English Verb Drills PDF

ENGLISH VERB DRILLS Ed Swick New York Chicago San Francisco Lisbon London Madrid Mexico City Milan New Delhi San Juan Seoul Singapore Sydney Toronto Copyright © 2009 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright...

ENGLISH VERB DRILLS Ed Swick New York Chicago San Francisco Lisbon London Madrid Mexico City Milan New Delhi San Juan Seoul Singapore Sydney Toronto Copyright © 2009 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. ISBN: 978-0-07-160871-8 MHID: 0-07-160871-0 The material in this eBook also appears in the print version of this title: ISBN: 978-0-07-160870-1, MHID: 0-07-160870-2. All trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners. Rather than put a trademark symbol after every occurrence of a trademarked name, we use names in an editorial fashion only, and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark. 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This limitation of liability shall apply to any claim or cause whatsoever whether such claim or cause arises in contract, tort or otherwise.  Contents Preface v 1 Verbs in the Present and Past Tenses 1 2 Auxiliaries of Tense 13 3 Linking and Intransitive Verbs 25 4 Modal Auxiliaries 33 5 Complete and Incomplete Actions 45 6 Questions and Verbs 55 7 Imperatives 65 8 Negation and Contractions 73 9 Modifying Verbs 83 10 Using Participles 91 11 Verbals: Infinitives and Gerunds 99 12 Subject-Verb Agreement 107 13 Tenses, Number, and Clauses 117 14 The Verb Get 125 15 Verbs in Relative Clauses 131 16 Reflexive Verbs and Reciprocal Pronouns 137 iii ebooksdownloadrace.blogspot.in  17 Passive Voice and Stative Passive 145 18 Passive Voice and Modals 153 19 Subjunctive Mood 159 20 Functions of Phrasal Verbs 169 Mastery Check 177 Appendix: Irregular Verbs 185 Answer Key 188 iv Contents  Preface English Verb Drills is designed to help learners develop the skills that pro- mote effective usage of verbs. It is a vehicle for students of all levels to review and drill conjugational forms, tenses, voice, mood, and verb usage. Students of language often struggle with the conjugations of verbs. This is particularly true of European languages. One fortunate exception is the English language. Except for the third-person singular conjugation of most verbs, there are no conjugational endings to be considered in the present tense. In the third-person singular, most verbs simply require the ending -s. Although the conjugation of English verbs is a relatively simple mat- ter, there are other aspects of verbs that require explanation, illustration, and practice. The two most significant of these aspects are verb irregulari- ties and verb usage. This book identifies the varieties of verb irregularities and provides abundant practice with them. The patterns of verb usage are also explained and illustrated and accompanied by numerous exercises for practice. At the end of the book is a Mastery Check for learners to verify the development of their skill with all the aspects of verbs provided in the entire book. Besides an Answer Key, there is a useful appendix at the end of the book that provides a complete list of irregular English verbs. English Verb Drills can serve as an important study aid to all those who wish to perfect their knowledge of English verbs. The book is equally suitable in an English-language classroom or for self-study and is an effective tool for clarifying the complexities and idiosyncrasies of the English verb. v This page intentionally left blank  1 Verbs in the Present and Past Tenses A tense tells in what time the action of a verb takes place: the present, the past, or the future. The Present Tense The base form of a verb is called the infinitive. Infinitives are composed of the particle word to and the verb: to sing, to dance, to develop, and so on. In the conjugation of a verb in the present tense, the particle word to is omitted. The ending -s is added to the verb in the third-person singular. Pronoun to sleep to hurry to belong I sleep hurry belong you sleep hurry belong he / she / it sleeps hurries belongs we sleep hurry belong they sleep hurry belong Verbs that end in -y change to -ie- in the third-person singular conjugation and then add the ending -s. However, if the final -y of a verb is preceded by a vowel (a, e, i, o, u), the -y does not change to -ie-. Pronoun to marry to try to fly to say I marry try fly say you marry try fly say he / she / it marries tries flies says we marry try fly say they marry try fly say For verbs that end in a sound such as -s, -z, -ch, -tch, or -sh, add the ending -es instead of -s in the third-person singular conjugation of the present tense. 1  Pronoun to miss to catch to rush I miss catch rush you miss catch rush he / she / it misses catches rushes we miss catch rush they miss catch rush The ending -es is also used as the third-person singular present tense ending for verbs that end in vowels. For example: I do / he does I go / he goes If a verb already ends in -e, just add -s: I save / he saves I believe / he believes If a noun is used in place of a third-person pronoun, a plural noun will require no ending on the verb, and a singular noun will require the ending -s: the men sing / the man sings boys run / a boy runs This conjugational usage with nouns follows the pattern of the plural and singular third-person plural and singular pronouns: they sing / he, she, it sings they run / he, she, it runs Exercise 1 Fill in the blank with the appropriate present tense form of the infinitive provided in parentheses. For example: John asks his father for some advice. (to ask) 1. I never about things I don’t understand. (to speak) 2. Mary and I often to the radio in the evening. (to listen) 3. She seldom to keep her room tidy. (to forget) 4. My brother about getting into college. (to worry) 5. The little boy when he doesn’t get his way. (to cry) 6. You never my questions directly. (to answer) 2 English Verb Drills  7. We Aunt Helen with a beautiful birthday cake. (to surprise) 8. The dog the large bone in the backyard. (to bury) 9. The brothers all their money on video games. (to spend) 10. It usually rather humid in the midafternoon. (to become) 11. They the documents then quickly his office. (to sign / to leave) 12. Bill to borrow my car, but he never me his. (to like / to lend) 13. He the party and for it with his credit card. (to arrange / to pay) 14. I we change the rules and Jim to join our club. (to suggest / to allow) 15. Mark the girl behind the barn and suddenly her. (to catch / to kiss) To Be and To Have Two English verbs need to be considered separately because they have a slightly more complicated conjugation in the present tense. These verbs are to be and to have. The conjugation of these two verbs is significant because, besides being able to function alone in a sentence, they can also serve as auxiliaries of other verbs and in tenses other than the present tense. Pronoun to be to have I am have you are have he / she / it is has we are have they are have Exercise 2 Fill in the blank with the appropriate present tense form of to be. 1. We in the dining room at the table. 2. My sister a rather accomplished pianist. 3. Mark and I both on the soccer team. Verbs in the Present and Past Tenses 3  4. I interested in learning Arabic. 5. He one of my favorite actors. 6. You my best friend. 7. The women of the village on their way to the capital. 8. It wonderful to see you again. 9. She anxious to go to the dance. 10. They the newest members of our organization. Fill in the blank with the appropriate present tense form of to have. 11. They no time for parties. 12. I rarely enough money. 13. Mr. Roberts an interesting coin collection. 14. He a big surprise for his wife. 15. You a lot of explaining to do. 16. We something to show you. 17. It absolutely no meaning for me. 18. Margaret and I a date to go out for dinner. 19. She my new digital camera. 20. Professor Hill a problem with these lecture dates. The Past Tense The English past tense is composed of regular verbs and irregular verbs. Forming the past tense of regular verbs is quite simple: drop the particle word to from an infinitive and then add the suffix -ed. Verbs that end in -y change to -i- and then add the ending -ed. All persons have the same past tense form. Pronoun to look to marry to try I looked married tried you looked married tried he / she / it looked married tried we looked married tried they looked married tried 4 English Verb Drills However, if the final -y of a verb is preceded by a vowel (a, e, i, o, u), the -y does not change to -i-. In most cases, the suffix -ed is simply added to the verb. Following are a few exceptions: Pronoun to play to pay to say I played paid said you played paid said he / she / it played paid said we played paid said they played paid said Exercise 3 Fill in the blank of each sentence with the present tense conjugation of the verb provided in parenthe- ses. Then rewrite the sentence in the past tense. For example: The children play in the garden. (to play) The children played in the garden. 1. My cousin my lawn mower. (to borrow) 2. We usually our relatives at holiday time. (to visit) 3. She for dinner with a personal check. (to pay) 4. I the boys and girls to some ice cream. (to treat) 5. He never my instructions. (to follow) 6. Mr. Jennings a meeting for 5 P.M. (to call) 7. No one my sister’s chocolate cake. (to try) 8. Rick and Bill that they want to be astronauts. (to say) Verbs in the Present and Past Tenses 5  9. They to take a trip to South America. (to plan) 10. It into a complicated problem. (to develop) Irregular Verbs in the Past Tense The past tense of irregular verbs is more complex. Some verbs, for example, look identical in both the present and past tenses (with the exception of the third-person singular of the present tense). Some verbs of this type are to cut, to let, to rid, to bet, to beat, to burst, to fit, and to hit. (See the appendix for a complete list of irregular verbs.) Let’s compare the present and past tense of such verbs in the first- and third-person singular. Infinitive Present Tense Past Tense to cut I cut / he cuts I cut / he cut to hit I hit / he hits I hit / he hit to let I let / he lets I let / he let When just looking at the phrase you bet, you cannot tell which tense the verb is in. The context and meaning of the sentence provide the information that tells the tense of the verb. For example: Yesterday I bet that our team would win. (“yesterday”
