Lesson 5: General Verbs and Third-Person Singular

Lesson 5: Overview of General Verbs and Adverbs

This lesson focuses on understanding and using verbs other than the "be" verb (am, is, are). These are referred to as general verbs (䄀般動詞). The primary goal is to learn how to express preferences, desires, and daily actions, such as "I like soccer" or "I want ice cream."

General Verbs (䄀般動詞)

Definition and Word Order

• General Verbs: These include verbs like $play$ (「(スポーツなど)をする, (楽器)を演奏する」), $study$ (「〜を勉強する」), $like$, and others that are not "be" verbs.
• Basic Word Order: In English, the sentence follows the order of     $\text{Subject} + \text{Verb}$
• Example Translation Comparison:
  • Japanese: 私は (主語) + サッカーを (目的語) + します (動詞).
  • English: $I$ (私は) + $play$ (をします) + $soccer$ (サッカーを).

Verb Forms and Third-Person Singular Rules

When the subject of the sentence is a single person or thing other than "I" ($I$) or "You" ($You$)—such as $He$, $She$, $Mary$, or $Fred$—the general verb must change its form. This is typically done by adding $-s$ or $-es$. There are three primary patterns and one major exception:

1. Adding $s$:

   • $like \rightarrow likes$
   • $play \rightarrow plays$
   • Example: $I\,play\,soccer.$ (I play soccer) vs. $He\,plays\,soccer.$ (He plays soccer).

2. Adding $es$:

   • This occurs for certain endings (e.g., verbs ending in -o or -ch).
   • $go \rightarrow goes$
   • $watch \rightarrow watches$

3. Changing $y$ to $i$ and adding $es$:

   • $study \rightarrow studies$

4. Irregular Form (have):

   • The verb $have$ (〜を持っている」) changes uniquely to $has$.

Adverbs (副詞)

Adverbs of Frequency

Adverbs are words used to express how often an action is performed. These are called frequency adverbs.

• Key Adverbs:
  • $often$ (よく)
  • $sometimes$ (ときどき)
  • $usually$ (たいてい)

Placement Rule

• Frequency adverbs are generally placed before the general verb in a sentence.
• Example: $We\,often\,play\,soccer.$ (私たちはよくサッカーをします。)

Practical Examples and Dialogue

Reading and Comprehension Examples

• Example 1:

  • $I\,like\,science.\,I\,study\,science\,every\,day.$
  • $Sally\,likes\,math.\,She\,studies\,math\,every\,day.$
  • Note: Observe the change from "study" to "studies" when the subject changes from "I" to "Sally/She".

• Example 2:

  • $I\,go\,to\,school\,with\,my\,sister.$
  • $Fred\,goes\,to\,school\,with\,his\,friend.$
  • Note: Observe the change from "go" to "goes" when the subject is Fred.

Speaking and Vocabulary Practice

1. $I\,want\,chocolate\,ice\,cream.$ (ぼくはチョコレートアイスクリームがほしいです。)
2. $We\,usually\,watch\,TV\,together.$ (ぼくたちはたいていいっしょにテレビを見ます。)
3. $Bob\,often\,cooks\,lunch.$ (ボブはよく昼食を料理します。)

Key Pronunciation and Definition Warnings

• $together$: Means "いっしょに".
• $often$: Note that the letter $t$ is silent (発音しない).
• $cooks$: The suffix $s$ in this case is pronounced as a voiceless [s] sound (「ス」と発音する).

Eiken Try-It Exercise (Practice Questions)

Question 1

• Sentence: $John\,plays\,the\,piano\,every\,day.\,He\,(\dots)\,music\,very\,much.$
• Options: 1. $like$, 2. $likes$, 3. $is$, 4. $are$
• Answer: 2. $likes$
• Explanation: Since the subject is $He$ (3rd person singular), the verb must have an $s$. $is$ or $are$ do not fit the semantic context of "liking music."

Question 2

• Sentence: $It\text{'s\,hot\,today.\,}I\,(\dots)\,ice\,cream.$
• Options: 1. $play$, 2. $come$, 3. $study$, 4. $want$
• Answer: 4. $want$
• Explanation: This is a vocabulary meaning question. Given it is hot, the most natural verb to connect with "ice cream" is "want."

Question 3

• Sentence: $Sam\,usually\,(\dots)\,TV\,after\,dinner.$
• Options: 1. $goes$, 2. $opens$, 3. $watches$, 4. $cooks$
• Answer: 3. $watches$
• Explanation: The combined phrase $watches\,TV$ means "テレビを見る". The subject $Sam$ is singular, requiring the form $watches$.

Listening Exercises (CD-12)

• Track 1: "I like sports. I play soccer with my friends every day."
  • (ぼくはスポーツが好きです。ぼくは所日友だちといっしょにサッカーをします。)
• Track 2: "Mary likes music. She plays the piano every day."
  • (メアリーは音楽が好きです。彼女は所日ピアノを弾きます。)
• Key Distinction: Listen for the difference in verb forms when the subject is $I$ (e.g., $play$) versus when the subject is $Mary$ or $She$ (e.g., $likes$, $plays$).