1. The Verb Expansion Rule
ENGL
Spring 2007
T. Redd

2. YOU BEING HAS TRY SHOULD.
What’s wrong?
YOU BEING HAS TRY SHOULD.

3. YOU SHOULD HAS BEING TRY.
Put the words in order.
YOU SHOULD HAS BEING TRY.
What’s wrong now?

4. Use the correct form of each word.
YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN TRYING.
Now let’s discover the rules of order and form that you unconsciously followed.

5. must Add a modal auxiliary. Mary takes her time.
Mary must take her time.
What’s wrong?
A modal auxiliary comes first in a verb phrase.
A modal auxiliary turns the verb form into a stem.

6. Mary must have taken her time.
Add the auxiliary have.
have
has
Mary
must take her time.
Mary must have taken her time.
What’s wrong?
The auxiliary have follows the modal.
The auxiliary have changes the verb form to a past participle (-en).

7. Mary must have been taking her time.
Add the auxiliary be. be be
Mary must
have taken her time.
Mary must have been taking her time.
What’s wrong?
The auxiliary be follows the auxiliary have.
The auxiliary be changes the verb form to a present participle (-ing).

8. Modal+Perfective+Progressive+Verb
The Rule
To expand a predicate verb phrase, follow this order:
Modal+Perfective+Progressive+Verb

9. The Rule Modal Stem Past Participle Have Be Present Participle
To expand a predicate verb phrase, you must follow this form:
Modal
Stem
Past Participle
Have Be
Present Participle