SEMANTICS – EXCERCISES

EXERCISE 1: For each group of words given below, state what semantic features
shared by the (a) words and the (b) words, and what semantic features distinguishing
between the classes of (a) words and the (b) words. The first one is done as example.
1. (a) lobster, shrimp, crab, oyster, mussel
(b) trout, sole, herring, bass, mackerel
The (a) and (b) words are [+edible water animal]
The (a) words are [+shellfish]
The (b) words are [+fish]
2. (a) mother, sister, aunt, widow, seamstress
(b) father, brother, uncle, widower, tailor
The (a) and (b) words are ………………………………..
The (a) words are ………………………………………..
The (b) words are ………………………………………..
3. (a) bachelor, nephew, son, paperboy, chief, Pope
(b) bull, ram, stallion, drake, roaster/cock
The (a) and (b) words are ………………………………..
The (a) words are ………………………………………..
The (b) words are ………………………………………..
4. (a) table, pencil, cup, house, ship, car
(b) milk, tea, wine, beer, water, soft drink
The (a) and (b) words are ………………………………..
The (a) words are ………………………………………..
The (b) words are ………………………………………..
5. (a) book, letter, novel, notebook, dictionary
(b) pencil, ballpoint, crayon, quill, charcoal, chalk
The (a) and (b) words are ………………………………..
The (a) words are ………………………………………..
The (b) words are ………………………………………..
6. (a) book, temple, mountain, road, tractor
(b) love, charity, sincerity, bravery, fear
The (a) and (b) words are ………………………………..
The (a) words are ………………………………………..
The (b) words are ………………………………………..

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 7. (a) rose, lily, tulip, daisy, sunflower, violet
(b) ash, sycamore, willow, oak, beech
(c) pine, cedar, jew, spruce, cypress
The (a) and (b) words are ………………………………..
The (a) words are ………………………………………..
The (b) words are ………………………………………..
The (c) words are ………………………………………..
8. (a) swim, walk, run, jump, skip, hop
(b) fly, skate, ski, ride, cycle, canoe, hang-glide
The (a) and (b) words are ………………………………..
The (a) words are ………………………………………..
The (b) words are ………………………………………..
9. (a) ask, tell, say, talk, converse
(b) shout, holler, whisper, mutter, drawl
The (a) and (b) words are ………………………………..
The (a) words are ………………………………………..
The (b) words are ………………………………………..
10. (a) alive, asleep, awake, dead, half-dead, pregnant
(b) depressed, bored, excited, upset, amazed
The (a) and (b) words are ………………………………..
The (a) words are ………………………………………..
The (b) words are ………………………………………..

EXERCISE 2: Identify the semantic features in each of the following words. The first is
done as example.
1. Child: [+human], [- mature], [± male], [+innocent]
2. Aunt: ………………………………………………
3. Hen: ……………………………………………….
4. Oak (-tree): ………………………………………..
5. Flower: ……………………………………………
6. Palm: ………………………………………………
7. Bachelor: ………………………………………….
8. Actress: ……………………………………………
9. Plod: ………………………………………………
10. Ewe: ……………………………………………….
11. Fly: ………………………………………………..
12. Stallion: ……………………………………………
13. Police-officer: ……………………………………..

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 14. Beauty: ………………………………………………
15. Imagine: ……………………………………………..
16. Doe: …………………………………………………
17. Drive: ………………………………………………...
18. Home: ………………………………………………..
19. Elm: ………………………………………………….
20. Chalk: ………………………………………………..
21. Rose: …………………………………………………
22. Chick: ………………………………………………..
23. Pap: …………………………………………………..
24. Tiptoe: ………………………………………………..
25. Pine (-tree): …………………………………………..
26. Owe: ………………………………………………….
27. Computer: …………………………………………….
28. Honesty: ………………………………………………
29. Maid: ………………………………………………….
30. Spinster: ……………………………………………….
EXERCISE 3: What is identified by the word meaning, means, mean, or meant in the
following examples, i.e. reference or sense, in everyday conversation? Write R for
reference and S for sense.
………..1. When Albert talks about ‘his former friend’, he means me.
………..2. Daddy, what does logic mean?
………..3. Purchase has the same meaning as buy.
………..4. Look up the meaning of democracy in your dictionary.
………..5. If you look out of the window now, you’ll see who I mean.
………..6. When Helen mentioned ‘the fruit cake’, she meant that rock-hard object in the
middle of the table.

EXERCISE 4: Identify all the possible connotations associated with the word Christmas
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………

EXERCISE 5: Draw a chart to show the relationship between a superordinate and a

hyponym.
1.luggage and suitcase 6. plant and coconut
2. green vegetable and bean 7. plant and rose
3. animal and foal 8. vocal organ and tongue tip
4. animal and child 9. furniture and dressing table
5. fowl and rooster 10. vehicle and convertible

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EXERCISE 6: The following pairs of words are partial synonyms, i.e. they do not share
all their senses. For each pair, (a) give a sentence in which the two can be used
interchangeably; (b) give another sentence in which only one of them can be used.
1. strong/powerful
(a) …………………………………………………………………………….
(b) …………………………………………………………………………….
2. ripe/mature
(a) …………………………………………………………………………….
(b) …………………………………………………………………………….
3. broad/wide
(a) …………………………………………………………………………….
(b) …………………………………………………………………………….
4. soil/earth
(a) ……………………………………………………………………………
(b) …………………………………………………………………………….
5. edge/side
(a) …………………………………………………………………………….
(b) …………………………………………………………………………….
6. permit/allow
(a) …………………………………………………………………………….
(b) …………………………………………………………………………….