past tense) She sets the clock. (“sets”
conjugated for third-person singular of the present tense) They pretend to lose and let me win. (“pretend”
present tense; therefore, “let”
present tense) Exercise 4 Using the subject and verb provided, write a sentence in the present tense. Then rewrite the sentence in the past tense. For example: she / to let She lets me use her computer. She let me use her computer. 1. he / to hit 6 English Verb Drills  2. it / to burst 3. I / to cut 4. Mark / to fit 5. we / to beat 6. she / to rid 7. Ms. Lopez / to set 8. you / to put 9. they / to wed 10. my brother-in-law / to quit Irregular Verbs That Change the Base Form The past tense of many other irregular verbs is created by making a change in the base form of the verb. This usually occurs with a vowel change—for example, to come → came, to see → saw, Verbs in the Present and Past Tenses 7 to know → knew. Let’s look at some high-frequency verbs and how they change from the present tense to the past tense. Infinitive Present Tense Past Tense to speak I speak / he speaks I spoke / he spoke to drive I drive / he drives I drove / he drove to fall I fall / he falls I fell / he fell Not all irregular verbs make only a vowel change in the past tense. Let’s look at some that form the past tense by some other irregularity, possibly in addition to a vowel change. Infinitive Present Tense Past Tense to sell I sell / he sells I sold / he sold to send I send / he sends I sent / he sent to fly I fly / he flies I flew / he flew The verbs to be and to have in the past tense both have an irregular conjugation. Let’s look at the full past tense conjugation of these two important verbs. Pronoun to be to have I was had you were had he / she / it was had we were had they were had The verb to go makes a radical change in the past tense. Infinitive Present Tense Past Tense to go I go / he goes I went / he went See the appendix for a complete list of verbs that have an irregular past tense formation. Exercise 5 Write the infinitives provided in the present and past tenses to agree with the pronoun he. 1. to show 2. to give 8 English Verb Drills  3. to rid 4. to belong 5. to run 6. to make 7. to send 8. to know 9. to tell 10. to explain 11. to wait 12. to please 13. to bring 14. to annoy 15. to pass 16. to win 17. to go 18. to fall 19. to cost 20. to ride 21. to drink 22. to eat 23. to beat 24. to creep 25. to meet Exercise 6 Rewrite the following present tense sentences in the past tense. 1. Martin speaks with his new professor. 2. I am in a very important meeting. Verbs in the Present and Past Tenses 9  3. My wife buys a new dress or skirt every month. 4. No one understands his dialect. 5. The lawyers have several contracts to discuss. 6. The poor woman screams in pain. 7. The train leaves at exactly 10 P.M. 8. You are one of the strongest athletes in the school. 9. They build bridges and tunnels. 10. Someone takes them for a drive in the country. 11. Their son grows another inch or two. 12. She has a basket full of colored eggs. 13. We sleep until 9:30 A.M. 14. The butcher weighs the three filets of fish. 15. Mr. Jackson tells another funny story. Verbs Followed by Infinitives Perhaps you noticed in some of the example sentences that certain verbs conjugated in the present or the past tense can be followed by another verb in its infinitive form. Some verbs that can be followed 10 English Verb Drills by an infinitive are to attempt, to hope, to forget, to remember, to try, and to want. Compare the similarity of how some of these verbs are used with direct objects and infinitives. Direct Object: Jack attempted a leap from one cliff to another. Infinitive: Jack attempted to leap from one cliff to another. Direct Object: She forgets her keys and purse. Infinitive: She forgets to take her keys and purse. Direct Object: I remember the last time I saw her. Infinitive: I remember to send her a birthday card. Direct Object: He tries some tapioca pudding. Infinitive: He tries to swallow some tapioca pudding. Direct Object: Nobody wants cold pizza. Infinitive: Nobody wants to eat cold pizza. Exercise 7 Rewrite each sentence, changing the direct object to any appropriate infinitive phrase. For example: She attempted a difficult move. She attempted to do a backflip. 1. Bill wanted a piece of pizza. 2. No one remembers her birthday. 3. I tried a spoonful of the soup. 4. Uncle James forgot his wallet again. 5. Tina attempts a dangerous trick. Verbs in the Present and Past Tenses 11 This page intentionally left blank  2 Auxiliaries of Tense In the present and past tenses, verbs are conjugated in a way that infers a present action (he speaks) or a past action (he spoke). But in the other tenses, auxiliaries are conjugated and verbs appear as infini- tives or past participles. Infinitives are the base form of a verb and are often preceded by the particle word to (to go or go, to be or be). Regular past participles end in -ed (have looked, have talked) and irregular past participles take a variety of different forms (have seen, have met, have spoken, and so on). The three auxiliaries that help to form the other tenses are will, shall, and have. Will and Shall Will The verb to will has a limited use as a transitive verb. It means that someone exercises his desire to do something or to use his own will. It can be used in various tenses but tends to be used in modern English in the present and past. God wills it, and therefore it must be done. The sickly man willed himself well. But this verb’s primary use in modern English is as one of the auxiliaries of the future tense. It is fol- lowed by an infinitive (with the particle word to omitted). It has the same form with all persons. I will speak we will learn you will understand you will help he / she / it will answer they will travel 13  Shall The verb shall is the other auxiliary of the future tense. It is followed by an infinitive (with the particle word to omitted). It has the same form with all persons. I shall write we shall overcome you shall study you shall remain silent he / she / it shall begin they shall stand There is a difference between will and shall: traditionally, shall is used with the first-person sin- gular and plural, and will is used with the second- and third-persons singular and plural. I shall speak we shall learn you will understand you will help he / she / it will answer they will travel However, when the future tense infers a promise, threat, or command or is intended for emphasis, the two verbs are used in just the opposite manner. I will speak we will learn you shall understand you shall help he / she / it shall answer they shall travel Remember that a noun or pronoun combined with and I can be replaced by the pronoun we: Mr. Smith and I
we / she and I
