ENGLISH SEMANTICS

SAMPLE TEST

1. State whether the following statements are true or false. Write T for true statements and F for
false statements. (1m each)
a. ______ A predicate can be a word or a sequence of words.
b. ______ A definite noun phrase may or may not be a referring expression.
2. Fill in each blank with ONE appropriate word. (1m each)
a. A referring expression required by a predicate is called its __arguments_____________.
b. The __sense___________ meaning of a word is composed of smaller units called semantic
features.
3. What is the sense relation between the predicates in each of the following pairs? If the relation
is antonymy, state the type of antonymy. (1m each)

a. Connect / link ______synnonym________________

b. limb / leg _____hyponymy_________________
4. Identify the predicator of each of the following sentences. (1m each)
a. The dog was hungry. _____________________
b. They bought her a bike. _____________________
5. State whether the underlined expression has (a) no reference, (b) constant reference or (c)
variable reference. Write A, B or C in the space provided. (1m each)
a. __V___ I saw a koala in the zoo.
b. _V____ They bought her a bike.
6. State whether the following sentences are analytic, contradictory or synthetic.Write
A(nalytic), C(ontradictory) or S(ynthetic) in the blanks provided. (1m each)
a. ___S_______ Fabric is sold by the yard.
b. ___C_______ The sleeping child is awake.
7. State whether the following utterances are performative or constative.Write P(erformative) or
C(onstative) in the blanks provided. (1m each)
a. ___P_______ “I believe in justice.”
b. ___C_______ “I asked you to pay in advance.”
8. The following sentences make certain presupposition(s). Identify them. (1m each)
a. He proved to be a very efficient worker.
b. I don’t know why he lied to me.
9. What does B imply in the following dialogs? (2m each)

1
 a. A: Where is Henry?
B: Some of the guests are already leaving.
Implicature: _____________________________________________________
Maxim flouted: __________________________________________________
10. For the following utterance, give 2 situations so that the utterance performs 2 different types
of acts. Then interpret the utterance in the light of the situations you provide and classify it
according to the intended acts. (4m)

“Shall I open the window?”

SITUATION 1
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Interpretation:_________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Classification: _________________________________________________________

SITUATION 2
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Interpretation:_________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

Classification: __________________________________________________________

END OF TEST