EXERCISE 7: Are the following pairs of expressions gradable antonyms? (từ trái nghĩa
có thang độ) Complete the table.
1. tall - short Yes, both tall and short can be used in a comparative or
superlative sense: taller, the tallest; shorter, the shortest;
Yes, both tall and short can be used in questions with “how”
to ask about degrees: How tall is he? How short is he?
2. long - short Yes,

3. clever - stupid Yes,

4. top - bottom No, no intermediate expression can be found between top and
bottom;
No, neither top nor bottom can be used in a comparative or
superlative sense;
No, neither top nor bottom can be used in questions with
“how” to ask about degrees.
5. love - hate Yes, intermediate expressions on the continuous scale include
like, be indifferent to and dislike.

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 6. thick - thin Yes,

7. solid - liquid Yes, an intermediate expression on the continuous scale is

semi-liquid (sền sệt)
8. rude - polite Yes,

9. rich - poor Yes,

10. none - all Yes, intermediate expressions on the continuous scale include
few/little, some (= a few/a little), half, most and almost all
11. never - always Yes, intermediate expressions on the continuous scale include
rarely/seldom, occasionally, sometimes, often, and
usually/frequently.
12. possibly - Yes, intermediate expressions on the continuous scale include
certainly probably, quite probably, and almost certainly.

EXERCISE 8: Are the following pairs of expressions binary antonyms? (từ trái nghĩa
nhị phân). Complete the table.
1. true - false Yes, The answer is true contradicts The answer is false;
i.e. the answer can’t be both true and false at the same
time.
2. asleep - awake Yes,

3. alive - dead Yes,

4. accidental – Yes, not accidental = intentional/deliberate; not

intentional/deliberate intentional/deliberate = accidental
Yes, The attack on him was intentional/deliberate
contradicts The attack on him was accidental; i.e. the
attack can’t be both intentional and accidental at the same
time.
5. married - single Yes,

6. honest - dishonest Yes,

7. approve - disapprove Yes,

8. hire – dismiss/ Yes,

fire/sack
9. deny - admit Yes,

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 10. float - sink Yes, The gold coin floats in the water contradicts The gold
oin sinks in the water; i.e. the gold coin can’t both float
and sink in the water at the same time.
11. conceal - reveal Yes,

12. pass - fail Yes,

13. accept - refuse Yes,

14. hit – miss (a target) Yes, The employee hits the expectation contradicts The
employee misses the expectation; i.e. the employee can’t
both hit and miss the expectation.
15. upstairs - downtairs Yes,

16. inside - outside Yes,

EXERCISE 9a: Are the following pairs of expressions relational antonyms/converses?

Complete the table.
1. buy - sell Yes, if John SOLD the car to Tom, then
Tom BOUGHT the car from John.
2. borrow - lend Yes,

3. give – take No,

4. come - go No,

EXERCISE 9b: Are the following pairs of expressions relational antonyms/converses?

Complete the table.

1. below - above Yes,

2. grandparent – Yes,
grandchild

3. love – hate No,

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 4. conceal – No, if Brian conceals the truth from Bill then Bill does not
reveal necessarily reveal it to Brian.
Conceal and reveal are binary antonyms
- Not conceal = reveal; not reveal = conceal
- The thief concealed the evidence contradicts
The thief reveal the evidence; i.e. The thief couldn’t
both conceal and reveal the evidence at the same time.
5. greater than – Yes, if 20m is greater than 15 then 15 is less than 20.
less than Yes, if the cost of two one-way tickets is greater than that of a
return ticket then the cost of a return ticket is less than that of
two one-way tickets.
Less (adverb, opposite more)
This type of problems still occurs, but less [than it did in the
past].
Tickets were less expensive [than I expected].
We go to movies less often [than we used to].
Great (adjective, comparative greater, superlative greatest)
Here we had much greater scope than in Rome.
6. own – belong Yes,
to

EXERCISE 9c: Are the following pairs of expressions relational antonyms/converses?

Complete the table.

1. send sth to sb – No, Mai does not necessarily receive the thing [that has been
receive sth sent to her from Nam by post/ by mail (for example, the thing
from sb might have got lost in the post/ in the mail)], so send and
receive are not exact relational antonyms/converse, although
they almost meet the definition.
2. import – export Yes,
(verb)
3. debtor – Yes, if Anne is Jenny’s debtor then Jenny is Anne’s creditor.
creditor (noun)
4. wider – Yes,
narrower (adj)
5. more expensive Yes,
– cheaper (adj)
6. faster – more Yes,
slowly (adv)
7. in front of – Yes, if Mama Bear is in front of Papa Bear then Papa Bear is
behind (prep) behind Mama Bear

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 8. before – after Yes,
(prep)
9. under – over Yes, if these toys are not suitable for children under(=less
(prep) than) five then these toys are suitable only for children above
five
10. customer – Yes,
supplier (noun)