we. This will affect your choice of will or shall. This is important: over time, the contemporary tendency has been to use will in place of shall with all persons in the future tense. Exercise 8 Rewrite the following sentences in the “traditional” future tense. Then rewrite them as a “promise.” 1. He plays the piano. 2. I study English. 14 English Verb Drills  3. We buy a new house. 4. She loves the book. 5. Mark makes no mistakes. 6. The boys help them. 7. No one is there. 8. You eat enough. 9. It needs work. 10. They practice daily. 11. Tina receives the money. 12. I repair the radio. Auxiliaries of Tense 15 13. The woman kisses him. 14. We drive slowly. 15. You stand up. 16. She says nothing. 17. Everyone gives ten dollars. 18. Bill and I spend less money. 19. It breaks down. 20. He pretends. Exercise 9 Rewrite the following past tense phrases in the “contemporary” future tense. 1. she ate 2. I looked 3. no one understood 16 English Verb Drills  4. Mr. Wills found 5. we spoke 6. Jim and I went 7. she heard 8. they jumped 9. Ms. Garcia cut 10. you were 11. the men drank 12. it seemed 13. something happened 14. nothing stopped 15. he saw 16. you bought 17. I thought 18. we hurried 19. the child cried 20. it had When the future tense is expressed as a question, the auxiliary is the first element of the future tense sentence, and, in most cases, the “traditional” use of will and shall must be used. For example: First-Person Singular Shall I help? Shall I leave? Second-Person Singular Will you help? Will you leave? Third-Person Singular Will he help? Will he leave? Will she help? Will she leave? Will it help? Will it leave? First-Person Plural Shall we help? Shall we leave? Second-Person Plural Will you help? Will you leave? Third-Person Plural Will they help? Will they leave? If will and shall are not used in this way in questions, the questions sound awkward: “Will I help?” is awkward; “Shall you leave?” is also awkward. Auxiliaries of Tense 17 Exercise 10 Rewrite the following present and past tense sentences as future tense questions. 1. He spends a lot of money. 2. They hurried home. 3. I buy this blouse. 4. Donald studied here. 5. Bill was in Europe. 6. We helped them. 7. My cousins live in New York. 8. You lost your wallet again. 9. She fell down. 10. It smells good. 11. The boys and I play checkers. 12. You spell it correctly. 13. A woman becomes president. 14. Someone forgot this book. 15. I am your partner. 16. You and I work together. 17. My answer was right. 18. They swam to shore. 19. Her questions were difficult. 20. We played in a band. 21. Sarah became a doctor. 22. He sang in the choir. 23. The plant grew fast. 24. Someone helps me. 25. That hurts. 18 English Verb Drills  Have When to have is used as a transitive verb, its conjugation is as follows: I have we have you have you have he / she / it has they have Because to have is a transitive verb, it can be followed by a direct object. I have a story to tell you. She has a problem with her computer. But when a conjugation of to have is followed by a past participle, it forms one of the perfect tenses: the present perfect tense, the past perfect tense, or the future perfect tense. Regular past par- ticiples look like the past tense; they have the ending -ed: jumped, cried, looked, and so on. Irregular participles are formed in different ways. Following are some examples with high-frequency verbs: Infinitive Have  Irregular Past Participle to bring have brought to cut have cut to go have gone to see have seen to send have sent to speak have spoken to take have taken to write have written See the appendix for a list of all irregular past participles. The Present Perfect Tense When the auxiliary have is conjugated in the present tense and is followed by a regular or an irregular past participle, the tense is called the present perfect tense. It is only the third-person singular where the auxiliary have changes to has. Auxiliaries of Tense 19  I have learned we have understood you have taken you have noticed he has been they have found she has drunk it has fallen Use the present perfect tense to say that an action began in the past and has continued until the pres- ent. For example: He has spoken English for two years. (He began to speak English two years ago. He still speaks English.) Exercise 11 Rewrite each of the following phrases in the present perfect tense. 1. I find 2. they begin 3. Mark thinks 4. she studies 5. we arrange 6. it breaks 7. you pretend 8. he is 9. Ms. Brown forgets 10. each boy tries 11. Tom and I dance 12. the woman knit 13. someone shouts 14. I know 15. you come 16. it rains 17. no one remembers 18. we lend 19. someone knocks 20 English Verb Drills 20. it bleeds 21. you have 22. they are 23. Maria allows 24. we spend 25. it costs The Past Perfect Tense The past perfect tense consists of the past tense of have followed by a regular or an irregular participle. I had said we had borrowed you had broken you had written he had changed they had been she had had it had started This tense is used when an action began in the past and also ended in the past. For example: He had spoken English for two years. (Ten years ago he began to speak English. Eight years ago he stopped speaking English.) Exercise 12 Rewrite the following present and past tense phrases in the past perfect tense. 1. we became 2. I cried 3. you follow 4. someone hit 5. they called 6. the boys play 7. she sings 8. it rang 9. the clouds move Auxiliaries of Tense 21 10. I drive 11. the girls and I laugh 12. it stormed 13. he marries 14. John weds 15. we fly The Future Perfect Tense The future perfect tense consists of will or shall followed by have and a regular or an irregular past participle. I will (shall) have spoken we will (shall) have made you will have been you will have had he will have noticed they will have stolen she will have phoned it will have happened This tense is used when an action began in the past and will end in the future. For example: He will have graduated by June. (He began his studies in the past. In the future month of June he will graduate.) Use the “contemporary” or “traditional” rules for will and shall with the perfect tenses. Exercise 13 Rewrite the following present and past tense phrases in the future perfect tense. 1. my landlady said 2. you bargain 3. they travel 4. she spends 5. someone reminded 6. it was 22 English Verb Drills  7. Martin has 8. I belong 9. we sold 10. life is 11. my daughter became 12. it ends 13. they died 14. an explorer climbs 15. he knew Adding Infinitive Phrases Just as infinitives and infinitive phrases can follow certain verbs in the present and past tenses, the same verbs in the perfect and future tenses can be followed by infinitives and infinitive phrases as well. Some of these verbs are: hope forget try attempt remember manage seem arrange want agree appear promise pretend learn prepare refuse fail learn In the perfect and future tenses, such verbs follow the pattern of this example: Present Perfect: I have forgotten to lock the door. Past Perfect: I had forgotten to lock the door. Future Perfect: I will have forgotten to lock the door. Future: I will forget to lock the door. Auxiliaries of Tense 23 Exercise 14 Complete each sentence with any appropriate infinitive phrase. For example: She had hoped to climb to the top of the mountain. 1. Somebody will remember to. 2. We have forgotten to. 3. I have tried to. 4. Somebody has attempted to. 5. Will he manage to ? 6. The weather had seemed to. 7. She will arrange to. 8. I had wanted to. 9. The lawyers have agreed to. 10. You have failed to. 11. We have promised to. 12. The boys will have learned to. 13. The women will ask to. 14. Several of them had prepared to. 15. I will have failed to. 24 English Verb Drills  3 Linking and Intransitive Verbs Linking Verbs To Be Linking verbs combine the subject of a sentence with an adjective, a noun, or a pronoun that follows the verb. This occurs most frequently with the verb to be. I am cold we are happy you are alone you are my friend he is talented they are sad she is a lawyer it is you The same structure remains as the verb changes tenses. Present: he is glad Past: he was glad Present Perfect: he has been glad Past Perfect: he had been glad Future Perfect: he will have been glad Future: he will be glad In informal style, it is common to use an objective case pronoun after to be. In formal style, sub- jective case pronouns are used. Subjective Case Objective Case It is I. It is me. 25 Exercise 15 Complete each sentence with any appropriate adjective. 1. Ms. Thomas is. 2. I am very. 3. You will be. 4. Someone was about your answer. 5. It has been quite. 6. We will always be. 7. She has never been with this apartment. Complete the following sentences with any appropriate noun phrase. 8. My boss was of the committee. 9. Tom and I have been for many years. 10. She will be. 11. I always wanted to be. 12. We are. 13. They were. Complete the following sentences with any appropriate pronoun. 14. Bill is not. 15. It was. Other Linking Verbs Other linking verbs work in the same manner as to be: they combine the subject of a sentence with an adjective that follows the verb. Some of these linking verbs can also be combined with nouns and pronouns that follow the verb. The verbs that are followed only by adjectives are: appear seem feel smell grow sound look stay prove taste 26 English Verb Drills Each of these ten verbs can be followed by an adjective that modifies the subject of the sentence, and this can occur in any tense and with auxiliaries. The man appears ill. She feels unhappy. The sky has grown dark. His skin will look better tomorrow. Their theory proves wrong. The man seemed impatient. Her cookies have always smelled so good. The piano will sound better after tuning. She wants to stay young. The soup tasted delicious. Exercise 16 Complete each of the following sentences with any appropriate adjective. 1. The flowers smell so. 2. No one can stay forever. 3. One of the men appeared very. 4. I have always felt when visiting you. 5. The moon grows as the clouds come in. 6. This salad tastes. 7. Their rock band never sounded. 8. His answer proved. 9. Their new car looked. 