Unit 2: Language systems

Activity 6: Labelling language systems

Work alone. Label each of the examples below with the name of the language system represented.

1. ! ; ? A a :
2. SV, SVC, SVO, SVOO :
3. You should... I recommend you ... If I were you, I'd...
4. is done, are done, do, will do:
5. red, orange, yellow, green :
6. /ˈkanʌɪn/:
7. un-want-ed:

When you have finished, compare your answers with a partner.

Activity 7: Verb phrases

Read the following passage to understand the patterns that English verbs follow.

English verbs may be classified into three broad categories, namely: lexical verb, auxiliary verb or modal auxiliary verb. Lexical verbs carry the meaning of the word. Auxiliary verbs (do, have and be) are used to create grammatical tenses (or aspects). Modal auxiliary verbs are used to express modality, e.g. ability e.g. can, could), necessity (e.g. need) or possibility (e.g. can, could, may, might).

Verbs may carry tense or they may not carry tense. Verbs that carry a tense are finite. Verbs that cannot carry a tense are non-finite. There are some simple checks that you can use to confirm whether verb is finite or not.

Non-finite verbs do not change form when the tense shifts and in present tenses do not agree with the grammatical subject. However, finite verbs conjugate to form present and future forms. In present forms, the verb shows agreement with the grammatical subject. In past forms, verbs do not show agreement (apart from the verb be, which uses was or were depending on the subject). In English singular and plural subjects necessite changes in the form of the verb, which is most commonly realized by adding the suffix -s when the grammatical subject is third-person singular, e.g. he, she or it.

English verbs can be in either present tense or past tense. There is no future tense in English, but we express the future using aspect (e.g. will do, be doing, be going to do).

Verbs are usually used in active voice or passive voice. Active voice is the most common, particularly in spoken English.

Verbs take two aspects: perfect aspect (e.g. have done, had done) or progressive aspect (e.g am doing, will be doing). Although not common, both aspects can be used together to create perfect progressive aspect (e.g. have been doing, will have been doing). Future is also expressed through aspect often using auxiliary and.or modal auxiliary verbs.

Verbs can also be classified based on whether a grammatical object is present. Verbs that do not take an object are intransitive (vi) (e.g. walk, live). Verbs that take an object are transitive (vt) (e.g. help me, eat it. Transitive verbs have the possibility to be used in passive voice. However, intransitive verbs cannot be used in passive voice. Some verbs are both transitive and instransitive. A summary of this information is given below.

1. Verb types: lexical, auxiliary, modal auxiliary
2. Finiteness: finite, non-finite
3. Tense: present, past
4. Aspect: perfect, progressive, future
5. Voice: passive, active
6. Transitivity: intransitive, transitive
7. Agreement: subject-verb agreement

Activity 8: Describing the patterns of verbs

Share your ideas on the underlined verbs in class or the Unit forum on ELMS.

1. There was torrential rain yesterday.
2. I wanted to check my tomato plants but decided not to.
3. The weather forecast reported that it will rain for 24 hours.
4. By next week, my tomato patch will have turned into a pond.
5. I have been trying to grow tomatoes for three years, but without much success.
6. I started growing tomatoes because my friend said it was simple.

Activity 9: Watching

Watch and listen to a short explanation (3 min 50 sec) of tense, modality and aspect.

Knowledge and application

Activity 10: Analyzing language

Analyze how the verb increase is used to describe trends. Consider the relevant language systems. Make sure your submission includes:

1. Three example sentences in different tenses
2. Description with specific details of at least three language systems

Submit your work in pdf format via ELMS