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EXERCISES

HUFLIT, 2014

SYNTAX 2014
2 credits => 15 weeks X 2 periods (50 minutes)

week
1
2

unit
1

2
3
4

8
9

10
11
12

13
14
15

topics

Introduction

required textbooks
S/intro [chapters 1& 2]

reference books

* Constituent structures
* Terminology: constituents, immediate
constituents, mother, sister, daughter, node,
domination

Noun phrases
Structure, head, pre-modifiers, postmodifiers
Functions
Tree diagram

FST [pp 48 - 59]

LGC [chapter 7.5]
AnaEng

LGC [chapter 7.3]

Structure, head, pre-modifiers, post-modifier AnaEng
(Adjectival complement)
Functions
Tree diagram
FST [pp 42 - 48]
Adverb phrases
LGC [chapter 7.4]
Structure, head, pre-modifiers
AnaEng
Functions
Tree diagram
LGC [chapter 7.2]
Prepositional phrases
AnaEng
Structure, prep. & object/complement of
prep.
Functions
Tree diagram
LGC [chapter 7.6]
Verbs & Verb phrases
Structure, finite VP, non-finite VP
Lexical verb, Auxiliaries (primary / modal),
N.B. VP predicate
relative order among auxiliaries
Tree diagram
AnaEng
Mid-term Test
AnaEng
Clauses - Structures & types
LGC [chapter 8.5]
Functions of phrases in a clause (Clause
elements): S, V, O, A, C
Verb patterns: SV, SVC, SVO, SVA, SVOC,
SVOO, SVOA
Tree diagram
AnaEng
Dependent clauses
LGC [chapter 10]
Main clause, dependent clause
ES [chapters 6 & 7]
Types:
* Nominal: kinds (finite, non-finite),
functions
* Relative: kinds (adjective, relative
adverbial), functions
* Adverbial: kinds, functions
Tree diagram

Adjective phrases

REFERENCE BOOKS
Analyzing English (Jackson)
Foundation of Syntactic Theory (Stockwell)
Transformational Syntax (Radford)
Syntax: A Linguistic Introduction to Sentence Structure (Keith Brown)
Language, Grammar, Communication (Delahunty)
English Syntax (Roderick A. Jacobs)

AnaEng
FST
TranS
S/intro
LGC
ES

S/intro [chapters 5, 6, 8]

* Tree diagrams: based

on
S/intro [ch.8]
LGC [pp. 303 - 308]
TranS [p. 76; (7)]

1. FUNCTIONS OF NPs
Noun phrases can function as:
Subject
Direct object
Indirect object
Object of preposition
Adjunct
Subject complement
Object complement
Modifier in the NP (GenNP; NP; AppNP)
Underline the Noun phrases in these sentences and state their functions:
1. I want a gray kitten with stripes.
2. John was leading the poor old horse while Ann and Carol was walking behind the carriage.
3. The beavers in the pond built a dam.
4. The farmers believe beavers build dams with pleasure.
5. Max bought Alisons four-year-old daughter some great toys.
6. I dont like hot chili and curry.
7. Our new television set is more expensive than the one we had before.
8. The fat football coachs strategy was unsuccessful.
9. Lack of money fuels divorce.
10. Max is the student that I told you about.
11. Max is the student of literature that I told you about.
12. John found the new secretary in his office a very efficient person.
13. The teacher with wild purple glasses has a great sense of humour.
14. That beautiful model weighed ninety kilos a few years ago.
15. I hate doing the same thing every day.
16. Teachers often label hyperactive students troublemakers.
17. They had another day outside.
18. The windows and two of the wheels were broken last week.
19. What a sad sight it made!
20. The new houses owned by a billionaire are around the corner.
21. Some friends of ours found my cat in the woods.
22. Because the rain fell for three days, every street in town was flooded.

