Name : Dita Khairunnisa

NIM : 0304182104

Class/Semester : PBI-2/ 4th Semester

Course : SYNTAX

CHAPTER XIII
GRAMMAR AND SEMANTICS: ASPECT, TENSE, VOICE

EXERCISES

1. The dog was chasing the cat is a clause denoting an activity. It entails the same clause
but with the Simple Past from of the verb, The dog chased the cat. That is, whenever the
former is true, so is the letter. This entailment does not apply to clauses denoting
accomplishments. Jane was crossing the street does not entail Jane crossed the street.
The latter is true only if Jane reached the other side, but the progressive leaves it open
whether she did the other side: Jane was crossing the street and in fact reached the other
side VS Jane was crossing the street when she was run down by a fully laden timber
lorry.
Examine the pairs of clauses below. Which clauses with the verb in the progressive
entail the corresponding clause with the verb in the simple past?

1. (a) Harriet was talking to Emma.

(b) Harriet talked to Emma.

2. (a) The beaver was building a dam.

(b) The beaver built a dam.

3. (a) Anne Elliott was studying Italian.

(b) Anne Elliot studied Italian.

4. (a) Mr Knightley was riding to Kingston.

(b) Mr Knightley rode towards Kingston.

5. (a) Mr Knightley was riding towards Kingston.

(b) Mr Knightley rode towards Kingston.

 6. (a) The girls were talking in the gardens.

(b) The girls walked in the gardens.

7. (a) They were drinking a bottle of Mr Weston’s good wine.

(b) They drank a bottle of Mr Weston’s goo wine.

8. (a) They were drinking bottles of Mr Weston’s good wine.

(b) They drank bottles of Mr Weston’s good wine.

ANSWER

1. (1a) entails (1b)

(2a) does not entail (2b)

(3a) entails (3b)

(4a) does not entail (4b)

(5a) entails (5b)

(6a) entails (6b)

(7a) does not entails (7b)

(8a) entails (8b)

2. Which of the following clauses contain stative verbs? (Apply the tests: Can they be used
to answer the question What happened? Can they be fitted into a WH cleft: What she did
was break the glass with a hammer vs What she did was know all the answers? The latter
is at the very least peculiar. Does the verb occur easily in the Progressive? She was
writing her report vs *She was knowing the details of the case).

1. Mr Dashwood died at a very awkward time.

2. Mrs Dashwood believed that her stepson would be generous.

3. Eleanor thought that her mother was mistaken.

4. Eleanor thought about the problem and found a solution.

5. Mr Woodhouse heard a strange noise.

 6. Mr Woodhouse listened to the strange noise.

7. Anne understood the words of the Italian songs.

8. She saw the storm approaching.

9. She saw how to solve the problem.

10. She saw (=received) the unexpected guests in the hall.

ANSWER

1. Non-stative

2. Stative

3. Stative

4. Non-stative

5. Stative

6. Non-stative

7. Stative

8. Stative

9. Stative

10. Non-stative

3. Future time is referred to by will, shall and be going to. Consider the sentences below.
Are any of them unacceptable? Are there differences of meaning between be going to and
will – that is, are there pairs of examples that would be used in different circumstances?
1. (a) She’s going to sack all the senior managers (if they don’t improve their
performance)

(b) She’ll sack all the senior managers (if they don’t improve their performance).

2. (a) Will I shut the window?

(b) Am I going to shut the window?

 3. (a) Will you shut the window please?

(b) Shall you shut the window please?

(c) Are you going to shut the window please?

4. A and B walking to the cinema. A says :

(a) Hurry up! The film is just going to start.

(b) Hurry up! The film will just start.

5. A: Where’s Fiona?

(a) B: she’ll be in the library I suppose she had to return some books.

(b) B: she’s going to be in the library I suppose she had to return some books.

ANSWER

1a acceptable; appropriate if ‘she’ has declared an intention to carry out the action

1b acceptable, but sounds more like a prediction

2a acceptable; equivalent to ‘Would you like me to shut the window?’

2b acceptable; but sounds as if the speaker is asking the hearer if he/she can guess
what the speaker is going to do

3a acceptable, request

3b not fully acceptable, request

3c acceptability increased by deletion of please. Sounds more like a question about

the hearer’s intention.

4a acceptable

4b unacceptable

5a acceptable, prediction

5b unacceptable, a statement about someone’s intention, which makes I suppose seem

out of place