Learn this table and practice it until you can instantly give the right form after any of the pronouns or any singular or plural noun that your teacher may pronounce, and for either past or present time. Make this a quick drill.

C. In each of the following sentences find the subject substantive and then fill the blank with the right one of the four verb forms. Wherever possible use the past tense. When you are sure you have the sentences correct, read them aloud several times to train your ear.

16. All kinds of sugar beets grown in this region.

17.

you badly hurt in the accident ?

18. Close by the porch several pink geraniums. n't near enough to see well.

19. We 20.

n't you glad you

could go?

EXERCISE 3

USING IS, ARE, WAS, AND WERE IN VERB PHRASES1

You may have observed that in predicating you can often express different shades of meaning by using two words instead of a single verb; as, "Fishes swim" and "Fishes are swimming." What is the difference in meaning here? You see the two words are swimming contain the same elements as the single word swim. Such a group of words used in place of a single word is called a phrase (you will study more about phrases later), and a phrase used in place of a verb is called a verb phrase. Every word in a verb phrase must be either a verb or some form of a verb; for instance, are swimming is a verb phrase, but are happy is not, because happy is not a form of any verb. The only word not a form of a verb which' may be part of a verb phrase is to when it is joined to a verb form, as in seems to be.

A. In order to understand verb phrases you must make sure of recognizing the verb forms that are not verbs. You will notice that in the verb phrases are swimming, have gone, were seen, had walked, do come, for instance, the 1 For additional exercises on verbals and verb phrases see Appendix E. 2 Note that Problem XXVII gives a fuller treatment of verb phrases.

words swimming, gone, seen, walked, and come do not predicate, though they express the same action that the verbs themselves-swim, go, see, walk, and come — express. (The verb in each verb phrase word that does the predicating — is the first word.) The forms of any verb that do not predicate may be called verbals.1 Sometimes the same form may be a verb in one sentence and a verbal in another; as, "They swim very well" and "They will swim across the river."

I. Below are printed all the forms of several different verbs. Those in italics always predicate and are therefore always verbs; those in small capitals never predicate and are therefore always verbals; those in ordinary type may be either verbs or verbals. Prove, by the sentences that follow, that these statements are true.

1. That tall man walking down the street is our new pastor.

2. He walks as if he were going' somewhere.

3. We walked five miles into the country last Saturday.

4. I have walked even farther than that.

5. Few people walk well.

6. It is easy to walk well if one tries.

1 It is not important or desirable at this stage to distinguish the kinds of verbals as infinitives and participles. The important point is to recognize them as non-predicating forms. The term verbal is convenient for this purpose.

7. It takes about twenty minutes to walk a mile.
8. Take time to think.

9. He will take your letter.

10. Somebody has taken a book from my desk.

11. The book taken from my desk must be returned. 12. You took it home last night.

13. Taking exercise daily is important.

14. I am going home.

15. You are learning some important facts.

16. This answer was wrong.

17. The man, being blind, had to be led by a little dog. 18. It has been unusually cold today.

19. Be good and you will be happy.

II. Sort the following verb forms into three groups: those that are always verbs, those that are always verbals, and those that may be either. Prove in sentences the correctness of your grouping.

B. A verb phrase is a group of words consisting of a verb and one or more verbals and having the uses of a verb. (What are the uses of a verb?)

The verbs used with verbals in forming verb phrases are called auxiliary verbs. Auxiliary means helping. The forms of the verb to be are used as auxiliaries more often than any other verbs. The word be is called the root form,

though the forms of this verb (am, is, was, etc.) come from several different roots in Old English.

In the following sentences find the verb phrases, point out the verbs and the verbals in them, and tell what root form (simplest form) each of the verbals comes from. Since a verb phrase does the work of a verb, it is linking or predicate, transitive or intransitive, like a verb. See whether you can find the essential elements of these sentences, and classify the verb phrase or verb in each sentence. For example, in the first sentence the verb phrase was lying is composed of the verb was and the verbal lying, which is a form of the verb lie. It is a predicate verb phrase and is intransitive. Remembering your definition of the kinds of verbs, make definitions of linking and predicate and transitive and intransitive verb phrases.

1. A big Scotch collie was lying at his feet.

2. The trawler was laying mines.

3. The mason was laying a new walk in front of the church.

4. He was sitting in the same position for half an hour.

5. They were setting the table on the grass.

6. The oatmeal bread is rising well today.

7. Are you raising chickens or a pig?

8. The hen was sitting on fourteen eggs in a stolen nest.
9. We were lying in the hay in the barn.
10. Lying at his feet was a worn pocketbook.
11. He is lying in wait for you at the gate.

12. He was laying plans all winter.

13. She and her son are sitting in the garden talking things over.

14. The snow lay on the ground for six weeks.

15. Father laid his hand on my arm.

16. The habit of saving laid the foundation for his success.

17. He was happy with his first coupon.

18. They were only children at the time.