Verb: Formation and Usage

1.   Verbs

The following section details the different forms that verbs take in English.

 

1.1.    Verb formation

As is the case in C_ATALAN, in English verbs can be formed from adjectives and nouns, eg active → activate (actiu → activar) or origin → originate. It is interesting to note that  

adjectives and nouns use the same suffixes when forming verbs.

 

1.1.1.     Verbs derived from adjectives

English uses the same suffixes to derive verbs from both adjectives and nouns. By far the most important is -ize; other important suffixes are -en, which is used almost exclusively with words of Anglo-Saxon origin (eg hard → harden), -ate (eg active → activate) and -ify (eg false → falsify).

 

 

Verbs derived from adjectives: -ize
actual → actualize	industrial → industrialize	ritual → ritualize
brutal → brutalize	initial → initialize	rural → ruralize
capital → capitalize	intellectual → intellectualize	sensual → sensualize
central → centralize	internal → internalize	sentimental → sentimentalize
civil → civilize	legal → legalize	serial → serialize
commercial → commercialize	legitimate → legitimatize	sexual → sexualize
conventional → conventionalize	local → localize	slender → slenderize
criminal → criminalize	marginal → marginalize	social → socialize
emotional → emotionalize	material → materialize	solemn → solemnize
equal → equalize	memorial → memorialize	special → specialize
eternal → eternalize	national → nationalize	sterile → sterilize
federal → federalize	natural → naturalize	tranquil → tranquillize
fertile → fertilize	neutral → neutralize	trivial → trivialize
final → finalize	penal → penalize	universal → universalize
formal → formalize	personal → personalize	urban → urbanize
general → generalize	phenomenal → phenomenalize	visual → visualize
ideal → idealize	polar → polarize	vital → vitalize
illegal → illegalize	politic → politicize	vocal → vocalize
immobile → immobilize	popular → popularize	volatile → volatilize
immortal → immortalize	random → randomize	vulgar → vulgarize
individual → individualize	rational → rationalize

 

 

Verbs derived from adjectives: -en
black → blacken	glad → gladden	slack → slacken
bright → brighten	hard → harden	smart → smarten
broad → broaden	light → lighten	smooth → smoothen
cheap → cheapen	like → liken	soft → soften
coarse → coarsen	live → liven	straight → straighten
crisp → crispen	loose → loosen	sweet → sweeten
damp → dampen	mad → madden	thick → thicken
dark → darken	moist → moisten	tight → tighten
dead → deaden	red → redden	tough → toughen
deaf → deafen	ripe → ripen	weak → weaken
deep → deepen	rough → roughen	white → whiten
fast → fasten	sad → sadden	wide → widen
fat → fatten	sharp → sharpen	worse → worsen
flat → flatten	short → shorten
fresh → freshen	sick → sicken

 

 

Verbs derived from adjectives: -ate
active → activate antique → antiquate authentic → authenticate	domestic → domesticate different → differentiate instant → instantiate	potent → potentiate invalid → invalidate valid → validate

 

 

Verbs derived from adjectives: -ify
diverse → diversify	intense → intensify	simple → simplify
false → falsify	just → justify	solid → solidify
French → Frenchify	pure → purify	vile → vilify
humid → humidify	rare → rarify

 

 

 

1.1.2.    Verbs derived from nouns

English uses the same suffixes to derive verbs from both nouns and adjectives. By far the most important is -ize: for example, colony → colonize. Other important suffixes are -en, which is used almost exclusively with words of Anglo-Saxon origin (eg strength → strengthen), -ate (eg liquid → liquidate) and -ify (eg beauty → beautify).

