Multimedia Grammar/MS_GRAMMAR.iso/grammar1/chapter2.4g

Text File | 1994-10-31 | 16KB | 349 lines

 347
à 2.4èPresent, Past, and Future Tenses
ä:ïUnderline the present tense verbs within the sentence
in the Example.
â:

#êê I ╕like╗ the fact that he ╕smokes╗ very little.
éS All present tense verb forms are one-word verbs.ïThey do not
take any helping verbs.ïPresent tense verbs normally do not change
their form--except in third person singular situations when a noun or
#the pronouns ╖he, she, ╗or ╖it╗ are subjects.ïIn those cases, an ╖s╗ or
#╖es╗ is added to the basic form of the verb, for example, I ╖listen╗╖,
#╖you listen; he, she, or it listens; we listen, you listen, they
#╖listen;╗ or ╖I fuss, you fuss, he, she, ╗ or ╖it fusses, we fuss, you
#╖fuss, they fuss.╗ïNote that you add an ╖es╗ to verbs in the third per-
#son singular that end in ╖s, ss, z, zz, sh, ch, ╗ or ╖x╗.ïTaking a per-
sonal pronoun in the nominative case (that is, it acts as a subject)
#and adding the appropriate verb form (as was just done with ╖listen╗
#and ╖fuss╗) is called the conjugation of a verb.ïThe one verb that
#changes its form the most in the present tense is the verb ╖be╗: ╖I am,
#╖you are; he, she, ╗or ╖it is.╗ïThe plural present tense of ╖be╗ is
#╖we are, you are, they are.
 1.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a main verb
in the present tense?

A)ïI am reaching for the paper clip.
B)ïHe can stand on his head.
C)ïShe recites poetry by heart.
D)ïå
#ü The only present tense verb in ç sentences is ╢recites╗╗;
#it has the third person singular ending because its subject is ╖she╗, a
third person singular pronoun.ïIn the other sentences, because the
#main verbs ╖reaching╗ and ╖stand╗ have the helping verbs ╖am╗ and ╖can╗
in front of them, ç verbs are not in the present tense.ïRemem-
ber that present tense verbs are just one-word main verbs.
Ç C
 2.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a main verb
in the first person singular present tense form?

A)ïI am proud of my physical conditioning.
B)ïCould I be having them over for supper?
C)ïI should be right about his habits.
D)ïå
ü
#ëThe only present tense verb is ╢am╗.ïThe subject of ╢am╗ is ╢I╗.
#In the present tense conjugation of the verb ╖be╗, ╢I am╗ is the correct
#form.ïIn other sentences, the main verbs ╖having ╗and ╖be╗ are not in
the present tense because they are preceded by one helping verb:
#╖could be╗ precedes ╖having╗, and ╖should╗ precedes ╖be.╗
Ç A
 3.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a main verb
in the present tense?

A)ïJohn is thinking of mowing the lawn.
B)ïThe bird perches near my window.
C)ïCarmen might have been leaving the bus station.
D)ïå
ü
#ë╢╢Perches╗╗, a main verb, is a third person singular present tense
#verb form.ïThe subject of perches is bird.ïThe main verb ╖thinking╗
is not in the present tense because it is preceded by the helping verb
#╖is╗. The main verb ╖leaving╗╖ is not in the present tense because it is
#preceded by the helping verbs ╖might have been╗.
Ç B
 4.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a first person
plural present tense form of the verb be?

A)ïI live near a celebrity.
B)ïAre we bankrupt?
C)ïYvette hosts a luncheon.
D)ïå
ü
#ë╢Are╗ is the only main verb that is a form of the present tense
#verb ╖be╗.ï╢Are ╗has the first person plural subject ╢we╗.ï╖Live ╗and
#╖hosts╗ are action verbs in the other sentences.
Ç B
 5.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a correctly
written third person singular present tense verb form?

