1.1.4. Identity pattern particulars.

1) The subject and the complement might vary both nominatively and predicatively. That is, the same item can function in either way.

e.g. Whether they can do anything is a question. (‘Whether they can do anything’ is the subject, ‘question’ being its predicate (complement).

The question is whether they can do anything. (Here ‘question’ is the subject, ‘whether they can do anything’, being its predicate (complement).

2) Both the subject and complement can be the same forms: noun = noun, ing-form = ing-form, infinitive = infinitive, or clause = clause (or does not equal to, ≠).

Particulars are facts and details about something. Concepts are mental particulars.

Acting is doing something in a particular way or for a particular reason.

To sustain in the global market is to develop a perfect manufacturing system.

Whether the facts you have discovered fit is what you are to prove for your theory to hold.

± ≠

1.2. Assignments

1.2.1. What is the speaker’s / speakers’ problem (the problem specified in the message)? Name it in the form of a noun phrase.

e.g. The speaker: My car? So much hassle! Insurance, tax, repairs

You can say: The speaker’s problem? His car, of course.

1. Meetings. Meetings. Meetings. Talks and discussions. Any net results?

2. The first draft version. More and more contributions. Any final version for the press?

3. An educated guess or a hypothesis? A working hypothesis?

4. Facts, facts, facts. Empirical data. Against a complete absence of any structure or system.

5. Grammar. A wince-making word, like ‘overdraft’.

6. Bookshelves! Filing cabinets! Piles of folders! Heaps of draft paper. Rough drafts. First drafts. Final drafts?

7. Questions! A whole raft of daft questions.

8. – What do you want?

– A favor.

– A favor. Are you serious?

1.2.2. Make mini-dialogues imitating the pattern:

– Work, work, work… No time for fun ever!

– Vexed issue really. / Highly controversial issue. / A deep psychological problem. / Anticipated / unanticipated situation. / Quite a common case. / Such is routine. Etc.

1.2.3. Rephrase the italicized fragments using words with similar meaning from 1.1.1 and 1.1.2. Make changes of the sentence structure if necessary.

1. When you first consider the problem it might seem easy. .

2. After thinking it over twice, you will reconsider your decision.

3. Most users have never had any formal keyboarding training, therefore, they make errors.

4. It is not only or even primarily grammar that shapes language.

5. Common situations imply fewer options to consider.

6. A thing can occasionally be referred to as an entity.

7. Most words can be used in specific combinations.

8. Is it possible to get back information deleted by mistake?

9. Our mental mechanisms are best adapted to speech.

10. Some symbols are so fuzzy that I can’t work them out.

1.2.4. Review and activate some vocabulary items used in 1.1. Make meaningful statements matching up the parts given in columns I and II.

I	II
1. Things and mental entities …	A. to convey almost any message.
2. Nouns …	B. are mostly identified by nouns.
3. Names …	C. the more established collocations you use. That makes your language more idiomatic.
4.We refer to nouns …	D. on our knowledge of the issue at stake.
5. Does an utterance like “A problem?”…	E. to denote established things.
6. Entities are …	F. confirm the possibility of using ‘gapped’ statement in communication?
7. In our speech we mostly rely …	G. are mostly named by nouns
8. Common words are used …	H. they make no sense.
9. The better you know the language …	I. are labels of the most stable concepts.
10. Unless we can retrieve details about names…	K. can occasionally convey a complete message.