5.2 Verb Phrases (VP): Introduction
5.2 Verb Phrases (VP): Introduction
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📖 READ: Textbook (pp. 171-202)
A verb phrase (VP) is composed of a lexical verb (Vlex.) (head word), which may be preceded by auxiliary verbs (Vaux.) and negators (no, not, never).
VP = [V(aux1) + V(aux2) + (negator)... V(lex)]
Lexical verbs are the main verbs in a verb phrase or a sentence. Lexical verbs carry their own meaning and hence don't necessarily need a helping (auxiliary) verb.
Lexical means "relating to words." Auxiliary means to help or support something else and to be secondary to something more significant.
Auxiliary verbs are also called helping verbs. Unlike lexical verbs which are infinite and can be added to all the time, there is a fixed number of auxiliary verbs in English. There are two types of auxiliary verbs.
Modal auxiliary verbs express permission, obligation, and volition (see the table below).
Primary auxiliary verbs: be, have, and do. They fine tune lexical verbs to indicate tense, aspect, voice, and mood.
Verbs are very complicated. They can be conjugated to express different tenses (and aspects), moods (e.g., indicative, subjunctive mood), and voice (active, passive voice).
In modern English, verbs have five forms.
Base form = give
Finite forms (marked for present/past tense)
gives = 3rd person singular present tense
gave = past tense
Nonfinite forms (not marked for tense)
(to) give = to (bare) infinitive
giving = present participle
given = past participle
See Figure 7.2 (p. 171)
We have learned the structure (formation) of VPs, which is pretty simple in comparison to how complex NPs are formed.
In the next few classes, we'll get into the nuances of VPs, that is how VPs are formed to express tense & aspect, voice, and mood. We'll also learn about valency of lexical verbs.
PRACTICE:
PRACTICE:
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