CONSPECTE LEC

SUBIECTUL 1
Define and discuss the following concepts:
a) Universal grammar: a set of principles and rules common to all human languages + a set of parameters whose value is set by experience and
which can vary from a language to another
-

Principle: structure dependency the relations between words (ex. SAI Subject Auxiliary Inversion Can you speak Englih?)

Parameters: have different values set by experience and can vary from a language to another (ex. Null/overt subject subiectul subneles,
head-directionality the most important word in a sentence)

b) Lexicon: system of organizing grammar (functional categories) & vocabulary (lexical categories).
c) Projection principle: all information found in the lexicon should be projected in a sentence. Both LEXICAL and FUNCTIONAL categories
expand according to the same general format: X-BAR SCHEMA
P phrase (expresie, locuiune)
X0 projection (usually the head of the sentence)
X1 first projection
Spec specifier (DETERMINERS the, a, this, QUANTIFIERS no, some, every, and POSSESSIVES Johns and my mothers)
XP maximal projection (extended projection of the head)
d) The Innateness hypothesis: children are born with some innate knowledge which guides them in the process of acquisition.
SUBIECTUL 2
Define and illustrate with the example of your own:
a) Simple sentence: an independent clause containing a subject and a verb.
Ex: Some students like to study in the mornings.
b) Compound sentence: contains two independent clauses joined by a coordinator: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.
Ex: I tried to speak Spanish, and my friend tried to speak English.

c) Complex sentence: independent clause joined by one or more dependent clauses by the means of a subordinator such as because, since, after,
although, or when or a relative pronoun such as that, who, or which.
Ex: The students are studying because they have a test tomorrow.
d) Finite clause: its verb is marked for tense
Ex: John studies English. (indicative, present tense)
e) Non-finite clause: dependent clause whose verb is non-finite
Ex: To live is to suffer in silence. / To learn is to know. (infinitive)
f) Small clause: are subject-predicate structures
Ex: Jane marry? Over my dead body!
Jim called me a liar (to be a liar).
SUBIECTUL 3
Identify the bolded sentences below, whether they are simple/compound/complex.
SUBIECTUL 4
Discuss the main properties of lexical and functional categories, and provide examples.
LEXICAL CATEGORIES (PRILE DE VORBIRE): open class with an increasing number of entries
a) Noun
- Modify a verb
- determiner (a, an, the, this, that)
- number
d) Verb
- gender
- Mood
- case (Nominative, Genitive, Accusative, Dative, Vocative)
- Tense
- Subject-Verb agreement
b) Adjective
- Voice
- degree of comparison
- Aspect
- gender (same with noun)
- preceded by other words (very, too, quite, rather..)
e) Prepositions
- Can be followed by a determiner/noun
c) Adverb
- Can be preceded by right or straight
- degree of comparison

FUNCTIONAL CATEGORIES: close class with a definite number of entries (the glue that holds sentences together)
a) Determiners (definite/indefinite articles, demonstratives, possessives, numbers, question words, etc)
b) Quantifiers (a few, a little, much, many, a lot of, most, some, any, enough, etc)
c) Conjunctions (and, but, so, etc)
d) Auxiliaries (be, do, have)
SUBIECTUL 5
Discuss and illustrate the IMMEDIATE/ULTIMATE CONSTITUENTS of a sentence.
- The IMMEDIATE constituents of a sentence are PHRASES (expresii, locuiuni) (ex: a book of biology; drink water; on the desk)
- The ULTIMATE constituents of a sentence are WORDS (ex: car, covered, discover, incredibly)
PHRASE = a group of words related to each other (ex: an expensive book)
- A phrase is the projection of a HEAD;
- Phrases are built around their head
Eat an apple verb phrase VP (the verb eat is the dominant element THE HEAD)
Read a book verb phrase VP (the verb read is the dominant element THE HEAD)
Boring lecture noun phrase NP (the noun lecture is the dominant element THE HEAD)
A girl noun phrase NP (the noun girl is the dominant element THE DEAD)
Above the sky prepositional phrase PP (the preposition above is the dominant element THE HEAD)
Quite dramatically adverbial phrase AP (the adverb dramatically is the dominant element THE HEAD)

SUBIECTUL 6
Identify the head and the type of the following phrases:
a)
b)
c)
d)

Park a car verb phrase VP (the verb park is the dominant element THE HEAD)
Extremely polite adjectival phrase AP (the adjective polite is the dominant element THE HEAD)
This breath-taking and mind-blowing tale of love noun phrase NP (the noun tale is the dominant element THE DEAD)
Whether the statement is true or false COMPLEMENTIZER PHRASE (whether THE HEAD)

e) That room was empty COMPLEMENTIZER PHRASE (that THE HEAD)

f) For him to be the winner COMPLEMENTIZER PHRASE (for THE HEAD)

