Erik Smitterberg ([email protected])
Dept. of English, Uppsala University
A1/T1/HS1 Grammar
Autumn/Fall Term 2015
Lecture 6. Verbs and Verb Phrases II
1 Tense Forms in English

The present tense:
o
Typically refers to the present time (including e.g. timeless truths and habits),
not to the past or the future.
o
Displays subject–verb agreement (except modal auxiliaries).
o
In some expressions, the English present tense corresponds to the Swedish
past tense (e.g. This tastes really good vs. Det här smakade jättegott).
o
In I forget and I hear, the English present tense corresponds to the Swedish
present perfect (e.g. I forget the name of the singer, but I hear that she’s good vs.
Jag har glömt namnet på sångerskan, men jag har hört att hon är bra).

The past tense:
o
Often refers to something that happened at or during a specific time in the past
with little connection to the present (e.g. I worked at Swedbank for two years
‘… but I don’t anymore’).
o
Displays subject–verb agreement only with the verb to be (was vs. were).
o
May express politeness with modals and in a few other expressions.
o
The English past tense corresponds to the Swedish present tense after it is
(/about/high/) time (e.g. It’s time we sold our car vs. Det är dags att vi säljer vår bil
– the present tense is not possible in Standard English) and in some passive
expressions (e.g. Where were you born? vs. Var är du född?).
o
The English past tense corresponds to the Swedish present perfect (or the
Swedish past tense) about some finished actions in the past (e.g. Who wrote
Wuthering Heights? vs. Vem /skrev/har skrivit/ Svindlande höjder?).

The present perfect and the past perfect:
o
The present perfect:

Often refers to something that happened in the past with a connection to
the present (e.g. I have worked at Swedbank for two years ‘… and I still
do’).

The English present perfect corresponds to the Swedish present tense (or
the Swedish present perfect) with many constructions including for and
since (e.g. We have lived in Uppsala since 2003 vs. Vi /bor/har bott/ i
Uppsala sedan 2003).

The English present perfect corresponds to the Swedish present tense
after the expression the [ordinal numeral] time (e.g. This is the second time
I’ve taken this course vs. Det här är andra gången jag tar den här kursen).
1
Erik Smitterberg ([email protected])
Dept. of English, Uppsala University
o
o
A1/T1/HS1 Grammar
Autumn/Fall Term 2015
The past perfect:

Often describes something taking place before another past event.

Occurs in indirect speech corresponding to the past tense or to the
present perfect in direct speech (e.g. She said, “I have ordered the tickets”
vs. She said that she had ordered the tickets).

Is used in if-clauses in third-conditional constructions.
NOTE. Unlike Swedish, English cannot leave out present perfect and past
perfect auxiliaries in dependent clauses (e.g. Han sade att han [hade] sett henne
vs. He said that he had seen her).

Expressions of future:
o
Shall/will + infinitive (shall mostly in BrE with 1st-person subjects): the most
frequent option (e.g. We will move next month). Used in main clauses in firstconditional constructions.
o
Be going to + infinitive (e.g. We are going to move next month): less formal, and
is often used about the near future.
o
The present progressive: used primarily with movement verbs (e.g. We are
moving next month).
o
Shall/will + present progressive: used about something which will happen at a
specific point in time or which is unavoidable (e.g. I will be arriving at 17.30).
o
/Be to/be supposed to/be due to/ + infinitive: used about plans (e.g. The match is
supposed to start at 4 p.m.).

Be to + infinitive and be supposed to + infinitive can be used in orders or
instructions (e.g. If you leave the camp, you are supposed to tell me first).

Be to + infinitive is often used in conditional clauses for Swedish Om (det
är meningen att) X ska … (e.g. We will have to work faster if we are to be
ready by lunchtime).
o
Be (just) about to + infinitive, be on the verge of + -ing: immediate future (e.g. I
was just about to call you, and here you are!).
o
The present tense: used about the future much more rarely in English than in
Swedish!

May be used for things that are decided in advance (e.g. The match starts
at 4 p.m.).

Must be used where Swedish has the present tense (i) in conditional
clauses and (ii) in clauses of time – but not in the main clause (e.g.
/If/When/ you help me with my tax returns, I will buy you dinner).