A)ïHe complain to me today.
B)ïIt stay here all day.
C)ïShe splashes in the water.
D)ïå
#üï╢Splashes╗, preceded by the third person singular pronoun ╢she╗,
has a correct third person singular present tense verb form ending in
#╢es╗.ï╖Complain,╗ preceded by the third person singular pronoun╖ he╗,
#and ╖stay╗, preceded by the third person singular pronoun ╖it╗, can not
be the third person singular present tense verb forms because they
#do not end in the appropriate letter ╖s╗.
Ç C
 6.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a third per-
son singular present tense verb form?

A)ïDonald plunged into the creek.
B)ïDouglas intercepts the pass.
C)ïThe can spray me too much.
D)ïå
#üè╢Intercepts╗, preceded by the third person singular proper noun
#╢Douglas╗, appropriately ends in the ╢s╗ ending for a third person sin-
#gular present tense verb form.ï╖Plunge,╗ preceded by the singular noun
#╖Donald╗, would be a third person singular present tense verb form if it
#ended in the appropriate letter ╖s╗.ï╖Spray╗, preceded by the singular
#noun can (╖can╗ is the equivalent of the pronoun ╖it╗) would be a third
person singular present tense verb form if it ended in the appropriate
#letter ╖s╗.
Ç B
 7.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a correctly
written third person plural present tense verb?

A)ïThe officials opens their envelopes.
B)ïThe maids clean with harsh detergents.
C)ïThey counts on his participation.
D)ïå
#üï╢Clean╗, preceded by the noun ╢maids╗ (maids is the equivalent
of the third person plural pronoun they) is written correctly as a third
#person plural present tense verb form.ï╖Opens╗, preceded by the plural
#noun ╖officials╗, would be a properly written verb form in the third
#person plural present tense if the last letter ╖s╗ were removed.ïThe ╖s
#ending to the base verb form ╖open╗ indicates that there is a third per-
son singular noun or pronoun that is the subject of the verb, but
#╖officials╗ is plural.ï╖Counts╗, preceded by the plural pronoun ╖they╗,
is also incorrectly written.ïTo be a proper form of the third per-
#son plural present tense, it would have to drop the ╖s╗ ending, an end-
#ing that added to the base verb form ╖count╗ creates a third person
singular present tense form, not a third person plural present tense
verb form.
Ç B
 8.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a third per-
son plural present tense verb form?

A)ïThey climb sharp vines.
B)ïSusan has a broken toy.
C)ïMax often colors with a magic marker.
D)ïå
#ü ╢Climb╗, preceded by the third person plural pronoun ╢they╗, is a
third person plural present tense verb form.ïIn the other two sentences,
#╖has╖╗, preceded by the singular noun ╖Susan ╗(╖Susan╗ is the equivalent
#of the pronoun ╖she╗) is a third person singular present tense verb
#form.ï╖Colors╗, preceded by the singular noun ╖Max╗ (╖Max╗ is the equi-
#valent of the pronoun ╖he╗) is a third person singular present tense
verb form.
Ç A
 9.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a correctly
written second person singular present tense verb form?

A)ïAmy, you been a winner of the lottery.
B)ïFrank, you being the owner of an expensive car.
C)ïYou be the principal of this school.
D)ïå
#ü By themselves, ╖be, been,╗ and ╖being╗ are never correct forms of
the first, second, or third singular or plural present tense verbs.
#To correct ç sentences, substitute the verb form ╖are╗ for any one
of ç words.ïAll three verb forms require helping verbs in front
#of them, for example, I ╖may╗ be your partner, you ╖have╗ been too cute,
#they ╖were╗ being funny.
Ç D
ä:ïIn the sentence in the Example, underline a regular verb
in the past tense.
â:

#êêïThe policemen ╕handcuffed╗ the suspect.
éS Regular verbs are one-word verbs that in the past tense require
#an ╖ed╗ or ╖d╗ to be added to the base form of the verb.ïIt makes no
difference what kind of subject precedes a regular verb in the past
tense: a noun or a pronoun (first, second, third persons, singular or
#plural).ïThe ending on the verb will always be ╖ed╗ or ╖d╗.ïA ╖d╗ is
#added to regular verbs that end in the letter ╖e╗.ïFor example, the
#past tense of ╖retire╗ is ╖retired╗.ï╖Ed╗ is normally added to regular
#verbs that end in any letter other than ╖e.╗ïBut before that ╖ed╗ is
added, one-syllable regular verbs that end in a consonant preceded
#by a vowel double that consonant before adding ╖ed╗.ïFor example, the
#past tense of╖ hop╗ is ╖hopped╗.ïAnd two syllable regular verbs, ones
that end in a consonant prededed by a vowel and that have a heavier
stress on the second syllable than the first syllable, also double
#the last consonant before adding the ╖ed.╗ïFor example, the past tense
#of ╖refer╗ is ╖referred.╗ïA regular verb is not in the past tense if it
is preceded by one or more helping verbs.
 10.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a regular
verb in the past tense?