SUBIECTUL 7
Mention and illustrate 6 properties that distinguish auxiliaries from lexical verbs.
AUXILIARIES (be, do, have, modals)
LEXICAL VERBS (jump, love, see)
1.
Do not denote events
Denote events
I am reading a book. (am nu exprim o
I read a book every week. (read exprim o
aciune, ci este auxiliar pentru vb read)
aciune)
2.
Allow SAI (Subject Auxiliary Inversion)
Dont allow SAI (DO insertion)
She will come soon.
She speaks English.
Will she come soon?
Does she speak English?
3.
Can occur in TAGS and CODAS
Cannot occur in TAGS and CODAS
Mary speaks English, and so do I.
Mary speaks English, and so speak I. (GREIT)
4.
Allow NEGATION
Dont allow NEGATION (DO NOT insertion)
She will not/wont come soon.
She doesnt speak English.
5.
Cannot assign a -role (they are
Can assign a -role = SELECT THEIR
semantically light) = DO NOT SELECT
COMPLEMENT
THEIR COMPLEMENT
(Agent/Patient/Experiencer/Benefective)
Nu poate ndeplini niciunul din rolurile tip Agent: I speak English very well.
THETA.
Patient: I speak English very well.
Experiencer: You are happy.(state)
Benefective: You play the piano for me.
(beneficiar)
6.
DOESN'T INCLUDE AUXILIARY DO
EMPHASIS INCLUDES AUXILIARY DO
IN EMPHASIS
IN EMPHASIS
You havent written the homework, but I
You dont write your homework, but I do.
have.

SUBIECTUL 8

Is GET an AUXILIARY or a LEXICAL VERB in the following sentences?

a) John got arrested for theft when he was young.
b) John often got arrested for theft when he was young.
c) Did John get arrested for theft when he was young?
d) John didnt get arrested for theft.
GET lexical verb because it cannot do the inversion with the subject, so it needs the auxiliary DID.
SUBIECTUL 9
Show that MUST/MAY/CAN are auxiliaries (taking into account their properties).
A modal auxiliary has the following characteristics: NICE PROPERTIES
N
NEGATION
Takes negation directly (can't, mustn't).
He cant have done it.
I
INVERSION
Takes inversion without DO (can I? must I?).
May I ask you a question?
C
CODA
John can swim and so can Bill.
E
EMPHASIS
Ann cant solve the problem, but I can.
SUBIECTUL 10
Compare the properties of:
Copula BE
LINKING VERB joins SUBJECT to
ADJECTIVE/NOUN COMPLEMENT
He is fast. ("is" links the subject "He" to the
adjective "fast".)
He is a driver. ("is" links the subject "He" to the
noun complement "driver".)

AUXILIARIES BE, DO, HAVE

HELPING VERBS adds grammatical information & mark tense
He was running.
Did you come to school yesterday?
Have you finished?

Copula-like VERBS
- Connect the SUBJECT to the COMPLEMENT. They are

LEXICAL VERBS
- Denote events (watch, play, sing)

sometimes called linking verbs.

Do not denote events, only states and results.
Semantically select their complements
They do not need auxiliary DO
Cannot assign an EXTERNAL ARGUMENT (Subject)
UNNACUSATIVES they select a small clause as an
INTERNAL ARGUMENT

Semantically select their complements (play the piano, sing a

song, watch a film)
- Can assign a -role = SELECT THEIR COMPLEMENT
(Agent/Patient/Experiencer/Benefective)
Agent: I speak English very well.
Patient: I wrote the letter.
Experiencer: You are happy.(state)
Benefective: You play the piano for me. (beneficiar)

BE, REMAIN, SEEM, APPEAR

Describe the STATE of a thing /person referred to by the subject.
She seems happy.
It was good.
BECOME, TURN, GROW, GET
Describe the RESULT of some change affecting the thing/person referred to
by the subject.
She became a teacher.
The soup smelled more delicious than ever.
SUBIECTUL 11
Translate into English.
SUBIECTUL 12
Define and illustrate 3 theta-roles.
THETA ROLES = SEMANTIC ROLES = denote the parts that arguments play in the event.
AGENT
Initiate the action
I speak English. (I = agent)
PATIENT
Undergoes the action of the agent.
I wrote the letter. (the letter = patient)
EXPERIENCER
Experiences a state.
You are happy.(state)
BENEFECTIVE
Its the beneficiary of an action.
You play the piano for me. (beneficiary)

INSTRUMENT
LOCATIVE/LOCATION
GOAL
SOURCE

The object used to do the action.

He wrote the letter with a pen.
The place where something is situated.
She put the book on the self.
Location towards something moves.
They went to the cinema.
Location from which something moves.
They came from the cinema.

