Code
E Emphasis
Negation: I don’t like apples. (VG - don’t like, don’t - operator / like - main verb)
Inversion: Have you taken the money? (VG - have taken, have - operator / taken -
main verb) We use inversion to make questions and such cases the auxiliary is
placed before the subject.
Code: Mary will examine her task list, but Ted won’t. (VG - will examine, will -
operator / examine - main verb). The full sentence will be Ted won’t examine
his task list. The operator in but Ted won’t substitutes the predicator (won’t
examine) and the predicate (won’t examine his task list).
Emphasis: I did find the key first. (VG - did find, did - operator / find - main verb)
The operator in this example is used for emphasis.

English Grammar
Finite and non-finite verbal groups
In their English Grammar: A University Course, Downing and Locke define finite
verbal forms as “marked for either tense or modality but not both” (2006, p. 12). On the
contrary, those verb-forms that are not marked for either tense or modality are
considered non-finite.
» Finite forms:
o write: They write a new message every hour.
o writes: This author writes a new book every year.
o wrote: Emily Dickinson wrote beautiful poems.
» Non-finite forms
o to write (to infinitive): It is interesting to write short stories.
o write (bare infinitive): The teacher made them write the word ‘silence’ on the
blackboard ten times.
o writing (present participle): Writing an essay for my Victorian literature
course, I heard the news about a new film about the Brontë sisters, called To
Walk Invisible.
o written (past participle): Written between 1845 and 1846, Emily Brontë’s only
novel, Wuthering Heights, is still widely read today.
Finite and non-finite verbal forms are illustrated in the excerpt from Emily Brontë’s
Wuthering Heights below:
A perfect misanthropist's heaven: and Mr. Heathcliff and I are such a suitable pair to
divide the desolation between us. A capital fellow! He little imagined how my heart
warmed towards him when I beheld his black eyes withdraw so suspiciously under
their brows, as I rode up, and when his fingers sheltered themselves, with a jealous
resolution, still further in his waistcoat, as I announced my name. (Brontë, 2000, p. 1)
Noel Burton-Roberts defines the subject-verb agreement as “the change of form in the
finite verb according to the number and person of the subject NP” (2016, p. 113, bold in
original) and suggests an useful idea to know whether the verb is finite or non-finite if it
appears in the bare stem form. For instance, in the sentence They fill the pool, the verb
appear in its bare stem form - fill. If we use a subject like she or Mary, then the verb will
change into its -s form, fills, which means that it is finite.

English Grammar
3.3. Auxiliaries and their Use
Types of auxiliaries
Auxiliary
Lexical
verbs with Modal Semi-modal
auxiliary
gramatical auxiliary verbs auxiliary verbs
verbs
function
Figure 2. Types of auxiliary verbs.
Auxiliary verbs with grammatical function
Auxiliary verbs can be used to make tense-aspect or modality choices.
They were dancing all night.
were, i.e. to be in the past when the subject is in plural, is used to mark the verbal form
for past tense and progressive aspect.
The guests had already eaten the carrot cake when we arrived.
had, i.e. to have in the past, is used to mark the verbal form for past tense and perfect
aspect.
Lexical auxiliary verbs
According to Downing and Locke, “Lexical auxiliary is a term used for a set of verbs
of modal or aspectual meaning which form chain-like structures with the main verb of
the VG. The majority are followed by a V-to-inf form, but a few take the infinitive form
without to” (2006, p.319, bold in original). They propose a classification in which
lexical auxiliary verbs are divided in three groups “according to whether their first word
is (1) be; (2) have; (3) a modal idiom (2006, p.319, italics in original).

