ENG1100 Introduction to English Grammar
Johan Elsness 2003 II
Verbs, tense, aspect and mood
Specification of verbs
Tense:present-s, Ø
past (preterite)-ed
Tense is a deictic category.
Aspect:progressiveBE + -ing
perfect(ive)HAVE + past participle
Aspect is a non-deictic category.
Voice:active/passive
Mood:indicative
imperative
subjunctive
Categories of the verb expressed by two elements:
Iperfect(ive)HAVE + past participle
IIprogressiveBE + -ing
IIIpassiveBE + past participle
I + III / 1The house has been painted.II + III / 2The house is being painted.
I + II / 3Joan has been painting the house.
I+II+III + modal / 4If Peter had gone in through that door, he would have been being eaten by the lions now.
Marginal modals
5He daren’t tell her.
6He doesn’t dare to tell her.
7We didn’t need to pay.
8We needn’t have paid.
9We used to meet once a week.
Cf. / 10We usually meet once a week.Auxiliary equivalents
The English modals being morphologically defective, having only finite forms, various auxiliary equivalents are often used in other functions, and sometimes as finite forms as well.
11Alexander will be able to help you.
12We’ve had to postpone the exam.
13We weren’t allowed to smoke in the canteen.
Catenatives
14He tends to agree with the last speaker.
15She keeps telling me about her problems.
16They seemed to be very hostile.
Cf. / 17I’ve managed to solve my problems.The present tense usually refers to present time, which may vary from punctual to (virtually) unlimited:
18I put the rabbit back in the hat. (Demonstration by conjuror)
19Two plus two is four. (Eternal truth)
20This cake is delicious. (Cf. Norwegian Denne kaken var deilig.)
21That's a nice dress. (Cf. Norwegian Det var en pen kjole.)
The present tense can also refer to the future:
22Her train leaves at eight o'clock tonight.
23If/When Peter comes, we'll tell him.
The historical present is most common in colloquial English:
24I was in the pub last night, when suddenly this funny man walks in.
The past tense denotes distance, usually in time but sometimes in reality:
25John left yesterday.
26If John left, we would have all the cake for ourselves.
Mood refers to the distinction between the indicative, the imperative and the subjunctive. The indicative is the unmarked mood, the imperative is used to express orders and commands, while the subjunctive, although not very common in present-day English, survives in certain non-factive constructions.
A.The subjunctive in the present tense, identical with the base form of the verb:
Wishes:
27God bless America!
28Long live the King!
In that-clauses expressing requests, suggestions, etc., acting as subjects or objects, or as appositions in noun phrases:
29She recommends that the trip be postponed.
30We have to consider the recommendation that the trip be postponed.
31It is essential that the trip be postponed.
B.The subjunctive in the past tense, distinct from the indicative only with the verb BE, occurring in hypothetical subordinate clauses:
32She behaves as if she were the owner of the company.
33If I were you, ... . (Subjunctive mandatory.)
The present perfect in English is used much as in Norwegian, with two major exceptions (cf.the results of an elicitation test with American and British students used as informants - scores: 1='totally unacceptable', 5='perfectly OK'):
A.The past tense is consistently preferred if the past situation is unique, i.e. if it is known to have occurred once and only once in the past:
AmE / BrE34 / Do you know who has written this book? / 2.5 / 3.1 / b
35 / Do you know who wrote this book? / 4.9 / 4.8
36 / This cake is delicious. Have you made it yourself? / 1.6 / 2.6 / c
37 / This cake is delicious. Did you make it yourself? / 4.9 / 4.9
B.Especially in AmE the past tense is increasingly used where the present perfect might be expected. There are clear AmE/BrE differences with certain adverbs:
AmE / BrE38 / Have you finished the book already? / 4.6 / 4.9 / c
39 / Did you finish the book already? / 4.1 / 1.5 / c
40 / Have you told them the news yet? / 4.8 / 4.9 / b
41 / Did you tell them the news yet? / 4.3 / 1.9 / c