Modal Verb ‘Can’
The Modal Verb can has two forms: can for the Present Tens and could for the Past Tense; The expression to be able which has the same meaning can be used to supply the missing forms of the verb can. “I can’t explain it,” said Therese. “I can’t explain anything I did today.” (Heym) He jumped as high as ever he could. (Galsworthy) How weakened she was I had not been able to imagine until I saw her at the railway station in Chinkiatig. (Buck) Can expresses ability or capability, possibility, incredulity or doubt, astonishment. Modal Verb [...]
Passive Voice
the passive voice is a verb construction that is used to describe an action in which the subject of the sentence is the recipient of the action, rather than the performer of the action. In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is typically preceded by the verb to be and followed by the past participle of the main verb. "The cake was baked by the chef." (In this sentence, the subject "cake" is the recipient of the action of being baked, and the performer of the action, the chef, is mentioned in the prepositional phrase "by the chef.") [...]
Voices of the Verbs
Voice is the category of the verb which indicates relation of the predicate to the subject and the object. There are three voices in English: the active voice, the passive voice, and the neuter-reflexive voice. Active Voice The active voice shows that the person or thing denoted by the subject is the doer of the action expressed by the predicate. Passive Voice The passive voice shows that the person or thing denoted by the subject is acted upon. Neuter-Reflexive Voice The neuter-reflexive voice shows that the action expressed by the predicate passes on [...]
Lexical Meaning of Verbs
A verb can also have some aspect characteristics depending solely on its lexical meaning. Accordingly verbs are divided into terminative, non-terminative and verbs of double lexical (aspect) character. Terminative Verbs Terminative verbs denote an action implying a certain limit beyond which it cannot go. Here belong simple and composite verbs to come, to bring, to build, to give, to take, to receive, to find, to fall, to kill, to die, to become, to stand up,to sit down,to come to. He went to the kitchen and brought him a cake and a plate of biscuits.(Carter) Every [...]
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
Verb can be transitive and intransitive. Transitive Verbs Transitive verbs can take a direct object, i. e. they express an action which passes on to a person or thing directly. Here belong such verbs as to take, to give, to send, to make, to see, to show, to bring, to love etc. Jon had never loved her so much as in that minute which seemed to falsify Fleur’s fears and to release his soul. (Galsworthy) Youth only recognizes Age by fits and starts. Jon, for one, had never really seen his father’s age till he came back [...]
Syntactic Functions of Verbs
According to the syntactic function of verbs, which depends on the extent to which they retain, weaken or lose their meaning, they are divided into notional verbs, auxiliary verbs and link verbs. Notional Verbs Notional verbs are those which have a full meaning of their own and can be used without any additional words as a simple predicate. Here belong such verbs as to write, to read, to speak, to know, to ask. Ricky surrounded her with great care and luxury. (Stern) She knew what he was thinking. (Galsworthy) Auxiliary Verbs Auxiliary verbs are those which [...]
Forms of the Verbs
The basic forms of the verb in Modern English are: the Infinitive, the Past Indefinite, and Participle II. According to the way in which the Past Indefinite and Participle II are formed, verbs are divided into three groups: regular verbs, irregular verbs, and mixed verbs. Regular Verbs Regular verbs form the Past Indefinite and Participle II by adding - ed to the stem of the verb, or only - d if the stem of the verb ends in - e. to want — wanted to open — opened to unite — united to live — [...]
Position of the Adverbial Modifiers in the Sentence
An adverbial modifier hardly ever separates the direct object from the predicate. It stands either before the predicate or after the direct object. Helen heard me patiently to the end. (Ch. Bronte) We could also very well say: “Helen patiently heard me to the end,” but no other position of the adverbial modifier is possible here, unless it is meant to be emphatic; in this case it is placed at the beginning of the sentence. However, an adverbial modifier separates the direct object from its verb when the object has an attribute. He knew instinctively the principles of “pyramiding” [...]
Position of the Attribute in the Sentence
Pre-position of the Attribute The usual place of the attribute expressed by an adjective, noun, pronoun, or participle is before the word it modifies. What extraordinary ideas you have about the way to behave to a woman! (Wilde) With most of such attributes the order in which they follow each other is generally free, i. e. it can be easily changed. Amelia Sedley had such a kindly, smiling, tender, generous heart of her own as won the love of everybody who came near her. (Thackeray) However, with some attributes the order in which they follow each other is more [...]
Position of the Object in the Sentence
The usual position of the object in declarative sentences is after the predicate, however, in exclamatory sentences the direct object may occupy the first place. What wonderfully blue eyes you have, Ernest! (Wilde) This position of the object generally does not cause inversion, except in poetry, high prose, and negative exclamatory sentences. Thee would I spare — nay more — would save thee now! (Byron) Passage after passage did he explore, room after room did he peep into!(Dickens) In declarative sentences the front position of the object serves the purpose of emphasis. A fearful voyage I had with such [...]