Understanding Argument and Thematic Structures
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Questions and Answers

What is the main function of the emphatic auxiliary DO?

  • To indicate future actions
  • To create passive voice
  • To co-occur with a negative expression (correct)
  • To form questions

Emphatic imperatives do not occur in British English.

False (B)

What negator can attach to the modal in negative sentences?

not

In interrogative sentences, __________ of the subject with the modal takes place.

<p>inversion</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the following modal verbs with their characteristics:

<p>Must = No past form Ought = No past form Could = Past ability May = Permission</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the periphrastic modal HAVE TO correspond to?

<p>Must (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

All modal verbs have a past form.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Emphatic affirmation can be expressed with the emphatic modal __________.

<p>shall</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following adjectives can be classified as polar adjectives?

<p>careful (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Predicative adjectives that select an abstract subject are often expressed by using nominal predicatives.

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

What are the two types of intransitive verbs mentioned?

<p>simple and complex</p> Signup and view all the answers

Predicative adjectives that select an abstract subject include: hard, easy, __________.

<p>difficult</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the following types of predicative adjectives with their descriptions:

<p>Predicative adjectives (+human) = Adjectives exclusively taking human subjects Predicative adjectives (+concrete) = Adjectives expressing physical attributes Predicative adjectives (animate) = Adjectives relating to living beings Predicative adjectives (abstract) = Adjectives that are often used with sentential subjects</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following adjectives is an example of a predicative adjective that expresses attributes of colour?

<p>blue (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The link verb BE followed by a prepositional phrase is a common pattern in English.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The nominal predicative expressed by a ___________ phrase is common in idiomatic expressions.

<p>prepositional</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the copulative verb 'be'?

<p>To link the subject to the predicative (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The verb 'be' has substantive meaning in sentences.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Name one type of copulative verb other than 'be'.

<p>become</p> Signup and view all the answers

A copulative verb that indicates a change of state is __________.

<p>become</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the following types of copulative verbs with their functions:

<p>Sensory copulative verbs = Associated with sensory perceptions Stative copulative verbs = Show a current state of the subject Change of state copulative verbs = Indicate a transition from one state to another</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which sentence contains a semantically poor copulative verb?

<p>The flowers smell sweet. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The verb 'appear' functions as a semantically empty copulative verb.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the three roles of the copulative verb 'be' in a predicate?

<p>To link the subject to the predicative, to show agreement in person and number, to indicate tense and aspect.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a complex intransitive verb pattern?

<p>He put up with her complaints. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Intransitive verbs never take objects.

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

What type of object do complex intransitive verbs require when they have an indirect object?

<p>A preposition marked 'to'.</p> Signup and view all the answers

To apologize to someone for ______.

<p>something</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the verbs with their corresponding patterns:

<p>belong to = Indirect Object + Preposition argue with = Indirect Object + Prepositional Object lecture to = Indirect Object + Prepositional Object submit to = Indirect Object + Preposition</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which sentence correctly illustrates a complex intransitive verb with two prepositional objects?

<p>All of the above. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The verbs 'cost' and 'owe' can be treated as transitive verbs.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Name one semantic group that modifies the indirect object in complex intransitive verbs.

<p>Verbs of perception.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is considered a prepositional reflexive verb?

<p>To pride oneself on something (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Complex intransitive verbs take a Subject and a direct object.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of an intransitive reflexive verb?

<p>To fend for oneself</p> Signup and view all the answers

A reflexive verb that can be used both as reflexive and non-reflexive is 'to ___'.

<p>bathe</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the verbs to their types:

<p>To break into = Prepositional intransitive verb To look forward to something = Prepositional phrasal intransitive verb To dress = Reflexive verb To busy oneself with something = Prepositional reflexive verb</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following pairs correctly describes a complex intransitive verb?

<p>To provide for - requires an object (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

All phrasal intransitive verbs require an obligatory preposition.

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

What happens to the object of a preposition when a complex intransitive verb is passivized?

<p>Moved to initial sentence position</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the two main arguments involved in the verb 'kill' represented in a sentence?

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

The roles PATIENT and THEME are always considered separate thematic roles.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the thematic role of 'the lion' in the sentence 'The lion killed the deer'?

<p>AGENT</p> Signup and view all the answers

The thematic grid for the verb 'give' is represented as: ________.

<p>&lt; AGENT, THEME, BENEFICIARY/GOAL &gt;</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the auxiliary verbs with their functions.

<p>HAVE = Emphasis BE = Coda</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which adverb would indicate the AGENT in the sentence 'Tim rolled the ball towards the fence'?

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

What is the acronym NICE used to refer to regarding auxiliary verbs?

<p>Negation, Inversion, Coda, Emphasis</p> Signup and view all the answers

The negator 'not' is always separated from the auxiliary verb in negative sentences.

<p>False (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Thematic Roles

The relationship between a verb and its arguments, denoting the roles of participants in an action. For example, in "The lion killed the deer," the lion is the AGENT performing the action, and the deer is the PATIENT receiving the action.

Thematic Grid

A grid representing the thematic roles of a verb. It shows the arguments the verb takes and their semantic relationships.

