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SEMINAR 2
The Phrase. Subordinate Verb-phrases. Predicative Phrases.

1. Theoretical Comment.
Grammatical organization of verb-phrases. Object-predicate relations; cognate object.
Grammatical organization of adjective-phrases. The use of nexus-phrases in Modern English.

2. Practice.
1. Analyse the verb phrases and the character of inner syntactic relations:
to stay in Helsinki - endocentric subordinate progressive verbal phrase extended with
adverb of place, prepositional group. adverbial relations of place
to stay awake - exocentric predicative phrase, a verbal idea is extended by adverb (of state)
to leave early - endocentric subordinate progressive verbal phrase, a verbal idea is
extended by adverb of manner.
to leave after it started to snow - endocentric predicative progressive phrase with the
infinitival construction of time; started to snow - verbal aspect
to leave out of spite - exocentric predicative phrase reason
to leave to milk the cow - endocentric predicative progressive phrase extended with the
infinitival construction of purpose; to leave as to milk
to walk a great deal - endocentric subordinate verbal progressive phrase
to walk a mile - endocentric subordinate verbal progressive phrase
to wait a minute - endocentric subordinate verbal progressive phrase adv relations of time
to wait a table - endocentric subordinate verbal progressive phrase object relations
to sound a trumpet - exocentric predicative phrase
to sound a fool - exocentric predicative progressive phrase, comparisom
to sound as if in agony - endocentric subordinate progressive verbal phrase extended by
subclause, pattern with the conjunction ‘as if’ that denotes comparison;
forgot to greet them - endocentric subordinate progressive verbal phrase extended by
infinitival construction object
ran to wave goodbye - endocentric subordinate progressive verbal phrase extended by
infinitival construction of purpose
came in to find the room empty - endocentric subordinate progressive verbal phrase
extended by infinitival construction of purpose. личная форма глагола определяется
глаголом, succession of actions
2. Give comments on the use of the verb-phrases with the cognate object: - слова от одного корня
стилистическое средство
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1. He smiled his slow, pleasant smile (A. Christie). smiled - intransitive verb, no
preposition, direct object, ‘smiled’ is a head and ‘his slow, pleasant smile’ - a modifier that
consists of pronoun adjectives and a noun.
2. Finally, when the dog felt that the blind man had said his say, the dog wandered off
into the corridors of the hospital… (R. Bradbury) - the head in the phrase is ‘felt’ and ‘the blind
man had said his say’ is a modifier that is represented by the objective clause that consists of
subject, predicate and direct object.

3. George Willard was thinking thoughts of Kate Swift (S. Anderson) - the head of the phrase
was ‘was thinking’ and ‘thoughts of Kate Swift’ is a modifier that is represented by a direct
object in Accusative.
4. David Copperfield… slept his Sunday night’s sleep (Ch. Dickens). the head of the phrase is
‘slept’ and ‘his Sunday night’s sleep’ is a modifier that is expressed by direct object in
Accusative.
5. All smiled their smiles (J. Joyce). ‘smiled’ is a head and ‘their smiles’ is a modifier that is
expressed by direct object in Accusative.
6. Mr. Browdie grinned a grin of special width… (Ch. Dickens). the head of the phrase is
‘grinned’ and ‘ a grin of special width’ is a modifier that is expressed by a direct object in
Accusative.
3. Give comments on the adverbial use of nouns in the following patterns (point out the adverbial relations of
comparison, time and different degree of quality):
bone thin - тонкая кость - comparison
a tad dusty- немного пыли - a quality
a shade darker - a quality in comparative degree
a bit louder - a quality in comparative degree
sky blue - = blue as sky - comparative, positive degree
age long = long as age - comparative, positive degree
snow white = white as snow - comparative, positive degree
ankle deep - comparison
stone deaf = deaf as stone - comparative, positive degree
lots better - quality in comparative degree
heaps better - намного лучше - quality in comparative degree
a bit longer - quality in comparative degree
iron hard = hard as iron - comparative, positive degree
ash blond = blond as ash - comparative, positive degree
paper white = white as paper - comparative, positive degree
4. Give comments on the structure of adjectival phrases in the following sentences:
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1. She was proud of her father having been a staff-officer (S. Maugham). 2. I’ll be
happy to wait (G. Elliot). 3. She was busy writing out sums upon the blackboard (A. Cronin).
4. Speech was always easy with her (J. London). 5. It begins with an incredibly beautiful
line… (K. Mansfield). 6. Mrs. Septimus was the tallest of the four sisters (J. Galsworthy).
7. Certain nooks were curiously rich with wild flowers… (D. Aldington).
5. Pick out nexus phrases in the following sentences and define their types.
1. Kathleen drove, as she always did, Norah never having learnt how to (W. Trevor). 2. It
said earlier on the radio there’d be showers but there wasn’t a trace of one, the October evening
without a breeze, dusk beginning (W. Trevor). 3. It's you having to do it that I mind
(A. Christie). 4. She put down the empty glass and leaned back in her chair, her eyes half closed
(A. Christie). 5. She sat in her bedroom watching the blazing sun set over theblue Aegean in an
explosion of color (S. Sheldon). 6. About to crumple a typewritten page, the son froze, the
paper shut in his fist (R. Bradbury). 7. Solomon was staring at him, his gray eyes blazing now
with hatred. (D. Brown). 8. For you to come here is impossible (J. Galsworthy). 9. Small
wonder that we all loved him so exceedingly (O. Jespersen). 10. But with him dead there was
time and space in which to prepare to do other things (J. London). 11. I hope I’m not the same
now, with all the prettiness and youth removed (O. Jespersen). 12. I catch cold! No fear
(O. Jespersen).
6. Identify the syntactic relations:
1. I hate you to go there. - sentence contains endocentric predicative progressive phrase;
the head - ‘I hate’ and the modifier - ‘you to go there’ that is represented by objective clause in
which is used infinitival construction. denotes disliking.
2. I want you to go there. - sentence contains endocentric predicative progressive phrase;
the head - ‘I want’ and the modifier - ‘you to go there’ that is represented by objective clause in
which is used infinitival construction. denotes wishing.
3. He likes them to sing. - sentence contains endocentric predicative progressive phrase;
the head - ‘He likes’ and the modifier - ‘them to sing’ that is represented by objective clause in
which is used infinitival construction. denotes likeness.
4. I saw him approaching the house. - sentence contains endocentric predicative
progressive phrase; the head - ‘I saw’ and the modifier - ‘him approaching the house’ that is
represented by objective clause in which is used gerundial construction. denotes perception.
5. He watched them play. - sentence contains endocentric predicative progressive phrase;
the head - ‘He watched’ and the modifier - ‘them play’ that is represented by objective clause in
which is used infinitival construction. denotes perception.
6. He ordered the boxes to be taken upstairs. sentence contains endocentric predicative
progressive phrase; the head - ‘He ordered’ and the modifier - ‘the boxes’ that is represented by
a direct object. denotes order.
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sentence contains endocentric predicative progressive phrase; the head - ‘boxes’ and the
modifier - ‘to be taken upstairs’ that is represented by infinitival construction that denotes
passive form.
7. He did not wish his voice to be recognized. - sentence contains endocentric predicative
progressive phrase; the head - ‘He did not wish’ and the modifier - ‘his voice’ that is
represented by a direct object. denotes wishing.
sentence contains endocentric predicative progressive phrase; the head - ‘his voice’ and
the modifier - ‘to be recognized’ that is represented by infinitival construction that denotes
passive form.

