Hawassa university
Bensa Daye campus
HAWASSA UNIVERSITY
Department of English language and literature
Bensa Daye campus
Course Title: Media English (Enla 4430)
By: Eyasu K.
Question
Discuss the following question in a group.
1.What is verb?
1.5.1. Functions of verb
As emphasized earlier, verbs function primarily in
English sentences to indicate;
tense
voice
mood
number and person
a) Tense
One of the fundamental functions of verb in English
sentences is to indicate the time at which an action is
executed.
This entails whether the action is taking place at the
moment, has took place at some time in the past or will
take place in an anticipated time in the future.
In English language tense is expressed by inflection in
the present and past tenses only.
The major tenses in English are the present tense, the
past tense and the future tense. However, there are
other categories associated to these
i. The present tense
Tense is essentially used to indicate an action currently
taking place or a state existing now.
There are two forms of the present tense, the simple
present tense and the continuous present tense.
The simple present tense is also used to indicate
something that is generally or always true.
The simple present tense can be used to indicate a
regular or habitual action.
ii. Past tense
The past tense is primarily used to refer to an action
that has taken place before the present time,
The simple past tense is used to refer to an event or
state that occurred at some point in the past
It can also be used to indicate a regular or repeated
action in the past
Present Perfect tense
It refers to an action that began in the past but
continuous or has consequences in the present. Exa,
The editor has lived in Nigeria for over ten years.
The past perfect tense:
It is used to refer to past actions in which there is
causal link between the events. Exa,
I granted the interview after she had given me the
confidence of anonymity.
iii. The future tense
This tense describes an action or state that will occur at
some point in the future.
It is used to predict or say what is likely to happen in the
future, as in:
He will report the next story from the government
house.
She will serve as an acting editor.
Mood
Verbs also function to indicate the mood of action.
Mood expresses the attitude or view point that a
specific verb indicated.
The major moods of English verbs are the
indicative,
imperative and
subjunctive.
a)The indicative mood
The indicative mood of a verb is used to express a factual or
truthful statement. Exa,
He reports for the radio station.
She authored the book.
b) Imperative mood
The imperative mood of a verb is used to construct orders,
instructions or stipulations.
The imperative mood can also indicate a request, demand or wish.
Exa,
Go out.
Give me the report.
Comply with them.
c) Subjunctive mood
Verbs in the subjunctive mood are primarily used in
English to express hypothetical statements which
includes supposition, doubt and other non-factual
statements.
The subjunctive mood is also used in certain formal
clauses beginning with (that or as) and in certain fixed
expressions. Example:
If I were you I would apply for the position of an editor.
I pray that he interviews the governor.
Voice
There are two categories of voice in English; they are the
active and passive voices.
a)The active voice
This indicates the action of the verb been performed by
the subject of the sentence. For example:
o The editor wrote the story.
o She is cooking the dinner today.
The verbs wrote and cooking is in active voice because
the subjects (editor and she) performed the actions of
writing and cooking.
Passive voice
This is expressed when the subject of the sentence
becomes the recipient of the action of the verb.
In the sentence; The story was written by the editor,
the verb was written is in passive voice because the
subject of the sentence the story is having the action
of writing performed on it. Other examples are:
The reporter was highly celebrated as a hero.
A journalist was killed.
The Program was suspended.
Concord
This refers to the structural harmony in number and
person between the subject and the verb in a
sentence.
The general convention is that a singular subject takes
singular verb and plural subject takes plural verb.
Example:
The editor travels to Abuja, (singular).
The editors travel to Abuja, (plural).
Generally plural noun adds -s and singular noun drops
it. Also singular verb adds -s while plural verb do not.
1.5.3. Common journalistic usage errors
The following are some of the apparent areas of
journalistic violation of the structure of English verbs:
a) Addition of -ing to the state of being verbs
English verbs that signify emotional or psychological
dispositions rather than physical actions should not
occur with -ing as present participle.
This is because literally -ing denotes action in progress.
It is contradictory to indicate action in progress where
no action is actually taking place.
Cont’d
The following sentences are grammatically faulty
because -ing was added to each of the state of being
verb in the context:
The reporter said ‘I am not hearing you sir’
she is knowing the editor for the first time.
