The compound verbal predicate

The compound verbal predicate can be divided into 2 types according to the meaning of the finite verb:

1. the compound verbal modal predicate;

2. the compound verbal aspect predicate.

The compound verbal modal predicate
1) modal verb can, may, must, should, ought, would, dare, need	You can prove everything. You must forget it.
2) modal expression to be to, to have to to able to, to be obliged to, to be bound, to be willing, to be anxious, to be capable, to be going, to be allowed	I have to give him some answer immediately. Are you going to attend college at Harvard? We were anxious to cooperate.
3) verbs with modal meaning to hope, to expect, to intend, to attempt, to try, to endeavour, to long, to wish, to want, to desire, to mean, to plan, to hate	I mean to find out the truth. We intended going to Switzerland. Harris tried to open the tin. He hoped to see them soon.
4) some other verbs to seem, to appear, to prove, to turn out, to happen, to chance, to say, to declare, to state, to report, to rumour, to believe, to consider, to suppose, to think, to understand, to feel, to see, to watch, to be likely, to be sure, to be certain	The rocket is reported to have started at 6.30. He seemed to understand everything. He has never been known to lose his temper before. The weather is not likely to change. The dog was heard to bark.
The compound verbal aspect predicate
1) verbs of beginning to begin, to start, to commence, to set about, to take to, to fall to, to come	He began to talk about the famous clinic. I come to think that you are right.
2) verbs of duration to go on, to keep, to proceed, to continue	I kept glancing at her through the rest of the play.
3) verbs of repetition would, used to	Ann used to talk to me about it. She would walk in the fields in the evenings.
4) verbs of cessation to stop, to finish, to cease, to give up, to leave off	The band had ceased playing. Give up smoking.

Mixed types of predicate.

Besides the compound nominal predicate, the compound verbal modal predicate and the compound verbal aspect predicate, there is a type of predicate in which we have elements of two types of predicates. Such predicates contain 3 components. Thus there exist:

Mixed types of predicate
The compound modal nominal	She couldn’t be happy
The compound aspect nominal	I continued to be glad for that.
The compound modal aspect	You ought to stop doing that.

Ex. 8. Point out the predicate and say to what type it belongs.

1. Presently she grew tired of that and looked across at her sister. 2. You shall have as many dances as you like. I shan't dance with anyone except you and Maxim. 3. Well, d'you feel any better now? 4. Harry was enjoying his dinner. 5. Alice went on, he ought to stop doing nothing and criticising everybody. 6. Everything is being taken down and used against you. 7. The story will only get repeated and exaggerated. 8. But I've got to have a word with him. We got to do something about it. 9. She became bitter and unapproachable. 10. Her marriage was more or less fixed for the twenty-eighth of the month. They were to sail for India on September the fifth. 11. Leila's partner gave a little gasping laugh. 12. You are to go straight to your room. You are to say nothing of this to anyone. 13. He was a country doctor. He died young. 14. I began to stammer my apologies. He would not listen to me. 15. To walk in this way behind him seemed to Annette already a sufficient marvel. 16. A ship — the Vestris — is reported to be arriving at Joppa. 7. Led was having a little new sort of weeping fit daily or every other day.) 18. Even now he was able to find a thin excuse for that young idiot'. 19. Do not delay, there is no time. Teacher Williams lies dead already. 20. The grey house had ceased to be a home for family life. 21. Kit had been told to do nothing in particular. 22. Lately he'd made efforts to bring the matter up with Brian or Colin. 23. The sky shone pale. 24. These days are finished. They are blotted out. I must begin living all over again. 25. Next day, by noon, I was up and dressed, and sat wrapped in a shawl by the nursery hearth. 26. And all the while he felt the presence of Pat and had to keep on resisting the impulse to turn round. 27. But Abramovich remained quiet. 28. Morning broke quiet and hushed, subdued as if holding its breath. 29. There were a number of people out this afternoon. And the band sounded louder and gayer. 30. This has proved surprisingly difficult.

Ex. 9. Say where the predicate is simple and where it is compound (nominal or verbal).