 

 

Verbs derived from nouns: -ize
agony → agonize	fantasy → fantasize	patron → patronize
apology → apologize	fossil → fossilize	plastic → plasticize
apostrophe → apostrophize	harmony → harmonize	pressure → pressurize
author → authorize	hospital → hospitalize	private → privatize
burglar → burglarize	human → humanize	revolution → revolutionize
capital → capitalize	ideal → idealize	rubber → rubberize
category → categorize	idol → idolize	scandal → scandalize
character → characterize	individual → individualize	sermon → sermonize
colony → colonize	irony → ironize	standard → standardize
computer → computerize	journal → journalize	style → stylize
critic → criticize	liquid → liquidize	summary → summarize
crystal → crystallize	local → localize	symbol → symbolize
custom → customize	magnet → magnetize	sympathy → sympathize
demon → demonize	material → materialize	system → systemize
digit → digitize	memory → memorize	terror → terrorize
economy → economize	miniature → miniaturize	theory → theorize
empathy → empathize	moisture → moisturize	vapour → vaporize
energy → energize	monopoly → monopolize	victim → victimize
epitome → epitomize	motor → motorize	woman → womanize

 

 

Verbs derived from nouns: -en
Christ → christen fright → frighten haste → hasten	heart → hearten height → heighten length → lengthen	strength → strengthen threat → threaten

 

 

Verbs derived from nouns: -ate
alien → alienate	granule → granulate	pollen → pollinate
assassin → assassinate	hyphen → hyphenate	pulse → pulsate
calibre → calibrate	liquid → liquidate	sulphur → sulphurate
captive → captivate	machine → machinate	syncope → syncopate
carbon → carbonate	medic → medicate	ulcer → ulcerate
chlorine → chlorinate	motive → motivate	urine → urinate
comment → commentate	orient → orientate	vaccine → vaccinate
design → designate	origin → originate	value → valuate
fluoride → fluoridate	oxygen → oxygenate

 

 

Verbs derived from nouns: -ify
acid → acidify	gas → gasify	rate → ratify
beauty → beautify	glory → glorify	sign → signify
city → citify	note → notify	speech → speechify
code → codify	object → objectify	type → typify
fort → fortify	person → personify	verse → versify

 

 

1.2.   Verb forms

English, unlike C_ATALAN, makes very little use of verbal inflections. With only one exception, all English verbs have at most five distinct forms (the exception is be, which has eight). These five forms are the infinitive, the -s form, the -ing form, the simple past and the participle.

A regular verb is one in which the simple past and participle forms are constructed by adding -ed to the bare infinitive, a construction often referred to as the -ed form. In the case of irregular verbs, the forms for the simple past and participle are given along with the infinitive in the dictionary. In the first three divisions of this section, we will study the spelling of the -s form, the -ing

form and the -ed form, and in the fourth, the verb be.

 

 

1.1.1.     The -s form

There are five possible cases to consider when writing the -s form in English.

If the infinitive ends in a sibilant, ie with a hissing sound, the suffix is written -es and pronounced  /ɪz/  (/əz/  in  AmE),  adding  a  syllable.  The  suffix  is  written  -s if  the  infinitive already ends in e.

 

Sound	Verb	-s form	Pronunciation
/s/	kiss dance	kisses dances	/ˈkɪsɪz/ /dɑːnsɪz/
/z/	cause sneeze	causes sneezes	/kɔːzɪz/ /sniːzɪz/
/tx/	watch	watches	/wɒtʃɪz/
/dʒ/	change	changes	/tʃeɪndʒɪz/
/ʃ/	finish	finishes	/ˈfɪnɪʃɪz/
/ks/	mix	mixes	/mɪksɪz/

 

If the infinitive ends in a nonsibilant, unvoiced sound, the suffix is pronounced /s/ and written -s. Examples:

 

 

Sound	Verb   check	-s form   checks	Pronunciation   /tʃɛks/
/k/
/f/	loaf	loafs	/ləʊfs/
/p/	stop	stops	/stɒps/
/tʃ/	chat	chats	/tʃats/

 

 

If the infinitive ends in a nonsibilant, voiced sound or a vowel, the suffix is pronounced

/z/ and written -s. Examples:

 

 

Sound	Verb   rob	-s form   robs	Pronunciation   /rɒbz/
/b/
/d/	fold	folds	/fəʊldz/
/g/	hug	hugs	/hʌgz/
/l/	call	calls	/kɔːlz/
/m/	seem	seems	/siːmz/
/n/	plan	plans	/planz/
/r/	stir	stirs	/stəːz/
/v/	live	lives	/lɪvz/
/əʊ/	snow	snows	/snəʊz/

 

 

If the infinitive ends in consonant + y, the y is replaced by i and the suffix is written -es. If the infinitive ends in vowel + y, no change is made.

