Current changes in the english verb [Articol]

Abstract

The present article is an overview of essential grammatical changes that have recently occurred in the Modern English verb. The article draws on works by Geoffrey Leech, Christian Mair, Marianne Hundt and Randolph Quirk. Although these changes are referred to as current, some of them started in the first half of the twentieth century. The emphasis in the paper was on the major changes related to the increase in use of continuous forms, decline of be-passive, decrease in the use of some modal verbs and increase in the use of semi-modals, and the revival of the mandative subjunctive. These changes are of particular interest for teachers of English.