VERBAL GROUP

A verb is called a ve rbal group because it has a ma in verb and one or more auxiliary ve rbs.
 He/ works /hard.

AUXILIARY VERB MAIN VERB

(does) (work)

 Does he work hard?-'Yes/No' question

How does he work?-' Hw' question
He does not work hard- Negative Sentence
He does work hard - Emphatic sentence
 ‘be--ing' - as auxiliary verb

He / is writing / a letter

Aux Verb Main Verb

(be-ing ) (write )
 He/ has been playing / foot ball for an hour.

(VG)

AV MV

(have-en/ed- ) (be-ing) (play)

Other Example:
He / must have been building / a house.
VG

Aux Verb Main verb

Must have-enled be-ing build

 Main verb occupies the final position in a verbal group
where as auxiliary verbs precede the main verb.
Main verb indicates action-
Examples: work, see, study, walk
 Auxiliary verbs indicate whether the action
happens/happened/will happen and also different
situation of happening.
Auxiliary verbs are very important to convey meaningful
messages.
Finite verb indicates tense ,that is present and past.
There is no future tense.
- Finite verb occupies the initial position in the verbal
group.
- FV is used to change a statement into a question or
negative and vice versa.
(F)
 He works hard
(F) (NF)
 He / is writing / a letter
(F) (NF) (NF)
 He/ has been playing / foot ball for an hour

(F) (NF) (NF) (NF)

 He / must have been building / a house.
Why is there no future tense?
My uncle comes from Chennai tomorrow.(Present
tense is used. 100% certainty ).
My uncle will come from Chennai. ( 95 to 99% of
certainty)
My uncle can come from Chennai ( 80 to 85 % of
certainty).
My uncle may come from Chennai( 75 to 80 % of
Certainty).
All these modals show various degrees of certainty
rather than futurity.
 "Will and 'shall' are not used exclusively for future
alone. Just like all other modal auxiliary verbs they are
used for probability, guessing, request, willingness,
suggestion, promise, etc;
Relationship between tense and time.

There is no one to relationship between tense and

time. Tense is merely a verbal form,
Do, does, am, is, are, has, have, will, shall, can, may
and must are present tense verbal forms and act as
finite verbs.
Did, was, were, had, would, should, could and might
are past tense verbal forms and act as finite verbs.
My uncle comes from Chennai tomorrow.
(Present tense verb and shows future action).
I am going to Chennai tomorrow. (Present
tense verb and shows future action).
I have done my home work.(Present tense
verb and shows past action).
Will , shall, can, may and must are present tense verbal
forms.
would, should, could and might are past tense verbal forms
I would like to buy a new scooter. ( Past tense but shows
Present action)
I would rather have coffee than tea. . ( Past tense but shows
Present action)
Would you give me your pen, please ? ( Past tense but shows
Present action)
You should study well.( Past tense but shows Present action)
Should you study well, you will pass the exam. ( Past tense but
shows Present action)
I should submit my notebook today. (past tense but shows
present action )
I can lift the box up .
Present action
 I could lift the box up.

I could lift the elephant, when I was young. (Past action is

represented only when there is a time reference).
Past tense modals can be used for past actions with the use of
'have-en/ed'.