SUBIECTUL 13
Define and illustrate
EXTERNAL ARGUMENT
INTERNAL ARGUMENT
INDIRECT-INTERNAL ARGUMENT
ADJUNCT

SYNTACTIC FUNCTION
SUBJECT
DIRECT OBJECT
PREPOSITIONAL OBJECT (on/for)
Its not an argument of the verb and it can
be omitted.

EXAMPLES
She speaks English very well.
She speaks English very well.
She waited for him.
She reached home at 6 oclock.

SUBIECTUL 14
Identify the arguments and adjuncts in the sentences below.
She had bought the most sophisticated I-Phone at the fair two weeks ago.
She = EXTERNAL ARGUMENT
the most sophisticated I-Phone = INTERNAL ARGUMENT
two weeks ago = ADJUNCT
SUBIECTUL 15
Compare the properties of UNERGATIVES with those of UNACCUSATIVES.

UNACCUSATIVES
Intransitive verbs describing TELIC situations (have a natural
endpoint, visible results, change of state)
The argument is the Patient

UNERGATIVES
Intransitive verbs describing ATELIC situations (without a
natural endpoint, no visible results, no change of state)
The argument is the Agent

The argument doesnt have control over the action

The snow melts.
The lake froze.

The argument has control over the action

John speaks English.
The boys run for 4 hours.

The vase broke into pieces. (somebody broke it; it cannot break
by itself)
SUBIECTUL 16
Define and illustrate
INTRANSITIVE VERBS
- Have only 1 Argument: Patient or Agent
- Do not take Direct Object
- They can be
UNERGATIVES/UNACCUSATIVES

UNERGATIVES

SUBIECT 17
Define and illustrate a COPULATIVE-PREDICATE
COPULATIVE PREDICATE = copula-like VERB + PREDICATIVE
She became a teacher.
He is happy.
SUBIECT 18
Discuss 5 properties of copula-like VERBS
Copula-like VERBS
1) Connect the SUBJECT to the COMPLEMENT. They are
sometimes called linking verbs.
2) Do not denote events, only states and results.
3) Semantically select their complements
4) They do not need auxiliary DO
5) Cannot assign an EXTERNAL ARGUMENT (Subject)
UNNACUSATIVES they select a small clause as an

UNACCUSATIVES

INTERNAL ARGUMENT
BE, REMAIN, SEEM, APPEAR
Describe the STATE of a thing /person referred to by the subject.
She seems happy.
It was good.
BECOME, TURN, GROW, GET
Describe the RESULT of some change affecting the thing/person referred to
by the subject.
She became a teacher.
The soup smelled more delicious than ever.
SUBIECTUL 19
Identify the ungrammatical sentences below, and account for their ungrammaticality.
SUBIECTUL 20
Discuss CHANGE OF STATE-VERBS (to yellow/to freeze/to melt/to evaporate/to redden/to blush) with respect to their compatibility with there
sentences. Give examples of your own.
CHANGE OF STATE-VERBS
- Cannot occur in UNACCUSATIVES/UNERGATIVES
- They are not compatible with there sentences.
Examples of wrong sentences:
1. There yellow some leaves.
2. There evaporates the air.
SUBIECTUL 21
Discuss INTRANSITIVE VERBS with respect to LOCATIVE INVERSION. Give examples of your own.
LOCATIVE INVERSION = Location + Predicate + Subject

Can appear in UNACCUSATIVE (The argument is the Patient)

Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess.
a beautiful princess = Patient
UNNACUSATIVE that denote a change of state cannot form this
construction!!!
On the streets melted a lot of snow.

Cannot appear in UNERGATIVE (The argument is the Agent)

In the kitchen ate Mary an apple.
Mary = Agent

SUBIECTUL 22
Translate into English using RESULTATIVES whenever possible.
A mormit pn s-a calmat = He grumbled himself calm.

SUBIECTUL 23
Define and illustrate
-

TRANSITIVE VERBS
require one or more objects in a sentence.

I eat apples.
You want some coffe.
Alicia wrote a love poem.

DITRANSITIVE VERBS
two objects (direct&indirect objects)

He gave Mary ten dollars.

He passed Paul the ball.
Jean read him the books.
She is baking him a cake.

PHRASAL TRANSITIVE
The object is placed between the verb and the
preposition.
Her coat was very wet. She took it off.

SUBIECTUL 24
Which classes of verbs enters the DATIVE ALTERNATION? (POC & DOC) Give at least 1 example for each class.
POC = Prepositional Object Construction (The girl gave milk to the cat).
DOC = Double Object Construction (The girl gave the cat milk).
POC

DOC

GIVE-verbs

The girl gave milk to the cat

The girl gave the cat milk

THROWING-verbs

He threw the ball to Mike.

He threw Mike the ball.