A)ïThe tigers were subdued by the animal trainer.
B)ïThe mountain was fortified by the enemy.
C)ïHenry flopped into bed.
D)ïå
ü
#ëAlthough there are verbs in all three sentences that end in ╖ed╗,
#only ╢flopped╗ is in the past tense.ïThe other verbs ╖subdued ╗and ╖
#╖fortified╗, because they are preceded by the helping verbs ╖were╗ and
#╖was╗, are not past tense forms of regular verbs.
Ç C
 11.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a regular
verb in the past tense?

A)ïHave you been deserted in Afghanistan?
B)ïCould you be challenged by so many tests?
C)ïI quickened my steps in the dark.
D)ïå
ü
#ë╢Quickened╗ is the past tense of the regular verb ╢quicken╗.ïThe
#other verbs (╖deserted╗ and ╖challenged╗) ending is ╖ed╗ are not past
tense forms of regular verbs because they are preceded by the help-
#ing verbs ╖have been╗ and ╖could be╗.
Ç C
 12.ïWhich one of the following regular verbs has the proper
past tense form?

A)ïoffered
B)ïprefered
C)ïgrabed
D)ïnone
#ü ╢Offered╗ is correct.ïAn ╢ed╗ is appropriately added to the base
#form of the verb ╢offer╗.ïEven though ╢offer╗ ends in a consonant pre-
#ceded by a vowel, the final ╢r╗ is not doubled because the stress is
#heavier on the first syllable (╢of╗) than the last (╢fer╗).ï╖Prefered╗
#is the incorrect past tense form of the regular verb ╖prefer╗.ïThe last
#╖r╗ must be doubled before adding the ╖ed╗: the base form of the verb
#ends in a consonant (╖r╗) preceded by a vowel (╖e╗), and the stress is
#on the second syllable.ï╖Grabed╗ is the incorrect past tense form of
#the regular verb ╖grab╗.ïThe last ╖b╗ must be doubled before adding the
#╖ed╗:the base form of the one-syllable verb that ends in a consonant
#(╖b╗) preceded by a vowel (╖a╗) automatically requires that last conso-
nant to be doubled.
Ç A
ä:ïUnderline the past tense forms of irregular verbs in the
sentence in the Example.
â:

#êêèI ╕met╗ Hank before I ╕drove╗ into town.
éS Unlike the past tense form of regular verbs, the past tense
#form of irregular verbs is not created by adding ╖d╗ or ╖ed╗ to the base
form of the verb.ïThe dictionary is the best guide to help you dis-
cover just what the past tense form of an irregular verb is.ïUnfortu-
nately there are no rules to learn, and the transformation from the
base form of an irregular verb to the past tense form is complicated.
For example, sometimes the past tense form of an irregular verb is the
#same as the base form: ╖set╗ is an irregular verb whose past tense form
#is ╖set╗.ïIn other cases, one letter is substituted for another in cre-
#ating the past tense form of an irregular verb: the ╖i╗ in ╖drive╗ is
#replaced by an ╖o╗ to create the past tense form ╖drove╗.ïOccasionally
#one letter of the base is removed and two new letters are added: ╖did╗
#is the past tense form of ╖do╗.ïOr the past tense form may be shorter
#than the base form of the verb: ╖froze╗, the past tense form of ╖freeze,
is one letter shorter than the base form.ïIt is possible that there
#will be two past tense forms of the irregular verb.ï╖Stank╗ or ╖stunk
#are both acceptable past tense forms of ╖stink╗.ïEven though regular
verbs and irregular verbs take very different forms in the past tense,
in the present tense they follow the same format, except for the
#irregular verb ╖be╗.
 13.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains the past
tense form of an irregular verb?

