The category of person and number

The expression of the category of person is only expressed in singular form of the verb in the present tense of the indicative mood and besides is very singularly presented in the future tense.

In the present tense the expression of the category of person is divided into peculiar subsystems (Bloch):

1. Includes the modal verbs that have no personal inflexions (the category of person is neutralized with these verbs)

2. Is made by the unique verbal lexeme “be”

3. Presents regular normal expression of person (ending ‘s or ‘es’)

As for the category of number, it is hardly presented in English finite verbs from the formally morphemic point of view.

The category of tense

The category of tense is a verbal category that reflects the objective category of time.

The tense category is realized through the opposition: present – past.

A lot of scholars don’t recognize the existence of Future tenses as what is described as the future tense in English is realized by means of auxiliary verbs “will” and “shall”.

Bloch: 2 tenses:

• Primary time (present and past opposition)

• Prospective time (future – non-future opposition)

Ilyish: 3 tenses:

• Present

• Past

• Future

The category of voice

The form of the verb may show whether the agent expressed by the subject is the doer of the action or the recipient of the action.

The category of voice is realized through the opposition: Active – Passive.

Some scholars admit the existence of middle, reflexive and reciprocal.

Middle voice, ex.: the book sells easily.

Reflexive voice, ex.: He dressed.

Reciprocal voice, ex.: They kissed each other.

The category of aspect

It is a linguistic representation of the objective category of manner of action.

It is realized through the opposition continuous – non-continuous, progressive – non-progressive.

The realization of the category of aspect is connected with lexical meaning of verbs.

The category of time correlation

It is realized through the opposition perfect-non-perfect (moment of speech!).

The problem is connected with the realization of this category in the form of the verb.

The word group (phrase, word combination)

A classical word group:

• is a non-predicative unit, because a word group doesn’t carry predication

• is a static explanation

• has no intonation of its own.

• is a means of naming some phenomena or process

• each component of a phrase can undergo grammatical changes in accordance with grammatical categories without destroying the unity of the phrase

There are 2 understandings of the term phrase:

A phrase is a combination of two or more notional words connected by means of subordination: e.g. cold weather.

A phrase is a combination of 2 or more notional words, connected by means of subordination, coordination and predicative relation if it cannot function as a sentence: mother and father.

1. According to the morphological status of its components:

1) the type “N + N” is a most usual type of phrase in modern English.

2) the type “Adj. + N” is used to express all possible kinds of things with their properties.

3) type “V + N” may correspond to two different types of relation between an action and a thing.

4) in similar way other types of phrases should be analyzed: “V + Adv.”, “Adv. + Adj.”, “Adv. + Adv.”, “N + Prep. + N”, “Adj. + Prep. + N”, “V + Prep. + N”.

2. According to the type of connection (syntactic relations between the components): agreement (concord), government, adjoinment, enclosure