SYNTAX

INSTRUCTOR: LÊ THỊ THU HƯỜNG,

M.A.

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CHAPTER 5

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 I. ADJUNCT ADVERBIALS (VP
ADVERBIALS)
PPs functioning as modifiers in VP >> Adjunct Adverbials (Adjunct)
Examples:

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 I. ADJUNCT ADVERBIALS (VP
ADVERBIALS)
1. Adjuncts express a wide range of ideas, including manner, means, purpose,
reason, place, and time (including duration and frequency)
Examples:
[1] Old Sam sunbathed like a maniac.
[2] Max spotted those wild cats with his binoculars.
[3] Ed was rather extravagant in the bazaar.
[4] Sigmund was an auctioneer for three years.
[5] Oscar was in the engine-room in a flash.
[6] William gave Millie some bleach on her birthday.
[7] Liza put the liquor under the bed for safekeeping.
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 I. ADJUNCT ADVERBIALS (VP
ADVERBIALS)
 Answer questions like Where? Why? When? How? What for? How long?
How often? How many times?

2. Adverb phrases (AdvP) can also function as adjunct adverbials.

[8] Sam sunbathed frequently.
[9] He spotted those wild cats quite accidentally.
[10] She put it under the bed surreptitiously.

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 I. ADJUNCT ADVERBIALS (VP
ADVERBIALS)
❖ Many adverbs are not as easily identified as such by -ly morphology,
particularly adverbs relating to time:
e.g. again, yet, still, already, seldom, often, always, ever, never.
❖ Certain NPs can function as adverbials:
e.g. last year, yesterday, tonight, tomorrow, the day before yesterday,
the day after tomorrow, this afternoon . . .

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 II. LEVELS OF VERB PHRASE
Max spotted those wildcats.  A good subject~predicate sentence
(without in the spring).

What category label should we attach to ‘spotted those wildcats’? In other

words, what kind of constituent is it?

Draw a phrase marker for the whole sentence ‘Max spotted those wildcats
in the spring’. Use triangles for those wildcats and in the spring.

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 II. LEVELS OF VERB PHRASE
Ans:
Spotted those cats: VP1 = Trans V + D.O
Spotted those cats in the spring: VP2 = VP1 + PP

PP (in the spring) >>

Modifier (Adverbial
Adjunct)

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 II. LEVELS OF VERB PHRASE
Adjunct adverbials are modifiers of VPs.
 They must be represented, in phrase markers, as sisters of V
● Complements of the verb are sisters of Verb ( V )
● Adjunct adverbials are sisters of Verb Phrase (VP).

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 II. LEVELS OF VERB PHRASE
Draw the phrase markers for [13] and [14]:

[13] Bevis mended his car in the garage.

[14] Bevis put his car in the garage.

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II. LEVELS OF VERB PHRASE

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II. LEVELS OF VERB PHRASE

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 II. LEVELS OF VERB PHRASE
Now draw a phrase marker for [22], bearing in mind that [23], [24], and
[25] are all grammatical:
[22] Humphrey drove his car on the left in France.
[23] He drove his car on the left in France and Claude did so (too).
[24] He drove his car on the left in France and he did so in Germany (too).
[25] He drove his car on the left in France but did so on the right in the
States.

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II. LEVELS OF VERB PHRASE

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 III. THE MOBILITY OF ADVERBIALS
Adverbials can appear in all sorts of positions in the sentence.
e.g.
Old Sam sunbathed beside a stream.
 [26] Beside a stream, old Sam sunbathed.
Which positions can very surreptitiously occupy in [27]?
[27] She put it under the bed.

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 III. THE MOBILITY OF ADVERBIALS
Choose the correct option:
[28] Very surreptitiously, she put it under the bed.
[29] She very surreptitiously put it under the bed.
[30] She put it very surreptitiously under the bed.
[31] She put it under the bed very surreptitiously.

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 III. THE MOBILITY OF ADVERBIALS
What would you suggest as the most appropriate phrase marker for [29]?

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 III. THE MOBILITY OF ADVERBIALS
A change in the position of the adverbial can make a difference to the meaning.
Compare:
(a) They slowly answered all the questions
(b) They answered all the questions slowly.
Ans:
(a) suggests they were slow in answering the whole batch of questions.
(b) suggests they answered each individual question slowly.

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 IV. PHRASAL VERBS
Consider the difference between [33] and [34]:
[33] He called up the street.
[34] He called up the boss.

Ans:
[33] Up the street: some distance away on the same street  PP  Adjunct
[34] Up the boss: not make sense  Called up  Phrasal Verb
If called up is the V of [34], what do you suggest is the function of the NP the
boss?
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 IV. PHRASAL VERBS
[34] He called up the boss.
V NP (D.O)
 Called up = transitive phrasal verb

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 IV. PHRASAL VERBS
A PHRASAL VERB = A VERB + A PARTICLE

TRANS: call off, look up, put down, hand down, hand over, sound out.
TRANS and INTRANS: give up, give in, drink up.
PREP: put up (with NP), go along (with NP), run out (of NP), sign up (for
NP).
INTENS: turn out, end up, wind up.

