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Re: # of possible verb declensions (was gotten, boughten)

From:taliesin the storyteller <taliesin@...>
Date:Wednesday, June 26, 2002, 11:37
* Joe said on 2002-06-26 06:51:50 +0200
> On the same thing, English inflects for 3 tenses, 1-3 aspects and 1-3 > persons. I count 11 positive verb forms, approximately. Multiplying by 2 to > account for negation, we have 22 verb forms
Oh?
> go > goes > am going > is going > are going > went > was going > were going > have gone > has gone > will go > do not go > does not go > did not go > am not going > are not going > is not going > will not go > was not going > were not going > have not gone > has not gone
have been going have been gone is about to go was about to go have been about to go will be about to go would have been about to go used to go used to be going Don't forget mood/modality.... must/may etc. go got to go got to be going have to go etc. As a non-native speaker, let me assure you: English verbs are just about the worst bit. t., who're "gonna hafta" be workin' late again

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JS Bangs <jaspax@...>