10. Mr. Phillips always seems so. Two linking verbs (to become and to remain) can be followed by adjectives, nouns, and on rare occasions pronouns and can be used in any tense and with auxiliaries. For example: The weather became awful. (adjective) Betty wants to become a lawyer. (noun) The lake remained calm. (adjective) Bill hoped to remain an architect. (noun) Linking and Intransitive Verbs 27  The verb to seem can sometimes be followed by a modified noun. That seems a strange statement to me. Exercise 17 Complete the following sentences twice: once with an adjective or adjective phrase and once with a noun or noun phrase. 1. This will become for them. This will become for them. 2. Mary became. Mary became. 3. My father wanted to remain. My father wanted to remain. 4. She remained. She remained. Linking Verbs as Transitive Verbs Some of the linking verbs can also be used as transitive verbs. That is, they do not combine a subject with an adjective that follows them, but, instead, they take a direct object. Compare the following sentences. Each direct object is underlined. Linking Verb Transitive Verb She feels happy. She feels the fabric. The cake smelled burned. Bill smelled the flowers. It grows dark. They grow tropical plants. The music sounds loud. He sounds the alarm. It proved wrong. She proved the theory. The soup tastes salty. Mom tastes the soup. It is easy to determine whether these verbs are used as linking verbs or as transitive verbs. Replace the verb with an appropriate form of to be. If the sentence still makes sense, the verb is a linking verb. If it makes no sense, the verb is a transitive verb. For example: 28 English Verb Drills  Jim felt very lonely. → Jim was very lonely. (makes sense
linking verb) Jim felt a pain in his arm. → Jim was a pain in his arm. (makes no sense
transitive verb) The jam will taste sweet. → The jam will be sweet. (makes sense
linking verb) I will taste the jam. → I will be the jam. (makes no sense
transitive verb) Exercise 18 In the blank provided, write the letter L if the verb in the sentence is a linking verb. Write the letter T if the verb in the sentence is a transitive verb. 1. Someone has been very naughty. 2. My sister wants to become a doctor. 3. I immediately smelled her perfume. 4. This bed has never felt uncomfortable before. 5. Grandmother remained very angry at us. 6. She has been a teacher for many years. 7. We need to sound the fire alarm. 8. My glass of milk tastes sour. 9. I can smell the smoke from their campfire. 10. In June it usually becomes rainy. 11. The cellar always appeared dirty. 12. You seem rather nervous. 13. My aunt remained a pilot until she was sixty. 14. The necklace proved worthless. 15. You will never be a successful actor. 16. They grow only wheat and corn here. 17. Those puppies looked so unhealthy. 18. The guards will stay alert. 19. It was you! 20. The tone of her voice sounds lovely. Linking and Intransitive Verbs 29  Intransitive Verbs Transitive verbs can take a direct or an indirect object. Intransitive verbs cannot. They can be followed by adverbs and prepositional phrases, but they can never take an object. The objects in the following sentences are underlined. Verbs with an Object Verbs Having No Object Bill borrowed his father’s car. Bill ran into the street. I lost my new gloves. I fell over Bobby’s wagon. She signed all the documents. She flew from New York to London. However, some verbs can act as either a transitive or an intransitive verb. Let’s look at some verbs that can be either transitive or intransitive. Transitive Verb Intransitive Verb He ran the new machinery. He ran around the track. She flew her own plane. She flew there on a plane. I want to drive your new car. I want to drive to Denver. A few verbs come in pairs: one verb in the pair is transitive, and the other verb is intransitive. The verbs are shown in bold. Transitive Verb Intransitive Verb Carmen lays the books on the table. The books lie next to the computer. We set the vase on the piano. The little boy sits under the table. In all cases, when you are determining whether a verb is transitive or intransitive, it is the use of an object with the verb that is the clue that it is transitive. Let’s look at some sentences that illustrate intransitive verbs. Note the regular use of adverbs and prepositional phrases in these sentences. The man died after a long illness. The guests will arrive at 8 P.M. My sister has come home for the holidays. They excitedly hurried up the steps. Someday we will journey to Mars. The woman had swum across the English Channel. Tom always sleeps so late. 30 English Verb Drills Exercise 19 In the blank provided, write the letter T if the sentence has a transitive verb. Write the letter I if the sentence has an intransitive verb. 1. We always take the train into the city. 2. Someone slapped me on the back. 3. It rains every evening. 4. Jake stopped the car in front of a store. 5. A stranger came up to the door. 6. I sit next to her bed. 7. The boys broke the window. 8. Tina wants to travel to Asia. 9. He thought about his girlfriend back home. 10. They will drive to Los Angeles. 11. Mark sped down the highway. 12. You know nothing about my problems. 13. Tim and I had never run so fast before. 14. The artist painted my portrait. 15. All the plants died from the cold. 16. Professor Wilde shook my hand slowly. 17. I touched her warm skin. 18. The little boy suddenly fell from his chair. 19. They went home. 20. It snowed during the night. 21. Somehow Marie got another cold. 22. A parade of ants crept across the kitchen floor. 23. Dad looks out the window. 24. The children want a puppy. 25. Bobby wants to go to the circus. Linking and Intransitive Verbs 31 This page intentionally left blank  4 Modal Auxiliaries A modal auxiliary tells the mode or manner in which an action is performed. The mode or manner suggests a degree of obligation, enjoyment, or desire to carry out the action. Modal auxiliaries fall into two categories: (1) those that are followed by an infinitive that includes the particle word to and (2) those that omit the particle word to. For example: I have to go home. I must go home. Modals and Infinitives with To The following list of modal auxiliaries contains those that are followed by an infinitive with to. The meaning provided shows the degree of obligation, enjoyment, or desire to carry out the action of an accompanying infinitive. Modal Auxiliary Meaning be able to have the ability be allowed to have permission be supposed to moderate obligation be to moderate obligation have got to emphasized strong obligation have to strong obligation like to enjoy an action need to necessary obligation ought to moderate obligation used to regular action in the past want to desire wish to desire 33  The modals that are part of a phrase that begins with be conjugate only the verb be. Pronoun be allowed to be supposed to be to I am allowed to am supposed to am to you are allowed to are supposed to are to he / she / it is allowed to is supposed to is to we are allowed to are supposed to are to they are allowed to are supposed to are to The other modals conjugate the initial verb in the phrase. Here are some examples: Pronoun have to need to want to I have to need to want to you have to need to want to he / she / it has to needs to wants to we have to need to want to they have to need to want to A word of caution: do not confuse the three uses of to have: Transitive Verb: He has a new job. (have followed by a direct object) Perfect Tense Auxiliary: We have arrived. (have followed by past participle) Modal Auxiliary: We have to stay home. (have followed by infinitive) Various modals can be used with the same infinitive phrase. The modal changes the mode or man- ner of the action of the accompanying infinitive—not its meaning. I am allowed to play the piano. I am supposed to play the piano. I have to play the piano. I wish to play the piano. Exercise 20 Combine the modal auxiliaries provided with the phrases in parentheses. Keep the same subject in the phrase in parentheses. For example: I go home for supper. (be to / want to) I am to go home for supper. I want to go home for supper. 