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Section A.2 Verb Phrases: Tense, Aspect, Voice, and Modality
This section follows
the chef cooks dinner through every configuration of the English auxiliary system. Each diagram adds or changes one element, building from a simple verb to the full auxiliary stack.
Figure A.2.1. Simple Present (No Auxiliary): The chef cooks dinner
Figure A.2.2. Simple Past: The chef cooked dinner
Figure A.2.3. Progressive Aspect (BE + -ing): The chef is cooking dinner
Figure A.2.4. Past Progressive: The chef was cooking dinner
Figure A.2.5. Perfect Aspect (HAVE + past participle): The chef has cooked dinner
Figure A.2.6. Past Perfect: The chef had cooked dinner before the guests arrived
Figure A.2.7. Perfect Progressive: The chef has been cooking dinner
Figure A.2.8. Past Perfect Progressive: The chef had been cooking dinner
Figure A.2.9. Passive Voice: Dinner was cooked by the chef
Figure A.2.10. Passive without Agent: Dinner was cooked
Figure A.2.11. Progressive Passive: Dinner is being cooked by the chef
Figure A.2.12. Get-Passive: Dinner got burned
Figure A.2.13. Modal — Ability: The chef can cook dinner
Figure A.2.14. Modal — Obligation: The chef must cook dinner
Figure A.2.15. Modal — Epistemic: The chef must be cooking dinner
Figure A.2.16. Modal + Perfect: The chef should have cooked dinner
Figure A.2.17. Modal + Perfect Progressive: The chef should have been cooking dinner
Figure A.2.18. Full Auxiliary Stack: Dinner should have been being cooked
Figure A.2.19. DO-Support in Questions: Does the chef cook dinner?
Figure A.2.20. DO-Support in Negation: The chef does not cook dinner
