Using English

24 Jan

Verbals - The ing form used as an adjective

VERBALS

Verbals are forms of the verb used as nouns, adjectives, and adverbs.  The –ing form of the verb is used as a noun or an adjective.   The past participle is used as an adjective. The infinitive is used as a noun, adjective or an adverb.

The –ING form used as an adjective.

 

a)     Attributive (preceding the noun)

 A rapidly growing population is one of our problems.
The idea of an expanding universe is new.
The aircraft engine makes a humming noise. 
 

b) Predicate Adjective (following the linking verb)

 The show was exciting.
Your story is very interesting.
Aviation is fascinating.

 

c) Appositive Adjective

The students, working fast, soon finished their assignments.
The waiter gave the drink to the girl sitting at the table.
The airplane taxiing on the runway is ready take of.
Jack is the boy sitting over there.

24 Jan

Verbals - The Ing form used as a noun

Verbals

 Verbals are forms of the verb used as nouns, adjectives, and adverbs.  The –ing form of the verb is used as a noun or an adjective.   The past participle is used as an adjective. The infinitive is used as a noun, adjective or an adverb.  

The –ING form used as a noun (Gerund). 

a)     Subject

Writing is considered an art.
Constant smoking is harmful.
Traveling alone is not much fun.  
 

 b)     Object of the verb

I like reading.
He dislikes flying alone.
The student considered buying a car.
  

c)      Object of a preposition

He left without telling me where he was going.
After eating his supper, he left for the movies.
The t-37 is used for training pilots. 
 

d)     Object of a Verb –Preposition compound

He believes in studying every day.
She objected to doing her homework.
He is looking forward to seeing his old friend. 
 

e)     In apposition

He likes his work, flying jets.
His hobby, collecting stamps, is interesting.
The students had several interests: taking pictures, reading books, playing football.

f)        Predicate noun

His work is driving trucks.
Her hobby was painting pictures.
John’s favorite sport is boxing.
22 Jan

Two Word Verbs II

Transitive vs Intransitive

TRANSITIVE BOTH INTRANSITIVE
Always has an object may or may not have an object never has an object

 a. Inseparable two-word verbs are those whose objects never occur between the two parts off the verb.  

Professor Rodriguez called on the Allens last week.
George’s father got over his illness by spring.  

b. Separable two-word verbs permit the object between the two parts in certain cases and require it there in others:1. Short noun objects are not modified by a phrase or a clause may occur between the two parts of the verb or after the second part.  Professor Rodriguez called his secretary up.Professor Rodriguez called up his secretary.  2. Long noun objects including phrases or clauses never split the two word verb.  They occur after it.

Professor Rodriguez called up the lady who works in his office.  

3. Pronoun objects always occur between the two parts of a separable two-word verb.Professor Rodriguez called her up. 

SCOPE OF THE TWO WORD VERBS

These is a large number of two word verbs in English, no one knows how many they are.  They are more common in speech than in writing, but some of them occur regularly in writing as there is no other natural way of expressing the same meanings. British and American two-word verbs differ rather more than other vocabulary items, and this fact sometimes leads to some very amusing misinterpretations.

22 Jan

Two Word Verbs I

Since there is a large number of Two word verbs (verb and preposition / adverb combination), which makes the non-native speakers misunderstand their meanings, this Website is designed as a reference to help advanced students of English as a foreign language increase their vocabulary by giving them the expressions, their definitions, and the illustrative sentences. Students are encouraged to study and review the illustrations and use the expressions as often as situations allow, keeping in mind, however, that most of these expressions are used in spoken English.

SPECIAL CONSTRUCTIONS AND LANGUAGE USAGE

In the development of Modern English, certain prepositions (adverbs) have come to be closely and habitually associated with certain verbs, which somehow change the meaning of the verbs. The two words together function as a single verb in a sentence pattern and have a single meaning different from the individual meanings of the two parts, these combinations are often called TWO-WORD VERBS, i.e. get up- means to arise from bed. Though they are not to be found in all dictionaries, some of them are very important in conversational English and need to be learned and practiced.