EXERCISE 10: State whether the following pairs of antonyms are binary (B), gradable
(G), or relational (R)
1. good – bad 9. import - export
2. pass – fail 10. better than – worse than
3. deciduous – evergreen 11. easy – difficult
4. expensive – cheap 12. hot – cold
5. parent – offspring 13. legal – illegal
6. beautiful – ugly 14. asleep – awake
7. false – true 15. rude – polite
8. lessor – lessee 16. husband – wife
EXERCISE 11: Give the phonemic transcription shared by two members of each of the
given pairs of words to identify them as a pair of homophones. The first one is done as
example.
1. altar …………………..alter
2. beech …………………beach
3. boar …………………...bore
4. coarse …………………course
5. crews ………………….cruise
6. deer ……………………dear
7. draft ……………………draught
8. fare……………………..fair
9. flour ……………………flower
10. grate ……………………great
11. herd …………………….heard
12. knight …………………..night
13. nose ……………………knows
14. leek …………………….leak
15. maid …………………….made
16. pail ……………………..pale
17. reign ……………………rain
18. scene ……………………seen
19. thrown ………………….throne
20. whole ……………………hole

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EXERCISE 12: The following are all polysemous words. For each one, we have
indicated two closely related senses. Look for the concept shared by the two senses of a
polysemous word. The first two are done as example.
1. chimmey (pipe or funnel-like structure on a building for smoke to escape through
= ống khói) – chimmey (narrow vertical space between rocks [up with a climber
can wriggle by pressing against the sides] = khe, hẻm núi)
Both senses contain the concept of “narrow vertical shaft (cay, cot, truc) in some
solid material”
2. cup (drinking vessel = cái cốc, cái tách) – cup (brassiere cup = áo ngực)
Both senses contain the concept of “container with a round shape”
3. guard (person who guard, sentinel = người bảo vệ) – guard (solid protective
shield = tấm bảo vệ), e.g. around machinery)
Both senses contain the concept of “____________________________________”
4. ceiling (top inner surface of a room = trần nhà) – ceiling (upper limit = mức trần)
Both senses contain the concept of “____________________________________”

5. earth (the planet that we live on = trái đất) – earth (soil, the substance that plants
grow in = chất đất)
Both senses contain the concept of “____________________________________”
6. drive (as in drive a nail (force a nail to go in a specified direction)) – drive (as in
drive a car)
Both senses contain the concept of “____________________________________”
7. key (of a door) key (as in the key to success)
Both senses contain the concept of “____________________________________”
8. foot (of one’s body = chân, bàn chân) – foot (of sth = chân, cuối, đáy)
Both senses contain the concept of “____________________________________”
9. head (top part of one’s body = cai dau) – head (leader, person in charge of a state
= người đứng đầu, nhà lãnh đạo)
Both senses contain the concept of “____________________________________”
10. lip (of a jug = cái vòi, chổ cong có hình cái môi của cái bình) – lip (of a person =
môi)
Both senses contain the concept of “____________________________________”
11. branch (part of a tree that grows out from the trunk = cành cây) – branch (part of
a large subject of study = phân ngành)
Both senses contain the concept of “____________________________________”
12. fork (in a road = ngã ba đường/sông) – fork (instrument for eating = cái nĩa)
Both senses contain the concept of “____________________________________”
13. tail = tail-coat (of a coat = đuôi áo, vạt áo sau) – tail (of an animal = cái đuôi của
động vật)
Both senses contain the concept of “____________________________________”
14. sole (bottom part of foot = gót chân) – sole (bottom part of shoe = đế giày) bottom
part of the sock that covers the sole of foot = phần vớ trùm lên gót chân)

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 Both senses contain the concept of “____________________________________”
15. sight (the ability to see = thị lực) – sight (sth one can see = cảnh tượng)
Both senses contain the concept of “____________________________________”
16. wing (one of the parts of a bird’s or insect’s body that it uses for flying = cánh
chim, cánh côn trùng) – wing (one of the large flat parts that stick out from the
side of a plane and help to keep it in the air= cánh máy bay)
Both senses contain the concept of “____________________________________”
17. dissolve ( = hòa tan, as in Salt dissolves in water) – dissolve (= giải tán, giải thể,
as in The Soviet Union was dissolved in 1991)
Both senses contain the concept of “____________________________________”
18. broad (= wide = rộng [theo nghĩa đen], as in The river is very broad at this point)
– broad (= rộng rãi, rộng bụng [theo nghĩa bóng], as in Luckily, my boss is a man
of broad views)
Both senses contain the concept of “____________________________________”
19. deep (going far down from the top or from the surface = sâu) – deep (= profound
= sâu sắc)
Both senses contain the concept of “____________________________________”
20. dark (≠ light, as in dark room = tối) dark (= evil or threatening = đen tối, as in
Don’t look on the dark side of things)
Both senses contain the concept of “____________________________________”

EXERCISE 13. Determine whether the words in each of the following sets are
polysemic/polysemous or homonymous. In each case, state the criteria to arrive at your
conclusion. You may use a dictionary. The first two are done as example.
1. plain (an adjective meaning “easy = dễ dàng or “clear = rõ”)
plain (an adjective meaning “undecorated = không tô điểm, giản dị”) and
plain (an adjective meaning “not good-looking = không ưa nhìn”)
This is an example of a case of polysemy because the three senses of the
polysemous word plain share a synonym in simple and and an antonym in
complex;
Or
The three closely related senses of plain all contain the semantic feature [+simple]
or [- complex]/ share the concept of “being simple/not being complex”
2. eye (a noun meaning “an organ used to see with = mắt”)
aye (meaning yes = vâng, phải, đúng)
I (the first person singular pronoun in English)
This is an example of homonymy (đồng âm)/homophony (đồng âm dị tự)
because though eye, aye and I are pronounced the same, which is /ai/, their sense
are far apart from each other and not obviously related to each other in any way
with respect to a native speaker’s instuition.
In other words, there is no obvious conceptual connection between the three
words.