34 English Verb Drills  1. She stays with her mother. (be supposed to / need to / wish to) 2. They perform in a circus. (want to / used to / have got to) 3. You memorize the poem. (have to / be to / ought to) 4. We relax in the garden. (like to / be allowed to / need to) 5. Jim is a good cook. (wish to / want to / be supposed to) Tenses Most modal auxiliaries can occur in other tenses. Look at the following examples given with the pronoun he. Tense be allowed to have to need to Present he is allowed to he has to he needs to Past he was allowed to he had to he needed to Present Perfect he has been allowed to he has had to he has needed to Past Perfect he had been allowed to he had had to he had needed to Future he will be allowed to he will have to he will need to Modal Auxiliaries 35  Some of the modal auxiliaries cannot be formed in all the tenses. Ought to and be to should only be used in the present and past tenses. These modals sound awkward in other tenses. Present: You ought to stay home tonight. Past: You ought to have stayed home tonight. Present: She is to hurry home. Past: She was to hurry home. Notice in the past tense meaning that ought to is followed by have and a past participle. This occurs with any accompanying phrase that begins with have and a past participle. She ought to have spent less money. We ought to have gone home earlier. The modal used to always infers an action that has taken place regularly in the past. It cannot be used in other tenses. I used to live in Australia. My cousin used to work in that factory. There used to be a drugstore on that corner. A word of caution: you must distinguish the use of used to from two similar verbs: be used to and used to be. Be used to is a synonym for be accustomed to. Used to be is a synonym for formerly was / were. Let’s look at some examples. I used to speak German. (modal auxiliary showing a regular action in the past) I am used to life in America. (“I am accustomed to life in America.”) I used to be a fireman. (“I was formerly a fireman.”) The modal have got to sounds awkward in other tenses. Use it in the present tense to emphasize the obligation inferred by have to. Normal Obligation Emphatic Obligation You have to help me. You have got to help me. I have to rush home. I have got to rush home. 36 English Verb Drills Exercise 21 Rewrite the following phrases in the tenses provided. If a modal cannot be written in a given tense, place an X in that blank. 1. I am supposed to play. Past Present Perfect Future 2. She wants to learn. Past Present Perfect Future 3. They ought to hurry. Past Present Perfect Future 4. No one likes to eat it. Past Present Perfect Future 5. We are allowed to listen. Past Present Perfect Future 6. Betty needs to rest. Past Present Perfect Future 7. Someone has to help. Past Present Perfect Future Modal Auxiliaries 37  8. Mr. Lee used to work here. Past Present Perfect Future 9. You are to help them. Past Present Perfect Future 10. Someone has got to listen. Past Present Perfect Future Modals with Infinitives That Omit To The modal auxiliaries that omit the particle word to from an infinitive are listed here: can could had better (better) may might must should would They combine with infinitives in the same way that will and shall do. He will go home. We shall speak with her. The modals of this type do not have conjugational endings. They are identical in all the persons. 38 English Verb Drills  Pronoun can might should I can might should you can might should he / she / it can might should we can might should they can might should Tenses These modals tend to be used in the present tense, but many of them have a subjunctive mood mean- ing. That is, they express what might be a possibility or a probability in the future or if a certain condition is met. And they are in reality the past tense of other auxiliaries. Present Past can could may might shall should will would In sentences they are used like this: I can understand you. (present tense) I could understand you. (past tense) I could understand you if you spoke louder. (subjunctive “if you spoke louder”
a condition) That may be true. (present tense) That might be true. (past tense) He might return if you called him. (subjunctive “if you called him”
a condition) We shall hurry there. (future tense) We should hurry there. (subjunctive
the probable thing to do) No one will know. (future tense) No one would know. (subjunctive
the probable outcome) Modal Auxiliaries 39  Must and had better (often said as better) are used only in the present tense. You must help me. You had better help me. (You better help me.) A word of caution: do not confuse the normal use of the modal must (strong obligation) with its idiomatic form must be  present participle. Compare the following pairs of sentences: I must remain at home tonight. (I have to remain at home tonight.) I must be dreaming. (I feel that this is a dream and not real.) You must pay your bill. (You have to pay your bill.) You must be joking. (I feel you are not serious. This is a joke.) Most of the modal auxiliaries of this type can be combined with have plus a past participle. When this occurs, the meaning suggests a past action with a wished for or preferred outcome. Consider these example sentences: You could have told me that earlier. (You had the ability to tell me, but you did not.) She had better have found the money. (a warning that this is the desired outcome) I may have forgotten about it. (It is possible that I forgot.) Your wallet might have been stolen. (It is possible the wallet is not lost but was stolen.) They must have lost their way. (It is likely that they are lost.) We should have phoned first. (It was wrong not to phone first.) Ben would have helped you. (You were sure to have received Ben’s help.) Exercise 22 Rewrite the sentences provided with the modal auxiliaries in parentheses. 1. The team hurries to the stadium. (must) 2. Someone unlocks the door for you. (can) 3. Tim studies hard for his final exams. (had better) 4. I learn as much as I can about her. (would) 40 English Verb Drills  5. This is a good way to get to know one another. (may) 6. Charles comes along when we visit Graceland. (might) 7. Everyone uses good manners. (should) 8. Erik speaks with his angry neighbors. (could have) 9. Your son has the money for the payment. (had better have) 10. Perhaps she needs some help. (may have) 11. Someone sees the accident happen. (might have) 12. They go to the movies. (must have) 13. You get more sleep. (should have) 14. I plan a party for you. (would have) 15. My friends vote in the election. (better) Exercise 23 Rewrite the sentences provided with the modal auxiliaries in parentheses. The modals provided here represent various types and tenses. 1. The students report to the auditorium. (be to) 2. My parents spend a lot of time in the country. (have to) 3. Mark asks a better question. (ought to have) Modal Auxiliaries 41  4. The boys fall asleep. (must have) 5. This is the right thing to do. (might) 6. They see a house in the distance. (could) 7. No one touches his stamp collection. (be allowed to) 8. This is a good lesson for you. (should) 9. I listen to my father. (should have) 10. Mr. Bennett speaks three languages. (can) 11. She forgets my name. (may have) 12. The girls leave the meeting early. (had to) 13. I sometimes nap after work. (have needed to) 14. They hold down their voices. (ought to) 15. Dad plays games with the children. (like to) 16. The Johnsons live across the street from us. (used to) 17. I see the anger in his eyes. (could) 18. He washes the dishes every day. (was supposed to) 19. Maria returns to Miami. (will have to) 42 English Verb Drills 20. We always travel to Korea. (have wanted to) 21. The hikers take the path on the right. (were to) 22. You have a good excuse. (had better) 23. She becomes a ballerina. (wished to) 24. The neighbors upstairs stop the noise. (have got to) 25. My brother takes the bus to work. (will have to) Modal Auxiliaries 43 This page intentionally left blank  5 Complete and Incomplete Actions Complete Actions English uses verbs in a way that shows the difference between an action that is complete and an action that is incomplete. So far, you have seen verbs in the form that shows an action that is complete. The same verbs can also suggest that the action is a habit. In the present tense, it is not always clear whether an action is complete, but the suggestion of a habit is obvious. Present Tense We tour the art museum. (This is not a habit. It is an action that is presumed complete in the present time.) Jack sings in the choir. (His habit is to sing in the choir.) I borrow money from Jake. (This may or may not be a habit. It may be an action that is presumed complete in the present time.) My uncle collects stamps. (The uncle’s habit is to collect stamps.) Often adverbs tell that an action is done regularly or as a habit. The use of such adverbs makes clear with what regularity the action of the verb is performed. I always arrive to work on time. We sometimes picnic on the beach. Bill rarely finishes a project. Other adverbs that indicate that an action is done regularly or as a habit include the following: all the time most of the time constantly never continually occasionally every (day, week, etc.) often 45  five times a year once a day four times a month persistently frequently regularly habitually seldom half of the time twice a week hardly ever usually When the verb have is conjugated as a transitive verb, it shows an action that is complete or done regularly or as a habit, especially when accompanied by an appropriate adverb. For example: I have a special gift for you. I always have a special gift for you. Mark has the jitters before a concert. Most of the time, Mark has the jitters before a concert. My aunt has tea with me. My aunt has tea with me every day. Linking verbs can also suggest that an action is complete in the present time or is a habit or done regularly if accompanied by an appropriate adverb. My sister seems quite happy. My sister always seems quite happy. He becomes bored with this game. He often becomes bored with this game. This mattress feels more comfortable. This mattress usually feels more comfortable. I am shocked. I am never shocked. Past Tense It is easier to differentiate between a completed action and a regular or habitual action in the past tense, because that action has already been performed. He returned to the library. (Complete. He arrived at the library.) He sometimes returned to the library by noon. (His occasional habit was to return to the library by noon.) I bought a new car. (Complete. I already own the new car.) I rarely bought a car from that dealer. (It was not often that I bought a car from that dealer.) June built a birdhouse. (Complete. The birdhouse is finished and ready for birds.) June built a birdhouse every spring. (June’s habit was to build a birdhouse every spring.) 