Operator: An auxiliary that performs a grammatical operation



Operator: An auxiliary that performs a grammatical operation. The first auxiliary in a verb phrase is an operator. In short, this is the auxiliary that “does the work” in the verb phrase!

Examples: You have been smoking >>> have is the operator here.

Exercise: Find the operators in the following sentences:

Over the years, different methods have been developed to decaffeinate coffee.

Today three methods are used to decaffeinate coffee.

The most popular method is called water processing.

However, the decaffeinated coffee may be a little less flavorful.

Chemical processing can be used as a decaffeination method.

Carbon dioxide also may be used to decaffeinate coffee.

Class question: What do we call the verbs such as “to decaffeinate” above? Answer: These are verbs that follow finite verbs. They are not finite. This is the infinitive. For our purposes, focus only on the finite: those verbs that can change for tense, agree with the subject, etc.

Operation: A change from a simple declarative “positive” sentence to either a negative sentence or a question (interrogative) sentence.

Class example: We reviewed the extremely simple “negative operation” in Spanish.

Example: Tengo hambre.

Operation (insert “no” before the first word in the verb phrase): No tengo hambre.

No estoy leyendo el libro. No he tenido otra alternativa.

Negative: An operation that makes a positive sentence, negative. The word “not” is placed behind the first auxiliary. If there is no auxiliary, an auxiliary must be made with a form of the word “do.” This reforms the verb phrase because tense and subject-verb agreement shift to the newly formed auxiliary verb. NOTE: BE is exceptional.

Examples: You have been smoking. You have not been smoking.

She smokes. She does not smoke.

How we make the negative in English:

1. Identify the finite verb.

2. Count the number of pieces in the verb phrase.

3. If there are auxiliaries, add “not” after the first auxiliary. Ex: I am not going.

4. If there are no auxiliaries, make an auxiliary with “do.” Ex: He do smokes.

5. Shift the tense and subject-verb agreement from the lexical verb to the auxiliary “do.” Ex: He does smoke.

6. Add the word “not” after the newly formed first auxiliary: He does not smoke.

7. Exception: When “be” is the lexical verb and there are no auxiliaries in the verb phrase, just stick “not” after the lexical verb. I am not tired. He is not nice.

8. Change other sentence elements from positive to negative as needed (e.g. sometimes you have to make “some” into any; sometimes you have to change “not” to “never”).

Exercise: Make these sentences negative:

I enjoy swimming. The pool near my house is very clean and well maintained. The water temperature usually stays at a reasonable temperature. The city is considering some improvements on this pool. It will be a perfect pool.

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