2. FUNCTIONS OF AP
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Pre-modifier / Post-modifier in the NP

Modifier of A (head) in the AP
Subject complement
Object complement
Adjective = Head of NP
Adjunct (verbless adjective clause / minor clause / abbreviated clause)
Disjunct (rare)

EXERCISE: Identify adjective phrases in the following sentences and state their functions.
1. Its important to wear warm clothing in winter.
2. We found the new secretary very helpful.
3. The old woman, weak at the knees, staggered towards the fire place.
4. That poor mans wearing socks full of holes.
5. Things went from bad to worse.
6. These are the most beautiful paintings Ive ever seen.
7. The supernatural attracts many people.
8. We chose the solution most likely to succeed.
9. Im afraid that you are completely mistaken about Jane.
10. Is there anything interesting in the papers?
11. These boxes are too heavy to carry.
12. The handicapped are given special facilities in public places.
13. The other candidates, confident and well-prepared, all passed the challenging test.
14. He seems quite satisfied with his new job.
15. Strange, I have never seen such a bright green cloud.
16. The worried host was glad that the food pleased the guests.
17. He is hard to convince.
18. Its hard to convince him.
19. The campaign produced results much better than were expected.
20. Some people find puppies more unbearable than naughty children.

3. FUNCTIONS OF AdvP
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Adjunct
Disjunct
Conjunct
Modifier in the AP / AdvP
Modifier in the NP
Object of preposition (rare)

EXERCISE: Identify Advs/AdvPs and state their functions.

1. The concert was a success artistically but not financially.
2. Esmiralda acted awfully strangely.
3. Frankly, I don't think this hat looks good on you.
4. Slowly but surely, we edged down the mountain.
5. She somewhat reluctantly returned home a week early.
6. Consequently, she was offered the job.
7. Put the chairs outside, please.
8. The boss has unwillingly given me a pay rise.
9. He works steadily enough but rather slowly.
10. Oddly enough, nothing valuable was stolen.
11. Im tired; I cant walk much further.
12. Hastily she hid the letter.
13. Undoubtedly, he is the finest pianist alive today.
14. He has been undergoing treatment for asthma since he was a boy; consequently, he never
went in for sports.
15. I suddenly saw a birds nest up there.
16. He hopelessly drove the cart backwards towards the deep ditch at the side of the road.
17. He could run faster than anybody here.
18. Shes more than happy to come with us tomorrow.
19. I need some time off so that I can relax myself.
20. There will be another performance later, the manager said firmly.

4. FUNCTIONS OF PPs

Subject
Object / Complement of verb (= prepositional object)
Adjectival complement
Object of preposition (rare)
Adjunct
Disjunct
Conjunct
Subject complement
Object complement (about quality, state or mood of the object)
Post-modifier in the NP

Underline the Prepositional phrases in these sentences and state their functions:
1. Bill takes his car to the garage for maintenance every month.
2. Ive been staying here since last Saturday.
3. He was working with his lawn-mower in the garden the whole morning.
4. His illness left him without a job.
5. After supper would suit me best.
6. She was in tears when we found her in the forest.
7. To my surprise, she left without a word.
8. Please give this package to the boy over there.
9. The view from above the shore is magnificent.
10. Two men were interviewed at the police station in connection with a theft from a department
store.
11. Im very fond of music, in particular, traditional jazz.
12. Her parents paid for the wedding, but she decided on the detailed arrangements herself.
13. Im terribly bad at mathematics.
14. As a result, they divorced after their three months' marriage.
15. The last time I met Monica was at her wedding in September, but Im afraid I havent seen her
since then.
16. Andy attached the skis to the roof of his car with great care.
17. My favourite form of exercise is cycling in the forests.
18. I used to swim for an hour every day during my childhood.
19. Today we can send robots to the bottom of the sea to get information about life there.
20. A sound behind him made him turn around and bump into a tree.

