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Unit Seven. Syntactic Structures (Continued). Structure of Complementation. A structure of complementation is a VP consisting of two major components: a verbal element (VB) & a complement (C) VB a finite V/VP or a non-finite V (infinitive, infinitive without ‘to’, present participle)
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Unit Seven Syntactic Structures (Continued)
Structure of Complementation • A structure of complementation is a VP consisting of two major components: a verbal element (VB) & a complement (C) • VB a finite V/VP or a non-finite V (infinitive, infinitive without ‘to’, present participle) • Complement Single or complex depending on the type of verb in VB
Reviews on Verbs: • Linking verb (LV) She is a teacher. V. to be, become, seem, remain, feel, taste, smell A linking v. funcitons as VB (verbal element) and is followed by a n/adj which functions as its SC (subjective complement). • Intransitive verb (VI) She danced gracefully. An intransitive v. functions as head and may be followed by an adv which functions as its modifier. (VI functions as the head of the verb phrase.) • Transitive verb (VT) • Monotransitive v. + n. (direct object) Jane loves cats. • Ditransitive v. + n. (indirect object) + n. (direct object) Jane gave Mary cats. • Complex transitive v. + n. (direct object) + n. (objective complement) Jane named her cat Mimi. They elected him President. VT functions as VB (verbal element) of the verb phrase.
So…we have these structures for verbs: • Lv + SC (LV as VB) • VI + Adv (VI as Head) • Adv + VI (VI as Head) • MonoVT + DO (VT as VB) • DiVT + IO + DO (VT as VB) • ComplexVT + DO + OC (VT as VB)
Type of verbs in the verbal element • Lv + SC • MonoVT + DO • DiVT + IO + DO • ComplexVT + DO + OC Note: None of these complements may be omitted since they help make a sentence meaningful. The only type of verb which cannot occur in the structure of complementation is the VI, since it is not followed by any complement, but occurs alone or with a modifier that can be omitted.
Helping Verbs: Auxiliaries and Modals • Auxiliaries: “do”, “have”, “be” I don’t know what he’s looking for. He has been working for hours. The children are playing football. • Modals: will, would, can, could, may, might, shall, should You can come with us.
Structure of Subordination • A phrase or a clause consisting of two major components: a subordinator (SUB) and a dependent unit (D). • The kinds of words that normally function as subordinators are prepositions (both simple and phrasal prepositions, e.g. in, on, of, because of, next to, in front of, etc.) and subordinating conjunctions (e.g. when, whenever, before, if, that, whether, etc.). • Structures of subordination can perform several functions: modifier, head, subject, subjective complement, direct object, objective complement, and conjoin.
Structure of Coordination • Components: conjoins (CN) + coordinator(s) (CO). • Conjoins words/phrases/clauses that are syntactically equivalent units • Coordinators coordinating conjunction, correlative conjunctions, punctuation marks (the comma, the semi-colon)
Exercises in Unit 7…See: keytounit7ex.doc endofunit7.doc