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3. The driver’s seat (of a car: chổ ngồi = a place that the driver sits in the car)
The seat (of one’s trousers; đũng quần = the part of trousers that covers one’s
seat); and
The seat (position/member of the government = ghế, chân, vị trí)
-
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4. An ear (an auditory organ that you hear with = cái tai);
The ear (top part of a grain plant, such as wheat, corn etc. that contain seeds =
bông lúa, bắp = vật có hình giống cái tai);
An ear (for music; ability to recognize sounds well = khả năng nhận biết các âm
thanh)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
5. vision (ability to see = thị lực, khả năng nhìn của mắt)
vision (idea/ picture in your imagination, as during a hallucination = hình ảnh ảo
giác, ảo mộng); and
(a man of) vision (ability to think about/ plan for the future with a clear purpose =
tầm nhìn)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
6. The pitch (of one’s voice; how high one’s voice is = độ cao của giọng nói)
pitch (= completely, as in “It was still pitch black/ very dark out); and
pitch (in baseball; throw the ball to the person who is batting = ném bóng cho
người cầm chày)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
7. To spell (a word; say or write the letters of a word in the correct order = đánh vần)
(under a) spell (words that are thought to have magic power = bùa mê, câu thần
chú); and
A (dry) spell ( a short period of time during which something lasts = đợt, kỳ,
phiên)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
8. the butt (thick end of a rifle = báng súng)
the butt (as in “baby’s soft little butt/buttocks” = cái mông); and
to butt (hit or push against sb/sth with your head = húc, đâm vào)

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 __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
9. sound (noise = âm thanh, tiếng ồn) vs. sound (healthy= khỏe mạnh)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
10. bark (of a dog = tiếng chó sủa) vs. bark (of a tree – vỏ cây)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
11. steer (to guide = lái xe) vs. steer (young bull = bò đực tơ, trâu đực non)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
12. punch (blow with a fist = cú đấm) vs. punch (fruity alcoholic drink – rượu punch)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
13. pupil (at a school = học sinh) vs. pupil (of an eye = đồng tử, con ngươi)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
14. bat (tool for hitting in baseball = gậy bóng chày) vs. bat (small mouse-like animal
that flies at night and feeds on fruit and insects = con dơi)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
15. lie (tell lies = nói dối) vs. lie (put one’s body on a horizontal surface = nằm)
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
EXERCISE 14: Decide whether the following words are examples of homonymy (H) or
polysemy (P).
1. bark ( of a dog vs. of a tree)
2. fork (in a road vs. instrument for eating)
3. tail (of a coat vs. of an animal)
4. steer (to guide vs. young bull)
5. lip (of a jug vs. of a person)
6. punch (blow with a fist vs. kind of fruity alcoholic drink)
7. ear (of a corn vs. an auditory organ)
8. sound (noise vs. healthy)
9. deep (the antonym of shallow vs. the synonym of profound)
10. butt (thick end of a rifle vs. hit or push against sb/wth with one’s head)

EXERCISE 15: Identify the relation (homography, homophony, true homonymy,

polysemy, gradable antonymy, binary antonymy, relational antonymy, synonymy,
hyponymy, multiple incompatibility) between the words/phrases in each of the
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following pairs. If the words are antonyms, specify what kind of antonyms they are. In
each case, state the clue to arrive at your conclusion.
1. ravage – destroy 2. pig - sow

3. cat – kitten 4. mango – banana

5. virtue – prudence 6. north of – south of

7. gloom – darkness 8. east – west

9. take – steal 10. stronger than – weaker than

11. drive – drive

12. get – obtain 13. debtor – creditor

14. dog – puppy 15. spring – summer

16. tail (of a coat) – tail (of an animal)

17. grandparent – grandchild 18. present – absent

19. bus – train 20. reptile – lizard

21. before – after 22. solid – gas

23. dangerous – safe 24. host – guest

25. intelligent – smart 26. carpenter – craftsman

27. head (of a person) – head (of a company)

28. handicapped – crippled 29. lion – tiger

30. clothes – dress 31. pass – fail

32. site – sight 33. reign – rain

34. rock (as in The ship hit a rock) – rock (as in a rock star)

35. fork (in a road) – fork (instrument for eating)

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 36. sow (as in Sow a field with wheat) – sow (a female pig)

EXERCISE 16: Identify homographs (từ đồng tự), homophones (từ đồng âm dị tự),
and true homonyms (từ đồng âm đồng tự) in the following sentences. The first one is
done as example.
1. The soldiers did not want to desert /dƏ’z :t/ the desert on the desert.
- The verb to desert meaning ‘abandon’ and the noun ‘the desert’ meaning ‘sa
mac’ are two homographs.
- The verb to desert meaning ‘abandon’ and the noun ‘the desert’ meaning
‘sweet food served after the main part of a meal’ are two homophones.
2. The wind blew my blue shirt into the pool.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. There was a big row in the first row of the theatre.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4. Cherry rode along as we rowed the boat from the island to the lakeside road.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
5. Tracy didn’t feel well after falling into the well.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
6. I won’t shed a tear if you tear my old shirt into shreds.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
7. We must raze the old building before the sun’s rays can raise the temperature.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
8. If the judges are fair, our rabbit will win a ribbon at the fair.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
9. I found it hard to believe that he planned to found a new church.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
10. When it’s time to close the store, remember to set the keys close to the safe.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
11. The shoes are too close to the door for it to close completely.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
12. I hope the pharmacist brews up some good medicine to put on my bruise.
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 __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
13. I hired a fine lawyer to defend me, but he charged me more than the fine I would
have to pay.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
14. Carlos refuses to buy any book written by that author.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
15. Do you know if she said yes or no when she was asked?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
16. She will resort to taking her vacation at the cheaper resort.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
17. We need a transfer to transfer to the other bus.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
18. The rose bushes rose out of the fertile ground.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
19. We’ll find a tropical isle where I’ll walk along the aisle with my bride.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
20. They banned the crude band from playing at the concert.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
21. Jim hunts, but he does not shoots does.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
22. Why would anyone want to steal a truckload of steel?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
23. How long will the live fish live without food?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
24. I will be second in line if I wait one more second.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
25. They usually park their car near the Central Park.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
26. It is now time to give him the present because everyone is present.