English Grammar
Types of auxiliaries
To be To have Modal
idioms
Figure 3. Types of lexical auxiliary verbs. Source: Adapted from Downing & Locke, 2006, p. 319.
We will first examine the major uses of the verb to be as lexical auxiliary verb. To this
end, it is important to contextualise this function of to be within its scope of usage (see
Figure 4).
Primary verb to be
Function as lexical element Function as auxiliary verb
Lexical auxiliary verb Auxiliary verb with

grammatical function
Figure 4. Uses and meanings of the verb to be.
» To be as lexical auxiliary verb (Be + lexical item + to infinitive).

o be going to: The students are going to pack their suitcases soon.
o be able to: The fairy was able to communicate with animals.
o be about to: My team was about to cross the finish line before everyone else.
o be bound to: The Department of Agriculture is bound to pay on time.
o be due to: What time is the next train due to arrive?
o be certain to: She is certain to show no fear.
o be liable to: The secretary is liable to take care of this issue.
o be supposed to: The prince is supposed to arrive in a black limousine.
o be sure to: Be sure to close the window when you leave.
» Have or have got + to infinitive. Have to and have got to display a number of
meanings and uses. In some cases, like when they indicate obligation, both forms
can be used. To classify the form as a lexical verb or a lexical auxiliary verb, we
should consider their interrogative forms.
o have to - lexical verb: I have to study this evening. Do you have to study this
evening?
o have got to - lexical auxiliary verb. Have you got to study this evening?

English Grammar
» Modal idioms: had better, would rather

o had better: He had better take care of his sister.
o would rather: I would rather go to the theatre on Sunday.
o would sooner: Peter would sooner be scorned than pitied.
» Modal auxiliary verbs. Modal auxiliary verbs have a wide range of meanings and
are used to indicate certainty, possibility, obligation, etc. For further information on
modal auxiliary verbs see Unit 7.
» Semi-modal auxiliary verbs

o Dare: meaning “be brave enough or rude enough to do something ” can be used in
two different ways:
• As an ordinary verb dare is followed by an infinitive with to and -s is added in
the third person singular.
If Tom dares to call Sarah again, she will tell her parents about this.
Tom doesn’t dare to call Sarah when her parents are at home.
• As a modal auxiliary verb dare is followed by an infinitive without to and -s is

not added in the third person singular.
No one dare tell Tom that what Sarah thinks about him.
o Need: In some cases need functions as an ordinary verb and in some others as a
modal auxiliary verb.
No one need know that Tom and Sarah are engaged.
Need is followed by an infinitive without to and functions as an auxiliary verb).
The negative of need is formed by adding not when it functions as an auxiliary verb.
You needn’t buy an engagement ring.
It means that there is no obligation. This use does not have past simple form. We use
have to in the past, instead.

English Grammar
You didn’t have to buy an engagement ring.
It wasn’t necessary and you didn’t do it.

We use needn’t have to + past participle meaning “it wasn’t necessary, but you did
it”.
You needn’t have bought flowers.
Compare the following sentences:
I need to buy a pair of glasses.

I don’t need to buy a pair of glasses.
In the second sentence, need acts as an ordinary verb.
» Used to. “We use used to when we refer to things in the past which are no longer
true. It can refer to repeated actions or to a state or situation” (Cambridge
Dictionary online).
We used to be friends.
We didn’t use to be friends.
Did you use to be friends?
Instead of used to meaning “routine”, we can use would + infinitive without to.
We used to go to music festivals every month.

We would go to music festivals every month.
» Auxiliary verbs in context

o Answer to yes/no questions: Are you coming to the party on Saturday? Yes, I am.
o Agreements and disagreements: He takes personal responsibility for defeat. Yes,
he does.
o Question tags: His latest Facebook updates are surprising, aren’t they?
There are some irregular constructions:

English Grammar
I’m invited to your party, aren’t I?

Let’s go to the cinema, shall we?
When the subject of the clause contains words such as no, none, nobody, no one,
nothing, barely, hardly ever, etc, the statement is considered negative and is
followed by a positive question tag.
Nothing happened while I was away, did it?
When the subject of the clause is anybody, anyone, nobody, no one, none, neither,
everyone, someone, etc. we use they in the question tag.
Nobody has seen my bag, have they?
o Comment tags. We use comment tags when the listener wants to express his
attitude to a statement. His tone can show that he is surprised, happy, interested,
etc.
A: The new stadium is going to host two matches next month.

