Copula and auxiliary / morphemes

Copula

A form of “to be” that is the main verb in the sentence (links the subject to a description or identity)

She is happy 

Auxiliary

A form of “to be” that helps another verb

• (____ + verb-ing) 

Contractible copula  

Present tense verbs (am, is, are) as the main verb 

• They’re (they are) tall 

• I’m (I am) ready 

• it’s (it is) hot 

Uncontractible copula 

Cannot be shortened with the subject 

• She was mad 

• He was happy 

• This is my pencil

• We were excited 

This is often past tense 

Contractible auxiliary

Used to help another verb that can be contracted

• She’s (she is) running

• They’re (they are) eating

• We’re (we are) skiing later 

Uncontractible auxiliary

Verb used to help another verb that cannot be contracted

• Xavier was running

• They were laughing

• What are you doing

He’s funny

Contractible copula

They’re walking 

Contractible auxiliary 

Yes, it was her

Uncontractible copula

The person was helping me

Uncontractible auxiliary

I’m going home

Contractible auxiliary

It’s raining outside 

Contractible auxiliary 

What are you doing? 

Uncontractible auxiliary 

You’re funny 

Contractible copula

That’s who she is

Uncontractible copula

This is the one I like

Uncontractible copula

This is my pencil

Uncontractible copula

Bound morpheme

Morpheme that cannot stand alone - it must attach to another word

Inflectional bound morpheme

A bound morpheme that changes a word’s grammar but not its meaning or part of speech.

• Walked 

• Cats 

• Running 

Derivational bound morpheme

a bound morpheme that changes a word’s meaning or part of speech 

Happy → unhappy (changes meaning)

Teach → teacher (verb to noun)

Present progressive -ing:

1. Shows action happening right now 

   1. She is eating 

Regular plural morpheme -s

1. Adds -s to show more than one 

   1. Cats and dishes 

IN

Inside

The toy is in the box 

ON

On top of

The book is on the table 

Possessive -s

1.  Shows ownership or possession 

   1. “Mom’s car” “Dog’s bone” 

Regular past tense morpheme -ed -

1. Adds -ed to show an action happened in the past. 

   1. Walked, played, jumped 

Irregular past

1. Past tense that doesn’t use “-ed” 

   1. Ate, ran, went, broke 

Regular third person singular -s

1. Adds -s to verb when the subject is he/she/it (in present tense) 

   1. She walks 

   2. He runs 

Articles

1. Small words that go before nouns; a, an, the  

   1. A cat, an apple, the house 

Contractible copula

1. A form of “be” that links the subject to a description and can be shortened 

   1. She is happy to she’s happy ← “is” is the contractible copula 

Contractible auxiliary

1. A form of be that helps another verb and can be shortened 

   1. He is running → he’s running 

   2. “Is” helps “running” 

Uncontractible copula

1. Form of “be” that links the subject to a description but cannot be shortened 

   1. Who is she 

   2. It was me 

Uncontractible auxiliary

1. A form of “be” that helps another verb but cannot be shortened 

   1. She was helping me 

   2. Who was running? 

Irregular third person singular

1. A verb that changes form when used with he/she/it 

   1. He has (not haves)

   2. She does (not dos) 

   3. He says (irregular sound)