The future perfect:
o
Used about an event that will have been completed in the future.
o
Swedish can use the present perfect or kommer att ha + verb; English can only
use will have + past participle (e.g. When you read this letter, I will have arrived
in London vs. … har jag anlänt … or … kommer jag att ha anlänt …).
2
Erik Smitterberg ([email protected])
Dept. of English, Uppsala University
A1/T1/HS1 Grammar
Autumn/Fall Term 2015

The future-in-the-past: the future seen from a point in the past. Expressions of future
are used in the past tense (e.g. They said that they were going to move next month).

The conditional:
o
States what (i) will happen, (ii) would happen, or (iii) would have happened
if a condition (i) is, (ii) was, or (iii) had been fulfilled.
o
The first conditional: the present tense in the conditional clause, will +
infinitive in the main clause (e.g. If you practise more, you will beat him).

Problem: in Swedish, the present tense can be used in the main clause
(e.g. Om du övar mer /slår du/kommer du att slå/ honom). English requires
will + infinitive.
o
The second conditional: the past tense in the conditional clause, would +
infinitive in the main clause (e.g. If you practised more, you would beat him).
o
The third conditional: the past perfect in the conditional clause, would have +
past participle in the main clause (e.g. If you had practised more, you would
have beaten him).

Problems:

In Swedish, either the past perfect or skulle ha + verb can be used
in the main clause (e.g. Om du hade övat mer /hade du/skulle du ha/
slagit honom); English requires would have + past participle.

In Swedish, the auxiliary hade can be omitted from the conditional
clause (e.g. Om du [hade] övat mer …); had + past participle is
required in English.

Some speakers use would have + past participle in the conditional
clause as well (e.g. If you would have practised more, you would
have beaten him); this is not fully accepted in Standard English.
o
NOTE 1. In Swedish, inversion can be used instead of a subordinator in the
conditional clause (e.g. /Om du ansträngde dig mer/Ansträngde du dig mer/
skulle du vinna fler tävlingar); this is only possible with had, were, and should in
English.
o
NOTE 2. A condition can be stated in other ways than by a full conditional
clause (e.g. In that case, you would have succeeded).
2 Aspect

The progressive (be + -ing) can occur in all tense forms described above, and in the
passive (e.g. The proposal was being discussed when Anthony interrupted the meeting). It
typically describes something that is, was, has been, will be, would have been, etc.
going on at some point in the past, present (‘now’) or future:
3
Erik Smitterberg ([email protected])
Dept. of English, Uppsala University
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

A1/T1/HS1 Grammar
Autumn/Fall Term 2015
Ongoing action (e.g. I’m making sandwiches – can I call you back?).

But the simple form is used with habits (e.g. I make sandwiches every day).
Simultaneous action where one thing is going on in the background when
something else happens (e.g. I was making sandwiches when the phone rang).

But the simple form is used when one thing happens after another (e.g. I
made sandwiches when the kids came home from school).
Something going on for a limited period of time, which is often unfinished
(e.g. I was reading a new novel last night ‘… and I have not finished it’ vs. I read
a new novel last night ‘… and finished it’). The action does not have to go on all
the time (e.g. I am studying English this term).
Something that is temporary rather than permanent (e.g. They are living in
London ‘but may move soon’ vs. They live in London ‘permanently’).
Something that is undergoing change (e.g. The weather is getting better).
Habits etc. that are annoying (with always, constantly, etc.) (e.g. You are always
complaining about the weather ‘and it annoys me’ vs. neutral statement You
always complain about the weather with the simple form).
To express politeness (e.g. I was thinking I might stay at your place).
The progressive is usually not used with:
o
Stative verbs (e.g. *The box is containing ten litres).

Many stative verbs do occur in the progressive (see section 5.5.4 in UGE),
with meanings related to fields such as “action” (e.g. He is friendly
‘permanent characteristic’ vs. He is being friendly ‘temporary behaviour’)
and change (e.g. She is resembling her sister more and more). But there
should be a reason for using a progressive with a stative verb!
o
Things that happen as a rule:

Neutral habits (e.g. I usually take the Oxford road).

Timeless truths (e.g. Oil floats on water; Whenever I try to speak up, I
become shy).
o
Immediate actions, such as:

Demonstrations (e.g. I take a spoonful of sugar, …).

