- •Seminar 5 noun: the categories of number, case and article determination
- •Get ready to answer the questions below.
- •2. Find Russian equivalents for the following terms; give definitions.
- •3. Use a dictionary to split the nouns into 1) countable; 2) singularia tantum nouns; 3) pluralia tantum nouns. Illustrate their use in context (sentences):
- •7. Arrange the phrases into two columns according to the type of their casal semantics (on the principle of differentiating between possession and qualification) and use the proper articles with them:
- •8. Study the poem below and explain the use of genitive case in it.
- •9. Use the appropriate article, define its meaning and explain your choice with the help of substitution or replacement test like in the model.
- •10. Is the non-use of article meaningful in the examples below? What does the zero article mean in each case?
- •Seminar 6
- •Verb and its non-finite forms (verbids)
- •Кобрина, н.А. Теоретическая грамматика современного английского языка: учебное пособие / н.А. Кобрина, н.Н. Болдырев, а.А. Худяков. – м.: Высшая школа, 2007. – с. 61-75.
- •Get ready to answer the questions below.
- •2. Find Russian equivalents for the following terms; give definitions.
- •4. State the difference between the marked verbs in the following sentences and identify the subclasses the verbs belong to.
- •5. Group the verbs below into actional and statal. Explain your decisions.
- •6. Give contexts to illustrate their complementive and uncomplimentive usage.
- •7. А) Compare the usage of gerunds and infinitives in the sentences below and explain their semantic differences.
- •8. A) Read the poems below and say what parts of speech the words in bold belong to.
4. State the difference between the marked verbs in the following sentences and identify the subclasses the verbs belong to.
1) She entered the room and started to discuss the acute problems. 2) She entered the room and started the discussion of the acute problems. 3) She failed to pass the exams successfully. 4) She failed her exams to the University. 5) I began to feel better. 6) You try to look cleverer than you are. 7) The moon rose red. 8) I began to feel better. 9) You try to look cleverer than you are. 10) She grew pale.
5. Group the verbs below into actional and statal. Explain your decisions.
to bring, to consist, to feel, to enjoy, to move, to belong, to discover, to escape, to talk, to exist, to lie, to lay, to finish
6. Give contexts to illustrate their complementive and uncomplimentive usage.
For example: he smokes a cigar - he smokes; to grow corn – the corn grows
to ring the bell - ...; he began the lesson - ...; he opened the door - ...; he gathered a crowd - ...; he broke the glass - ...; they sank a ship - ...; he fired a gun - ...; he stopped the car - ...; he hung the lamp - ...; we dried our clothes in the sun - ...
7. А) Compare the usage of gerunds and infinitives in the sentences below and explain their semantic differences.
1) Don’t forget shutting the windows when you leave home. – Don’t forget to shut the windows when you leave home. It is very windy today. 2) I don’t like interrupting people. - I do not want to interrupt them; they seem to be very busy. 3) I remember seeing this book in many bookshops. - Remember to buy this book. 4) They stopped talking when they came in. - They stopped to exchange a few words with him.
b) Compare the usage of gerunds and participles in the sentences below and explain their semantic differences.
1) Fancy his courting Emily! - Fancy him courting Emily! 2) I don’t like Jane’s nagging her husband. - I can’t listen to Jane nagging her husband. 3) She had to take sleeping pills every night. - A sleeping child is such a charming sight. 4) They sat there without talking for several minutes not knowing what to say to each other.
c) Compare the usage of participles and infinitives in the sentences below and explain their semantic differences.
1) We saw the girl approach the people standing at the gateway. - We saw the girl slowly approaching them. 2) He heard the woman fumbling at the wall. - He heard the woman fumble at the wall. 3) There are things desired by all people. - There are things to be desired by all people.
d) Compare the usage of participles I and II in the sentences below and explain their semantic differences.
1) We often talked about those happy days spent in the country. - Children spending their summer vacations in the country are usually much stronger. 2) The burning leaves looked so sad. - There was a smell of burnt leaves in the garden. 3) She always blushed when asking for something. - She always blushed when asked.