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 __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

EXERCISE 17: Explain the lexicle ambiguity in each of the following sentences by
providing two sentences that paraphrase its two different meanings. The first one is done
as an example.
1. They were waiting at the bank.
Meaning 1: They were waiting at the financial institution.
Meaning 2: They were waiting at the shore of the river.
2. They passed the port at midnight.
Meaning 1: ______________________________________________________
Meaning 2: ______________________________________________________
3. The captain corrected the list.
Meaning 1: ______________________________________________________
Meaning 2: ______________________________________________________
4. She is looking for a match.
Meaning 1: ______________________________________________________
Meaning 2: ______________________________________________________
5. This will make you smart.
Meaning 1: ______________________________________________________
Meaning 2: ______________________________________________________
6. I heard the girl crying.
Meaning 1: ______________________________________________________
Meaning 2: ______________________________________________________
7. The long drill is boring.
Meaning 1: ______________________________________________________
Meaning 2: ______________________________________________________
8. When he got the clear title to the land, it was a good deed.
Meaning 1: ______________________________________________________

16
Meaning 2: ______________________________________________________
9. The proprietor of the fish store was the sole owner.
Meaning 1: ______________________________________________________
Meaning 2: ______________________________________________________
10. He was knocked over by the punch.
Meaning 1: ______________________________________________________
Meaning 2: ______________________________________________________

11. She cannot bear children.

Meaning 1: ______________________________________________________
Meaning 2: ______________________________________________________
12. The cat sat on the mat.
Meaning 1: ______________________________________________________
Meaning 2: ______________________________________________________
13. My fiancée is reserved.
Meaning 1: ______________________________________________________
Meaning 2: ______________________________________________________
14. John and Mary are married.
Meaning 1: ______________________________________________________
Meaning 2: ______________________________________________________
15. The chicken is ready to eat.
Meaning 1: ______________________________________________________
Meaning 2: ______________________________________________________
16. We laughed at the colourful ball.
Meaning 1: ______________________________________________________
Meaning 2: ______________________________________________________
17. They hit the ball.
Meaning 1: ______________________________________________________

17
Meaning 2: ______________________________________________________

EXERCISE 18: Interpret the meaning of the following sentences and state what kind of
figure of speech (also called figurative language) used in each of them.
METONYMY (hoán dụ)
1. Pearl Harbour was a sad event in America’s history.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Beijing announced its new policies.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
3. The press have been criticized for their coverage of the story.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
4. You will never get the university to agree to that.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
5. The bank refused to loan us money.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
6. His words can be trusted.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
7. Ask Seat 17 whether he wants to swap.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
8. The bench has decreed that the case be dismissed.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
9. I want to take part in the contest, but I don’t have the nerve.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
10. She seemed to be happy from cradle to death.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
11. His father was buried under this stone.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
12. I’m innocent of this man’s blood.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
18
 13. The regiment mustered fifty hundred rifles.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
14. The pen is mightier than the sword.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
SYNECDOCHE (phép cải dung)
1. Gray hair should be respected.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
2. I need a change. I’m tired of seeing the same faces every day.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
3. The price of the meal is set at twenty pound per head.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
4. There were 30 hands employed in this company.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
5. All the best brains in Europe could not solve the problem.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
6. He said it to my face.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
7. In an entire economy on the hoof, Ice Age animals supplied man with food,
garments and tools.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
8. Not a soul was found in the street.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
PERSONIFICATION (nhân cách hóa)
1. Darkness grasped its arms around me.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
2. The wind is howling in the tree.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Duty commanded and he obeyed.

19
 ………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
4. The earthquake claimed thousands of lives.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
5. Death is laying his icy hand on the Queen.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
6. In the high heavens rode a veiled moon, magnified by the mist of an early spring.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
7. A dead leaf fell in my lap. That was Jack Frost’s card.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
8. Behind me, the hiss and whisper of the traffic turned homeward at the end of the
day.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
METAPHOR (ẩn dụ)
1. A school IS a hopper into which children are heaved while they are still young.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
2. A camel IS a ship in a desert.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
3. America IS a melting pot.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
4. He is sinking in debt.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
5. Her father’s illness cast a cloud over her wedding day.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
6. Linguists are trying to weed out recent non-standard uses.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
7. The captain exploded with rage.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
8. He ate with a wolfist appetite.

