Syntax (Part 3) Quiz 12.2
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Questions and Answers

Which of the following sentences is a compound sentence?

  • May had come but snow still lay on the ground. (correct)
  • I noticed that he spoke with a strong Newfoundland accent.
  • Snow still lay on the ground.
  • Though May had come, snow still lay on the ground.

    • What is the subordinate clause in the sentence: "Though May had come, snow still lay on the ground." ?

  • Though May had come (correct)
  • snow still lay on the ground
  • Though May had come, snow still lay on the ground
  • May had come

    • Which of the following is NOT a means of marking subordination?

  • Wh-form
  • Inversion
  • Apposition (correct)
  • Conjunction

    • In the sentence "First we shall inquire who actually noticed anything strange during the night", what is the "who actually noticed anything strange during the night" clause?

    <p>A wh-form clause (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the purpose of the 'SVCSO' example, using the content provided?

    <p>It serves as an example of an incorrect clause structure. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the example "The people twice elected him king." illustrate, according to the content provided?

    <p>An example of a complex-transitive clause structure. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Based on the examples provided, what is the most likely function of the phrase "in my view" in the sentence "He is terribly conceited, in my view."?

    <p>Adverbial modifying the verb 'is'. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the content, what is the main purpose of the list of basic construction types, like 'SV', 'SVO', 'S V O I OD' etc. ?

    <p>To provide a framework for understanding the basic structures of English clauses. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a possible reason why the sentence "Something put that she was a foreign spy in his head." has a different word order compared to the original "Something put it in his head that she was a foreign spy."?

    <p>This is an example of extraposition of a long object phrase. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the specific function of the phrase "at night" in the sentence "Dogs bark preferably at night."?

    <p>It acts as an optional adverbial modifying the verb 'bark'. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the most likely reason for the phrase "don’t think so." in the example "(But won’t the Bishop object to the proposal?) - Hm. Don’t think so." to be considered informal?

    <p>The phrase contains a contraction, which is typically associated with informal speech. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to the content, what is the main purpose of mentioning the 'principle of end weight'?

    <p>To explain how word order contributes to clarity and ease of understanding. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is the VERB of the main clause in the sentence 'Entering the room, the wary detective rather quickly noticed something had changed, although everybody was trying to behave normally.'?

    <p>noticed (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Flashcards

    Obligatory Adverbial (AOBL)

    An adverbial that must appear in a clause for it to be grammatical.

    Verb Complementation Patterns

    The various ways verbs can combine with phrases, affecting clause structure.

    Intransitive Construction (SV)

    A clause structure where the verb does not require an object (Subject + Verb).

    Monotransitive Construction (SVO)

    A clause structure that includes a subject, verb, and one object (Subject + Verb + Object).

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    Ditransitive Construction (SVOI)

    A clause type that has a subject, verb, indirect object, and direct object (Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object).

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    Copular Construction (SVC)

    A clause structure that links the subject to a subject complement (Subject + Verb + Complement).

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    Complex-Transitive Construction (SVOO)

    A construction type with a subject, verb, direct object, and a complement (Subject + Verb + Object + Complement).

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    End Weight Principle

    A syntactic principle that places heavier elements later in a sentence.

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    Apposition

    Structures x and y are parallel constituents explaining each other. One can be omitted.

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    Simple sentence

    Contains one main clause, expressing a complete thought.

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    Compound sentence

    Made up of two or more coordinated main clauses joined by conjunctions.

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    Complex sentence

    Contains one main clause and one or more subordinate clauses.

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    Subordination

    A means of joining clauses where one is dependent on another.

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    Main Clause

    A clause that can stand alone and contains a subject and predicate.

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    Finite Verb

    A verb that shows tense and agrees with the subject.

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    Immediate Constituents

    Parts of a sentence that can be analyzed separately.

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    Pro-form substitution

    Replacing a word or phrase with a simpler equivalent.

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    Clause

    A group of words with a subject and a verb that expresses a complete thought.

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    Phrase Types

    Categories of phrases like NP, VP, and AdvP.

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    Syntactic Function

    The role played by constituents in a sentence structure.

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    Coordination

    Joining two similar elements using connectors like 'and' or 'but'.

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    Study Notes

    Syntax (Part 3)

    • Obligatory Adverbials: Certain constructions, similar to adverbs, are obligatory and cannot be omitted. Optionality and movement do not apply in these cases. Examples include: "I quietly stole upstairs," "My aunt is into yoga," or "Who set the typewriter there?"
    • Adverbials indicating circumstances (place, time, reason, manner, purpose) can be freely combined with verbs or omitted. But some verbs have specific adverbials acting as complements. "They had married in Chicago before" is an example of an obligatory complement. "They lived in Chicago before" is optional.
    • Verb Complementation Patterns: Stripping optional adverbials from a clause reveals basic construction types (e.g., SV, SVO, SVOD). Examples of types include monotransitive, ditransitive, copular, complex-transitive, intransitive with obligatory A, transitive with obligatory A.
    • Ellipsis: Subject omission is common in informal speech. "Hm. Don't think so" is a good example.
    • Constituent Order: Constituent order (e.g., SVCO) can be influenced by end-weight principles. A surprising move example: "Parliament elected spokesman an utterly unknown backbencher."
    • Extraposition: Long objects can be moved and a dummy element ("it") inserted.
      • Example: "Something put it in his head that she was a foreign spy."

    Syntactic Analysis

    • The Recipe (Step 1): Identify the highest-ranking verb phrase (verb of the main clause). Example: "Entering the room, the wary detective rather quickly noticed something had changed."

    • Criteria (Step 1): Main clause is finite, not introduced by a subordinating conjunction, and doesn't depend on another constituent.

    • The Recipe (Step 2): Identify other immediate constituents based on the highest verb phrase.

    • Criteria (Step 2): Immediate constituents can be replaced by single pro-forms, moved as a whole, or omitted.

    • The Recipe (Step 3): Determine the forms of immediate constituents (e.g., noun phrase, verb phrase, adverbial phrase). See examples in provided materials.

    • The Recipe (Step 4): Assign syntactic functions (subject, object, adverbial, etc.) to immediate constituents.

    • The Recipe (Step 5): Identify the complementation pattern of the highest-ranking verb (e.g., SVO). This will denote the verb's type of structure.

    Two More Syntactic Relations

    • Coordination: "X and Y", or "X or Y" or "X but Y" are parallel constituents at the same syntactic level (though with different meanings). These are often joined by a coordinating conjunction. Example: "The weather will be cold and cloudy."
    • Apposition: Structures are parallel and identical in function and reference, where one explains the other. Example: "Jacques Sauniere, the renowned curator, staggered through the vaulted archway."

    Coordination and Subordination

    • Simple Sentence: One main clause, like "Snow still lay on the ground."
    • Compound Sentence: Two or more coordinated main clauses, like "May had come but snow still lay on the ground."
    • Complex Sentence: One or more subordinate clauses, like "Though May had come, snow still lay on the ground."

    Marking Constituency: Subordination

    • Means of Subordination: Techniques for marking subordinate clauses, including conjunctions, position, wh-forms, non-finite verb phrases, verbless sentences, or inversions.

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    TS 12 Syntax PDF

    Description

    Test your knowledge on obligatory adverbials, verb complementation patterns, and ellipsis in English syntax. Understand the difference between optional and obligatory structures while identifying various construction types. This quiz will challenge your understanding of adverbial usage and complement requirements in clauses.

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