Questions on 'Double Verbs' and others

Question

Hello everyone it's Raymond.Q1. First, I got a problem with double verbs.       Consider the following example:'The department confirmed there were some victims.'In the sentence above, both 'confirmed' and 'were' are the main verbs right?So does this sentence make the 'double verbs' mistake?Another example (from teens react) :'Tell us what video we should watch next!'In the sentence above, both 'tell' and 'watch' are the main verbs right?So does this sentence make the 'double verbs' mistake? I'm really confused  Also, do auxiliary verbs count as 'verbs' in a sentence? If yes, many sentences are making the 'double verbs' mistake.(So my assumption for this question's answer is no)My teacher has taught me that 'double verbs' error simple means that 'a sentence cannot have more than 1 tense forms'.Is this correct?Q2. Consider the following example:If someone else can't do it, we wanna to be able to.Here I know that the part 'we wanna to be able to' has omitted the part 'do it', but I just don't know the explanation behind.Could anyone please give me a brief explanation for this?Thanks in advance!

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Q1. The department confirmed (that) there were some victims.
In the sentence above, both 'confirmed' and 'were' are the main verbs right?-- No: see my insertion of the optional subordinating conjunction.

'Tell us what video we should watch next!'
In the sentence above, both 'tell' and 'watch' are the main verbs right?-- No. Like 'that' above, 'what' is a subordinator.

Also, do auxiliary verbs count as 'verbs' in a sentence?-- Yes.

My teacher has taught me that 'double verbs' error simple means that 'a sentence cannot have more than 1 tense forms'.
Is this correct?-- I don't think so, but I don't know what s/he means by that. A clause cannot have more than one finite verb, that is all.

Q2 If someone else can't do it, we want to be able to.-- Don't use 'wanna' at EF: it is not a word.

Here I know that the part 'we want to be able to' has omitted the part 'do it', but I just don't know the explanation behind.
Could anyone please give me a brief explanation for this?-- We don't need to repeat the whole verb or predicate in this structure, that is all.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Raymond KiiMy teacher has taught me that 'double verbs' error simple means that 'a sentence cannot have more than 1 tense forms'.Is this correct?

Maybe your teacher meant that there can be at most one modal auxiliary verb in a verb phrase:

Wrong: I might can go.

Of course a sentence can have a compound predicate (more than one verb), but all verbs should have compatible tenses:

He walked down the street, waited for the light to turn green, and started running.
He will walk down the street, wait for the light to turn green, and start running.

He was rollerblading and juggling three ***** at the same time.

Raymond Kii · Answer

Thanks all for help

Mister Micawber, I can't find your about 'insertion of the optional subordinating conjunction'.
Could you please give me the direct link ?
Thanks in advance.

Mister Micawber · Answer

I have no link to give you, but you may google 'restrictive relative clauses' and find out about it. It is just that 'that' is optional: The department confirmed (that) there were some victims.

'That' cannot be omitted, however, when it is the subject of the clause: The cat that ate my hat is dead now.

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