Page:Adapting and Writing Language Lessons.pdf/289

1. The most common type of sentence in Swahili contains an 'inflected verb phrase.' This phrase may consist of a single verb (par. 29 - 35), or of two verbs (par. 68 - 69). In the following examples, the inflected verb phrases have been underlined.

Viongozi walikutana.	The leaders met one another.
Mkutano umemalizika.	The meeting has ended.
Viongozi walikuwa wamekutana.	The leaders had met one another.
Ulikuwa umemalizika.	It had ended.
Alikuwa ameanzisha mkutano.	He had opened the meeting.

2. The sentence may or may not contain a subject expression. In these examples, the subject expressions are underlined:

walikutana.	They met.
Wanachama walikutana.	The members met:
Wanachama hao wote walikutana.	All those members met.

(Polomé, 159)

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