46 English Verb Drills Exercise 24 Rewrite each past tense sentence with any appropriate adverb. 1. Mr. Kelly fixed the old car. 2. I borrowed ten dollars from her. 3. We were interested in his poems. 4. My grandfather had a serious illness. 5. Each day became longer and longer. 6. It smelled awful in his room. 7. John went to school with his little sister. 8. The twins liked turkey sandwiches. 9. My uncle made a large salad for supper. 10. They traveled to Asia. 11. I spent my last dollar. 12. Andrea danced with the young man from France. 13. We began the lesson from Chapter 2. 14. The girls were late to soccer practice. Complete and Incomplete Actions 47 15. You spoke in German with her. 16. The sheets felt damp. 17. Everyone had a good time at my party. 18. My neighbor came by for a visit. 19. Barbara took the children for a walk. 20. Tim and I lived off the land. The Perfect Tenses Verbs in the present and past perfect tenses indicate a completed action, and with appropriate adverbs they show a regular or habitual action. These two tenses consist of the verb have or had, respectively, and are accompanied by a past participle. I have seen that movie. (complete) I have seen that movie several times. (habitual action) We have spoken with Jack. (complete) We have occasionally spoken with Jack. (habitual action) My wife had baked a cake. (complete) My wife had often baked a cake for my birthday. (habitual action) He had borrowed money from me. (complete) He had rarely borrowed money from me. (habitual action) The verb to be and linking verbs show completed and habitual actions in the same way in these tenses. She has been in Mexico. She has never been in Mexico. I had been her best friend. I had always been her best friend. 48 English Verb Drills  He has seemed very angry. He has sometimes seemed very angry. He had appeared arrogant. He had usually appeared arrogant. Future Tense The idea of a completed action or one of regularity or habit is also apparent in the future tense. Jane will sing a song for us. Jane will often sing a song for us. I will buy some groceries there. I will occasionally buy some groceries there. We will have a party on the weekend. We will sometimes have a party on the weekend. This also occurs with to be and linking verbs. I will be bored with the project. I will never be bored with the project. His ideas will prove wrong. His ideas will always prove wrong. Exercise 25 Read each past tense sentence. Write the letter C in the blank provided if the action of the verb is complete. Or write the letter H in the blank provided if the action of the verb is regular or habitual. Then rewrite the sentences in the present perfect and future tenses. For example: H She often studied at home. She has often studied at home. She will often study at home. 1. My cousin broke the vase. 2. We never played chess. 3. I usually wrote my letters in pencil. Complete and Incomplete Actions 49  4. There was a loud noise in the hall. 5. Someone knocked at the door. 6. Laura wanted a diamond ring. 7. Most of the time, she worked in a drugstore. 8. My son visited me once a year. 9. The men frequently stopped for a cool drink. 10. I continually asked for your help. 11. She rarely risked her money on a bet. 12. Donald fainted. 13. We watered the lawn every day. 50 English Verb Drills  14. The boys hardly ever helped us. 15. I was in Chicago for a week. Incomplete Actions An incomplete action can be shown by using a form of the verb to be followed by a present participle. Present participles are formed by adding the suffix -ing to an infinitive. go → going hurry → hurrying come → coming When used in sentences, this kind of structure says that the action of the verb is still in progress or incomplete. For example: I am going to the bus stop. (I’m on my way. I have not arrived there yet.) She is speaking on the phone. (Her phone conversation is not yet complete.) The men are working hard. (The work is in progress and not yet complete.) This usage of to be and a present participle can occur in all the tenses. Present We are driving to California. She is sleeping. Past Someone was looking in the window. You were sitting at the computer. Present and Past Perfect Tom has been working here for two years. I had been waiting for a long time. Complete and Incomplete Actions 51  Future and Future Perfect The girls will be taking ballet lessons. I will have been working for him for eight years by this time next week. Exercise 26 In the blank provided, write the letter C if the action of the verb is complete or habitual. Write the letter I if the action of the verb is incomplete or in progress. 1. She has been studying for the bar exam. 2. No one saw the accident take place. 3. We usually sit in the balcony. 4. Dad has been working at the same job for years. 5. I am baking an apple pie. 6. Daniel suddenly rushed into the living room. 7. The dog was sleeping under the table again. 8. It is getting rather warm in here. 9. Ben will tell another funny story. 10. She will be traveling around Scandinavia. Exercise 27 Rewrite the following phrases to show an incomplete action or one in progress. Retain the tense of the original phrase. 1. we study 2. she has learned 3. no one speaks 4. I had taken 5. you are 6. it becomes 7. they will argue 8. Mark is 9. he drank 10. I write 52 English Verb Drills 11. it started 12. you have followed 13. time goes 14. we shared 15. I will dress 16. she will have swum 17. the children were 18. we have gone 19. Tina was 20. he spent An incomplete action can often be the result of an interruption. This can occur in the present tense but is more likely to happen in other tenses. Incomplete Action Interruption I was taking a bath when the phone rang. She had been washing the dishes when the lights went out. You will be sleeping when I get home tonight. If the incomplete action of the sentence is in the past, the verb in the interruption must be a past tense verb. If the incomplete action of the sentence is in the future, the verb in the interruption must be a present tense verb. Exercise 28 Fill in the blank with the appropriate form of the word in parentheses. For example: She is dancing (dance) with Mark. 1. The women were (play) cards when the pizza (arrive). 2. Someone has (be) eating cake. 3. We had been (relax) in the yard when the rain (start). 4. I (be) trying on my clothes. 5. When Mr. Thomas (arrive), I (be) still taking a nap. 6. We are (sit) in the den and (read). 7. When the storm (begin), we (be) hiking in the woods. Complete and Incomplete Actions 53  8. I will (be) working in the basement when you (come) home. 9. You (have) been fixing that car for hours. 10. The girls are (pretend) that they are astronauts. 11. Jim was (write) a letter when his sister (burst) into his room. 12. I will (be) preparing supper when the TV news program (begin). 13. Marie (be) taking two summer school courses. 14. Last year she (be) taking one course but soon dropped it. 15. Bob has (be) living at our house since last June. 54 English Verb Drills  6 Questions and Verbs Yes-No Questions Questions are statements that inquire into or ask about someone or something. When you ask a ques- tion that can be answered by either yes or no, there are two ways to form the question. In one of these ways, if the verb in the sentence is a form of to be, the verb precedes the subject in a present or past tense question. Statement: He is at work today. Question: Is he at work today? Answer: Yes, he is at work today. No, he is not at work today Statement: The boys were in Boston. Question: Were the boys in Boston? Answer: Yes, the boys were in Boston. No, the boys were in Philadelphia. Because the incomplete or progressive form of a verb is composed of a form of to be plus a present participle, the same question structure is used in the present and past tenses. Present participles are composed of the infinitive of a verb and the suffix -ing (going, being, having, and so on). Because it is the verb to be that is conjugated in this structure, a form of the verb to be begins the question in the present and past tenses of the progressive form. The choice of the present participle does not affect the word order. Are you having a good time? Is your brother traveling in Spain? Was I snoring too loudly? Were the children playing in the street? 55 Exercise 29 Rewrite each statement as a yes-no question. 1. We were in Germany last summer. 2. She is giving a speech in San Diego. 3. I am certain that I am right. 4. Someone was tampering with the lock. 5. My nephew is serving in the Air Force. 6. Mr. Kelly was shoveling snow in the driveway. 7. These pants are too tight. 