20
 ………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
9. He galloped into the room.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
10. You’ve taken an uphill task.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
11. As we are sailing into this millenium, we should know there are still many
difficulties.
12. Ms. Droopy has a fertile imagination.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
13. He punctured my excuses with a question.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
14. The conversation back-fired suddenly.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
15. The private detective dug up enough evidence to convince the police to act.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
16. You have tp pay the earth for such a masterpiece.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
17. It’s getting on my nerves.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
EUPHEMISM (uyển dụ, phép nói khéo)
1. Ask yourself whether the connections of ideas in your essay are logically
watertight.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
2. He has just gone to his village.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Your daughter’s eyes are closed.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
4. They parted after two years of marriage.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………

21
IRONY (nói mỉa)
1. Your wit is only exceeded by your charm and good looks.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
2. With friends like you, who needs enemies?
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
3. It is thanks to you that we arrived late – your short cuts weren’t short cuts at all.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
HYPERBOLE/ OVERSTATEMENT (ngoa dụ, phép nói quá)
1. It’ll take me a million years to fix that problem.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
2. He complained with millions of reasons.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
3. It takes forever to cook this meat.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
4. The world ended the day my mother died.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
LITOTES/UNDERSTATEMENT (khiêm dụ, phép nói giảm)
1. Heat is not rare this summer.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Joe cried a little when he lost the thousand dollars.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Dick was fairly pleased when he won the brand-new car in the contest.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
4. Such an approach is hardly flattering the intelligence or sincerity of the buyer.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
SIMILE (tỷ dụ)
1. He shall come like rain upon the mown grass.

22
 ………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Alice came in gently, like a May breeze.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
3. He is as mute as a fish.
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………

EXERCISE 19: Identify the following sentences as Analytic (A), Synthetic (S), or
Contradictory (C). The first one is done as example.
1. _____ All men are mortal.
2. _____ 2a) A triangle is a three-sided figure. 2b) _____A triangle is a four-sided
figure.
3. _____ A blue gas is colourless.
4. _____ [The man killed] is now living in Paris.
5. _____ John is simultaneously a man and not a human being.
6. _____ 6a) My son/nephew is a boy. 6b) _____ My daughter/ niece is a girl.
7. _____ Two halves make up a whole.
8. _____ Every female dog is a bitch.
9. _____ 9a) People [who run] move their bodies. 9b). _____ People [who run] do
not move their bodies.
10. _____ 10a) My sick cat is not well. 10b) _____My sick cat is well.
11. _____ 11a) The tiger is a reptile. 11b) _____The tiger is not a reptile. 11c)
_____The crocodile is a reptile. 11d) _____The crocodile is not a reptile.
12. _____ 12a) Siblings are relatives. 12b) _____ Siblings are not relatives.
13. _____ 13a) John is older than himself. 13b) _____ John looks older than himself.
13c) _____ John is older than Tom.
14. _____ Leaves turn yellow in the fall.
15. _____ The earth revolves around the sun.
16. _____ 16a) Boys tend to be more troublesome than girls. 16b) _____ Girls tend to
be more troublesome than boys.
17. _____ Witches are wicked.
18. _____ Waldo’s living room has four right angles.
19. _____ Jane is rather thin.
20. _____ Stan and Oliver worked together.
21. _____ Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam.
22. _____ Tokyo is the capital of Japan.
23. _____ Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo.

23
 24. _____ Mussolini was an Italian.
25. _____ The Eifel Tower is in Paris.
26. _____ Nixon resigned.
27. _____ 27a) A cow RUMINATEs (=BRINGs food back to its mouth from its
stomach and CHEWs it again). 27b) _____ Mary has a cow. 27c) _____ Mary’s
cow does not belong to her.
28. _____ If John IS here, (then) John IS here.
29. _____ Either John IS here or John IS not here.
30. _____ John is neither here nor not here.
31. _____ John IS here and John IS not here.
32. _____ If everyone IS here, (then) no one isn’t here.
33. _____ If someone is here, (then) no one is here.
34. _____ The hammer [which John saw] WAS not a hammer.
35. _____ If it breaks, (then) it breaks.
36. _____ John killed Bill, who remained alive for many years after.
EXERCISE 20: Explain the anomaly of each of the following sentences. The first one is
done as example.
1. Christopher is killing phonemes.
This sentence is semantically anomalous because killing and phonemes are not
semantically compatible to be combined in this way. Kill means ‘cause the death of a
living organism’ whereas phonemes are non-living things – things that cannot be killed.
2. My brother is a spinster.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
3. The boy swallowed the chocolate and then chewed it.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
4. Babies can lift one ton.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
5. Puppies are human.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
6. My unmarried sister is married to a bachelor.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
7. The bigger key and John opened the door.

24
 __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
8. James sliced the ideas.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
9. Jack’s courage chewed the bones.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
10. I hear the cloud.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
11. The tiger remained alive for an hour after the human killed it.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
EXERCISE 21. How can each of the given sentences be changed to avoid anomaly?
The first one is done as example.
1. Christopher is killing himself (e.g. because of drugs).
2. _____________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________________________
6. _____________________________________________________________
7. _____________________________________________________________
8. _____________________________________________________________
9. _____________________________________________________________
10. _____________________________________________________________
11. _____________________________________________________________
EXERCISE 22: The following pairs are paraphrases of each other. Identify the way
employed to paraphrase them.
1a. The house was CONCEALED by the tree.
1b. The house was HIDDEN by the tree.
2a. The needle is too short.
2b. The needle is not long enough.
3a. Some countries have no coastline.
3b. Not all countries have a coastline.
4a. Watching television is not a waste of time.
4b. Watching television is a good way to spend one’s time.
5a. My friend LOATHES string beans.

