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The Forms of "To Do" TO DO: I do do I? you do do you? she does does she? we do do we? they do do they? The Future Progressive Tense The future progressive tense refers to an action that will be underway at a particular time in the future. When used in conjunction with when + a present tense, the future progressive action will precede the present tense in time and may continue after it: --The clerk will be weighing the bananas when you return. TENSE FORMATION (Future Progressive) Simply put the helping verb (a form of to be) into the future tense and use the -ing form of the main verb: --We buy groceries. -->We will be buying groceries. If.... Then Constructions A frequent pattern in English is the use of constructions with if followed by a clause of result (then, either stated or implied): --If you take Interstate 85, (then) you'll get there faster. In this kind of sentence the if clause introduces a hypothetical statement. When the if clause is in the present tense, the result (then) clause is in the future: --If it becomes (present) any hotter, we'll have to go (future) swimming. --I'll send (future) you some money, if you need it (present). Now you have seen the if (present tense), then (future tense) pattern. Here are two other sequences: -- If (past tense), then (conditional tense) -- If (past perfect), then (past conditional) --If I had (past) more time, I would read (conditional) this book. --They would have won (past conditional) the race, if they had run (past perfect) faster. NOTE: When you use the verb to be after if, were not was is the preferred form: --If he were younger, he would ski every day. Imperatives (The Command Form) It is simple to use the imperative or command form in English. When a command is directed at someone else, use the you form of the simple present tense: --You take the elevator. -->Take the elevator. (Simply drop the subject you.) If the command includes you and others, use the we form: --We take our luggage. -->Let's take the luggage. (Drop the subject we and add let's [let us].) Interrogatives in Dependent Clauses In the dialogue for this chapter, you see: --Do you know where I can cut off the water? (correct) This construction can be troublesome for learners of English, because there is a tendency to make the dependent clause (where I can cut off...) a question as well: --Do you know where can I cut off the water? (incorrect) Both do you know and where can I cut off the water are legitimate questions when used separately. However, when combined in a single sentence the main clause (Do you know...) carries the full weight of the interrogative. Here are some additional examples: --Do you see it? Where is it? -->Do you see where it is? --Do you know when? When does he arrive? -->Do you know when he arrives? Information Questions Many times you will want to ask a question that elicits information, instead of a simple yes/no answer. Information questions will begin with one of the following words: WHO WHERE WHOM WHAT WHOSE WHICH WHY HOW WHEN Who refers to people. It is used as the subject of the question. Whom is used as the object of a verb or preposition. Whose asks questions about possession. Why is used to ask questions about reason. When is used to ask questions about time. Where is used to ask questions about place. What can be used as the subject or object of a question. It refers to things. Which is used instead of what when a question concerns choosing from a definite, known quantity or group. How generally asks about manner. It is often used with much and many. When a form of to be is the main verb in the simple present and simple past, it precedes the subject: --Who is that man? --Where is the airport? --Where are the checks? --What time is it? Irregular Noun Plurals When the final -y is preceded by a consonant, change the -y to -i and add -es: baby-->babies lady-->ladies If a noun ends in -fe or -f, the ending is changed to -ves (except: beliefs, chiefs, roofs, staffs). life-->lives thief-->thieves Add -es to nouns ending in -sh, -ch, -s, -z, and -x. (Exceptions: monarchs, stomachs.) wish-->wishes class-->classes Both the -s and -es spellings are accepted for nouns ending in -o. tomato-->tomatoes hero-->heroes The plural possessive form of these nouns is also irregular. child-->children foot-->feet goose-->geese man-->men tooth-->teeth The plural is the same as the singular for these nouns. deer-->deer fish-->fish sheep-->sheep species-->species The final sound of these plurals is pronounced like the word sees. crisis-->crises thesis-->theses Using May and Might Two other important modal verbs are may and might. The two are used interchangeably in standard American English to express probability or possibility: --You may be wrong. --You might be wrong. --The attorney might be late. --The attorney may be late. The past form is expressed as follows: modal (may/might) + have + past participle --I may/might have left my glasses in the restaurant. NOTE: Must can also be used to express probability: --The plane must be leaving now. Progressive Forms of May and Might THE PAST PROGRESSIVE FORMS OF MAY AND MIGHT ARE FORMED BY ADDING HAVE BEEN + THE -ING FORM OF THE MAIN VERB. --I didn't see them at the hotel. They may have been having dinner. --The mail didn't arrive on time. The mailman might have been having trouble with his car. THE PRESENT PROGRESSIVE FORMS OF MAY AND MIGHT ARE FORMED BY ADDING BE + THE -ING FORM OF THE MAIN VERB. --We may be calling you in the morning. --They might be visiting the U.S. this time next year. NOTE: When must means necessity, the past form is had to. When it means probability, the past is must have + past participle. More On the Progressive Tenses Certain categories of verbs are usually not used in any of the progressive tenses. When the verbs below are used in one of the progressive tenses, they usually have a different meaning: --You will be hearing from me. (I will get in touch with you later.) --She is having trouble. (She is experiencing trouble). SENSES MENTAL ACTIVITY hear know taste believe smell think see understand remember mean recognize POSSESSION ATTITUDES possess dislike own seem have appear belong look want like prefer hate need appreciate love Negative Questions In a yes/no question in which the verb is negative, usually a contraction is used: --Doesn't she live with you? The other form, which is not contracted, is considered formal and is rarely used in everyday speech: --Does she not live with you? To form a negative question, make the auxiliary negative by adding not: --Do they cash traveler's checks? --> Don't they (Do they not) cash...? HERE ARE SOME MORE EXAMPLES: --Is Mr. Jones here? -->Isn't Mr. Jones here? --Are you coming? -->Aren't you coming? Negatives The word not is used with do to make a verb negative, as in I don't have any money (don't = do not). No is used as an adjective in front of a noun, as in I have no money. Both of these examples are acceptable ways of expressing the idea that you do not have something. Note these contracted negative forms with do: I don't you don't he, she doesn't they don't we don't Here are some affirmative words and their negative forms in English: AFFIRMATIVES someone, anybody something, anything still ever either... or NEGATIVES no one, nobody nothing no longer never neither... nor Avoid using more than one negative in a clause: --I don't have any money. NOT: I don't have no money. --They don't see anybody. NOT: They don't see nobody. --I didn't do anything. NOT: I didn't do nothing The Relative Pronouns Who/Which/That Who, which and that are relative pronouns. They are usually used in dependent clauses introduced by a main clause: --I tipped the waiter who (that) served us. --We thanked the people who (that) helped us. Note that in the above two examples who and that are substituted for one another. Even though who is more grammatically correct than that in reference to a person or persons, that is heard often in speech. Who is used only for people. That can be used to refer to a person or thing. Which is used only for things: --The car, which we rented, doesn't work The Relative Pronouns Whom/Which/That Follow the same rules for using who(m), which, and that, as you do with other relative pronouns. The only difference is that now these pronouns are functioning as objects: --The movie that we saw last night was terrible. --The movie, which we saw last night, was terrible. For people, you will use either who or whom. Who is usually used instead of whom in colloquial speech, even though it is technically incorrect: --The person who they saw was sick. (informal) --The person whom they saw was sick. (formal) --There's the driver who the police arrested. (informal) --There's the driver whom the police arrested. (formal)