Grammar Tenses: Two-Word Verb Forms versus One-Word Verb Forms Prof. Myrna Monllor English 112.

Grammar Tenses: Two-Word Verb Forms versus One-Word Verb Forms

Prof. Myrna MonllorEnglish 112

Two-Word Verbs

The following tenses are two-word verbs

Present progressive Past ProgressivePresent Perfect Past PerfectSimple Future

• It is easy to write negatives and questions with two-word verbs because the first verb is always the auxiliary verb.

• You do NOT need to add anything to the verb form.

Progressive or ContinuousBE + -ing

Present Progressive

Am + -ing formIsAre

She is singing. 1 2

Past Progressive

Was + -ing formWere

They were singing. 1 2

Perfect TensesHave + past participle

Present Perfect

Have/Has + past participle

They have left. 1 2She has finished. 1 2

Past Perfect

Had+ past participle

We had finished at 3:00. 1 2

He had seen her before. 1 2

Simple Futurewill + base form of verb

She will go to the party. 1 2

You are not swimming./ Are you swimming? 1 2 1 2He was not singing./ Was he singing? 1 2 1 2She has not eaten./ Has she eaten yet? 1 2 1 2They had not arrived./Had they arrived? 1 2 1 2We will not leave./ Will we leave? 1 2 1 2

One-Word Verbs

• Require that you +add an auxiliary verb to form the negative and the question– Present tense– Past tense

Simple Present Tense

Is used for situations that happen everyday or habitually

For example:I drink coffee every morning.We visit our grandmother every month.He studies for English class every day.She calls her boyfriend often.

Notice that when the subject refers to he,she, or it you need to add S or ES to theverb.

She walks 3 miles every morning.He chats all night.She washes the dishes.The program begins at 9:00.It starts at 9:00.

To form the negative of a verb in thesimple present tense, you will use theauxiliary verbs do and does.

• You use don’t when the subject of the sentence is I, we, you, or they.

• You use doesn’t when the subject of the sentence is he, she, or it.

For example:

She doesn’t like to clean her room.It doesn’t begin early.We don’t work every day.They don’t eat junk food.I don’t like vegetables.

Notice that the verb appears in its simplest formwhen you use don’t or doesn’t.

To form a question using the presenttense, you will also use do or does at thebeginning of the question.

Do you come to class every day?Does she cook?

Notice that 1. Again the verb is in the basic form2. Does is used with the subjects he, she, it

ExceptionThe Verb Be

The verb BE is the exception to all therules, you do not use do or does to formthe negative or the question form.

I am young. I am not young. Am I young?You are pretty. You aren’t pretty. Are you pretty?

She is lovely. She isn’t lovely. Is she lovely?

Simple Present Tense

Is used for situations that happen everyday or habitually

For example:I drink coffee every morning.We visit our grandmother every month.He studies for English class every day.She calls her boyfriend often.

Notice that when the subject refers to he,she, or it you need to add S or ES to theverb.

She walks 3 miles every morning.He chats all night.She washes the dishes.The program begins at 9:00.It starts at 9:00.

To form the negative of a verb in thesimple present tense, you will use theauxiliary verbs do and does.

• You use don’t when the subject of the sentence is I, we, you, or they.

• You use doesn’t when the subject of the sentence is he, she, or it.

For example:

She doesn’t like to clean her room.It doesn’t begin early.We don’t work every day.They don’t eat junk food.I don’t like vegetables.

Notice that the verb appears in its simplest formwhen you use don’t or doesn’t.

To form a question using the presenttense, you will also use do or does at thebeginning of the question.

Do you come to class every day?Does she cook?

Notice that 1. Again the verb is in the basic form2. Does is used with the subjects he, she, it

ExceptionThe Verb Be

The verb BE is the exception to all therules, you do not use do or does to formthe negative or the question form.

I am young. I am not young. Am I young?You are pretty. You aren’t pretty. Are you pretty?

She is lovely. She isn’t lovely. Is she lovely?

Simple Past Tense

Is used to show actions that have alreadyfinished.

I took a test.She drove to the university.We worked hard.

To form the negative of a verb in the pasttense, you need to use the auxiliary verbdid.

She didn’t drive to work.We didn’t watch TV.

Notice that when you form the negative,the main verb is in the base or simplestform.

To form the question in the past tense,you need to use did as the auxiliary verb. Again the main verb will be in its simplestor base form.

Did you work yesterday?Did the professor come to class?Did she wash the car?

Group Exercise Two-Word Verbs

• What are you studying?• Where have you worked?• What were you doing last night?• How many courses are you taking at USC?• What clothes have you bought recently?• What job position would you like to have in

the future?• What courses will you take next semester?

Group Exercise: One-Word Verbs

• Where did you study high school?• How do you get to the university every day?• What courses does your professor teach?• Where did you buy your clothes?• Where does your best friend live?• What do your parents do for a living?

Exercise 3

1. Where would you like to go for an internship?2. Where have you traveled?3. What has been your best experience in life?4. What will you do the next summer?5. In what room are you taking English 112?

Exercise 2

Change to negative and to question.1. She will buy a new dress.2. William has visited his family every week.3. They would prefer to travel another day.4. We were eating at the cafeteria.5. They had finished all their work.