7. Analyse the structures of predication in the sentences. Pick out homonymic patterns. Translate the sentences.
1. He had his eyes closed to prevent himself from catching even a fleeting glimpse of his
frightening predicament. (D. Brown). 2. And so you had Leonardo Vetra killed! (D. Brown).
3. He could not afford to have his wife run into her (S. Sheldon). 4. We shall soon have the
mists rising (A. Hornby). 5. He soon had them all laughing (A. Hornby). 6. We shall have the
house painted. (A. Hornby). 7. “It was major Dobbin who took back the captain’s body to
Brussels,” the sergeant said in a low voice, “and had him buried as your honour khows”
(W. Thackeray). 8. “It’s quite true,” he said, “he’s gone to Buenos Aires, started this morning –
we’d better have him shadowed when he lands” (J. Galsworthy). 9. We have a number of
witnesses here, and we are all anxious to have them heard (Th. Dreiser). 10. I wouldn’t for the
world have him think I had any feeling (D. Parker). 11. …we can’t have it all begin over again
(J. Galsworthy). 12. “I must see about his clothes,” she said to Imogen, “I can’t have him going
up to Oxford all anyhow!” (J. Galsworthy). 13. “Now, Mary June” said Aunt Kate, “don’t
annoy Mr. D’Arcy. I won’t have him annoyed” (J. Joyce). 14. All the guests stood up, glass in
hand (J. Joyce). 15. I haven’t had the house watched (Th. Dreiser). 16. He looked defiantly
around the table, his eyes flat, his face pale (E. Hemingway). 17. “I have to be emphatic,
Mr. Holmes, for the time is so limited. I would not have him find me here for the world
(C. Doyle). 18. The General had two horses shot under him (A. Hornby). 19. She had not
minded Frederick risking his own life. (A. Bennett).

Literature:
1. Rayevska N.M. Modern English Grammar. – Kyiv: Vysca Skola Publishers, 1976. –
P. 190-194, 220-224, 228-232, 242-249.
2. Бархударов Л.С. Структура простого предложения современного английского
языка. – М., Высшая школа, 1966. – С. 77-113, 128-136.
3. Иванова И.П., Бурлакова В.В.. Почепцов Г.Г. Теоретическая грамматика
английского языка. – М.: Высш. шк., 1981. – С. 141-143, 192-193.
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4. Грамматика английского языка: Морфология. Синтаксис: учебник /

Н.А. Кобрина, Е.А. Корнеева, М.И. Оссовская, К.А. Гузеева. – СПб.: Союз, 2009. –
С. 401-422.