1. Two young girls in red came by. 2. Demetrius came alive and pressed a flock of inquiries. 3. And in many ways along lines you'd more or less approve, I am coming to feel the mill a part of myself. 4. He tried to be both firm and friendly. I've felt dependent on him. 5. He now felt only a confused ache of memory and a growing desire to be home. 6 No one was there to meet Dick. He felt a twinge of disappointment. 7. There was a silence but not an uncomfortable one. 8. He was vaguely aware of his father standing by kitchen-range with his coat off. 9. The day of our wedding came. He was to call for me to choose the furniture. 10. A good reliable husband he'd make. And our Alice is a great one for wanting a place of her own. 11. That made all the difference. The room came alive at once. 12. "She sounds serious," Albertine insisted, "She keeps talking about it." 13. Not even her own children had seen Ma break down. She'd keep a proud face always. 14. My lady keeps a list of the names in a little red book. 15. Charlie kept quiet. 16. Cedric Thompson stood a good three inches above me. 17. For a moment I stood aghast, peering after her shadowy figure, and wondering what had taken her. 18. And then they sat silent for a few moments together. 19. I sat writing letters on a piece of paper with a pencil... 20. And for some time he lay gasping on a little flock mattress, rather unequally posed between this world and the next. 21. After many adventures I and a little girl lay senseless in the Bad Lands. 22. He seemed glad to see me. 23. At that moment everything in her life seemed - to be a source of desperate anxiety. 24. You can smile away till you split your cheek, but you still got to do a day's work to earn a day's wages. Apples don’t grow on monkey-trees. 25. She grew to know the two elderly men better than any other member of Eden's family. 26. Yates grew impatient. 27. She turned once more to Mr. Godfrey. 28. Gwendolen turned pink and pale during this speech. 29. Mr. Вгuff remained to dinner, and stayed through the evening. 30. Michelangelo remained silent. 31. I gave up the attempt and went upstairs to unpack. 32. Michelangelo's knees went weak. He sat down on his bed. 33. I looked at the photograph above the mantelpiece, and saw my own face for the first time. 34. Giovanni looked crestfallen. 35. He was beginning to sound really angry.

Ex. 10. Use the adjective or adverb.

1. Catherine smiled at me very __. (happy, happily) 2. I felt very __ myself. (good, well) 3. I felt __ when we started. (terrible, terribly) 4. He sounded __ and __. (brisk, briskly; cheerful, cheerfully) (Pr) 5. It will sound __ (strange, strangely) 6. The hay smelled __ (good, well) 7. I write English __ (bad, badly). 8. I looked at her __. (attentive, attentively) 9. But don't look __, my little girl. It breaks my heart. (sad, sadly) 10. He was looking at me __ and __. (grave, gravely; intent, intently) 11. It [the wine] tasted very __ after the cheese and apple. (good, well) 12. The brandy 'did not taste __. (good, well) 13. The pistol felt __ on the belt. (heavy, heavily) (Hm) 14. Silas received the message __. (mute, mutely) 15. I thought he looked __. (suspicious, suspiciously)

Ex. 11. State by what part of speech the predicatives are expressed in the following sentences.

1. Beauty is alive and everlasting. 2. He was off at once. 3. His first impulse was to the other side to avoid the oncoming figure. 4. Earnest was much distressed. 5. I was seventeen, so was she. 6. Mother’s grudge against Father had been his never consenting to take out life-insurance. 7. If Harris’s eyes fill with tears, you can bet it is because Harris has been eating raw onion. 8. He was only twenty-one and he had never been in love before. 9. Further events were of little importance.

Ex. 12. Translate into English, using a compound nominal predicate (Use to sound, to smell, to taste, to feel, to look).

1. Музыканың үні керемет болып шықты. 2. Бұл гүлдің иісі жақсы. 3. Сіздің сөзіңізде оғаш үні сезілді. 4. Бұл қиярдың дәмі ащы. 5. Бифштекстің иісі тамаша. 6. Бұл мата ұстағанда дөрекі. 7. Бұл аймақтағы судың дәмі жаман. 8. Бұл нотаның үні құлақ жарады. 9. Мен өзімді жаман сезінемін. 10. Оның түрі жақсы болып көрінеді. 11. Ол өзін жақсы сезінеді. 12. Оның түрі тек қана жақсы болып көрінеді. 13. Пирожный түрі жақсы болып көрінеді. 14. Бұл раушан гүлдің иісі ғажап.

Ex. 13. Point out the predicate and say to what type it belongs. Translate into Kazakh.

