Anomalous Verbs

Anomalous verbs are a small group of verbs in English that do not follow the standard rules of conjugation. These verbs are also known as auxiliary verbs or modal verbs, and they are used to express various grammatical nuances, such as ability, possibility, necessity, permission, or obligation.

Characteristics of Anomalous Verbs

1. They can function as auxiliary verbs to help form questions, negatives, and other grammatical structures.

2. They do not require additional auxiliary verbs (like “do”) to form questions or negatives.

3. They often exhibit irregular conjugation and may lack certain forms, such as participles.

List of Common Anomalous Verbs

1. Can

2. Could

3. May

4. Might

5. Shall

6. Should

7. Will

8. Would

9. Must

10. Ought to

11. Need (in certain uses)

12. Dare (in certain uses)

How to Use Anomalous Verbs

Anomalous verbs are usually followed by the base form of a verb (infinitive without “to”).

1. Expressing ability

Can and Could are used to express ability.

• • Examples:
    • “She can swim well.” (Present ability)
    • “He could play the piano when he was young.” (Past ability)

2. Expressing permission

May and Can are used to ask for or give permission.

• • Examples:
    • “You may enter the room.” (Formal permission)
    • “Can I use your phone?” (Informal permission)

3. Expressing possibility

May, Might, Can, and Could are used to express possibility.

• • Examples:
    • “It may rain today.” (Likelihood)
    • “She might be at the library.” (Possibility)

4. Expressing Necessity or Obligation

Must, Should, and Ought to are used to express necessity or moral obligation.

• • Examples:
    • “You must wear a helmet while riding a bike.” (Necessity)
    • “You should eat more vegetables.” (Advice or moral obligation)
    • “You ought to apologize.” (Moral obligation)

5. Expressing Future Intentions

Shall and Will are used to express intentions or future plans.

• • Examples:
    • “I shall complete the task by tomorrow.” (Formal intention)
    • “He will visit us next week.” (Future intention)

6. Expressing Hypothetical Situations

Would and Could are used in hypothetical or conditional sentences.

• • Examples:
    • “If I were rich, I would travel the world.” (Hypothetical)
    • “You could achieve more if you tried harder.” (Conditional)

7. Expressing Lack of Necessity

Need not and Do not need to are used to indicate something is not necessary.

• • Examples:
    • “You need not worry about the exam.” (Formal)
    • “You do not need to bring anything.” (Informal)

Important Points to Remember

1. No “s” in Third Person Singular: Unlike regular verbs, anomalous verbs do not add “-s” in the third person singular.

• • Correct: “He can drive.”
  • Incorrect: “He cans drive.”

2. No Infinitive or Participles: Modal verbs do not have an infinitive or participle form.

• • Correct: “He could help you.”
  • Incorrect: “He has could help you.”

3. Use with Negatives and Questions: Modal verbs do not need auxiliary verbs to form negatives or questions.

• • Question: “Can you swim?” (Not “Do you can swim?”)
  • Negative: “She cannot (can’t) come.” (Not “She does not can come.”)

Examples of Anomalous Verbs in Sentences

Practice Exercise

Fill in the blanks using the correct anomalous verb:

1. You _______ finish your homework before watching TV. (Necessity)

2. _______ I borrow your book? (Permission)

3. If I had more time, I _______ visit you. (Hypothetical)

4. It _______ rain later, so take an umbrella. (Possibility)

5. We _______ leave now, or we’ll miss the bus. (Necessity)

Answers:

1. Must

2. May/Can

3. Would

4. Might

5. Should