B: Oh, is it?
3.4. Time
Downing and Locke define tense as “the grammatical expression of the location of
events in time. It anchors an event to the speaker’s experience of the world by relating
the event time to a point of reference” (2006, p. 352). There are two tenses in English:
(1). the present and (2). the past.
Present tense is morphologically marked on the 3rd person singular, like in:
We like rock music.

He likes rock music.
English does not have inflected forms to express future. Future is expressed by an
auxiliary verb and a present tense form of the verb, like in:
We will cook dinner together.

English Grammar
Although, strictly speaking, we should speak about time when we refer to the future, in
most grammar books the term future tense is used.
It is important to know that time and tense do not always coincide, i.e. present tenses
and past tenses do not always refer to present time and past time, respectively.
» Present tense can be used to refer to a future time: The party starts at 9 p.m. on
Monday.
» Past tense can mean a present time: I wish you were here.
Present tense is frequently used to refer to the past in newspaper headlines.
Denmark gets its first wild wolf pack in 200 years.

EU chief calls on all sides to show moderation and respect after May broadside.
(The Guardian, 2017)
3.5. Aspect
English has two grammatical aspects:

» Progressive: They are dancing in the streets.
» Perfect: I have seen the show Dancing on ice before.
Aspect Example
Present + progressive Am/ is/are doing
Past + progressive Was/were doing
Present + perfect Has/have done
Past + perfect Had done
Present + perfect + progressive Have been doing
Past + perfect + progressive Had been doing
Table 2. Grammatical aspects.

English Grammar
Stative and dynamic verbs
Verbs in English can be classified into stative and dynamic.
» Stative verbs usually refer to a state or condition. These verbs are not used in the
progressive form. Example of stative verbs are be, belong, know, seem, stand, lie,
have, want, understand, see, hear, feel, dislike, hate, love, doubt.
» Dynamic verbs refer to activities and events. They can be used in simple, perfect,
and progressive forms. Examples of dynamic verbs are: drink, eat, help, listen, play,
rain, read, say, throw, work, write, go, work, cook, talk.
Some verbs can have stative or dynamic use, depending on their meaning.
think
(1). (stative) to believe something or have an opinion or idea (Cambridge
Dictionary online)
I think I will get promoted.
(2). (dynamic) to use the brain to decide to do something (Cambridge Dictionary
online)
I am thinking about getting a new job.
have
(1). (stative) own or possess
I have a beautiful necklace.
(2). (dynamic) Events, actions, experiences and activities
Eating food and meals.
Hygiene routines and therapies
Conversations and interactions (Cambridge Dictionary online)
I am having lunch with my neighbour at the moment.
3.6. Active and Passive
Passive voice is often used in English to express ideas that in some other languages
require reflexive or impersonal construction. For some passive voice structures in
English, the active alternative is preferred in other languages.
Passive voice is formed with the verb to be and the past participle of the main verb. The
verb to be is used in the tense required by the context, while the main verb is always in

English Grammar
its past participle form. In table 3 we can see some examples of how the verb to be can
be modified to express a variety of tenses.
Subject To be Past participle of the main verb

is
was
is being
was being
The book has been written
had been
will be
should be
must have been
Table 3. Passive voice form.
In passive voice the speaker moves his attention from the subject of an active sentence
to the object. Thus, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject in passive
voice. For example:
Active: Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa between 1503 and 1506.
object
Passive: The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci between 1503 and 1506.
subject
Active and passive voice are used in different contexts and registers. Passive voice is
used when the agent is obvious, unknown, or not important.
A new technique capable of analysing different samples simultaneously has been

developed.
The author draws the reader’s attention to the technique, the agent is less important.
In factual writing, when we want to describe procedures and processes, we usually use
passive voice and omit the agent. These texts include a series of steps and “how to”
instructions.
What happens if the oven is not pre-heated before baking a cake?
Another reason for using passive voice is when we decide to place the topic (what is
being talked about) at the beginning of the clause and after that give details about it.
Active: Tom Coke introduced a new method of crop rotation in Norfolk.

