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English Verb System in Two pages.doc
X-Words in English have 5 jobs
- 1. They shift to ask questions. (She can hear you now. --> Can she hear you now?)
- 2. They make negatives (add not or n’t after the X-Word)
- 3. They help us find the subject (everything in front of the X-word is the subject)
- 4. They add meaning. (I might/ I can/ I should/ May I) (possibility, ability, obligation, politeness)
- 5. They add tense. (I will BASE, I have D-T-N, I didn’t BASE)
VERB FORMS: There are 6 forms of every verb (except to be which has 8 forms)
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With X-Words That Show
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With X-Words That Hide
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Base
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“present participle”
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“past participle”
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present “s”
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“present”
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“past”
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BASE
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ING
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D-T-N
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V/Xdoes
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V/Xdo
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V/Xdid
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go
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going
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gone
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goes
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go
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went
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want
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wanting
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wanted
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wants
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want
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wanted
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X-Word and Verb Form Match-ups
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X-Word
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Always matches with Verb Form:
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Example:
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do
does
did
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V/Xdo à do + BASE
V/Xdoes à does + BASE
V/Xdid à did + BASE
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I like music. Do you like music?
Anna likes music. Does Ana like music?
Her parents liked music.
Did your parents like music?
My parents didn’t like classical music.
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can
could
will
would
shall
should
ought to
must
might
may
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+ BASE
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Can you help me?
I can do it.
She can’t do it.
You shouldn’t practice too much.
That Paganini piece must be hard!
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have
has
had
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+ D-T-N
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She has played the violin for 10 years.
She hasn’t played the violin for 10 years.
Has she played the violin for 10 years?
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am
is
are
was
were
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+ ING
+ D-T-N to make the PASSIVE tense
+ no verb (description of subject)
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He’s going to bed now.
This piece was written by Mozart.
I was busy.
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To be
The ONLY verb in English that has 8 forms; be, being, and been, can be MIDDLE X-Words.
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X and BASE
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X and ING
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X and D-T-N
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X
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X
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X
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be
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being
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been
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am
are
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is
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was
were
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Semi-Modals
Most semi-modals use the BASE
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be going to
/gonna/
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+ BASE
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I’m going to go home now.
I’m not going to go home now.
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intention (future)
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have to
/hafta/
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+ BASE
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I have to study for the test tonight.
She doesn’t have to study.
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obligation
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have got to
/gotta/
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+ BASE
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I’ve got to go. /Gotta go./
(no negative or questions)
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obligation
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ought to
/awtta/
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+ BASE
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He ought to practice more.
(negative or questions rare in Am Eng)
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obligation
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used to
/usta/
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+ BASE
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She used to live in Seoul.
Negatives and questions always use DID.
I didn’t use to live in Seoul.
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In the past, but not now.
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Expanded verbs
Sometimes you can have more than one X-Word (usually have or been); the same rules apply:
Examples:
X X+BASE D-T-N
- · He could have been a doctor. (past possibility)
/coulda/
- · I should have known that it would rain if I forgot my umbrella. (regret)
/shoulda/
- · I would have played in Carnegie Hall if I’d had the money and the talent. (hypothetical up to now)
/woulda/
X X X
BASE D-T-N ING
- · By June, you will have been taking this class for one semester. (prediction of future completion) /willa bin/
will always matches with a BASE (have)
have always matches with a D-T-N (been)
been can match with ING (taking)
X BASE D-T-N ING
- · I could have been sitting on the beach right now. Instead I’m shivering in New York. (past possibility) /coulda bin/
could always matches with a BASE (have)
have always matches with D-T-N (been)
been can match ING (sitting)
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