What are the two main types of inflectional forms that English verbs can have?
English verbs generally have six different inflectional forms, which are distinguished into primary forms and secondary forms.
What is the difference between ‘form’ and ‘shape’ in grammar?
Form is an abstract concept marking a grammatical process. Shape is the concrete item realized in spelling/pronunciation. Different forms can have the same shape (syncretism).
What are the three primary verb forms, and what are their key characteristics?
Preterite, 3rd singular present, and plain present. They show tense, can be the only verb in a canonical clause, and always require a subject.
What are the three secondary verb forms, and what are their key characteristics?
Plain form, gerund-participle, and past participle. They are not marked for tense, cannot be the only verb in a canonical clause, and may occur with or without a subject.
What is the distinction between ‘tense’ and ‘time’ in English grammar?
Tense is a grammatical category marked by verb forms. Time reference is a semantic concept. Tense does not always align with time reference.
How are primary tenses formed in English, and what are they?
Primary tenses (present and preterite) are expressed by inflection of the verb alone, without auxiliary verbs.
What are some common uses of the present tense beyond referring to actions happening right now?
Used for instantaneous present, universal truths, habitual actions, scheduled future events, future in subordinate clauses, and historic present.
What are some uses of the preterite tense beyond referring to events in the past?
Used for modal remoteness or counterfactuality, and backshift in indirect/reported speech or thought.
How are secondary tenses (perfect tenses) formed, and what auxiliary verb is always involved?
Formed by combining a primary form of ‘have’ with the past participle of another verb.
What is a key difference in time reference between the present perfect and the preterite?
Present perfect implies current relevance; preterite simply locates the situation in the past.
How is the preterite or past perfect tense formed, and what is its primary use?
Formed with ‘had’ + past participle. Used to locate an event in the past relative to another past time.
What is the primary function of aspect in verbs, contrasting with tense?
Aspect describes the temporal structure of actions, such as completeness or ongoing nature, rather than locating them in time.
How is the progressive aspect formed in English?
Formed with a form of ‘be’ and the gerund-participle of a lexical verb.
What are the two main interpretations typically conveyed by clauses in the progressive aspect?
They show the action as in progress, with duration, and dynamic rather than static.
What is the general rule regarding clauses headed by verbs in secondary forms in terms of finiteness and subordination?
They are typically non-finite and subordinate, except in imperatives and subjunctives.
What are the three syntactically distinct constructions where the plain form functions as a predicator?
Imperative clauses, subjunctive constructions, and infinitival constructions (to-infinitivals and bare infinitivals).
What is the typical complement licensed by prototypical modal auxiliary verbs and auxiliary ‘do’?
They take bare infinitival VP-complements.
What are some common functions of a gerund participial VP?
Used as VP-complement of ‘be’, VP-complement of lexical verbs, adjunct, or subject of a clause.
What are the primary uses of the past participle verb form?
Used as VP-complement of ‘have’ or ‘be’, as an adjunct, or as a noun modifier.
What are the three types of constellations that define a finite clause?
Primary verb form, plain form in an imperative, or plain form in a subjunctive construction.
What are the defining characteristics of non-finite clauses?
They are always subordinate, may lack a subject, and are headed by secondary verb forms.
Why might the terms ‘VP’ and ‘clause’ be used interchangeably for some non-finite clauses, but not for finite clauses with subjects?
In subjectless non-finite clauses, the VP represents the full clause. In clauses with a subject, the clause consists of subject + predicate.
