TRANSITIVITY EXERCISES

From Thompson 1996: Exercises 4-7 p. 132-133; Text4 p.138

Exercise 4 Discriminating process types
Label the following clauses appropriately as material or mental.
The boy stood bravely on the ramparts.
Only his closest attendants knew his true identity.

material
mental

1. The ruffians robbed him.

2. The king retreated to a nearby bridge.
3. The farmer saw the battle.
4. The farmer wanted a farm of his own.
5. Kinsmen performed the service for 300 years.
6. The king was amused by his wonder and comment.
7. Nothing could please me more.
8. ...whenever the king should pass over the land.
9. How will I recognize the king?
10. Willie suddenly realized the true rank of the man.

Exercise 5 Discriminating process types

Label the following clauses appropriately as mental or verbal.
1. James wanted his uncles sword.
2. Willie eagerly agreed.
3. James asked a question.
4. James decided on peace.
5. Willie answered slowly.
6. James heard things about the feuding chieftains.
7. He liked the simple pleasures.
8. Easily, replied his companion.
9. Willie suddenly realized the true rank of the man.
10. His hat, repeated his escort.

Exercise 6 Discriminating process types

Label the following clauses appropriately as material or relational.
1. All but the two of us are bareheaded.
2. Willie had rescued the king.
3. He had a crown on his head.
4. He became king.
5. Willie fell to his knees.
6. My name is Willie.
7. He was content with his lot.
8. This promise was kept.
9. He was attacked by ruffians.
10. Who are you?

Exercise 7 Identifying clause elements Find the process and each participant and
circumstance in the following clauses, as shown in the example.
Long ago
circumstance

a small boy
participant

stood
process

1. The sight of their king calmed the crowds.

2. This lad was James V of Scotland.
3. Shortly after his birth his father had fallen in battle.
4. Disorder spread throughout the kingdom.
5. In the hall, Mum took off his boots.
6. One day he was attacked by a band of ruffians.
7. He retreated to a nearby bridge.
8. Jamie put on his thickest jersey.
9. The farmer had been threshing corn in his barn.
10. He travelled with the king.

on the ramparts.
circumstance

EXERCISE KEY:
Exercise 4: Key
1. material
2. material
3. mental
4. mental
5. material

6. mental
7.mental
8. material
9. mental
10. Mental

Exercise 5: Key
1. mental
2. verbal
3. verbal
4. mental
5. verbal

6. mental
7. mental
8. verbal
9. mental
10. verbal

Exercise 6: Key
1. relational
2. material
3. relational
4. relational
5. material

6. relational
7. relational
8. material
9. material
10. Relational

Exercise 7: Key
1. The sight of their king calmed
participant
process

the crowds.
participant

2. This lad
participant

James V of Scotland.
participant

was
process

3. Shortly after his birth his father

circumstance
participant

had fallen
process

in battle.
circumstance

4. Disorder
participant

spread
process

throughout the kingdom.

circumstance

5. In the hall,
circumstance

Mum
participant

took off
process

6. One day
circumstance

he
participant

was attacked by a band of ruffians.

process
participant

7. He
participant

retreated
process

to a nearby bridge.
circumstance

8. Jamie
participant

put on
process

his thickest jersey.

participant

9. The farmer
participant

had been threshing corn

process
participant

10. He
participant

travelled
process

with the king.

circumstance

his boots.
participant

in his barn.
circumstance

Text 4 Magazine feature (excerpt)

Pick out and classify the processes, writing them into the table below. Note: You can ignore
for now a process in an embedded clause one enclosed in square brackets since it forms
part of a participant role. (From: Thompson 1996, p. 138)
What participant roles are there and who holds which role/s?

Dangerous liaisons
Women [who form relationships with prisoners] often believe they alone
understand the men, and can reform them. They say, I know this guy; I know
hes good. Its partly a nurturing instinct, but some prisoners are also very
physically attractive and charming, notes Sister Janet Glass, who works with a
Catholic chaplaincy team at Sydneys Long Bay jail.
Often, these women are attracted to prisoners because they have just ended
a relationship, Glass adds. Theyre empty, and want some sort of emotional
fillip. The prisoners are probably telling them lies, but they appear gallant and
masculine and women believe them.
(Adapted from F. Robson Prisoners prey.
Sydney Morning Herald..Good Weekend magazine 24/6/95:24)

material

verbal

mental

relational