Performative verbs.

Present Simple vs. Present Progressive

Spelling

III form spelling rules

• consonant + y + s = ies eg. cry – cries

stupefy – stupefies

• final -s, -z, -ch, -sh or –x + - es eg. miss – misses

watch - watches

• consonant + -o + -es eg. go - goes

do - does

• Suppletive formhave- has

IV form spelling rules:

• mute “e” is dropped eg. hide – hiding

except: be – being,

agree – agreeing

• “ie” changes into “y” eg. die – dying
• “y” doesn’t change eg. try – trying
• short stressed vowel + final consonant = double consonant eg. stop –stopping

regret – regretting

short vowel + final “l” = double “l” eg. travel – travelling

stressed vowel + final “r” = double “r” eg. refer – referring

· “c” is followed by “k” eg. panic - panicking

Usage

We use the present simple for:`

• habitual, regular actions

I leave work at 5.30 most days.

Each July we go to Turkey for a holiday.

• permanent situations, universal truths

It takes me five minutes to get to school.

Trees grow more quickly in summer than in winter.

• Headlines, written in 'telegram' style

Ship sinks in midnight collision.

• Instructions and itineraries

First you roll out the pastry.

On day three we visit Stratford-upon-Avon.

• Summaries of events, plots

May 1945: The war in Europe comes to an end.

At the end of the play both families realise that their hatred caused the deaths of the lovers.

• 'Historic present' in narrative and funny stories

So then the second man asks the first one why he has a banana in his ear and the first one says…

• in phrases such as I gather, I hear, I see, and I understand to introduce news

I gather you're worried about the new job?

The Prince is coming to visit, and I hear he's very rich.

• in set expressions Here comes, There goes, Here lies.

Here comes our hero!

• formal correspondence phrases

We write to advise you …

We use the present progressive for:

• actions in progress

She is reading now.

• actions around the time of speaking

Why are you jumping up and down?

• regular actions, but at a particular time

We're usually watching the news on TV at 9.00. (= we're already watching at 9.00)

• change, development

It is gettingdark.

• temporary actions

Usually I have breakfast, but this week I’m not eating anything in the morning.

• exaggerated, emotional attitudes; unexpected actions

She is always talking to me like that!

• background actions

So I open the door, and I look out into the garden, and I see this man. He's wearing pyjamas and a policeman's helmet. 'Hello,' he says…

• less direct requests, questions

I’m hoping you can lend me $ 100.

• less form correspondence phrases

I’m enclosing my cheque for $200.

State Verbs

a. State verbs describe a continuing state, so do not usually have a continuous form.

Typical examples are:

astonish, believe, belong, concern, consist, contain, deserve, deny, (dis)agree, doubt, fit, imagine, impress, include, know, lack, like, love, matter, mean, need, owe, own, please, possess, prefer, promise, seem, suppose, surprise, suspect, understand, want, wish, etc.

b. Some verbs have a stative meaning and a different active meaning.

Typical examples are:

be, depend, feel, have, hear, measure, see, taste, think, weigh

Compare these uses:

Event

Jill's being noisy.

We're having an interesting conversation!

David's thinking about getting a new job.

I'm just tasting the soup.

I'm feeling terrible.

We're weighing the baby.

Bill, I'm depending on you to win this contract for us.

State

Jack is noisy.

Deirdre has a Porsche.

I think I like you!

This fish tastes awful!

I feel that you are wrong.

This bag weighs a ton!

It depends what you mean.

c. We can use the present continuous with some state verbs when we want to emphasise that a situation is temporary, for a period of time around the present. Compare:

The children love having Jean stay with us. (They love it when Jean stays) and

The children are loving having Jean stay with us. (Jean is staying with us now)

d. With some verbs used to describe a temporary state (e.g. ache, feel, hurt, look (= seem)), there is little difference in meaning when we use the present simple and present continuous:

What's the matter with Bill? He looks / is looking awful.

e. We can also use the present simple and present continuous like this in commentaries (for example, on sports events):

King serves to the left hand court and Adams makes a wonderful return. She's playing magnificent tennis in this match...

f. Making declarations: verbs describing opinions and feelings tend to be state verbs.

I hope you'll come to my party.

I bet you don't know the answer!

I hereby declare this hospital open!

Performative verbs.

a. We use performative verbs in the first person actually to perform an action, i.e. saying I apologise performs the action of apologising:

On behalf of the company, I apologise for any inconvenience caused

When these verbs 'perform' the function they express, they do not usually take the continuous.

Railtrack apologises for the disruption to services over the last three months. – By saying this, the function of apologising is performed.

However, if we use the verb to describe the action rather than to do it, we can use the continuous.

The Railtrack chief executive was apologising profusely for the inconvenience.

Common performative verbs are: accept, agree, apologise, congratulate, declare, deny, disagree, forbid, forgive, guarantee, insist, invite, order, predict, promise, recommend, refuse, request, suggest, thank, warn.

b. We can use modals with performative verbs to make what we say more tentative or polite:

I would advise you to arrive two hours before the flight leaves.

I'm afraid I have to inform you that your application for funding has been turned down.

Practice

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 2060