1. "It's no use," she said quietly. "I am bound to Morris." 2. Her feet; were never bound as the Chinese theft bound the feet-of their girls. 3. "I don't want to tell you," said Galahad. "But you are bound to have it." 4. "You are not bound to answer that question," he said to Rachel. 5. One of them was later sent to board in a missionary school and she was compelled to lose the foot bandages. 6. When she was sixteen she was a beauty. As the result she was compelled to go to the Emperor's palace. 7. I was compelled to idleness. I had to listen to her long monologues on the Japanese. 8. My mother was plainly fading. I was increasingly anxious about her. 9. We were anxious to cooperate. 10. My father gave it to my mother. It is the only possession I was able to save.

Ex. 14. Point out the subject and the predicate.

1. On her going to his house to thank him, he happened to see her through a window. 2. To describe one’s character is difficult and not necessarily illuminating. 3. The three on the sofa rise and chat with Hawkins. 4. Nothing seemed to matter. 5. To be is always good. 6. Seeing you there will open up a new world. 7. Thereafter I read everything on the subject. I came to know many Negroes, men and women. 8. Elaine, this ill-advised behaviour of your is beginning to have results. 9. Presently all was silent. They must have gone through the service doors into the kitchen quarters. 10. The citizens of occupied countries were to be subjugated individually. 11. It was all wrong this situation. It ought not to be happening at all. 12. My way is not theirs. It is no use trying to run away from them. 13. No one got the better of her, never, never. 14. Lewisham stopped dead at the corner, staring in blank astonishment after these two fingers. 15. We and all the people have been waiting patient for many an hour. 16. One cannot help admiring the fellow. 17. Then he gave a low distinct whistle. It was answered from under the bluff. 18. The girl was really beautiful and above the average intelligence and force. 19. This religion did give promise of creating a new society. There all men could be equally valuable as human beings. 20. We must begin here and now to show. Thus we might prove our difference from those white men.

Ex. 15. Compare the predicates in each group of sentences.

1. a) The children were amusing. b) The children were amusing her. 2. a) The carriage rode away, the great gates were closed; the bell rang for the dancing lesson. b) The exhibition is already closed. 3. a) The dead silence within was broken only by a regular beat. B) What I noticed first was that the window was broken. 4. a) Jeese kept silent. b) I kept glancing at my watch. c) What keeps them dancing till five o’clock in the morning? 5. a) He banged the door and stumbled into the room. b) The door ganged open and Johny stumbled into the kitchen. 6. a) Tell him he must come dead or alive. b) His dreams came true. c) Soon I came to realize how wrong I had been. d) The sheep came flocking into the pen. 7. a) It seemed to me that something was wrong. b) Now in sleep, he seemed to look thinner than she considered him to be. c) His feet seemed unwillingly to carry him.