Verbs of FUTURE HAVING

She promised a dictionary to me.

She promised me a dictionary.

Verbs of
SENDING/COMMUNICATON

She sent a letter to him.

She sent him a letter.

BRING/TAKE

He brought some flowers to her.

He brought her some flowers.

SUBIECTUL 25
Which classes are not compatible with DATIVE ALTERNATION? Give at least 1 example for each class.
POC

DOC

Verbs with LATINATE origin

(cannot occur in DOC, only in
POC)

He donated the house to his son.

He donated his son the house.

Verbs of FULFILLING

I provided you all details required.

I provided all details required to you.

MANNER OF SPEAKING
verbs

He whispered something to her.

He whispered her something.

SUBIECTUL 26
Which classes of verbs are compatible with the BENEFACTIVE ATERNATION?
-

Verbs wich denote CREATION:

BUILD-verbs
PREPARE-verbs
GET-verbs
CREATE-verbs

He built this house for her = He built her this house.

He prepared lunch for her = He prepared her lunch.
He bought the icecream for her = He bought her the icecream.
He designed this dress for her = He designed her this dress.

SUBIECTUL 27
Which classes of verbs are incompatible with the BENEFACTIVE ATERNATION?
STEAL-verbs

He stole the car for her = He stole her the car.

Verbs of SELECTION

He selected the theme for her = He selected her the theme.

GET-verbs

He borrow the book for her = He borrow her the book.

CREATE-verbs

He composed the poem for her = He composed her the poem.

SUBIECTUL 28
Explain why the following sentences are ungrammatical.
*He whispered her the answer.
Whispered = manner-of-speaking verb incompatible with DOC
CORECT - He whispered the anwer to her (compatible with POC).

SUBIECTUL 29
Decide which of the following sentences are grammatical/ungrammatical.

SUBIECTUL 30
Define and illustrate MIDDLE CONSTRUCTION in English

MIDDLE CONSTRUCTION verbs active in form (derived by transitive), but passive in meaning.
ACTIVE in form

PASSIVE in meaning

The man scared the woman.

The woman scares easily.

John read the book.

The book reads easily.

She opened the door easily.

The door opens easily.

SUBIECTUL 31
Discuss the main properties of ENGLISH MIDDLES.
a) The Agent is phonologically NULL, but semantically PRESENT.
These shirts wash well.
This door opens easily.
b) They dont apear in imperative or progressive forms
*Policemen are bribing easily.
*Bribe easily, policemen!
Policemen bribe easily. (CORECT)
c) Dont express specific events, but rules, features or laws for the patient and they are usually used in the SIMPLE PRESENT.
This book reads easily.
The book sells well.
d) The MIDDLE sentences are incompatible with by-phrase.
*Wall paints easily by Harry.
The wall was painted by Hary.
e) English MIDDLES generally appear with adverbs that modify the predicates.
This book reads easily.
*This book reads.
SUBIECTUL 32
What classes of verbs are compatible/uncompatible with MIDDLE ENGLISHES? Give 3 examples of each class.

COMPATIBLE CLASSES

INCOMPATIBLE CLASSES

CUT-verbs: cut, scratch

PERCEPTION-verbs: see, feel, hear

Verbs of MOTION: rotate, spin

JUDGEMENT-verbs: applaude, criticize

MIX-verbs: blend, join, mix

DESTROY-verbs: destroy, devastate, ruin

Eggs mix easily.

*Houses destroy easily.

SUBIECTUL 33
Discuss the AFFECTEDNESS CONSTRAINT as related to Middles in English.
Middles can be formes only with verbs that have an AFFECTED ARGUMENT (Patient/Theme/Locative/Experiencer)
THE ACTION OF THE VERB AFFECTS THE OBJECT (AFFECTIVENESS)
COMPATIBLE CLASSES
INCOMPATIBLE CLASSES
CUT-verbs: cut, scratch

PERCEPTION-verbs: see, feel, hear

MIX-verbs: blend, join, mix

JUDGEMENT-verbs: applaude, criticize

Eggs mix easily.

SUBIECTUL 34
Explain why the following sentences are ungrammatical.
SUBIECTUL 35
Translate into English.
SUBIECTUL 36
Discurss the condition of PASSIVIZATIONS in English.

*Weird noises heard almost all night.

The ADJANCY CONSTRAINT only the OBJECT wich is adjacent to the VERB can become the SUBJECY of a passive sentence.
John will invite Mary. (ACTIVE)
Mary will be invited by John. (PASSIVE)
SUBIECTUL 37
Discuss GET-passive vs. BE-passive

BE-auxiliary
She was killed.
Was she killed?
SUBIECTUL 38
The following sentences are ungrammatical.

BE-lexical verb
She got killes.
Did she get killed? (needs DID insertion)