A)ïAbove the clouds we saw the sun.
B)ïThe river flowed over its bank.
C)ïHe received a new file cabinet yesterday.
D)ïå
ü

#ë╢Saw╗ is the past tense form of the irregular verb ╢see.ïThe other
#two verbs╖ flowed╗ and ╖received╗ are regular verbs ending in ╖ed╗.
Ç A
 14.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains an irregu-
lar verb that does not change from the basic form of the verb to
create the past tense?
A)ïThey burst into the room yesterday.
B)ïShe tore her blouse.
C)ïAndy shook his foot gently.
D)ïå
ü

#ë╢Burst╗ in the past tense doesn't change from the basic form of
#the verb╢ burst.╗ï╖Tore╗ is created from tear; ╖shook╗ is created from
shake.
Ç A
 15.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains an irregu-
lar verb in the past tense that has another past tense form?

A)ïThe sun sank behind the hills.
B)ïHe said too much about my family.
C)ïWanda stole the sandwich from the cat.
D)ïå
ü

#ë╢Sank╗ is only one of the past tense forms of the verb ╢sink: sunk
#is another one.ï╖Said╗ and ╖stole╗ do not have other past tense forms
#of the verbs ╖say╗ and ╖steal╗.
Ç A
ä:ïIn the sentence in the Example, underline the verb form
in the future tense.
â:

#êêë I ╕will╗ ╕return╗ your staple gun.
#éS The future tense of a verb is created by putting a ╖will╗ or
#╖shall╗ in front of the basic verb form of a regular or irregular verb.
Future tense verbs thus consist of only two words.ïWhether the sub-
ject of that verb is a noun or a singular or plural first, second, or
third person pronoun does not change the established pattern.ïNo
changes are made to the basic verb form, nor are changes made in the
#form of the helping verbs ╖will╗ or ╖shall╗.ïFor example, ╖I will re-
#╖turn, you will return; he, she, ╗or ╖it will return; we will return,
#╖you will return, they will return, Rose will return, Mark will re-
#╖turn, the cat will return, Hope will return╗.ïEven though there are
many situations that involve time in the future, for a verb to be in
the future tense, it must be the base form of the verb and it must be
preceded by will or shall.
 16.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a future
tense verb?

A)ïShe shall soon divide his possessions.
B)ïShe perhaps is upset about the leaky sink.
C)ïThe explorers probably left early today.
D)ïå
ü
#ë╢Shall divide╗ is the future tense form of the verb ╢divide╗.ï╖Is╗
#is a third person singular present tense verb form, and ╖left╗ is the
past tense form of the irregular verb leave.ïNotice in each sen-
tence a word that is not a verb comes between the subject and the
verb in all three tenses: soon, perhaps, and probably.
Ç A
 17.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a future
tense verb?

A)ïThe attorneys plead his case.
B)ïWill you eat the salad?
C)ïCrumbs fell onto the carpet.
D)ïå
ü

#ë╢Will eat╗ is the future tense form of the irregular verb ╢eat╗.
#╖Plead╗ is a third person plural form of the present tense regular verb
#╖plead╗, and ╖fell╗ is the past tense form of the irregular verb ╖fall╗.
Ç B
 18.ïWhich one of the following sentences contains a future
tense verb?

A)ïThe question was going to be easy.
B)ïThe auditorium could be empty tomorrow.
C)ïThe stick will not remain clean.
D)ïå
#ü ╢Will remain╗ is the future tense verb form.ïIn the other two
#sentences, future tense is indicated, (╖was going to be╗ and ╖could
#╖be╗), but the future tense is not used.ïThere are many verb groups
that indicate future tense but are not considered as part of the
#future tense.ïFor example in ╖I could╗ (or ╖can╗, or ╖would╗, or ╖
#╖might╗, or ╖may╗, or ╖should) be a surgeon╗, future time is indicated,
#but the future tense is not used.ïIn ╖I am going to be a surgeon╗,
future time is indicated, but the future tense is not used.
Ç C