The students are seeing the white board clearly.
We are admiring his generosity.
The correct expression should be:
I cannot hear you sir.
The students can see the white board clearly.
b) Confusion of the perfect and progressive
forms of some irregular verbs
The following pairs of verbs are frequently confused
and misused by journalists: been/being, given/ giving,
taken/taking.
It is important to note that the -en form of the verb is
usually preceded by have, has, or had (have been, has
given or had taken).
While the -ing form is usually preceded by an
appropriate form of be (is being, was giving, were
taking).
1.6. Adverb
An adverb is any word that modifies verbs, adjectives and
other adverbs in a sentence.
When a group of words performed this task they are
known as adverbial phrase or adverbials.
• Exa,The story was reported yesterday (adverb modified a
verb).
• The editor is highly generous (adverb modified adjective).
Adverbs are usually formed by the addition of ly to
adjectives, while others are independent words,
e.g. actively, honestly, correctly, gracefully, brilliantly,
intelligently, yesterday, now, soon, tomorrow
1.6.1. Classification of adverb
Adverbs are classified into the following:
a) Adverbs of time
These adverbs indicate or establish the period within
which something happened.
They consist of words like then, now, afterwards,
before, later, tomorrow, yesterday. Exa,
the editor will see you soon.
The reporter was in the government house then.
The editor and the reporter had never met before.
b) Adverbs of frequency
This class of adverbs denotes the rate, or incidence of
occurrence of something.
They include words such as often, seldom, always, never,
rarely, usually, constantly, frequently.
Exa: The newspaper publishes political stories regularly.
c) Adverbs of duration
This indicates the amount of time through which something
occurred or lasted.
Words in this category include briefly, permanently,
indefinitely, overnight, temporarily. Exa,
The reporter has been suspended from the job indefinitely.
The editor stayed in the newsroom overnight.
d) Adverbs of location
This constructs the place or environment at which
something occurred.
They include such words as here, there, near, indoors,
nearby.
Example:
The editor and the reporter have travelled overseas.
The editor went outside.
The journalist lives nearby.
e) Adverbs of manner
This indicates the pattern of occurrence or
circumstance within which something happened.
They are mostly formed by the addition of ly to
adjectives.
Example:
The editor dressed corporately.
The reporter spoke eloquently.
The journalists waited patiently for his response.
f) Adverbs of degree
These are used to indicate the magnitude or intensity
of the occurrence of an action.
They include words as fairly, moderately, very, partly,
remarkably.
Example:
The editor was tremendously excited.
The reporter is incredibly beautiful.
g) Adverbs of emphasis
These are extracted from the class of adverbs of degree
to indicate the weight or forcefulness of occurrence of
something.
They include words such as: positively, totally, really,
completely.
Example:
The newspaper really lost its credibility.
The editor disagreed completely with the reporter.
The reporter admires the editor positively
Common journalistic usage errors
Adverbs as modifiers are highly flexible because they can
occur in different positions in a sentence.
Despite this challenge, they are relatively easy to use.
Journalists should acknowledge that extra caution should be
exercised in the positioning of an adverb in a sentence.
Exa, there is a significant meaning d/ce in ff sentences:
The editor curiously read the story (refers to the editor himself).
Curiously, the editor read the story (refers to the act of reading).
The read the story curiously (refers to manner of reading)
Cont’d …
The adverb may also modify either one of two words
and makes the sentence ambiguous, dull or
ungrammatical.
Example:
The editor was excited that he almost included all the
facts in the story.
The editor was excited that he included almost all the
facts in the story.(corrected)
1.7. Prepositions
A preposition is a word or group of words that
highlights the relationship between a noun or pronoun
and the object or other elements of the sentence.
It usually occurs before the noun or pronoun it relates
with.
Example:
The story appeared on the cover page.
The reporter asked questions about the crisis.
The editor will stay in London for two months.
1.7.1. Classification of prepositions
Prepositions are classified into simple and complex
depending on the composition of its structure.
a) Simple prepositions are often short words and
comprises of a single word such as at, by, on, in,
before, after, of, off, to, behind, during, as
Cont’d ..
b) Complex prepositions consist of two or three words
that collectively perform the function of a simple
preposition in a sentence.