8. You were being very stubborn again. 9. I am thinking of staying another week in Denver. 10. It was difficult to understand. 11. It was storming the night he was born. 12. She is my wife and my best friend. 13. They were the first of our friends to become citizens. 14. It is finally getting warm again. 15. John was dancing with Bill’s wife. 56 English Verb Drills  If the transitive verb to have is the verb in question, it is often possible to structure a question in which the verb precedes the subject. Statement: She has a lot to do. Question: Has she a lot to do? Statement: You had enough money. Question: Had you enough money? Do, Does, and Did When a verb other than to be or to have is in a present or past tense yes-no question, a different structure is required. The auxiliary to do is the first element of the question, followed by the subject and the verb. The tense and number of to do are determined by the tense and number of the verb in the statement. Statement: He likes his new job. Question: Does he like his new job? Answer: Yes, he likes his new job. No, he does not like his new job. Statement: The men play cards every night. Question: Do the men play cards every night? Answer: Yes, the men play cards every night. No, the men play cards once a week. Statement: She studied at the library. Question: Did she study at the library? Answer: Yes, she studied at the library. No, she studied at home. It is more common to use the auxiliary to do with the transitive verb to have rather than the verb- precedes-subject structure of a question. Statement: She has a lot to do. Question: Does she have a lot to do? Statement: You had enough money. Question: Did you have enough money? Questions and Verbs 57 Exercise 30 Rewrite the following statements as questions. 1. Daniel broke the expensive, new mirror. 2. I sold the little house on the lake. 3. Martin brings her flowers every week. 4. She loves his latest novel. 5. We were swimming in Lake Michigan. 6. Ms. Garcia bought a cottage in the mountains. 7. Somebody knows the correct answer. 8. Havana is the capital city of Cuba. 9. Jim really speaks four languages. 10. Ben had a problem with his car again. 11. You filled out the form incorrectly. 12. Her brother has her car today. 13. The little boys were playing with the new pups. 14. The doctor placed a cast on his broken ankle. 58 English Verb Drills 15. They stand on the corner and chat for a long time. 16. I am sick of these arguments. 17. She learned of Tom’s illness today. 18. The river is warm enough for swimming. 19. Mark builds a cabinet for his girlfriend. 20. He landed the little plane in a field. The Perfect and Future Tenses In the perfect tenses, past participles are combined with a form of the auxiliary have, and in the future tense, infinitives are combined with the auxiliary will or shall. In such cases, the auxiliary is the first element of a question, followed by the subject and the past participle or infinitive. For example: Statement: She has studied in Chicago. Question: Has she studied in Chicago? Answer: Yes, she has studied in Chicago. No, she has studied in New York. Statement: We had bought the house. Question: Had you bought the house? Answer: Yes, we had bought the house. No, we had not bought the house. Statement: Tom will travel to France. Question: Will Tom travel to France. Answer: Yes, Tom will travel to France. No, Tom will travel to Italy. Questions and Verbs 59 Exercise 31 Rewrite the following statements as questions. 1. Mr. Roberts had lived in Asia all his life. 2. The girls will help repair the chairs. 3. I have become quite ill again. 4. Tina will prepare some lunch for us. 5. You had already seen that movie. 6. Someone has taken my glasses from my desk. 7. They will arrive here by 10 P.M. 8. It will be late when Mark gets home. 9. Aunt Mary has gone to her country home. 10. Bill had always liked your cooking. Will and Shall In Chapter 2 you encountered the difference between will and shall. There is still one more differ- ence to consider when using will or shall in questions when the subject is the first-person singular or plural. The general rule is to use shall in questions that ask what one should do when the subject is the first-person singular or plural. However, if the subject (I or we) is wondering about what the future holds, then the appropriate future tense auxiliary is will. Compare the following groups of questions. 60 English Verb Drills  Questioning Whether This Is What One Should Do Shall I buy a new car? Shall I help you carry those boxes? Shall we take a stroll down to the lake? Shall Bill and I return the books for you? Wondering What the Future Holds Will I ever buy a new car? Will I win the lottery someday? Will we see one another again in the future? Will Mary and I get married soon? Exercise 32 Circle the appropriate auxiliary (will or shall) for each question. Then in the blank provided, write the number 1 if the question is asking whether one should do something. Write the number 2 if the subject in the question is wondering what the future holds. 1
what one should do 2
what the future holds 1. Will / Shall we take a drive out into the country? 2. Will / Shall I warm up some soup for you? 3. Will / Shall I be rich and famous someday? 4. Will / Shall you and I borrow Dad’s car to go downtown? 5. Will / Shall we get there on time? 6. Will / Shall we drop in on Henry for a visit? 7. Will / Shall I ever get accepted into Harvard University? 8. Will / Shall we find the money somewhere in his house? 9. Will / Shall Marie and I clean up the kitchen for you? 10. Will / Shall I become a surgeon someday? Modal Auxiliaries Just like other auxiliaries (be, have, do, will, and shall), most modal auxiliaries are the first element in a yes-no question. Here are a few examples: Questions and Verbs 61  Can you explain this to me? Should we get off the bus at the next corner? Must the boys be so loud? Were we supposed to donate some money? Ought she to have said that? However, certain auxiliaries used in present and past tense questions require the use of to do as their auxiliary verb. For example: Do you have to play the piano right now? Do they like to dance? Does your father need to rest for a while? Did they used to have a house in this neighborhood? Did Tina want to go out for dinner? Did anyone wish to read these old magazines? But when the same auxiliaries are used in the perfect and future tenses, just like other verbs, to do is not used. Have you had to study long? Had he wanted to take a nap? Will the tourists like to go shopping? Exercise 33 Rewrite each phrase as a question with the modal auxiliary provided. Retain the tense of the original phrase. For example: they learn Do they want to learn? (want to) 1. we lived (have to) 2. he will sing (be allowed to) 3. she writes (like to) 4. you arrived (be to) 5. someone bought (be supposed to) 6. I think (must) 7. we argued (used to) 62 English Verb Drills  8. you speak (ought to) 9. they will test (wish to) 10. he had stayed (need to) Interrogatives A second type of question is composed of an introductory interrogative word followed by the subject and verb. Interrogative words ask about a specific element in a sentence. For example: Interrogative Word Asks About who animate subject whom animate object whose possession by an animate subject or object what animate subject or object where location or motion to a place when time which distinction between things how manner or mode why reason or cause The interrogative how can be combined with other words to form new interrogatives. Following are but a few examples: how often how long how many how soon Verbs are generally not affected when a statement is changed to a question with an interrogative word. They follow the rules described previously for the various auxiliaries. However, the interroga- tives that replace the subject of a sentence (who and what) break that rule. For example, even though the original subject of a sentence is a plural, the interrogative subject is always singular. That means that the form of the verb changes. Who and What as Interrogative Words Bill is a friend of hers. Who is a friend of hers? The girls were playing soccer. Who was playing soccer? (were becomes was) Their house looks beautiful. What looks beautiful? The flowers smell nice. What smells nice? (smell becomes smells) Questions and Verbs 63  Other Interrogative Words His apartment is in London. Where is his apartment? Bill arrived at seven sharp. When did Bill arrive? He had driven too fast. How had he driven? Mary finally met Susan. Whom did Mary finally meet? Exercise 34 Rewrite the following sentences as questions. Change the underlined element to the appropriate inter- rogative word. 1. Ms. Kelly has taken a trip to China. 2. The blue tie looks better on you. 3. The German tourists are traveling as far as Tucson. 4. She cried so hard because Paul cannot come home for the holidays. 5. We work out four times a week. 6. The farm made a profit for them every year. 7. He found twenty gold coins in an old chest. 8. Robert’s wife is a Hollywood actress. 9. You can bring those boxes to me today. 10. Several paintings were stolen from the museum. 