Answers to Further Exercises: Chapter 8.

Exercise 8.1.

8.1.a S1

He told me S2 at our first meeting

S1: Main clause (MC).
S2: Complement of V, tell: dO.
Rory had composed several symphonies

8.1.b S1

S2 came as a surprise
S1: Main clause (MC).
S2: Subject of S1.
That anyone would actually like his paintings

8.1.c S1

The big idea here is S2 S1: Main clause (MC).

S2: Complement to V (be): sP.
.
that we all become rich as quickly as possible.

8.1.d S1
S1: Main clause (MC).
S2: Noun complement clause.
The announcement S2 will be made after S3 S3: Complement to P (after).

that Frank has resigned the planes takes off

8.1.e S1

It is well known S2
S1: Main clause (MC).
S2: Extraposed subject.
that Max thinks S3 S3: Complement to V (think): dO.

syntax is good for the brain

Analysing Sentences: An Introduction to English Syntax, 4th edition

© 2016 Noel Burton-Roberts
8.1.f S1 S1: MC.
S2: Complement to P.
S3: Complement to A.
Before S2 the gallery had been certain S3

the exhibition opened his paintings would sell extremely well

8.1.g S1

S1: MC.
S2 is a direct consequence of Lorenzo’s insistence S3 S2: Subject.
S3: Comp’ to N

That Savonarola came to power that his sermons were harmless

8.1.h S1 S1: MC.

S2: Adverbial
S3: Extraposed subject
S2 the exhibition closed

Once it was certain S3

that all the paintings were copies

8.1.i S1 S1: MC.

S2: Complement to V, sP.
S3: Complement to V, dO.
The gallery’s defence was S2 S4: Complement to P.

that they didn’t realise S3 until S4

they were copies it was too late

Analysing Sentences: An Introduction to English Syntax, 4th edition

© 2016 Noel Burton-Roberts
Exercise 8.2.
8.2.a S’

C S

do NP VP

pronoun TNS VP
[pres]
you V NP
● [trans]
S’
think
C S

NP VP

pronoun V AP
[intens]
she [pres] A PP

’s good P NP

at DET NOM

syntax

Analysing Sentences: An Introduction to English Syntax, 4th edition

© 2016 Noel Burton-Roberts
8.2.b S

NP VP

DET NOM V NP
[intens]
DEM N [pres] DET NOM

this E is ART N S’

a proposal C S

that NP VP

pronoun MOD VP
[past]
we V NP
should [trans]
DET NOM
support
ART N

the strike
8.2.c S

NP VP

S’ V AP
[intens]
C S DEG A
wasn’t
whether NP VP entirely clear

NP or NP MOD VP
[past]
name name PASS VP
should
Frank Bill be V NP
[trans]
●
promoted

Analysing Sentences: An Introduction to English Syntax, 4th edition

© 2016 Noel Burton-Roberts
8.2.d S

NP VP

DET NOM V AP
[intens]
POSS N [pres] A S’

his friends were certain C S

NP VP

pronoun MOD VP
[past]
he V NP
would not [trans]
DET NOM
pass
ART N

the test

8.2.e S

NP VP S’

it V AP C S
[intens]
DEG A NP VP
is
most unfort’ DET NOM PASS VP
[past]
ART N V NP
was [trans]
the lecture ●
cancelled

Analysing Sentences: An Introduction to English Syntax, 4th edition

© 2016 Noel Burton-Roberts
8.2.f S’

C S

is NP VP S’

it V AP C S
[intens]
[pres] DEG A that NP VP

● so obvious pronoun TNS VP

[pres]
she V NP
doesn’t [trans]
DET NOM
like
ART N

the paintings

8.2.g S

NP VP

DET NOM VP S’

ART N V C S
[intrans]
the exhibition [past] because NP VP

closed DET NOM V NP

[intens]
ART N [past] DET NOM

the paintings were N

copies

Analysing Sentences: An Introduction to English Syntax, 4th edition

© 2016 Noel Burton-Roberts
8.2.h S

NP VP

name V PP
[intens]
Max [past] P NP

was under DET NOM

ART N S’

the impression C S

that NP VP

name V AP
[intens]
Cynthia [past] A S’

was glad C

NP VP

pronoun PERF VP
[past]
he V
had [intrans]

arrived

Analysing Sentences: An Introduction to English Syntax, 4th edition

© 2016 Noel Burton-Roberts
Exercise 8.3.

The it in each sentence is expletive and is in dO position. So, these subordinate clauses (that
no-one…monocle and that so few… petition) are extraposed direct objects (from a
[complex] VP). Compare their less natural paraphrases:

(a) They thought [that no-one had crushed that silly monocle] a shame.
(b) She considered [that so few had signed the petition] odd.

Exercise 8.4.
Again we have extraposition of a clause, but this time without expletive it. They are
extraposed noun-complement clauses. Compare:

(a) [The thought that he should have done the washing up] NP occurred to him.
(b) [The claim that syntax is actually good for the brain] NP was made.
(c) [A rumour that the PM has resigned] NP is spreading.

Analysing Sentences: An Introduction to English Syntax, 4th edition

© 2016 Noel Burton-Roberts