III. Free Word-groups
As tor the analysis of word-groups it is but natural that the text consists for the most part of free phrases, set phrases being less numerous.
According to the type of syntactic connection between the elements of a word-group we distinguish subordinative, coordinative and predicative word-groups. Such free word-groups as expressed roughly; abundantly justified; plain countenance; excellently, imperturbably good; decidedly not clever; abnormally deficient; perfectly aware; uncomfortably, painfully shy, critical attitude are subordinative word-groups as there is a head-word (or nucleus) in their structure: expressed, justified, countenance, good, (not) clever, deficient, aware, shy, attitude and a word subordinated to it.
According to the part of speech the head-word belongs to these word-groups may be classified into
verbal (expressed roughly),
nominal (plain countenance, critical attitude),
adjectival (quick with her book; kind to her; abundantly justified; excellently, imperturbably good; decidedly not clever; abnormally deficient; perfectly aware; uncomfortably, painfully shy).
Coordinative type of word-group may be illustrated by the following examples: three or four; peacefully and prosperously; pretty and graceful, intelligent and distinguished; faithful and affectionate. The members of coordinative word-groups are usually connected by the conjunctions and, or, but, either...or, neither... nor.
The following example can be illustrative of the predicative types of word-groups: (let) her suspect. These are cases of secondary predication, though some linguists refer also cases of primary predication (subject and predicate) to predicative free word-groups like grew up; found out; was fond of; stretched away etc.
IV. Phraseological units
The extensive use of phraseological units in the text contributes largely to the expressiveness and imaginativeness of the speech of its characters, makes it more colourful. Most of these phraseological units are strictly colloquial in style and are typical of students' slang as: She had never succeeded beyond a certain point;(Їй вдавалося досягти своєї мети тільки певною мірою); he gave her the benefit of a great many doubts (Він дав їй час розібратися в собі); she had played him a trick (вона не виправдала його очікування). “To play somebody a trick” means to deceive someone.
Other phraseological units belong to neutral layer and are fit to be used bum in colloquial and literary styles
e.g. to be in no haste (не спішити( із висновками)), to stretch away (затягувати час), all at once (раптом) etc.
Stability and idiomaticity (or non-motivation) being most essential features of phraseological units, they are classified by Academician V.V. Vinogradov according to the criterion of the degree of idiomaticity into
fusions - completely non-motivated units: to be in no haste (зволікати; spin out; to delay.); to know of(бути обізнаним у чомусь to be aware of something); to live for(жити заради чогось; to exist for the sake of something); to find out (дізнаватися про щось; to learn about something); to be no loss (не бути якоюсь великою втратою); to stole out (спустошувати; to reave).
Unities, partially motivated: to give the thing an extra relish( to make things very interesting for oneself).
Combinations or collocations, motivated, but stable: in other words; be this as it may; besides; however.
According to professor Coonin's concept of phraseological units they are also classified according to the functional criterion into
nominative units (if they have the structure of a word-group): without a trace of one`s beauty(to be not pretty; (about girl) - nominative adjective; to be ashamed of (to hesitate); to be frank about smth(to be honest); to be afraid of smb.( to be frightened); to be aware of something)( to know everything about smth.); to be fond of (to like); –
nominative adverbial beyond a certain point (according to some circumstances); to play smb. a trick (to lie smb.)
nominative verbal - to stole raisins out of the pantry
(2) communicative units (if they have the structure of a sentence) as he gave her the benefit of a great many doubts (He gave her time to think over everything);
(3) Nominative-communicative units: to be a good deal of a romp (to be a difficult person); to be a goose (to be not clever person); to be something of a glutton (to eat lots of sweets).