5. TYPES OF CLAUSE / VERB PATTERNS

EXERCISE: Identify the verb patterns of the following sentences.
1. He made her career a success.
2. Tom disappeared suddenly after the concert.
3. As a result, the marketing managers plan to promote sales has failed.
4. He convinced the jury of his innocence.
5. When food becomes scarce, living conditions become worse.
6. I'll put the dinner in the oven at 5 o'clock.
7. My grandma brought up seven children.
8. She brought seven children up.
9. There was a bridge across the river.
10. John made a nice cup of tea for Alice.
11. Ive promised myself to have some fun when the exams are over.
12. It was too late.
13. It was too hot.
14. Mary liked being outside.
15. I can teach you to swim.
16. The local authority should inform the public of the consequences.
17. She seemed very reluctant to agree to our proposals.
18. That guy wanted to buy my truck.
19. New technology can provide us with clean ways to produce energy.
20. Cocaine can damage the heart as well as the brain.
21. Max promised Bill to leave at night.
22. Phil has booked all his friends tickets for the show.
23. It surprised nobody that he failed to turn up.
24. Rose seems to be a strong leader.
25. Peter denied that he had left the lights on all night.
26. There are fewer companies engaged in manufacturing cars in the world now.
27. The park where you do exercises every morning will become a parking lot.
28. They found Winstons sense of humour rather disconcerting.
29. The environment will suffer during the next decade.
30. Our evening walk along the river finally took us to a small village.

6. DEPENDENT CLAUSES
EXERCISE 1: Identify Nominal clauses in these sentences and determine their functions.
1. His ambition is to become a pilot.
2. I wonder when youll decide to see a dentist about that broken tooth.
3. The news that they divorced shocked all of us.
4. Her desire to become a singer made her parents sad.
5. The police asked the witness to report on the accident.
6. Adam suggests that I should answer the letter immediately.
7. Mary still doesnt understand why her father asked her to look for a boy named Roy.
8. Which route would be best isn't obvious.
9. The truth is that I cant remember where I met him.
10. Lucy was sure that she could identify her attacker.
11. I heard a rumour that there's been a leak of radioactivity.
12. To break your promise would be wrong.
13. I dislike people asking me personal questions.
14. I was worried about what to wear to the party.
15. It was reported that the army was crossing the frontier.
16. We should keep our planet clean by using fewer fossil fuels.
17. I think (that) walking in the country is a lovely way to spend a day.
18. Jeremy's hobby is inventing computer games.
19. Do you mind waiting a moment?
20. Im sorry that I couldnt meet you at the station.
21. Why he resigned was never discovered, but Im sure he was quite happy with his decision.
22. He said he was completely happy with what he had.

EXERCISE 2: Identify dependent clauses and determine whether they are Nominal, Relative or
Adverbial clauses.
1. Evelyn always loved riding the elevators when staying at the Plaza.
2. Ive promised myself to have some fun when the exams are over.
3. If you join the library, you can borrow books.
4. Although John said his dog was well-behaved, I got nervous when it rushed towards me.
5. When I got home, I discovered that the blouse I bought had already been worn.
6. Physicists study the structure of atoms to find out how the world works.
7. Listening to the radio is better than watching TV while studying for exams.
8. To tell you the truth, I don't think you've much chance of success.
9. Embarrassed by all the attention, she left the festivities that were held on the beach at once.
10. We can supply you with everything that you need.
11. I was ashamed that I'd let my friends down.
12. Who gave you the idea that I can sing?
13. That's the stop where we get our bus.
14. I cant imagine where Peter has got to.
15. Sue parked the car where she had the day before.
16. My bedroom is tidier than my sisters bedroom, although hers is much more comfortable.
17. As you know, things are difficult just now.
18. Having finished the course, I have to look for a job.
19. Holding Marys hand, John asked her if she would like to spend the rest of her life with him.
20. Instead of landing at Heathrow, we had to go to Manchester.
21. Ken plans to move to a bigger flat after the spring semester ends.
22. Peter was not on the train that crashed, because he didnt reach the station in time.
23. The detective saw the woman putting the jewelry in her bag.
24. The reason why I can't go is that I don't have time.
25. Before leaving the house, Mr. Russo forgot to turn off the oven.
26. They had to take some of his land so that they could build a hospital supposed to be
completed in 2017.
27. The key to good communication is to pay attention to what other people have to say.
28. Frankly speaking, the suitcase that I bought before the trip has become so damaged that the
lid cannot be closed.
29. A similar situation occurred in the region of the Nile Basin where farmers are forced to use
irrigation techniques in order to subsist.
30. When he asked me why I didnt go abroad to earn money, I said that I want to work for my
own country.