Commentary (e.g. He shoots – he scores!).

Most actions that are performed by saying them (e.g. You cannot go to the
party – I forbid you).
o
Imperative verb phrases.
o
NOTE 1. Do not overuse the progressive – there should be a reason for using it.
o
NOTE 2. See above for the progressive and the simple form referring to the
future; see section 5.5 in UGE for more details on the choice between the
simple form and the progressive.
4
Erik Smitterberg ([email protected])
Dept. of English, Uppsala University
A1/T1/HS1 Grammar
Autumn/Fall Term 2015
3 Mood

The indicative is the “normal”, factual mood.

The imperative is used for orders, requests, etc.
o
The imperative is identical with the infinitive.
o
It is the only finite construction that usually lacks a subject: Ø Wait for me!

The subjunctive:
o
The subjunctive is used for some events that have not taken place; it does not
display subject–verb agreement.
o
The mandative and formulaic subjunctives:

Identical with the infinitive; only different from the indicative in the 3rd
person singular – except with the verb to be!

The mandative subjunctive:

Occurs in that-clauses after certain triggering expressions listed in
UGE (section 5.2.2.5) (e.g. It is essential that he resign).

Can be replaced with should + infinitive especially in BrE (e.g. It is
essential that he should resign).

There is no tense difference in the that-clause, and should = both
ska(ll) and skulle here:
o
I demand /that he pay/that he should pay/ for the window ‘Jag
kräver att han /betalar/skall betala/ för fönstret’.
o
I demanded /that he pay/that he should pay/ for the window
‘Jag krävde att han skulle betala för fönstret’.

Not comes before the mandative subjunctive (but after should)
(e.g. I suggest /that she not attend the class/that she should not
attend the class/).

NOTE. Using the indicative after triggering expressions is not
accepted in written Standard English.

The formulaic subjunctive is used in a few fixed expressions (e.g. If it be
your will).
o
The past subjunctive:

Occurs only with the verb to be: were in all persons.

Used in some clauses beginning with if, as if, though, and as though (e.g.
He walked into my office as if he were the manager) and in some expressions
of wishes and conditions (e.g. I wish I were a carpenter).

The indicative is an informal alternative in many cases (e.g. … as if he
was the manager), but the past subjunctive is obligatory in the phrases if I
were you and as it were.
5
Erik Smitterberg ([email protected])
Dept. of English, Uppsala University
A1/T1/HS1 Grammar
Autumn/Fall Term 2015
4 Verb Complementation

Some verb phrases are followed by other verb phrases; the second verb phrase is a
complement of the first one.
o
The form of the complement depends on the main verb of the first verb phrase
(and, sometimes, on the meaning of the sentence).

NOTE. Swedes often use infinitives where -ing forms are necessary,
because the -ing form is not an option in Swedish.
o
It is necessary to know which of the possible complements a given main verb
takes (see the lists in section 5.7 in UGE):

A to-infinitive is the most frequent option (e.g. I learned to swim last
summer).

An object + a to-infinitive (e.g. I asked her to help me).

NOTE. Jag vill att föreläsningen ska(ll) ta slut nu = I want the
lecture to end now.

A bare infinitive (i.e. no to):

With an object before the infinitive (e.g. I made him return the book;
cf. Jag fick honom att lämna tillbaka boken).

Without an object (e.g. I would rather swim than sink).

A verb in the -ing form (e.g. I dislike criticizing my colleagues).

An object + a verb in the -ing form (e.g. Your e-mail kept me thinking about
her).

Either a to-infinitive or an -ing form, with the same meaning (e.g. I love to
study grammar or I love studying grammar).

NOTE. Only a to-infinitive is possible after would like, would hate,
would prefer, and would love (e.g. I would love to study grammar).

Either a to-infinitive or an -ing form with different meanings (e.g. We
went on to work on the problem ‘Vi övergick till att arbeta med problemet’
vs. We went on working on the problem ‘Vi fortsatte att arbeta med
problemet’).

Either an object + a bare infinitive or an object + an -ing form (e.g. I
watched Pete Sampras beat Andre Agassi in three straight sets or I watched
Pete Sampras beating Andre Agassi in three straight sets).

NOTE. With these constructions, the -ing form often implies that
only part of the event was seen, heard, etc.
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