 

 

 

Verbs ending in consonant + y	-s form	Pronunciation
try	tries	/trʌɪz/
reply	replies	/rɪˈplʌɪz/

 

 

Verbs ending in vowel + y	-s form	Pronunciation
play	plays	/pleɪz/
obey	obeys	/ə(ʊ)ˈbeɪz/

 

 

There are three verbs in English whose -s forms are spelled irregularly:

 

 

Verb	-s form	Pronunciation
have	has	/haz/
do	does	/dʌz/
go	goes	/ɡəʊz/

 

 

 

 

1.1.2.    The -ing form

The English -ing form is always pronounced /iŋ/. There are, however, three orthographic changes to consider.

If the infinitive ends in consonant + vowel + consonant and the stress falls on the final syllable, the final consonant is doubled.

 

 

 

Verb	-ing form	Pronunciation
rob	robbing	/rɒbiŋ/
drag	dragging	/dragiŋ/
plan	planning	/planɪŋ/
drop	dropping	/drɒpiŋ/
chat	chatting	/tʃatiŋ/
begin	beginning	/bɪˈgɪnɪŋ/
admit	admitting	/ədˈmɪtiŋ/

 

 

It is good to keep in mind that the final consonant is not doubled if it is preceded by two vowels – for example, rain → raining – nor is it doubled if the stress doesn’t fall on the final syllable: open → opening. An exception to this last rule is that, in BrE, a final l is doubled even if the stress doesn’t fall on the final syllable: eg travel → travelling.

 

If the infinitive ends in -ie, these two vowels are replaced by y before adding the suffix.

 

 

 

Verb	-ing form	Pronunciation
tie	tying	/tʌɪɪŋ/
lie	lying	/lʌɪɪŋ/
die	dying	/dʌɪɪŋ/

 

 

Remember too that all infinitives ending in -y form their -ing forms regularly: eg study →

studying, reply → replying, play → playing, etc.

If the infinitive ends in a silent e, this letter is dropped before the -ing suffix.

 

 

 

Verb	-ing form	Pronunciation
close	closing	/kləʊziŋ/
come	coming	/kʌmɪŋ/

 

 

However, if the infinitive ends in -ee or -oe, the final e is not dropped.

 

 

Verb	-ing form	Pronunciation
agree	agreeing	/əˈgriːiŋ/
canoe	canoeing	/kəˈnuːiŋ/

 

 

1.1.3.    The -ed form

For regular English verbs, the simple past and participle form are constructed adding the suffix -ed to the bare infinitive. There are five possible cases to consider when writing the

-ed form in English.

If the infinitive ends in the sounds /t/ or /d/, the suffix is pronounced /ɛd/ (in AmE,

/ɪd/) and a syllable is added.

 

 

 

Sound	Verb	-ed form	Pronunciation
/t/	count vote	counted voted	/kaʊntɛd/ /vəʊtɛd/
/d/	fold concede	folded conceded	/fəʊldɛd/ /kənˈsiːdɛd/

 

If the infinitive ends in an unvoiced sound (except /t/), the suffix is pronounced /t/.

 

 

 

Sound	Verb   smoke	-ed form   smoked	Pronunciation   /sməʊkt/
/k/
/f/	loaf	loafed	/ləʊft/
/p/	jump	jumped	/dʒʌmpt/
/s/	kiss dance	kissed danced	/kɪst/ /dɑːnst/
/tʃ/	watch	watched	/wɒtʃt/
/ʃ/	finish	finished	/ˈfɪnɪʃt/
/ks/	mix	mixed	/mɪkst/

 

 

If the infinitive ends in a voiced sound (except /d/) or a vowel, the suffix is pronounced /d/.

