118 Verb Phrases Two other verbs have irregular pronunciations in the third-person singular: do /duw/ (rhymes with two) does /dǝz /(rhymes with buzz) say /sey/ (rhymes with gay) says /sεz/ (rhymes with fez) Exercise 8.3 All of the verbs in the following list form their third-person singular in the regular way with a single sibilant sound pronounced /s/ or /z/ or with a separate unstressed syllable pronounced /ǝz/. Write the third-person singular form of the noun in the /s/, /z/, or /ǝz/ column depending on its pronunciation. Singular form /s/ /z/ / әz/ reach reaches 1. race 2. send 3. knock 4. shop 5. eat 6. mention 7. rush 8. approach 9. contain 10. doubt 11. cause 12. clash 13. hedge 14. end 15. freeze (i-viiiB,001-328B) whl bk.indd 118 3/16/09 12:34:08 PM Basic Verb Forms 119 16. show 17. fail 18. patch 19. allow 20. sign The spelling of the third-person singular is quite regular, following the same spelling rules as the plural of regular nouns. If the verb ends in a sibilant sound, the ending is spelled -es (unless the present-tense verb already ends in an e, in which case just the -s is added). For example: Base Third-person singular box boxes buzz buzzes catch catches clutch clutches wish wishes budge budges If the verb ends in any nonsibilant sound (vowels, voiced and voiceless consonants), then we merely add -s, for example: Base Third-person singular snow snows (ends in vowel) bring brings (ends in voiced consonant) result results (ends in voiceless consonant) The only possible confusion is with verbs that end in a fi nal silent e. For example: give gives strike strikes relate relates complete completes At fi rst glance, the fi nal silent e ϩ -s looks just like the -es ending that is used after sibilant sounds to indicate that the third-person singular -es is pronounced as a separate syllable. For example, compare the spelling of vote-votes and push-pushes. The spelling of votes is a fi nal silent e ϩ -s. The spelling of pushes is a sibilant sound /š/ plus a second, unstressed syllable /ǝz/. (i-viiiB,001-328B) whl bk.indd 119 3/16/09 12:34:08 PM 120 Verb Phrases As was the case with the plural of regular nouns, if the verb ends in a consonant ϩ y, change the y to i and add -es. For example: cry cries deny denies fl y fl ies reply replies spy spies try tries However, if the fi nal y is part of the spelling of the vowel sound, then just add an s. For example: buy buys enjoy enjoys obey obeys play plays Exercise 8.4 Write the third-person singular form of the base-form verbs in the fi rst column. Base form Third-person singular form please pleases 1. admit 2. supply 3. go 4. leave 5. annoy 6. kiss 7. have 8. match 9. identify 10. declare 11. reduce (i-viiiB,001-328B) whl bk.indd 120 3/16/09 12:34:08 PM Basic Verb Forms 121 12. approach 13. destroy 14. eliminate 15. convince Past tense There are two different types of past-tense forms: regular and irregular. The regular verbs form their past tense by adding -ed (or -d if the word already ends in e) to the base form. The -(e)d ending has three different, but completely predictable pronunciations. If the base ends in either t or d, the -ed is pronounced as a separate syllable /ǝd/ rhyming with bud. Here are some examples: -ed pronounced as separate syllable fainted goaded kidded mended parted raided If the base ends in a voiceless consonant except for t, the -ed is pronounced /t/. The fi nal voiceless consonants are usually spelled -p, -(c)k, -s, -sh, -(t)ch, -x, -f. and -gh (when pronounced /f/). Here are some examples: -ed pronounced /t/ boxed capped clutched coughed kissed packed If the base ends in a vowel or voiced consonant except for d, the -ed is pronounced /d/. Here are some examples: -ed pronounced /d/ annoyed bored (i-viiiB,001-328B) whl bk.indd 121 3/16/09 12:34:08 PM 122 Verb Phrases called fanned grabbed played Exercise 8.5 Write the past-tense form of the following verbs in the appropriate column depending on the pronunciation. Base /t/ /d/ /әd/ part parted 1. defi ne 2. wash 3. shout 4. range 5. own 6. test 7. grant 8. save 9. compare 10. approve 11. pick 12. extend 13. rule 14. tax 15. permit The spelling of the regular past tense follows the normal spelling rules. If the base ends in a stressed syllable with a short vowel, a single fi nal consonant will usually double, according to the normal spelling rules, for example: (i-viiiB,001-328B) whl bk.indd 122 3/16/09 12:34:08 PM Basic Verb Forms 123 Base Past tense hop hopped rob robbed rot rotted sin sinned If the base form ends in a consonant ϩ -y, the y will change to i before the -ed ending. For example: Base Past tense try tried supply supplied rely relied marry married justify justifi ed If the base form ends in y that is part of a vowel sound spelling, keep the y and add -ed. For example: Base Past tense annoy annoyed enjoy enjoyed obey obeyed play played employ employed Exercise 8.6 Write the past-tense form of the following base-form verbs. Base Past tense imply implied 1. show 2. deny 3. drop 4. vary (i-viiiB,001-328B) whl bk.indd 123 3/16/09 12:34:09 PM 124 Verb Phrases 5. occur 6. hope 7. permit 8. stay 9. apply 10. fl ow 11. slip 12. delay 13. star 14. enjoy 15. dry Irregular past tenses The irregular verbs preserve older ways of forming the past tense. In earlier forms of English, the irregular verbs fell into well-defi ned patterns. By modern times, however, the historical patterns had collapsed together so that today it is not practical to learn irregular verbs according to their historical patterns. Infi nitive The infi nitive is completely regular (even for the verb be). The infi nitive consists of to followed by the base form of the verb. Here are some examples: Base form Infi nitive be to be do to do go to go have to have sing to sing talk to talk (i-viiiB,001-328B) whl bk.indd 124 3/16/09 12:34:09 PM . freeze (i-viiiB,001-328B) whl bk.indd 118 3/16/09 12:34:08 PM Basic Verb Forms 119 16. show 17. fail 18. patch 19. allow 20. sign The spelling of the third-person singular is quite regular,. following verbs in the appropriate column depending on the pronunciation. Base /t/ /d/ /әd/ part parted 1. defi ne 2. wash 3. shout 4. range 5. own 6. test 7. grant 8. save 9 example: cry cries deny denies fl y fl ies reply replies spy spies try tries However, if the fi nal y is part of the spelling of the vowel sound, then just add an s. For example: buy buys enjoy enjoys obey