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SUPPLEMENT
1. Disjunct & Conjunct
a. DISJUNCT / COMMENT CLAUSES
* sentence adverbials / sentence modifiers
* forms:
Finite verb clause

Non-finite clause

AdvP / PP

I think/ believe

Stated frankly

Personally

You know

Frankly speaking

Naturally

I'm afraid

Generally speaking

Obviously/ Certainly/ Surely

As I said

To be frank

Perhaps/ Of course

As you know

To tell the truth

Actually/ In fact

What's more

To speak frankly

(Un)fortunately/ (Un)luckily

If I may be frank

Surprisingly
To my surprise/ To my regret

b. CONJUNCT
=> linking clauses and sentences together
e.g.

first, next, last

furthermore, moreover, also, then
consequently, hence, thus, therefore
anyway, anyhow, however, nevertheless, still
meantime, meanwhile

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2. Kinds of Verbs
Types

1. COPULA or
LINKING

Sub-types
Be-type

Meanings
State, moods, condition

Perception

Be, seem, become, turn, grow, go

Senses

+ Adjunct

See, hear, smell, feel, taste, notice

Physical behaviour; sound making
Ache, bleed, cough, cry, faint, fall, occur, scream, snore,
sleep, yawn, yell
Movement, position

+ Cognate object

Come, flow, go, run, travel, walk

Be, hang, lie, stand, lie, sit, be situated, stay
V + Deverbal noun

Complement

2. INTRANSITIVE

Mono-transitive

Die, smile, dance, laugh, live, dream, sigh

Feeling, preference, perception, action
Like, love, hate, prefer, hear, see, do, eat, play
Mental judgement
Consider, believe, find, prove, judge, nominate, name
Movement, position
Occupy, enter, leave, reach, approach
Cause

3. TRANSITIVE

Di-transitive

Push, break, drive, lick, make, keep, open

GROUP 1 V + O + O
Give, tell, ask, show, bring, buy, write, send, pass
GROUP 2 V + O + [P+NP]
Borrow, explain, introduce, receive, accuse, waste
Deliberate action V + O + S' (non-finite cl.)

Semi-transitive

Ask, order, beg, promise, persuade, tell, warn

No passive form; no object
Have, cost, weigh, measure, rise, fall, resemble

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3. The same word - different word classes / functions

MORE

+ We have more pupils this year. (determiner)

+ He wants more than I do. (Indefinite pronoun)
+ He works more than he used to. (adverb)
+ Jack could speak Chinese more fluently than Peter. (degree word)

INTERROGATIVES (who, whom, which, what, where, when, why, whose, how)
[a] Interrogative determiners
+ Which candidate will you vote for?
+ Whose racket is this?
[b] Interrogative pronouns
+ Who told you where I was?
+ What's your address?
[c] Interrogative adverbs
+ Where is he staying?
+ How are you travelling?
+ How tall is she?
[d] Interrogative conjunctions
+ I don't know if/ whether he'll come.
+ Put it where we all can see it.

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4. SOURCES OF AMBIGUITY
1. Different Lexical classes
e.g.

They can fish.

They are cooking apples.

2. Genitive NP - (Generic / particular referents)

e.g.

My small child's cot

This advanced learner's dictionary

3. Prepositional phrase - modifier of nouns / adjunct (means / place / time...)

e.g.

The policeman hit the old man with a stick.

He saw the cat in the garden.