 

 

 

Sound	Verb   rob	-ed form   robbed	Pronunciation   /rɒbd/
/b/
/g/	hug	hugged	/hʌgd/
/l/	call	called	/kɔːld/
/m/	seem	seemed	/si:md/
/n/	plan	planned	/pland/
/r/	stir	stirred	/stəːd/
/v/	live	lived	/lɪvd/
/z/	use sneeze	used sneezed	/juːzd/ /sniːzd/
/dʒ/	judge	judged	/dʒʌdʒd/
/əʊ/	snow	snowed	/snəʊd/

 

If the infinitive ends in consonant + y, the y is replaced by i and the suffix is written -ed. If the infinitive ends in vowel + y, no change is made.

 

 

Verbs ending in consonant + y	-ed form	Pronunciation
try	tried	/trʌɪd/
reply	replied	/rɪˈplʌɪd/

 

 

Verbs ending in vowel + y	-ed form	Pronunciation
play	played	/pleɪd/
obey	obeyed	/ə(ʊ)ˈbeɪd/

 

 

If the infinitive ends in consonant + vowel + consonant and the stress falls on the final syllable, the final consonant is doubled.

 

 

Verb	-ed form	Pronunciation
rob	robbed	/rɒbd/
drag	dragged	/dragd/
plan	planned	/pland/
drop	dropped	/drɒpt/
chat	chatted	/tʃatɪd/
admit	admitted	/ədˈmɪtɪd/

 

 

It is good to keep in mind that the final consonant is not doubled if it is preceded by two vowels – for example, rain → rained – nor is it doubled if the stress doesn’t fall on the final syllable – eg open → opened. An exception to this last rule is that, in BrE, a final l is doubled 

even if the stress doesn’t fall on the final syllable – eg travel → travelled.

 

 

1.1.1.     The verb be

The verb be is the only verb in English that has more than five forms; it actually has eight: Bare infinitive: be

Present forms: am, is and are

-ing form: being

Forms of simple past: was and were

Participle: been

 

Unlike other verbs, the verb be doesn’t use the bare infinitive in the present indicative tense, rather it uses three special forms: am, are and is. It is good to keep in mind that, unlike C_ATALAN, English doesn’t distinguish between ser and estar. For example, the expressions sóc alt and estic cansat are translated by I am tall and I am tired.

 

 

 

The verb be is also unique in that it has two forms in the simple past: was and were. Those persons that use are in the present – we, you and they – use were in the past; the others – I, he, she and it – use was. It is useful to remember that the simple past of the English verb be translates four different expressions in C_ATALAN: for example, vaig ser, vaig estar, era and estava are all translated: I was.

 

 

Past simple tense of be
Person	Singular	Plural
1st	I was	we were
2nd	you were	you were
3rd	he/she/it was	they were

 

 

1.2.   Verb contractions

The following English auxiliary verbs can be contracted with personal pronouns:

am, are, is have, has, had will, would

 

Singular	Plural
I’m, I’ve, I’d, I’ll	we’re, we’ve, we’d, we’ll
you’re, you’ve, you’d, you’ll	you’re, you’ve, you’d, you’ll
he’s, he’d, he’ll	they’re, they’ve, they’d, they’ll
she’s, she’d, she’ll
it’s, it’d, it’ll

 

(For more details, see Sy 2.4.)

 

A much larger number of auxiliary verbs can be contracted with the adverb not.

 

 

Contraction of auxiliary verbs with not
are not → aren’t	had not → hadn’t	cannot → can’t
is not → isn’t	do not → don’t	could not → couldn’t
was not → wasn’t	does not → doesn’t	must not → mustn’t
were not → weren’t	did not → didn’t	need not → needn’t
have not → haven’t	will not → won’t	should not → shouldn’t
has not → hasn’t	would not → wouldn’t

 

Note that am is the exception; it cannot be contracted with not.