Microsoft Word Theoretical Course of English Grammar

Nino Kirvalidze
88
2.
 
The indefinite article 
a
or 
an 
makes it clear that the referent is one member of a class 
(
a
book
). 
American and British scholars consider demonstrative, possessive and indefinite pro-
nouns, as well as numerals and 
wh
-words, to be different kinds of determiners.
3.
 
Demonstrative determiners indicate that the referents are “near to” or “away from” 
the speaker (
this book, that book
, etc.).
4.
 
Possessive determiners tell us who or what the noun belongs to (
my book, your book, 
her book
, etc.). 
5.
 
Quantifiers specify how many or how much of the noun there is (
every book, some 
books
, etc.). 
6.
 
There are also determiner-like uses of 
wh
-words and numerals.
Auxiliary verbs 
There are two kinds of auxiliary verbs: primary auxiliaries (
be, do, have
) and modal aux-
iliaries. Both are “auxiliary verbs” in the sense that they are added to a main verb to help build 
verb phrases. Auxiliary verbs precede the main or lexical verb in a verb phrase: 
will arrive; has 
arrived; is arriving; may be arriving
, etc. 

Primary auxiliaries
. 
There are three primary auxiliaries: 
be
, 
have
, and 
do
. They have 
inflections like lexical verbs, but are normally unstressed. The same verbs can also act as main 
verbs when they realize their lexical meaning. The primary auxiliaries show how the main verb 
is to be understood.

The auxiliary 
have
is used to form the perfect aspect:
I’ve just come home
. 

The auxiliary 
be
is used for the progressive or continuous aspect: 
They are coming home. 

The auxiliary 
be
is also used for the passive voice:
The letter was sent to him
.

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Theoretical Course of English Grammar 
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