These include ahead of, because of, instead of, on
account of, by means of, on behalf of, in addition to, in
terms of, and in spite of.
Example:
The editor attended the occasion on behalf of the
Managing Director.
The radio station is not rich in terms of man power and
facilities.
1.7.2. Common journalistic usage errors
The structural usage of prepositions is frequently
flawed by journalists in the following areas:
a) Replacement of some prepositions for the right
ones.
This usually happened unconsciously, where some
other prepositions are substituted for the right ones in
sentences as exemplified in these sentences:
The meeting between the editor and the reporters
commenced exactly by 11am (at).
The news editor was not in the first bus (on).
Cont’d
b) Insertion of some prepositions where they are not
needed.
Most often journalists insert prepositions in a position
where they redundant.
They should be dropped out rightly. Exa,
The editor is contemplating on which story to appear
on the cover page.
The journalists are denied of their right to seek for
information.
Cont’d
c) Omission of prepositions where they are needed.
This is another area of the violation of prepositions
by journalists, where prepositions are unconsciously
omitted in a sentence which affects the grammatical
structure of the sentence.
Example:
The principal asked ‘ what are you talking()’? (about).
The reporters arrived here ( ) exactly 2 o’clock (at).
She bought the radio ( ) two thousand Naira (for).
1.8. Conjunction
A conjunction is a word that links different elements
of a sentence together.
Unlike the prepositions, conjunctions do not show
relationship between elements but connect words or
group of words.
Example:
The editor and the reporter are in the newsroom.
The story was not published because the facts are not
verifiable.
1.8.1. Classification of conjunctions
Conjunctions are fundamentally classified into four
categories:
a)Coordinating conjunctions
These are words that connect elements of equal
grammatical status.
They may be words, group of words or main clauses.
They include words such as and, but, or, yet.
Example:
The story is short but comprehensive.
The reporter should verify the facts or kill the story.
The editor is highly rigid yet fair
b) Correlative conjunctions
These are words usually in pairs that connect
elements in a comparative or relative structure to
achieve emphasis.
They include
Example:
The reporter is neither trained nor experienced.
The reporter is either trained or experience.
The editor is both intelligent and creative.
c) Subordinating conjunction
These are used to link a subordinate clause to the
main clause in the sentence.
It introduces an adverbial clause, comparative clause
or relative clause.
It introduces adverbial clauses or phrases by providing
information about time, place, manner, purpose,
concession and condition.
They include before, as soon as, wherever, so as to, so
that, in case, provided, as long as, as if, although, even
though.
Cont’d..
d)Conjunctive adverb
This includes however, moreover,
nevertheless, therefore, still, so that are used
to connect sentence parts.
1.8.3. Common journalistic usage errors
a) The use of double conjunctions to connect the same
elements
It is important to understand that only one conjunction is
needed to connect two sentence parts.
Expressions such as still yet, so therefore, although but,
should incase, although yet that are frequently used as
conjunction should be avoided in journalistic contents.
Example: The reporter has scored the highest points in
the interview, so therefore he deserves to be promoted.
In all sentences more than one conjunction is used as
highlighted hence the sentences are grammatically faulty.
b) The use of more so for moreover
More so is not an English expression or word, it is
presumed to be a foreign word.
It is not synonymous with moreover and should not
be confused with situation in which the word more is
followed by another distinctive word so.
Example:
The reporter was happy about the popularity of the
newspaper and the editor even more so (meaning
that the editor is happier than the reporter).
c) Use of both ……and for more than two
element in a sentences
The correlative conjunctions both ……and should
strictly be used to connect only two elements.
Sentences such as the following are faulty because the
correlative conjunction is used for more than two
elements.
We invited both the editor, reporter and Managing
Director to the workshop.
Both television, radio and newspaper are media of
mass communication.
d)Failure to make conjoined sentence part parallel
When coordinating or correlative conjunctions
are used to join sentence parts, the connected
elements must have similar grammatical
structure.
Example:
He reported and edited the story (verb + verb).
I will buy a radio or television (noun + noun).
He is not only intelligent but also imaginative
(adjective +adjective.
Th
e en
d…
Thank you!