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 IV. PHRASAL VERBS
Particles (Prt) can appear in a position after the direct object.
e.g. He called up the boss.
= He called the boss up.

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 IV. PHRASAL VERBS
D.O = A Pronoun >> Particle must appear after it:
e.g. [40a] He called him up.
 Particle movement provides a very reliable test for distinguishing
between [phrasal verb + (direct object) NP] and [verb + PP].

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 IV. PHRASAL VERBS
Notes about particles:
➢ Can only move over a direct object NP.
➢ Cannot move over a PP: e.g he put up with John, not: *he put up
John with
➢ Cannot move over a subject-predicative NP: e.g. he turned out a
brilliant lawyer, not: * He turned a brilliant lawyer out.

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 IV. PHRASAL VERBS
Now decide, for each of the following VPs, whether it includes a transitive
phrasal verb + NP or a prepositional verb + PP.
(a) shouted out the answers (b) looked out the window
(c) hangs about the office (d) handed over the money
(e) viciously turned on John (f ) saw through the term
(g) gave in my essay (h) saw through her disguise

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 IV. PHRASAL VERBS
(a) Transitive phrasal verb + NP (shouted the answers out).
(b) Prepositional verb + PP (*looked the window out).
(c) Prepositional verb + PP (*hangs the office about).
(d) Transitive phrasal verb + NP (handed the money over).
(e) Prepositional verb + PP (cf. *viciously turned John on).
(f ) Transitive phrasal verb + NP, meaning ‘completed the term’ (saw the term
through).
(g) Transitive phrasal verb + NP (handed my essay in).
(h) Prepositional verb + PP (*saw the disguise through).
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 V. ELLIPSIS
Look now at the following sentences:
[41] William gave some bleach to Millie.
[42] William gave Millie some bleach.
[43] William gave some bleach.

 Is [43] acceptable? Still be

Yes understood
in context

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 V. ELLIPSIS
Ellipsis (E): Omission of obligatory elements >> still being understood
in the context of use.

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 VI. SENTENCE ADVERBIALS (S ADVERBIALS)
❑ Adjunct adverbials >> ‘VP-adverbials’.
❑ S-adverbials: Disjunct & Conjunct Adverbials
Compare:
[51a] Buster admitted everything frankly.
[51b] Buster admitted everything, frankly.
[52a] Max can only do the tango rather awkwardly.
[52b] Max can only do the tango, rather awkwardly.
[53a] Helmut interfered between you and me.
[53b] Helmut interfered, between you and me.
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 VI. SENTENCE ADVERBIALS (S ADVERBIALS)
Ans: Differences b/w the sentences:
[51a] frankly tells us the manner of Buster’s admission. (Buster was frank)
[51b] the speaker/writer who is being frank in saying that Buster admitted everything.
[52a] the manner of Max’s tango-dancing is awkward.
[52b] the speaker/writer feels that its being Max’s only dance is a rather awkward fact.
[53a] the interference of Helmut in the conversation/ relationship b/w you and me.
[53b] the speaker/writer is being confidential is saying that Helmut interfered.

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 VI. SENTENCE ADVERBIALS (S ADVERBIALS)
1. Disjunct Advs: Comment Adverbs  Modify the whole sentence.
e.g.
[51c] Frankly, Buster admitted everything.
Disj
[52c] Rather awkwardly, Max can only do the tango.
Disj
[53c] Between you and me, Helmut interfered.
Disj
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VI. SENTENCE ADVERBIALS (S ADVERBIALS)

adjunct

disjunct

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 VI. SENTENCE ADVERBIALS (S ADVERBIALS)
➢ All the adverbials looked so far can function both as VP (adjunct)
adverbials and as S-adverbials.
➢ Some AdvPs and PPs can only be interpreted as VP-(adjunct)
adverbials.
e.g. sideways, daintily, noisily, with grace and speed.
➢ There are AdvPs and PPs that can only function as S-adverbials.
e.g. admittedly, certainly, of course, perhaps, possibly.

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 VI. SENTENCE ADVERBIALS (S ADVERBIALS)
2. Conjunct advs: link 2 clauses/ sentences
e.g. (AdvPs): nevertheless, therefore, furthermore, thus, however, incidentally,
(PPs) on the contrary, by contrast, in other words, for a start, in short, in
conclusion, on the other hand.
[56] In short, you’re fired.
[57] You’ve got no clothes on, for a start.
[59] Rashid, on the other hand, came dressed as a washing machine.

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 VI. SENTENCE ADVERBIALS (S ADVERBIALS)
2. Conjunct advs: link 2 clauses/ sentences
e.g. [56] In short, you’re fired.

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VI. SENTENCE ADVERBIALS (S ADVERBIALS)

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