Part 4: Verb Grammar and Tense Systems

23. Tenses and Aspects

• Present-time reference

• Past-time reference

• Future-time reference

• Simple aspect

• Progressive aspect

• Perfect aspect

• Perfect progressive aspect

• Tense–aspect combinations

24. Present-Tense Constructions

• Simple present

• Present continuous

• Present perfect

• Present perfect continuous

• Habitual actions and general truths

• Present forms with future meaning

25. Past-Tense Constructions

• Simple past

• Past continuous

• Past perfect

• Past perfect continuous

• Past habits: used to and would

• Past-time sequencing

26. Future-Time Constructions

• Future with will

• Future with be going to

• Future continuous

• Future perfect

• Future perfect continuous

• Future in the past

• Future arrangements and predictions

27. Auxiliary Verbs

• Primary auxiliaries: be, have, do

• Auxiliary verbs in questions

• Auxiliary verbs in negation

• Auxiliary verbs in emphasis

• Auxiliary verbs in perfect and progressive forms

• Auxiliary verbs in passive constructions

28. Modal Verbs

• Can and could

• May and might

• Shall and should

• Will and would

• Must

• Ought to

• Semi-modals: have to, need to, be able to

• Ability, permission, possibility, obligation, and deduction

• Modal perfect constructions

29. Active and Passive Voice

• Active voice

• Passive voice

• Passive construction across tenses

• Passive with modal verbs

• Passive with two objects

• Agentless passive

• Get-passive constructions

• Passive reporting structures

30. Non-Finite Verb Forms

• Bare infinitives

• To-infinitives

• Gerunds

• Present participles

• Past participles

• Perfect infinitives

• Perfect participles

• Verb complementation patterns

• Gerund versus infinitive usage