английский / English grammar / Miller J. - An introduction to English syntax (Edinburgh University Press, 2001, 206 p)

S

Figure 7 (section 2.2.1) The actual scripts she kept until Friday

Comments

In Figure 2 above, very modifies heavy. Heavy can occur without very, but very requires another word. The two fill the slot assigned to adjective phrases.

In Figure 3 above, heavy is modified by the conjoined words astonishingly and frighteningly. We do not go into the structure of the adjective phrase, but inside it is a slot for determiner phrases which is filled by very in Figure 2 and by astonishingly and frighteningly in Figure 3.

Figures 4 and 5 show that them can be substituted for the intriguing results of the exam and vice versa, and they both occupy a noun-phrase slot.

great vengeance : obligatory, complement upon them: obligatory, complement

with furious rebukes : optional, adjunct

11.We : obligatory, complement

the worst : obligatory, complement that day in 1968: optional, adjunct

12.The report : obligatory, complement

the proposals for the chief executive : obligatory, complement or

the proposals : obligatory, complement for the chief executive : optional, adjunct

2.1. I: head (with no modifiers)

ate breakfast in a vast Viennese ballroom with a sprung wooden floor and dadoes dripping with recently reapplied gilt :

ate : head of the above phrase breakfast : head (with no modifiers)

in: head of the phrase from in to gilt. Modified by the phrase running from a vast to recently applied gilt.

ballroom: head of the phrase running from a vast to gilt. It has four modifiers: a, vast, Viennese and the phrase with a … applied gilt.

vast: head with no modifiers (cf. exceedingly vast)

Viennese : head with no modifiers (cf. surprisingly Viennese)

with : head of and modified by the phrase running from a sprung to applied gilt

floor : head of the phrase from a sprung to floor and modified by three modifiers: a, sprung and wooden

dadoes : head of the phrase running from dadoes to gilt and modified by the phrase from dripping to gilt

dripping : head of the phrase from dripping to gilt and modified by with recently applied gilt

with : head modified by recently applied gilt gilt : head modified by recently applied applied: head modified by recently

2.lift : head modified by the

is : head of phrase from is to palms, modified by the phrase from a to palms

birdcage : head modified by four modifiers: a, giant, baroque, entered through a rainforest of potted palms

giant : head with no modifiers

baroque : head with no modifiers (cf. thrillingly baroque) entered: head modified by the phrase through … palms

through: head modified by a rainforest of potted palms

rainforest : head modified by two modifiers: a and of potted palms of: head modified by potted palms

palms: head modified by potted

potted: head with no modifiers (cf. expertly potted)

3.On : head modified by the wall.

(Nearby could be analysed as modifying wall or as an independent adverbial phrase. In either analysis, it is a head with no modifier: cf. very nearby.)

wall: head modified by the and newly dusted dusted: head modified by newly

is: head modified by the phrase a framed … Ham

diploma: head modified by a, framed, the phrase from … Exhibition and the phrase signed … Ham

framed: head with no modifiers (cf. elegantly framed ) from: head modified by the 1932 … Exhibition Exhibition: head modified by the, 1932, and Ideal Homes Homes: head modified by Ideal

Ideal: head with no modifiers (cf. Completely Ideal) signed: head modified by by the mayor of East Ham by : head modified by the mayor of East Ham

mayor : head modified by the and of East Ham of : head modified by East Ham

Ham: head modified by East East: head with no modifier

Chapter 2

1.2. There is substituted for in the drawer.

3.Into the top drawer of the bureau is transposed, occurring in a different slot in a different construction in (3).

4.Into the top drawer of the bureau is transposed into a different slot in the same construction as in (1).

5.Into the top drawer of the bureau is transposed into a different slot in a different construction from the one in (1).

6.Into the top drawer of the bureau is coordinated with the single word there.

7.Into the top drawer of the bureau is transposed into a different slot in the same construction as in (1).

2.1. The pedestrians offended by the dangerously selfish action of the driver : Noun Phrase

offended by the dangerously selfish action of the driver : Participle Phrase (offended is a Participle)

by the dangerously selfish action of the driver : Prepositional Phrase the dangerously selfish action of the driver : Noun Phrase dangerously selfish : Adjective Phrase

of the driver : Prepositional Phrase the driver : Noun Phrase

threatened to throw him into the harbour : Verb Phrase to throw him into the harbour : Infinitive Phrase

him: Noun Phrase

into the harbour : Prepositional Phrase the harbour : Noun Phrase

2.To throw him into the harbour : Infinitive Phrase him: Noun Phrase

into the harbour : Prepositional Phrase the harbour : Noun Phrase

was illegal but an understandable reaction by the visitors on the quayside : Verb Phrase

illegal: Adjective Phrase

an understandable reaction by the visitors on the quayside : Noun Phrase understandable : Adjective Phrase

by the visitors on the quayside : Prepositional Phrase the visitors on the quayside : Noun Phrase

on the quayside : Prepositional Phrase the quayside : Noun Phrase

3.Brazil’s tropical forests : Noun Phrase tropical: Adjective Phrase

Brazil’s : Noun Phrase (possessive)

are amazingly rich in fauna and flora : Verb Phrase amazingly rich in fauna and flora : Adjective Phrase in fauna and flora : Prepositional Phrase

fauna and flora : Noun Phrase (consisting of two conjoined Noun Phrases, fauna and flora)

4.The person sitting at the window: Noun Phrase

sitting at the window: Participle Phrase (sitting is a Participle) at the window: Prepositional Phrase

the window: Noun Phrase is my wife : Verb Phrase my wife : Noun Phrase

5.Sitting at the window: free Participle Phrase at the window: Prepositional Phrase

the window: Noun Phrase

my wife : Noun Phrase

noticed our neighbour’s dog : Verb Phrase our neighbour’s dog : Noun Phrase

6.Susan: Noun Phrase

always drinks black coffee : Verb Phrase black coffee : Noun Phrase

black : Adjective Phrase

7.Susan: Noun Phrase

always drinks her coffee black: Verb Phrase her coffee : Noun Phrase

black : Adjective Phrase

8.In his usual carefree fashion: Prepositional Phrase his usual carefree fashion: Noun Phrase

usual: Adjective Phrase carefree : Adjective Phrase John: Noun Phrase

ran up an enormous bill: Verb Phrase an enormous bill: Noun Phrase enormous: Adjective Phrase

9.In his exuberance : Prepositional Phrase his exuberance : Noun Phrase

John: Noun Phrase

ran up an enormous hill: Verb Phrase

up an enormous hill: Prepositional Phrase an enormous hill: Noun Phrase

enormous: Adjective Phrase

Chapter 3

1. 1. Colonel Brandon read poems to Marianne.

[NON-COPULA, DECLARATIVE, ACTIVE, OBLIQUE OBJECT]

2.Mrs Gardiner was Mrs Bennet’s sister. [COPULA, DECLARATIVE, EQUATIVE]

3.Who was Jane Bennett’s suitor?

[COPULA, INTERROGATIVE, WH, EQUATIVE]

4.Why did Frank Churchill deceive everybody? [NON-COPULA, INTERROGATIVE, WH, ACTIVE]

5.When was Emma scolded by Mr Knightley?

[NON-COPULA, INTERROGATIVE, WH, ACTIVE, OBLIQUE OBJECT]