Definition and Examples of Primary Verbs in English

Definition and Examples of Primary Verbs in English The primary verbs in English grammar are the verbs be, have, and do- all three of which can function as either main verbs or auxiliary verbs. Primary verbs are sometimes referred to as ​primary auxiliaries. The Different Functions of Primary Verbs To BeMargaret is a brilliant student. (lexical verb)Margaret is applying to Yale. (auxiliary verb)To HaveFrank has a good job. (lexical verb)Frank has just returned from a business trip. (auxiliary verb)To DoNana does the crossword puzzle in the Sunday paper. (lexical verb)Nana doesnt go out much anymore. (auxiliary verb) Primary Verbs as Auxiliaries In one of their uses, the primary verbs precede a main, lexical verb. When used in this way, they may be said to be functioning as auxiliary verbs within the clause. This is illustrated in (17): (17a) He is speaking to her now.(17b) I have visited my grandmother every Christmas since I was a child.(17c) You didnt eat your lunch.In simple terms, auxiliary verbs are additional verbs (or helping verbs, as EFL teachers often say). In Modern English, primary be is used as an auxiliary in either the progressive construction, illustrated in (17a), or in the passive construction, illustrated in (18):(18) She was spoken to yesterday.When used as an auxiliary, have appears in perfect constructions, as shown in (19):(19a) He has spoken to her.(19b) He had spoken to her yesterday.When used as an auxiliary, do appears in negative and interrogative constructions:(20a) I didnt speak to her yesterday.(20b) Did you speak to her yesterday? Notice that it is the job of the primary verb to carry the tense inflection for the entire verb phrase (VP), while the main verb conveys the semantic content. Primary Verbs and Modal Verbs Primary and modal verbs do not follow the same grammatical rules. In particular: Primaries have -s forms; modals do not:is has, doesPrimaries have nonfinite forms; modals do not:to be, being, been(David Crystal, Rediscover Grammar, 3rd ed. Pearson Longman, 2003)​ Be as Auxiliary of the Progressive and of the Passive [I]n a sense we can answer the question of how many primary auxiliaries there are with either four or three; the verb be does double duty as the auxiliary of the progressive and the auxiliary of the passive. Since these are quite different functions, and since it is quite easy to distinguish them, it is best to view them as two different primary auxiliaries which have the same form. It is easy to distinguish the two uses. First of all, the progressive be and the passive be are followed by different forms of the verb, ing form (be eating) and part (be eaten), respectively. Second, passive sentences have some particular characteristics: for instance, in a passive sentence you can usually have a by phrase (be eaten by a shark).Functions of DoWe often use the verb do as a stand-in auxiliary, much in the same way as we use primary and modal auxiliaries. Like primary verbs, it can function as an auxiliary or as a principal verb because it has a full verb inflectional paradigm.Do as an auxi liary verb:This! Why, father, what do you mean? This is home! [Porter]Does everybody at the academy dress like that? [Gogol] Do as a lexical verb:But that the most acceptable service of God is doing good to man. [Franklin]Sane people did what their neighbors did so that if any lunatics were at large, one might know and avoid them. [Eliot]The thick iron ferrule is worn down, so it is evident that he has done a great amount of walking with it. [Doyle] Because of the flexibility of this verb (it is also used to form questions, negatives, and for emphasis), it is important to pay close attention to how it is used. When it is used as an auxiliary, like the primary and modal verbs, it will occupy the initial position in the verb phrase, and there will always be a non-finite lexical verb to follow. When it is used as a lexical verb, it may be preceded by an auxiliary verb or simply stand alone. Sources Martin J.  Endley,  Linguistic Perspectives on English Grammar: A Guide for EFL Teachers. Information Age Publishing, 2010 Kersti Bà ¶rjars and Kate Burridge,  Introducing English Grammar, 2nd ed. Hodder, 2010 Bernard ODwyer,  Modern English Structures: Form, Function, and Position. Broadview Press, 2000

Toward the 21st century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Toward the 21st century - Essay Example More than a few educational traditions, above all the constructivist and relativist paradigms, assert ethnographic research as an applicable research method. The aspect of immigration can be seen from this aspect. (Knott, 2005) In the context if migration US has been a very popular destination in world history. However, the analogy between black immigrates' experience in the US cities and that of their white European predecessors was mainly invalid. While looking into the matter it can primary be mentioned that migration is a subject that is studied on all levels when dealing with humanity and its idiosyncrasies. In order to understand migration we must understand the various components involved in migration, including internal migration, external migration, immigration and both refugees and Internally Displaced Persons. We must attempt to understand the reasons to migrate and how laws affect the various forms of migration and if there would be solutions to this practice of migration. The objective is to study the problems, the solutions and the reasoning behind migration as a whole. In order to understand the reasons behind migration of people we must first define the various components of migration. ... lopment of the country that people are leaving, specifically GDP, the level of domestic development, and finally income and quality of life within the countries. Another two factors include how urbanized an area would be and variations in that consideration along with levels of education that would in fact be available for children across the country of origin in place of isolated areas. Occasionally, the amount of US influence on a country can either adversely or conversely affect the amount of migration. (Fletcher, 2003) Coerced and free migration is a subject David Eltis and others have pursued for a better understanding of the methods and results of such actions. This tells about how the method behind migration has changed over the centuries of humanity. According to Eltis, "all migration hinges on a cultural differential between donor and recipient societies." (Eltis, 2002, 3) This is evident in the migration between poorer and more prosperous countries and free and restricted countries as well. This alone would give reason for migration to occur. The white migration to America started quite early. British merchant ships were trading on a regular basis with North America and West Indies (after the acquisition on Virginia in 1607 and Barbados in 1625) and by the end of the 17th century , a huge number of people (apprx 350,000) managed to emigrate across the Atlantic Ocean with these very ships. These people base helped to propagate and facilitate new markets for trade and commerce from England. In 1977, the British had the largest occupation America as compared to the other leading European powers, the French and the Dutch. The British suffered a great setback when the Independence war lost 13 of its American colonies but compensated with more acquisitions by