Rules of agreement the subject with the predicate
the verb-predicate is in the singular if							the verb-predicate is in the plural if
1.	subjects connected by and, and refer to one person, thing, notion	The mother and mother was asked politely. The painter and decorator is here.	1.				homogeneous subjects connected by and, and denote different persons, things, notions	Sun and air are necessary for life. The painter and the decorator are here.
2.	here and there – constructions followed by subject or subjects in the singular	There was a textbook and many notebooks on the table. Here was Tom and Peter.	2.				here and there – constructions followed by subject in the plural	There were many notebooks and a textbook on the table.
3.	homogeneous subjects in the singular and subjects of different persons and number (the last is in the singular) connected by the conjunctions not only … but (also), neither … nor, either … or, or, nor	There was neither heroic swift defeat nor heroic swift victory. Either my parents or my sister is at home. Not only my parents but also my brother knows about it.	3.				homogeneous subjects of different persons and number connected by the conjunctions not only … but (also), neither … nor, either … or, or, nor, both … and, and the last noun-subject in the plural	Either my sister or my parents are at home. Not only my brother but also my parents know about it. Neither I nor you are right. Both the butter and the butter are fresh.
4.	homogeneous subjects in the singular and subjects of different persons and number (the first is in the singular) connected by the conjunctions as well as, rather than, as much as, more than	My sister as well as my brother is teachers. The manager as well as/rather than/more than/ as much as the members of the board is responsible for the present situation.	4.				homogeneous subjects of different persons and number connected by the conjunctions as well as, rather than, as much as, more than and the first is in the plural	My parents as well as my sister are teachers. The members of the board as well as/rather than/more than/ as much as the manager are responsible for the present situation.
5.	a singular noun-subject modified by two or more attributes connected by and, and one person, thing, idea is meant	A tall and beautiful girl was waiting in the office.	5.				a singular noun-subject modified by two or more attributes connected by and, and two or more persons, things, ideas are meant	Classical and light music have their admirers. (abstract noun in the singular, one article) The red and the white rose are both beautiful. (class noun – the article is repeated, noun in the singular) The red and white roses are both beautiful. (class noun – the article is used once, noun in the plural)
6.	subject is expressed by a pronoun: defining (everybody, everyone, everything, each, either), indefinite (somebody, someone, anybody), negative (nobody, no one, neither, nothing) and all in the sense of «бәрі»	Somebody is asking for you. Nobody has come except me. Neither of the students has made a mistake. Each has answered well. All is well that ends well.	6.				subject is expressed by pronoun: both, none, and all in the sense of «барлығы»	None were here. Both are mine. All were in favour of the plan.
7.	subject expressed by an interrogative pronoun (who, what)	Who has come? What is there?			7.		subject expressed by an interrogative pronoun (who, what) that denotes more than one person or thing		Who are walking in the garden? Who have agreed to act?
8.	subject expressed by a relative pronoun (who, which, that) and the preceding noun is in the singular	Do you know the girl who lives next door?			8.		subject expressed by a relative pronoun (who, which, that) and the preceding noun is in the plural		Do you know the girls who live next door?
9.	subjects expressed by a word-groups including nouns of quantity: a/the number of, a/the majority of, a part of, the bulk of,, a variety of, a mass of, a plenty of (it mostly depends on the form and meaning of the second element)	There is a lot of truth in that. The number (саны) of pages in this book isn’t large.			9.		subjects expressed by a word-groups including nouns of quantity: a/the number of, a/the majority of, a part of, the bulk of,, a variety of, a mass of, a plenty of (it mostly depends on the form and meaning of the second element)			A lot of people are coming. A number (көп) of people were walking about.
10.	subject expressed by a collective noun denoting a group of similar individuals taken as a whole (mankind, humanity)	Perhaps humanity was better than he thought. “What is mankind?” I asked her. “Mankind is all of us.”			10		subject expressed by a noun of multitude (individuals of the group taken separately0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000) (people, infantry, cavalry, gentry, clergy, police, cattle, poultry, jury)			The police are all over the place. As experimental animal poultry have their excellent points
11.	subject expressed by collective nouns (family, committee, crew, army, board, chorus, government, party, team, company, band) (if it is a single undivided body)	A new government has been formed. Our family has always been a very happy one. The crowd was enormous. The Board was again full.		11		subject expressed by collective nouns (family, committee, crew, army, board, chorus, government, party, team, company, band) (if it is a group of separate individuals)				The government have asked me to go, so I am leaving now. How are your family? The crowd were silent. The Board were sitting in solemn conclave.
12.	subjects expressed by such invariable singular nouns as hair, money, gate, information, funeral, progress, advice	Her hair is beautiful. The money is money. The gate is open. The information was unusually interesting.		12		subjects expressed by such invariable plural nouns as goods, contents, riches, clothes, wages, eaves				His wages were only 15 shillings a week. Her clothes were shabby. The goods were delivered bon time.
13.	subjects expressed by invariable nouns ending in –s (“pluralia tantum”): measles, mumps, billiards, dominoes, linguistics, economics, news, headquarters, works and denoting an indivisible notion or thing	The news is good news. The new works that has been built in our district is very large. Statistics is a rather modern branch of mathematics. (science)		13		subject expressed by invariable nouns ending in –ics and denoting qualities, practical application, different activities				These statistics show deaths per 1,000 of population. (figures) Your tactics are obvious. (methods) Politics have always interested me. (ideas)
14.	subject expressed by a noun in the plural which is in the title of a book, the name of the newspaper, or magazine	“Fathers and Sons” is the most popular of Turgenev’s novels.		14		subjects expressed by substantivized adjectives denoting groups of people (the blind, the dumb and deaf, the eminent, the mute, the old, the poor, the rich)				He did not look an important personage, but the eminent rarely do.
15.	homogeneous subjects expressed by infinitives	To leave the quiet court, to gain the Strand was the work of a moment.
16.	subject expressed by the group many a + noun	Many a man has done it.
17.	subject expressed by a noun in the plural denoting time, measure, or distance	Four hundred miles was a huge distance when a man was no longer young.
18.	subject expressed by the emphatic it	It was my friends who suddenly arrived.
19.	subject expressed by a group of words denoting arithmetical calculations	Two and two is four. Six minus four is two. Twenty divided by five equals four. But: Twice two is/are four.