English Grammar
Passive: A new method of crop rotation was introduced in Norfolk.
The get-passive
The get-passive form is often used in informal conversation and is not so common in
written discourse. The get-passive shows the speaker’s involvement.
A man in Indiana was bitten by a spider.

A man in Indiana got bitten by a spider.
In English not only the direct object can become the subject of a passive sentence, but
some indirect objects can also become the subject of a passive clause. In the following
sentence:
They gave me a book.
They is the subject, me is indirect object, and a book is the direct object. Therefore,
these are the possible transformations into passive voice:
A book was given to me.

I was given a book.
Passive structures are often used to report people’s actions or thoughts. The agent is
not important.
» It + passive verb + that clause.
It is said/alleged/reported/understood that love has the power to heal all physical

plains.
agree discover propose hope

announce estimate show know
assume expect suppose decide
believe fear think claim
calculate feel presume consider
Table 4. Verbs that follow the pattern It + passive verb + that clause.

English Grammar
» Subject + passive verb + to infinitive.
Julia Roberts is said to make millions for each film.

Julia Roberts is said to have been paid $20 million for 2000’s Erin Brockovich.
3.7. Phrasal Verbs
Phrasal verbs can have multiple meanings. They consist of a lexical verb and a particle.
New combinations of lexical verbs and particles or new definitions are constantly
accepted by English dictionaries. The high productivity and the semantics of phrasal
verbs make them difficult to master by learners of English as a foreign language.
across ahead
along
about
at
through
Get
back
round
by
over
in
up off
Figure 5. Phrasal verbs with get.
Idiomaticity means that the sense of the phrasal verb is often unpredictable. It is
difficult for learners to guess the meaning of a phrasal verb as the meaning of the verb-
particle combination if the use is metaphorical.
Phrasal verbs can be divided in three groups according to the degree of metaphorical
use, although these three groups cannot fully reflect subtle nuances of use.

English Grammar
» Non-idiomatic phrasal verbs (literal usage).
My brother goes to school by bus. He will be back in 10 minutes.

She walked across the street.
» Semi-idiomatic phrasal verbs.
He suggested that I needed to chill out.
» Fully idiomatic phrasal verbs.
We will be happy to put you up for the night.
According to the Cambridge Dictionary online, to put someone up means “to provide
someone with a place to stay temporarily”.
The Grammar of Phrasal Verbs: Types
» Type 1: Verb + particle (no object) (intransitive). Examples: drop in, turn
around, stand up, shut up, watch out, break down…
His car broke down and he had to walk to the station.
» Type 2: Verb + particle + object (separable) (transitive).
pick up
I pick up my sister from school.

I pick my sister up.
I pick her up.

English Grammar
When the phrasal verb is separable, we can place the direct object between the
verb and the particle or after the particle. It is important to note that if the direct
object is a pronoun, like in I pick her up, we have to place the pronoun between
the verb and the particle.
Switch off the TV.

Switch the TV off.
Switch it off.
» Type 3: Verb + particle + object (inseparable) (transitive). come across

(something), get over (something), look after (something/someone), look into
(something), take after (someone)…
Susan is very beautiful. She takes after her mother.
» Type 4: Verb + particle (adverb) + particle (preposition) + object

(inseparable). cut down on, look forward to, put up with…
I can’t put up with all that noise.
Note: Many phrasal verbs have multiple meanings. The same phrasal verb can belong
to one type or another depending on the meaning (see table 5.)
Transitive/
Get off Remove He couldn’t get the dirt off his hands.
separable
Transitive/ Vehicle, horse,
Get off He got off the train.
inseparable etc.
Get off Intransitive Leave We must be getting off now.
Get off Intransitive Escape He got off lightly.

