Linguistics: Understanding Constructions

Ascriptive copula clauses = Used to ascribe a property to an entity Equative copula clauses = Used to state that one entity is identical or equal to another Locative copula clauses = Used to state where some entity is located Passive copula clauses = Used to express an action received by the subject

YES–NO interrogatives = Questions that can be answered with yes or no WH interrogatives = Questions that require more detailed responses Declarative interrogatives = Statements that imply a question Rhetorical interrogatives = Questions asked for effect rather than answers

Cannot be passive = Copula clauses do not allow passivization Do not have double objects = Only link subject and predicate elements Allow adverbs in clauses = Can include adverbial phrases such as immediately Can be modified by negation = Allow forms like 'is not' or 'isn't'

<p>Declarative clauses = State a fact or opinion Interrogative clauses = Request information Imperative clauses = Give commands or requests Exclamatory clauses = Express strong feelings or reactions</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Subject noun phrase = The main entity being discussed Linking verb = Connects the subject to the complement Adjective phrase = Describes the subject's properties Prepositional phrase = Indicates the subject's location or direction</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Declarative = Used to make a statement or declaration Interrogative = Used to ask a question Complex Clause = Includes a main clause and one or more subordinate clauses Simple Clause = Contains a subject and a predicate</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Did the wealthy young man buy that piano for his secret fiancée? = Interrogative Construction The wealthy young man bought that piano for his secret fiancée. = Declarative Construction Who bought that piano for his secret fiancée? = Interrogative Construction What did the wealthy young man buy for his secret fiancée? = Interrogative Construction</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>-ed = Indicates past tense -er = Indicates a person or agent -ion = Indicates a process or action -al = Indicates related to or of the kind</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Semantically Related = Terms that share the same situation or meaning Lexical Items = Words that have meaning in a particular context Participants = Individuals involved in the event or action Utterance = A spoken or written statement</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Main Clause = Can stand alone as a complete sentence Subordinate Clause = Cannot stand alone and depends on a main clause Relative Clause = Provides additional information about a noun Conditional Clause = Expresses a condition for another event</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Who = Replaces someone in direct questions What = Replaces something in direct questions Active clauses = Start with the participant who carries out the action Passive clauses = Start with the participant who suffers the action</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Overlook = To fail to notice something Educational = Pertaining to education Fielded = Played or participated in a game Fielder = A player positioned to field the ball in cricket</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Long passive = Includes an agent noun phrase Short passive = Omitted agent noun phrase Declarative clauses = Make statements Interrogative clauses = Ask questions</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Who did the wealthy young man buy that piano for? = Identifying an unknown participant The wealthy young man bought that piano. = Declaring an event Did the wealthy young man buy that piano? = Asking about the occurrence of an event What did the wealthy young man buy? = Inquiring about an object</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>YES–NO interrogatives = Answers can only be yes or no WH interrogatives = Ask about specific details of a situation Active constructions = Use an ordinary verb Passive constructions = Use the verb BE or a form of it</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Field = A root word that can take on various forms Stem = The core part of a word that carries meaning Prefix = An affix attached to the beginning of a word Suffix = An affix attached to the end of a word</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The wealthy young man = Buyer in a passive clause That piano = Passive participant in a passive clause Someone = Subject in an active clause His secret fiancée = Recipient of the action</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Active to Passive = Changes the perspective from actor to acted upon Passive to Active = Reverses the order of the participant Interrogative to Declarative = Alters a question into a statement Declarative to Interrogative = Turns a statement into a question</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Did he phone? = YES–NO interrogative What did he say? = WH interrogative That piano was bought for his secret fiancée. = Passive clause The wealthy young man bought a piano. = Active clause</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Subject of active clauses = Carries out the action Subject of passive clauses = Receives the action Copula constructions = Use the verb BE Non-copula constructions = Use an ordinary verb</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Passive = Derived from Latin verb patior Declarative = Statements about a situation Interrogative = Questions about participants Active = Focuses on the doer of the action</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Did Frank buy Jane the piano? = Interrogative Double Object The piano was bought for Jane by Frank = Declarative Passive Frank bought the piano for Jane = Declarative Active Did Frank buy the piano for Jane? = Interrogative Oblique</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Oblique Object Construction = Can be active or passive Double Object Construction = Involves two noun phrases Declarative Construction = Can include multiple modifications Interrogative Construction = Asks a question about an action</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Frank bought Jane the piano = Double Object Construction Jane was bought the piano by Frank = Passive Construction The piano was bought for Jane by Frank = Oblique Object Construction Did Frank deceive Emma? = Interrogative Active</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Adverbs = Widest range in Declarative Active Prepositional Phrases = Key feature in Oblique Object Noun Phrases = Necessary in Double Object Interrogative Syntax = Used to frame questions</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Interrogative Active = Expresses a question about an action Declarative Active = Most common construction form Declarative Passive = Places focus on the action's recipient Oblique Object = Includes a verb and a prepositional phrase</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The piano had been being bought by Frank = Awkward Passive Frank had been buying the piano for Jane = Complex Declarative Did Frank buy the piano for Jane? = Oblique Interrogative Frank didn’t deceive Emma = Negative Interrogative</p> Signup and view all the answers