Ex. 16. Explain why the predicate — verb is used in the singular or in the plural.

1. The family were still at table, but they had finished breakfast. 2. There was a crowd of soldiers along the fence in the infield. 3. ... the band was stopped, the crowd were partially quieted, and Horatio Fizkin, Esquire, was permitted to proceed. 4. Down by the Embankment... a band of unemployed were trailing dismally with money-boxes. 5. The multitude have something else to do than to read hearts and interpret dark sayings. 6. The newly married pair, on their arrival in Harley Street, Cavendish Square, Lnd were received by the chief butler. 7. There was a dreaminess, a preoccupation, an exaltation, in the-maternal look which the girl could not understand. 8. The company are cool and calm. 9. As of old, nineteen hours of labour a day was all too little to suit him. l0. There were still two hours of daylight before them. 11. At last they came into a maze of dust, where a quantity of people were tumbling over one another... 12. Tom's whole class were of a pattern-restless, noisy and troublesome. 13. A group of men were standing guarded by carabinieri. 14. Тhe loving couple were no longer happy.

Ex. 17. Use the appropriate form of the verb.

1. Huckleberry's hard pantings __ his only reply. (was, were) 2. There __ many a true word spoken in jest, Mr. Cokane. (is, are) 3. Each of us __ afraid of the sound of his name. (was, were) 4. On such meetings five minutes __ the time allotted to each speaker. (was, were) 5. Neither his father nor his mother __ like other people... (was, were) 6. It was dark and quiet. Neither moon nor stars __ visible: (was, were) 7. Plenty of girls _ taken to me like daughters and cried at leaving me... (has, have) 8. He and I __ nothing in common. (has, have) 9. But I wonder no wealthy nobleman or gentleman __ taken a fancy to her: Mr. Rochester for instance. (has, have) 10. To be the busy wife of a busy man, to be the mother of many children ... __ to his thinking, the highest lot of woman. (was, were) 11. Her family __ of a delicate constitution. (was, were) 12. Hers __ a large family. (was, were) 13. "Well," says my lady, "__ the police coming?" (is, are) 14. Nobody __ I am here. (knows, know). 15. But after all, who __ the right to cast & stone against one who __ suffered? (has, have; has. have) 16. There are men who __ dominion from the nature of their disposition, and who __ so from their youth upwards, without knowing... that any power of dominion belongs to them. (exercises, exercise; does, do) 17. Рlain United States __ good enough for me. (is, are) 18. He half started as he became aware that someone near at hand __ gazing at him. (was, were) 19. Fatting cattle __ from 5 to 10 gallons of water a head daily. (consume, consumes) (Black) 20. She is supposed to have all the misfortunes and all the virtues to which humanity __ subject. (is, are) 21. It was a market-day, and the country people __ all assembled with their baskets: of poultry, eggs and such things... (was, were) 22. The precept as well as the practice of the Primitive Church __ distinctly against matrimony. (was, were) 23. …Ratterer and Hegglund..., as well as most of the others, __ satisfied that there was not another place in all Kansas City that was really as good. (was, were) 24. Twelve years __ a long time. (is, are) 25. There __ a great many ink bottles. (was, were) 26. May and I — just friends. (is, are) 27. The bread and butter __ for Gwendolen. (is, are) 28. I am afraid it is quite clear, Cecily, that neither of us __ engaged to be married to anyone. (is, are) 29. It __ they that should honour you. (is, are) 30. Great Expectations by Dickens __ published in 1860. (was, were) 31. The family party __ seated round the table in the dark wainscoted parlour... (was, were) 32. Everybody __ clever nowadays. (is, are) 33. There __ a number of things, Martin, that you don't understand. (is, are) 34. The number of scientific research institutes in our-country __ very large. (is, are) 35. Her hair, which __ fine and of medium brown shade, __ brushed smoothly across the top of her head and then curled a little at each side. (was, were; was, were) 36. After some apologies, which __ perhaps too soft and sweet… the great man thus opened the case. (was, were) 37. It was as if the regiment __ half in khaki, half in scarlet and bearskins. (was, were) 38. Youth and Age __ a weekly, and it had published, two-thirds of his twenty-one-thousand-word serial when it went out of business. (was, were) 39. There __ a number of men present. (was, were) 40. ...the flowers came in such profusion and such quick succession that there __ neither time nor space to arrange them. (was, were)