English Grammar
Transitive/
Take off Clothes He took off his coat.
separable
Transitive/ The boy was taken off to the police
Take off Force to go
separable station.
Transitive/
Take off Have as holiday I think I’ll take the day off.
separable
Take off Intransitive A plane The plane took off on time.
They just took off without saying a
Take off Intransitive Leave
word.
Video games have really taken off in
Take off Intransitive Become popular
the last few days.
Table 5. Examples of phrasal verbs belonging to different types. Source: Adapted from Harrap’s Phrasal
Verb Dictionary, (2000).
An example of additional difficulty in using phrasal verbs is that in some of their

meanings can be synonyms, like get off = leave and take off= leave (see Table 5).
Combinations with stable composition and meaning with the phrasal verb take off
include:
» take the chill off something
» take years off someone
» take the edge off something
3.8. Bibliographical references
Brontë, E. (2000). Wuthering Heights. London: Wordsworth Classics.
Burton-Roberts, N. (2016). Analysing Sentences: An Introduction to English Syntax.

London & New York: Routledge.
Downing, A. & Locke, Ph. (2006). English Grammar: A University Course. London &
New York: Routledge.
Harrap’s Dictionaries (2000). Harrap’s Phrasal Verb Dictionary. Barcelona:

BIBLIOGRAF.

English Grammar
In Depth
The Verbal Group
The master class offers a brief overview of the English verb, which is a real challenge for
many learners of English as a second language. The aim of this lecture is to describe the
main elements of the Verbal group and the relation between time and tense. We will
also speak about grammatical aspect, which is crucial for the correct use of English
tenses. Auxiliaries and phrasal verbs are also briefly explained.
This class is available in the virtual classroom
UNIT 3– In Depth © Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

English Grammar
Confusing English verbs
This short video provides a number of explanations and examples of how to use the
confusing verbs do and make.
Access to the video through the virtual campus or following this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHcGSJlJeZk
The English Primary Auxiliary Verbs: A Linguistic Theoretical Exercise
Agabe, A. (2009). The English Primary Auxiliary Verbs: A Linguistic Theoretical

Exercise. African Research Review 3 (2), 56-65.
In this article, Adewole Agabe is concerned with the use of the English primary
auxiliary verbs. The author offers an overview of the studies of some of the most
important grammarians. The article is also interesting for its discussion of a number of
sample sentences containing errors of different kinds. Knowledge of the principles
guiding the use of primary auxiliary verbs will help you avoid related errors.
Law.

English Grammar
How to Teach Phrasal Verbs
Tugrul Mart, C. (2012). How to Teach Phrasal Verbs. English Language Teaching 5 (6),
114-118.
In this article, Cagri Tugrul Mart examines the source of frustration students
experience in learning and using phrasal verbs. The author mentions some of the most
common mistakes in teaching phrasal verbs and describes some very useful methods of
dealing with the phrasal verb challenge.
Law.
Problems in Mastering English Tense and Aspect and the Role of the
Practitioners
Rahman, M. & Ali, M. (2015). Problems in Mastering Tense and Aspect and the Role of
Practitioners. Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 20 (4), 131-135.
M. Rahman and M. Ali consider that even in advanced levels many EFL students make
mistakes in their use of English tense and aspect. They examine some of the problems
students face and suggest that to produce grammar structures in the target language
correctly, students should be provided with suitable material that focuses not only on
the form and the function of an expression, but also on its lexical aspect.
Law.

English Grammar
Passive Voice
This is the official website of The University of North Carolina

at Chapel Hill and, in particular their Writing Center. The
Writing Center provides a great number of useful resources to
help students improve their writing skills in specific fields.
First of all, they list some common myths about the passive
voice and explain the meaning of passive voice in context.
Finally, the authors give some useful tips on when to use the
passive.
Access to the website through the virtual campus or the following link:
http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/passive-voice/

English Grammar
Exercises
Reading: Competence and language acquisition
Mairal, R. & Escobar, M.A. (2006). Competence and language acquisition. In M.A.
Escobar & Mairal, R. Current trends in linguistic theory. (pp. 22-27). Madrid: UNED
Access to the document at the UNIR virtual library
Read the above-mentioned chapter and summarise it in 250-260 words.
Objectives:
» Understand academic text on linguistic theories about some basic grammatical
characteristics.
» Summarise a text, using academic language.
Assessment criteria:
» Understand the main ideas of an academic text relating to grammatical theories.
» Use suitable register to summarise the text.
» Correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
UNIT 3 – Excercises © Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