AGENT

The participant who performs the action of the verb, often the subject of the sentence. For example, "The lion" in "The lion killed the deer."

PATIENT

The participant who undergoes the action of the verb, often the object of the sentence. For example, "the deer" in "The lion killed the deer."

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NICE Verbs

Auxiliary verbs that have specific syntactic properties, including taking part in negation, inversion, coda, and emphasis.

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Inversion

The process of putting the auxiliary verb before the subject in a sentence.

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Negation

The process of inserting the negator not after the auxiliary verb in a sentence. For example, "You have not seen Mary."

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Emphasis

The use of a verb form to emphasize the action in a sentence. For example, "You did see Mary."

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Adjectival predicative

A type of predicative that modifies the subject and is realized by an adjective phrase.

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Nominal predicative

A type of predicative that renames or identifies the subject and is expressed by a noun phrase, prepositional phrase, or clause.

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Link verb

A verb that connects the subject to the predicative, fulfilling roles of linking, agreement, tense, and aspect.

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Link verb BE

"To be" is a copulative verb that lacks independent meaning, serving solely as a link. It is the basic and most frequent type of linking verb.

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Semantically poor verbs

These are verbs that carry some semantic meaning, but primarily act as links between the subject and predicative, expressing a change of state or condition.

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Sensory copulative verbs

These verbs suggest sensory experiences, often followed by an adjective or prepositional phrase with 'like'.

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Stative copulative verbs

These verbs indicate a state of being, typically followed by an adjective describing the state.

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Change of state copulative verbs

These verbs show a change in state or condition, often followed by an adjective describing the result of the change.

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Predicative adjectives with [+human] subjects

Predicative adjectives that exclusively require a subject that is human. Examples include polite, amiable, sincere, etc.

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Predicative adjectives with [+animate] subjects

Predicative adjectives that require a subject that is animate, meaning either human or animal. Examples include attentive, sleepy, playful, etc.

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Predicative adjectives with [+concrete] subjects

Predicative adjectives that require a concrete subject, often describing physical attributes. Examples include blue, square, long, etc.

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Predicative adjectives with [+abstract] subjects

Predicative adjectives that require an abstract subject, often a sentence or clause. Examples include easy, necessary, likely.

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Simple intransitive verbs

Intransitive verbs that only require a subject and don't need an object. Examples include sleep, walk, jump.

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Complex intransitive verbs

Intransitive verbs that require additional elements, such as prepositions or adverbs, to complete their meaning. Examples include look up, sit down, etc.

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Intransitive verbs

Intransitive verbs are those verbs that do not require an object to complete their meaning. They express an action or state of being that doesn't directly involve another thing.

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Modal Verbs

A type of auxiliary verb that expresses modality, such as possibility, obligation, or ability. They include words like "can", "could", "may", "might", "will", "would", "shall", "should", and "must".

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Negation with Modals

A feature of modal verbs that allows them to be negated by adding "not" directly to the modal, either in contracted or uncontracted form. Example: "He can't swim." or "He cannot swim."

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Inversion with Modals

A feature of modal verbs that allows them to appear before the subject in questions. Example: "Can he swim?" or "Will they come?"

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Periphrastic Modal Verbs

A type of modal verb that is formed using a combination of auxiliary verbs and a main verb, such as "be able to" or "have to". These verbs function similarly to pure modal verbs but lack some of their grammatical characteristics.

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"Have To"

A periphrastic modal verb that means the same as "must". It has the features of regular modal verbs, including negation, inversion, and use in coordinate clauses.

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Emphatic Sentences

A type of sentence that expresses strong emphasis or assertion. It can be achieved using modal verbs, adverbs, or other grammatical devices.

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Contrastive Clauses with Modal 'Do'

A type of sentence that contrasts a statement with a preceding concessive clause. It often uses the modal 'do' for emphasis.

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Emphatic Imperatives

A type of imperative sentence that expresses strong emphasis or urgency. It often uses the modal 'do' in British English.

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Reflexive Verbs

Verbs that require a reflexive pronoun (e.g., "myself") to complete their meaning. They cannot be used without the reflexive pronoun.

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Prepositional Reflexive Verbs

A type of reflexive verb that always requires a specific preposition. They indicate a particular relationship between the action and the object.

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Verbs with Obligatory Prepositions

Verbs that can appear either as prepositional reflexive verbs (with a reflexive pronoun) or as prepositional transitive verbs (without a reflexive pronoun).

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Intransitive Reflexive Verbs with Prepositions

A type of intransitive reflexive verb that requires a preposition and a reflexive pronoun.

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Reflexive Verbs with Particles

Verbs that combine a verb with a particle (like 'out', 'in') and a reflexive pronoun. These verbs create a specific meaning.

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Prepositional Intransitive Verbs

Complex intransitive verbs that always require a specific preposition to introduce a prepositional object.

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Prepositional Phrasal Intransitive Verbs

Phrasal verbs that combine a verb, a fixed preposition, and an object. They create a single, distinct meaning.