64 English Verb Drills  7 Imperatives Both transitive and intransitive verbs can form commands—that is, they become imperatives. The base form of a verb, the infinitive, becomes an imperative when the particle word to is omitted. To be polite, the word please is often included in the command. Here are some examples: Infinitive Imperative to be Be on your best behavior. to come Please come home soon. to have Have a good time at the party. to spend Spend less money. to stop Stop fighting, please. The subject of an imperative verb such as those just illustrated is the second-person you. However, that pronoun is elliptical; it is not said or written but understood. No matter what the subject of a sentence might be, when the sentence is changed to an imperative, no subject is stated. And no matter what tense the verb of a sentence has, when it is stated as an imperative, the verb is given as the base form. John found the money. Find the money. We will drive to Montana. Drive to Montana. In the case of auxiliaries, this form of imperative cannot be used. Instead, the auxiliary follows the pronoun you in an ordinary sentence that suggests what someone should do. You ought to help your father. You should go to work on time. You are supposed to fill out these forms. 65 Exercise 35 Rewrite the following sentences as imperatives. Note that the sentences are given in a variety of tenses. For example: We are trying to organize these files. Try to organize these files. 1. My sister came home early. 2. The men will stay home from work. 3. I listened to these new CDs. 4. Marie has sung in a choir. 5. He borrowed a lawn mower from the neighbors. 6. You water the vegetable garden and the flowers. 7. No one believed me. 8. We are quiet. 9. I went to the movies with friends. 10. We had had a hamburger with fries. 11. Mom turns on the lights. 12. Mr. Snyder will return the books tomorrow. 13. Mark stood up. 66 English Verb Drills 14. They were sleeping in that large tent. 15. You ran to the store. 16. His sister kissed the children good-night. 17. Your parents were smart about this. 18. She hurried to the hospital. 19. We looked into the mirror and were surprised. 20. He will sit down and take his shoes off. Let’s Another form of English imperative infers that the person giving the command is participating in the action of the command. Imperatives of this type begin with the contraction let’s (let us) and are fol- lowed by an infinitive phrase. Let’s listen to some music. Let’s ask to borrow Dad’s car. Let’s go to the movies tomorrow. Let’s try not to argue so much. Exercise 36 Rewrite the following sentences as imperatives with let’s. Note that the sentences are given in a variety of tenses. For example: We buy some ice cream. Let’s buy some ice cream. Imperatives 67  1. They will take a drive out to Lake Tahoe. 2. Our uncle has tried to be fair about this. 3. We test the soil for insects. 4. We don’t bother the newborn kittens. 5. I wrote Karen a couple postcards. 6. We are on time more often. 7. You had spent a lot more time talking. 8. She forgot about the problems with the car. 9. Tom arranged for a taxi. 10. Mr. Snyder gets home before sunset. 11. Earn some extra money. 12. Marie and I went out dancing. 13. Donate some money to their cause. 14. I will join an athletic club. 15. His brothers were more helpful. 16. Who practiced kicking goals? 68 English Verb Drills 17. Are we planning our winter vacation? 18. Take the bus to town. 19. Jim has bathed that smelly dog. 20. Were you renting an apartment in the city? Let If the verb let is used without the contraction of us (let’s), it still is an imperative, but it has a different meaning. It suggests that someone or something is allowed to perform an action. The verb let is fol- lowed by a direct object and an infinitive phrase. Let me help you with that. Let us know whether you can come for a visit. Please let the problem just go away. Let the players get a little rest, please. Negation When negating most imperatives, do not or its contraction don’t become part of the command. Command to You Do not open the door. Don’t open the door. Do not be late. Don’t be late. Do not have any cake. Don’t have any cake. Command with Let Do not let him sit there. Don’t let him sit there. Do not let the game start without me. Don’t let the game start without me. Imperatives 69 The exception to this rule is let’s. The negative adverb not is placed after the contraction let’s. Let’s not worry about that. Let’s not leave the house today. Let’s not be so angry. Exercise 37 Rewrite the following sentences as imperatives with let. Note that the sentences are given in a variety of tenses. For example: John sells his old car. Let John sell his old car. 1. The soldiers stopped under a shady tree. 2. My father has not given them more money. 3. I recommend a good restaurant to you. 4. She asked for a raise. 5. The lawyers have agreed on the selling price. 6. When did Mark explain it to you? 7. Doesn’t some other person work on this job? 8. They made a list of their complaints. 9. He pretends he doesn’t know us. 10. It happens naturally. 70 English Verb Drills 11. The balloons have floated into the sky. 12. He is captain of the team. 13. Does her husband do it for her? 14. I have to change my clothes. 15. That was a warning to you. 16. The dogs slept in the garage. 17. They had worn some funny costumes. 18. Anna will help with the puzzle. 19. I had answered. 20. Will your friend lend you the money? General Commands Imperatives also occur in general commands. These commands are usually given as announcements (over a loudspeaker, for example) or are written as signs (such as on a wall). Some examples: Keep moving. (what a police officer tells a crowd) Keep to the right. (a sign along a highway) No smoking. (a sign on a wall) No talking. (a sign in a library) Pick up your order here. (a sign at a restaurant drive-up window) Place your order here. (a sign at a restaurant drive-up window) Please line up alphabetically. (a sign in a school; an announcement) Imperatives 71  Reduce speed ahead. (a sign along a highway) Remain behind the yellow line. (a sign at a passport checkpoint) Wait your turn. (a sign in a business office or store) Exercise 38 In the blank provided, write the number 1 if the sentence is a standard imperative with the pronoun you receiving the command. Write the number 2 if the imperative includes the speaker in the action. Write the number 3 if the imperative suggests that someone or something is allowed to perform the action. Write the number 4 if the imperative is a general command. 1. Stay in your line until called. 2. Please send me your latest catalog. 3. Let’s have a surprise party for Martin. 4. Have a wonderful time on your vacation. 5. Get out! 6. Fasten your seatbelts. 7. Let the students correct their own work. 8. Hold on tight. 9. No loitering. 10. Give me a dozen donuts, please. 11. Let it rain. 12. Let’s not get something to eat. 13. Take good care of your little sister. 14. Try to hold your breath for two minutes. 15. Fly the Friendly Skies. 16. Let’s bet on it. 17. Share the candy with your brothers. 18. Let me try to repair that chair. 19. Don’t follow me, please. 20. Pull your car over to the curb, sir. 72 English Verb Drills  8 Negation and Contractions To Be When a form of the verb to be is negated in the present or past tense, the adverb not follows the verb. This is true even when the verb to be is part of a longer phrase or an auxiliary. This is not my coat. We are not allowed to play in that room. I am not feeling well today. My sister was not at school today. They were not very good friends. When an auxiliary is used with a form of the verb to be, the adverb not stands between the aux- iliary and the verb. This is true with auxiliaries that change the tense (have, had, will, and shall) and modal auxiliaries. This has not been a very good day. Mary had not been here before. I shall not be able to attend your party. This will not be my first time in America. You cannot be wrong again. We ought not to be so sure that we are right. I had better not be late for class. If a sentence that contains a form of the verb to be or an auxiliary is in question form, the adverb not will follow the subject of the sentence. Are you not Marie’s brother? Was Tim not at the movies last night? Have they not repaired the car yet? Should you not get a little rest? 73  This same structure occurs when a question begins with an interrogative word. Why are they not at home yet? What could he not understand? Do, Does, Did When the transitive verb to have is negated in the present and past tenses, the adverb not sometimes follows the verb. However, this form is not the most commonly used. I have not any money. I had not a car. The more common way of negating the verb to have as well as most other verbs is by placing a form of the verb to do plus not before the verb. The tense and number of the positive sentence deter- mines the tense and number of the verb to do. Positive Negative I have a book. I do not have a book. He has money. He does not have money. We had a lot of time. We did not have a lot of time. The same format is used with other verbs.