English Grammar
Test
1. Choose the correct answer. In the sentence: She is beautiful, but pretty boring.
A. There is one verbal group - is and it is non-finite.
B. There are two verbal groups is and boring; both are finite.
C. There is one verbal group - is and it is finite.
2. In the sentence: In an interview the author reveals his struggle to write a new book.
A. There are two verbal groups: reveals and to write. Both are finite.
B. The verbal groups are reveals (finite) and to write (non-finite).
C. There is one verbal group - reveals and it is finite.
3. In the sentence: My sister is going to study Marketing in Canada next year.

A. Is is lexical verb
B. Is going to is lexical auxiliary verb.
C. Going to is lexical auxiliary verb.
4. Question tags. Choose the correct answer:

A. I am quite tall, aren’t I?
B. I am pretty tall, am I not?
C. Both A and B are correct.
5. Choose the correct answer:

A. It can take weeks to get over an illness.
B. It can take weeks to get an illness over.
6. The structure of the verbal group must have sent is as follows:

A. Must have sent (x x v)
B. Must have sent (v s o)
C. Must have sent (o x v)
UNIT 3 – Test © Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR)

English Grammar
7. Which is the passive voice alternative of the following sentence: People were
watching the game on a huge screen?
A. A huge screen was watching by the people.
B. People were being watched by a huge screen.
C.The game was being watched on a huge screen.

A. Roy Sullivan got hit by lightning seven times.
B. Roy Sullivan was hit by lightning seven times.
9. In the sentence Emily Dickinson’s poems are much admired.

A. The agent is not given because it is not important.
B. The agent is Emily Dickinson.
C. The agent is Emily Dickinson’s poems.

A. It is believed that the damage is important.
B. The damage is believed to be important.
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Unit 3

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The Verb

[3.1] How to study this unit?

[3.2] The verbal group

[3.3] Auxiliaries and their use

[3.6] Active and passive

[3.7] Phrasal verbs

[3.8] Bibliographical references

➢ Finite forms: “marked for either tense or modality but

Operator Main Verb

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Pay attention to…

3.1. How to Study this Unit?

In order to study this unit you should read:

Hewings, M. (2005). Advanced Grammar in Use. Cambridge: Cambridge University

Payne, Thomas E. (2011). Understanding English Grammar: A Linguistic

In this unit we will study different aspects of the English verb.

» Firstly, we will describe the verbal group and its elements.

3.2. The Verbal Group

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The Verbal Group

Operator (o) Auxiliary (x) Auxiliary (x) Main verb (v)

Figure 1. The Verbal Group.

Saw (verb) is the verbal group.

Sue believes in him.

Believes (verb) is the verbal group.

I am watching a film now.

They were running fast.

I have been writing a short story.

The VG is have (o) been (x) writing (v).

Tom has been swimming for two hours.

The VG is has (o) been (x) swimming (v).

The VG is will (o) have (x) been (x) working (v).

I will have finished this project by the end of the month.

The VG is will (o) have (x) finished (v)

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v I watched the football match yesterday.

ov You must try Thai food once. It’s delicious!

Each of these structures can eventually have the following meanings:

The elements of the verbal group can be:

They are trying to win the match.

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Who is the most beautiful actress in the world at the moment?

In the VG, is (v) acts as a lexical element.

Who is helping you with the dishes?

The four major features of the operator element are:

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Finite and non-finite verbal groups

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3.3. Auxiliaries and their Use

Figure 2. Types of auxiliary verbs.

Auxiliary verbs with grammatical function

Auxiliary verbs can be used to make tense-aspect or modality choices.

They were dancing all night.

Lexical auxiliary verbs

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Function as lexical element Function as auxiliary verb

Lexical auxiliary verb Auxiliary verb with

» To be as lexical auxiliary verb (Be + lexical item + to infinitive).

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» Modal idioms: had better, would rather

» Semi-modal auxiliary verbs

• As a modal auxiliary verb dare is followed by an infinitive without to and -s is

No one need know that Tom and Sarah are engaged.