25
5b. My pal HATES pole beans.
6a. I’ll LOOK FOR that book right now.
6b. I’ll SEEK FOR that book at once/immediately.
7a. Steve HUGGED Jane.
7b. Steve GAVE Jane a hug.
8a. John is the parent of James.
8b. James is the child of John.
9a. My father OWNS this car.
9b. This car BELONGS to my father.
10a. John SOLD the book to David.
10b. David BOUGHT the book from John.
11a. Steve HUGGED Jane.
11b. Jane WAS HUGGED by Steve.
12a. We HAD hardly BEGUN our work when it rained.
12b. Hardly HAD we BEGUN our work when it rained.
13a. Sitting in one place for so long is very uncomfortable.
13b. It is very uncomfortable to sit in one place for so long.
14a. I saw Ted at the party.
14b. It was Ted that I saw at the party.
15a. The nearest servive station is 50 miles away.
15b. It is 50 miles to the nearest servive station.
16a. Jenny and Kevin are twins.
16b. Kevin and Jenny are twins.
17a. They had a wonderful holiday even though the weather was bad.
17b. Despite/In spite of the bad weather, they had a wonderful holiday.
18a. Bachelors PREFER red-haired girls.
18b. Girls with red hair ARE PREFERRED by unmarried men.
19a. Sam SLICED the salami with a knife.
19b. Sam USED a knife to slice a salami.
20a. Considering your condition, we won’t press charges.
20b. Under the circumstances, we won’t press charges.
21a. The laser HAS a wide variety of applications.
21b. As we have seen, the use of the laser IS numerous.
22a. In order to make a good impression at a job interview, you should prepare well
for the interview.
22b. As you can see, it is necessary to be well prepared for the job interview.
23a, Synonyms, words that have the same basic meaning, do not always have the
same emotional meaning.
23b. May so-called synonyms are not really synonyms at all.
24a. The composition proficiency requirements as now stated should not apply.
24b. I would propose that the standard used to judge international student papers be
relaxed or done away with.

26
 25a. Although Grants Pass, Oregon, is a fairly small town, it offers much to amuse
summer visitors.
25b. If you want to give your family a nice, wholesome vacation, try visiting
Grants Pass, Oregon.

EXERCISE 23: Decide whether each of the following statements is True (T) or
False (F). The first one is done as example.
______1a. Philip caught a trout entails Philip caught a fish.
______1b. Philip caught a fish entails Philip caught a trout.
______2a. Louise boiled an egg entails Louise cooked an egg.
______2b. Louise cooked an egg entails Louise boiled an egg.
______3a. John plays the fiddle entails Somebody plays a musical instrument.
______3b. John plays the musical instrument entails Somebody plays the fiddle.
______4a. Rover got savaged by a sheep entails Rover got savaged by an animal.
______4b. Rover got savaged by an animal entails Rover got savaged by a sheep.
______5a. She planted tulips entails She planted flowers.
______5b. She planted flowers entails She planted tulips.
______6a. His words deeply upset me entails His words upset me.
______6b. His words upset me entails His words deeply upset me.
______7a. The boy ran into the house entails The boy went into the house.
______7b. The boy went into the house entails The boy ran into the house.
______8a. John got a square box entails John got a rectangular box.
______8b. John got a rectangular box entails John got a square box.
______9a. I saw a girl entails I saw a person.
______9b. I saw a person entails I saw a girl.
______10a. She stole an umbrella entails She took an umbrella.
______10b. She took an umbrella entails She stole an umbrella.
______11a. The hunter killed the deer entails The deer is dead.
______11b. The deer is dead entails The hunter killed the deer
______12a. Henry was not chewing a flower entails Henry was not chewing a rose.
______12b. Henry was not chewing a rose entails Henry was not chewing a flower
______13a. Denis didn’t get savaged by an animal entails Denis didn’t get savaged by
a dog.
______13b. Denis didn’t get savaged by a dog entails Denis didn’t get savaged by an
animal.
______14a. David didn’t take a pound of pork entails David didn’t steal a pound of
pork
______14b. David didn’t steal a pound of pork entails David didn’t take a pound of
pork
______15a. She gave away all her writing materials entails She gave away all her
pens.

27
______15b. She gave away all her pens entails She gave away all her writing
materials
______16a. Henry chewed up all my flowers entails Henry chewed up all my tulips.
______16b. Henry chewed up all my tulips entails Henry chewed up all my flowers.
______17a. All Denis’s animals have foot-rot entails All Denis’s sheep have foot-rot.
______17b. All Denis’s sheep have foot-rot entails All Denis’s animals have foot-rot.
______18a. Tom coloured all the rectangular shapes red entails Tom coloured all the
square shapes red.
______18b. Tom coloured all the square shapes red entails Tom coloured all the
rectangular shapes red
______19a. He saw a big mouse entails He saw a big animal.
______19b. He saw a big animal entails He saw a big mouse.
______20a. That was an expensive computer entails That was an expensive electronic
device.
______20b. That was an expensive electronic device entails That was an expensive
computer.

______21. Annie ruined the sweater entails Annie didn’t ruined the dress.
______22. I’ve done my homework entails I haven’t cleaned the window.
______23. This porridge is too cold entails This porridge is not too hot.
______24. He drowned entails He couldn’t swim.