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Intransitive Verb with Particle and Preposition

A type of intransitive verb with a specific structure: verb + particle + preposition. These verbs are used when describing actions that do not directly affect an object, and instead, focus on the direction or state of the action.

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Passivization with Intransitive Verbs

In a passive sentence formed from an intransitive verb with particle and preposition, the object of the preposition becomes the subject, while the preposition stays in its original position.

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Intransitive Verbs with Indirect Object

Intransitive verbs that require an indirect object marked by the preposition "to". These verbs often express actions directed towards a person or a recipient.

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Relational Intransitive Verbs

These verbs express a relationship between the subject and the indirect object, often indicating possession, belonging, or inferiority.

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Intransitive Verbs with Two Prepositional Objects

Intransitive verbs with two prepositional objects. One object identifies the recipient or target, and the other provides context or specifies the topic of the action.

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Intransitive Verbs with Adverbial Modifiers

Intransitive verbs that always take adverbial modifiers to provide information about time, place, or manner of the action.

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Monotransitive Verb

A type of transitive verb that directly affects one object.

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Types of Monotransitive Verbs

Monotransitive verbs are categorized based on the type of object they directly influence.

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Study Notes

Argument Structure and Thematic Structure

  • Semantic structure of sentences is essential for understanding relations between constituents.
  • Predicates require specific constituents (arguments) to form meaningful sentences.
  • Obligatory constituents are called arguments, and optional ones are adjuncts.
  • Two-place predicates require two arguments (e.g., subject and object).
  • Transitive verbs (like imitate) correspond to two-place predicates.
  • Ditransitive verbs (like give) correspond to three-place predicates.
  • Intransitive verbs (like sneeze) correspond to one-place predicates.
  • Argument structure determines obligatory sentence elements.
  • Understanding verb meaning helps determine number of arguments.

Thematic Structure

  • Semantic relationships between verbs and arguments are thematic roles.
  • Key thematic roles:
    • AGENT/ACTOR: Initiator of the action.
    • PATIENT: Undergoes the action.
    • THEME: The person or thing moved by the action.
    • EXPERIENCER: The individual experiencing an emotion.

Syntactic Properties of Auxiliary Verbs (NICE)

  • Auxiliary verbs (HAVE and BE) participate in negation, inversion, coda, and emphasis (NICE).
  • Negation: Negative marker (not) follows auxiliary.
  • Inversion: Auxiliary is inverted with the subject in yes/no questions, wh-questions, and tag questions.
    • Exception: Wh-questions addressed to the subject don't invert.
  • Coda: Auxiliary verbs are preserved in reduced coordinate clauses.
  • Emphasis: Auxiliary verbs are stressed in emphatic statements.

DO-Support

  • Auxiliary DO helps or "supports" lexical verbs in certain syntactic processes.
  • DO-support is required in negation, inversion, coda, and emphasis when no auxiliary is present.
  • DO is inserted before the lexical verb.

Periphrastic Modals

  • Periphrastic modals are closely related to pure modals but do not share all grammatical characteristics.
  • Periphrastic modals have a suppletive role, meaning they substitute for missing modal verb forms.
  • HAVE TO is a common periphrastic modal, with do-support in interrogatives and negatives.
  • Copulative predication consists of a copula (link verb) and a predicative (adjectival or nominal).
  • Link verbs (e.g., be, become, seem) connect the subject to the predicative.
  • Examples: John is handsome, The table is wooden.

Transitive Verbs

  • Transitive verbs require a direct object.
  • Three types:
    • Monotransitive: Require one obligatory constituent: the subject and the direct object (e.g., The dog ate the ball).
    • Ditransitive: Require one obligatory constituent: subject, direct object, and indirect object. (e.g., The boy gave Sally a ball).
    • Complex Transitive: Take an obligatory constituent (subject, direct object, with other optional constituents). (e.g., The dog carried the ball to the girl).

Types of Intransitive Verbs

  • Intransitive verbs do not take a direct object.
  • Types of intransitive verbs
    • Simple Intransitive Verbs:
    • Reflexive Verbs: Require a reflexive pronoun (e.g., She hurt herself).
    • Inherently Reflexive Verbs: Need a reflexive pronoun: (e.g., The door opened).
    • Prepositional Intransitive Verbs: Intransitive verbs with obligatory preposition to complete the meaning (e.g., He contributed to the victory).

Causative Verbs

  • Causative verbs express direct causation of an event.
  • Three types of Causative verbs
    • Periphrastic: These verbs often include "cause," "make," or "have." (e.g., she made the cake).
    • Lexical: These verbs express causation indirectly. (e.g., the wind shattered the window).
    • Morphological: Formed from adjectives or nouns. (e.g. the teacher cooled the soup).

The Adjectival Predicative (and Nominal Predicative)

  • The adjectival predicative is expressed by an adjectival phrase, such as "She is excited" or "The plan is excellent.".
  • The nominal predicative is expressed by a noun phrase (e.g., "She is a nurse").

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Description

This quiz explores the semantic structures of sentences, focusing on argument structures and thematic roles. It covers the requirements of predicates, the relationships between verbs and their arguments, and the roles they play in sentence construction. Enhance your understanding of how meaning is constructed in language.

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