4. Co-ordination
e.g.

Old men and women

very hot and stuffy
men and women of the noble class

N.B. Structural vs. Lexical ambiguity

e.g.
I saw her near the bank. (homonymy)
The seal is black. (homonymy)
He's engaged. (polysemy)
Some examples of ambiguous structures
1. My brother teaches history in a school for young boys and girls of wealthy parents.
=> young boys of wealthy parents + young girls of wealthy parents
=> young boys + girls of wealthy parents
=> young boys of wealthy parents + girls of wealthy parents
=> young boys + young girls of wealthy parents
2. We would like to attract more intelligent students.
3. I bought an old French dictionary.
4. They decided on the boat.
5. He gave her cat food.
6. He saw that petrol can explode.
7. They are flying planes.
8. Flying planes can be dangerous.
9. John passed the hammer and saw through the window.
10. Put the box on the table in the kitchen.

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11. I convinced her children are noisy.

12. Mary will discuss the problems with her husband.
13. Visiting relatives can be boring.
14. John persuaded the woman that Bill was dating.
15. They are hunting dogs.
SUGGESTED KEY
1. My brother teaches history in a school for young boys and girls of wealthy parents.
=> young boys of wealthy parents + young girls of wealthy parents
=> young boys + girls of wealthy parents
=> young boys of wealthy parents + girls of wealthy parents
=> young boys + young girls of wealthy parents
2. We would like to attract more intelligent students.
=> more (degree) // more (det)
3. I bought an old French dictionary.
=> old dictionary about French // dictionary about old French
4. They decided on the boat.
=> on the boat (object of V. = topic of discussion) // on the boat (adjunct)
5. He gave her cat food.
=> SVOO (her = NP, object) // SVOO (her cat = NP, object)
6. He saw that petrol can explode.
=> that (det, modifying petrol can) // that (conj., Nominal clause)
=> can (N = container) // can (auxiliary)
7. They are flying planes.
=> flying (lexV) // flying (adj)
8. Flying planes can be dangerous.
=> flying planes (NP) // flying planes (S)
9. John passed the hammer and saw through the window.
=> saw (lexV) // saw (N, carpenters tool)
10. Put the box on the table in the kitchen.
=> in the kitchen (post-modifier of table) // in the kitchen (adjunct)
11. I convinced her children are noisy.
=> her (NP, object of V) // her (det, modifying children)
12. Mary will discuss the problems with her husband.
=> with her husband (post-modifying of problems) // with her husband (adjunct)

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13. Visiting relatives can be boring.

=> visiting (adj) // visiting (lexV of S)
14. John persuaded the woman that Bill was dating.
=> that Bill was dating (Relative clause) // that Bill was dating (That-clause)
15. They are hunting dogs.
=> hunting (lexV) // hunting (adj)

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5. MODIFICATIONS IN NPS
Table 1: Pre-modification of NPs
Pre-determiner
[1]
all
both
half
double
once
twice
fraction number

Determiners [2]
identifier

Adj. / AP
[4]
See Table 2

Articles
a/ an/ the

quantifier
Cardinal numbers
one/ two

Possessive adjs.
My/ his/ her/ its/ our/ their/ your

Ordinal numbers
first/ second

Demonstrative
this/ that/ these/ those

Indefinite numbers
every/ few/ less/ little/ more/ other/
many [a]/ several/ a lot of/ most/ such
[a]

Others
another/ any/ no/ each/ either/ neither/
enough/ much/ some/ what [a]/ which/ whose

Noun-modifier
[5]
Material
nylon
leather
cement
brick

De-nominal Adj.
[7]
financial
commercial
economic
political
social
moral

Origin/ PN
London
Saigon
New York

E.g.

size / shape
big
round
small
oval

height / girth
tall
fat
long
thin

age
new
old
middle-aged

+ All his last five detective stories

+ Some broken Chinese vases / Chinese broken vases

brown
black
red

colour

participle
carved
torn

+ These tiny long thin white torn ribbons

+ His three barking German dogs

nationality / origin
Chinese
Portuguese

life
priests

students
workers
tests

Table 2: Positions of adjectives

quality
nice
important
respectful

problems
issues
situation

inhabitants
port
City

Others
college
factory
language
Genitive NP [6]
* poss.of common nouns
(generic ref.)

Genitive NP => NP + s [3]

* poss. of names
* poss. of common nouns (specific referents)

HEAD

HEAD
designs
papers
priests

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