Grammar

 

Verbals Syntax

 

 

Part I. VERBALS

 

1. Verbals: Forms and Types

 

Exercise 1.1. Write the ing-form of the following verbs. Recollect the corresponding rules.

 

to paint to rest to dance to fade to age to singe to free to tiptoe to dye to die to tie to dip to trot to box to row to play to cry to bar to drag to admit to compel

to control to distil to excel to confer to deter to incur to occur to refer to transfer to handicap to cancel to travel to dial to equal to hiccup to kidnap to worship to program to mimic to panic

 

 

Exercise 1.2. Write the past participle form of the following verbs. Recollect the corresponding rules.

 

to gain to watch to discard to fade to free to dye to tiptoe to tie to die to cry to stay to beg to chat to cram to blur to instil to propel to equip to handicap to duel to enrol to worship

to mimic to panic to arise to bite to cast to lay to lie to lie to relay to relay to burn to spell to hang to light to fit to get to oversee to baby-sit

 

 

Exercise 1.3. Write all the possible forms of the infinitive, ing-form and past participle for the verbs TO SHAKE, TO COME, TO WANT.

 

	TO SHAKE	TO COME	TO WANT
Infinitive
Ing-form
past participle

 

Exercise 1.4. Use one of the infinitives in brackets, give two variants where possible and explain the difference.

 

1. 1.       But one demand he returned to again and again. He wanted (to make, to be made) a producer tomorrow.

2. 2.       I really do believe I'll be able (to sleep, to be sleeping) tonight.

3. 3.       The puzzle seemed (to fit, to be fitting) itself together piece by piece.

4. 4.       Behind the cupboard door there was a long list of rules, ending with: "No nails (to drive, to be driven) into walls."

5. 5.       You might (to change, to have changed) your mind about them.

6. 6.       I was dropping with fatigue and would (to give, to have given) anything not (to go, to be going) out.

7. 7.       Something seemed (to amuse, to be amusing) her immensely.

8. 8.       His red cheeks seemed (to fall, to have fallen) in and he looked a positive wreck of his usual jolly, healthy self.

9. 9.       And Evant was supposed (to be devoted, to have been devoted) to his master.

10. 10.   He wished Chilla was still there, and he could (to point, to have pointed) her out to him.

11. 11.   A great weight seemed (to roll, to have rolled) off my mind.

12. 12.   And then, by the sound of his voice, she knew that they should (to go, to be going).

 

Exercise 1.5. Mark which of the following features are characteristic of Gerund, Participle, or Verbal Noun.

 

Feature	G	P	N	E.g.
can be used with an article				a good brushing
can have plural forms				his likings
takes an OF-object				the first hearing of the law
can be modified by an adjective				a severe scolding
can be modified by a possessive noun / pronoun				his feeling of fear
can take a direct object				His feeling fear made me nervous, too.
Can be preceded by a preposition				by opening the door
can be used as a subject				Learning is hard.
Can be used as an object				to study gardening
can be used as a predicative				Seeing is believing.
Can be used as an attribute with prepositions only				chance of marrying him
can be used as an adverbial modifier with prepositions only				on coming home
can be used as part of a compound noun				a dancing hall a dancing girl
can be used as an attribute without prepositions only				the stars twinkling in the sky
can be used as an adverbial modifier without prepositions only, or after the conjunctions WHEN and WHILE				having come home, when approaching her

 

Exercise 1.6. State whether the ing-form is a participle, a gerund or a verbal noun. Give your reasons.

 

1. Here I am, trying to pour out my soul to you, and you keep interrupting me with questions...

2. "Are you making a good living?" I asked, smiling.

3. For a while the two women sat still, waiting for the doctor's coming and Lisa lay gazing vacantly at the wall...

4. As he approached his house he was conscious of the rapid beating of his heart.

5. Anyhow he had enough to live in what he considered was the proper style for a gentleman without trying to earn money...

6. "Oh," cried Sally, seeing the advertisement of a play being acted at the neighboring theatre.

7. At that moment... Freddie Hampton arrived, leaping from his taxi and entering the hotel with a page boy carrying his golf clubs behind him.

8. I say, I wonder if you mind coming to see me.

9. I imagined him with his little legs trying to keep up with her. Panting a little in his haste he told her how miserable he was.

10. Martin Wyde came down from the hotel and stood watching and listening to the music - squeaky fiddles and deep trombones - young singing voices and clapping hands.

11. It appeared that the night-porter had been roused by the ringing of the telephone from Miss King's room, but on listening could get no one to speak.

12. And she couldn't help being sorry for Winifred.