EXERCISE 24. Use ➔ to show one-way entailment and ➔ to show two-way

entailment in each of the following pairs of sentences

1a. John is a bachelor. 11a. Alvin is Mary’s husband.

1b. John is a man.
2a. I’m wearing black boots.
2b. I’m wearing black footwear.
3a. Alan planted roses.
3b. someone/Alan planted flowers.
4a. Eliza plays the flute.
4b. Someone/Eliza plays a musical
instrument.
5a. The wolf killed the bear.
5b. The bear is dead.
6a. He greeted the girl with a smile.
6b. He greeted the smiling girl.
11b. Mary is married.
12a. Mary owns three houses.
12b. Mary owns a house.
13a. All dogs have fleas.
13b. My dog has fleas./Some dogs have
fleas.
14a. My uncle teaches at the community
college.
14b. My uncle is a teacher.
15a. My pet cobra likes the taste of
chocolate.
15b. My pet cobra finds chocolate tasty.
16a. He greeted the girl with a smile.
16b. Smiling, he greeted the girl.

7a. Visiting relatives can be boring. 17a. Visiting relatives can be boring.
28
 7b. Relatives who are visiting can be
boring.
8a. He turned over the field.
8b. He changed direction over the field.
(where he was a pilot)
9a. I like watching TV.
9b. I am interested in watching TV.
10a. Humphrey envies Maurice.
10b. Humphrey is envious of Maurice.
17b. It can be boring to visit relatives.
18a. He turned over the field.
18b. he turned the field over (where he
was a ploughman).
19a. Fred is not both boastful and proud.
19b. Fred is neither boastful nor proud.
20a. Anne did not see both Ben and
Clara.
20b. Anne saw neither Ben nor Clara.

EXERCISE 25: Are the following pairs/trios of sentences paraphrases? Do the

following sentences symmetrically entails each other?
______1. Margaret is looking for Billy.
Margaret is looking after Billy.
Margaret is looking at Billy.
______2. Sidney put it under the table.
Sidney put it on the table.
Sidney put it against the table.
______3. It is raing.
It was raining.
______4. Fred is going to Madrid.
Fred went to Madrid.
______5. Charles is very angry.
Charles was very angry.

EXERCISE 26: Identify the presupposition(s) in each of the following utterances.

THE EXISTENTIAL PRESUPPOSITION

A possessive noun phrase (abbreviated to NP)

 A complete statement: X HAD/HAS/WILL HAVE + an indefinite NP
1. ‘Their son is not naughty.’
………………………………………………………………………………………
2. ‘Rememeber to water our plants twice a day.’
………………………………………………………………………………………
3. ‘Keep your passport in a safe place.’
………………………………………………………………………………………
4. ‘I’m afraid [that I can’t answer your question right now].’
………………………………………………………………………………………
5. ‘I got an excellent mark for my essay last time.’
………………………………………………………………………………………
6. ‘Everybody was surprised at her resignation.’
29
 ………………………………………………………………………………………
7. ‘I want to send a small present to my friend on the occasion of her graduation.’
………………………………………………………………………………………
A definite NP ➔ a complete statement
There IS/WAS/ARE/WERE (not) + an indefinite NP (+ adjunct of place)
There EXIST/EXISTS/EXISTED + an indefinite NP (+ adjunct of place)

8. ‘[The explosion] was so loud that it could be heard from miles away.’
………………………………………………………………………………………
9. ‘Tom might find [the chocolate cake in the kitchen]’
………………………………………………………………………………………
10. ‘John forgot [the washing up]’
………………………………………………………………………………………
11. ‘[The examination in Semantics] is so easy this time.
………………………………………………………………………………………
A definite NP ➔ a complete statement
12. ‘[The CD (= which/that) you GAVE me] is quite interesting.’
………………………………………………………………………………………
13. ‘She didn’t feel regret at [the overcooked meat].’
………………………………………………………………………………………
14. ‘She didn’t feel regret at [the overcooked meat] [because it was in fact well-
done].’
………………………………………………………………………………………
15. ‘She is not happy about [the chemistry course (=which/ that she is taking)’
………………………………………………………………………………………
16. ‘They are happy with [the result of the exam].
……………………………………………………………………………………

THE FACTIVE PRESUPPOSITION

THE NON-FACTIVE PRESUPPOSITION

(non-fact ➔ fact: đổi dấu +➔ -; -➔ +)

THE COUNTER-FACTUAL PRESUPPOSITION

An If clause ➔ a complete statement

30
 An embedded clause after wish ➔ a complete statement

A clause with a modal perfect verb form ➔ a complete statement

THE STRUCTURAL PRESUPPOSITION

A Wh-question ➔ a complete statement

An embedded clause ➔ a complete statement

THE LEXICAL PRESUPPOSITION

EXERCISE 27: Give an implicature of the second speaker’s utterance in the

following dialongues. Then say whether the second speaker has flouted the maxim
of (Q) Quality, R (Relevance), (I) Informativeness, or (C) Clarity. Some are
done as example. Complete the rest.

EXERCISE 28: For each of the following situations, identify both the sentence
type (from among declarative, imperative, or interrogative) of the utterance and
the act carried out by the utterance (from among asserting, asking, or ordering)

EXERCISE 29: For each of the following situations, identify both the sentence
type (from among declarative, imperative, or interrogative) of the utterance and
the act carried out by the utterance

EXERCISE 30: Identify the illocution of each of the given uterances in two
different situations. The first one is done as example.

EXERCISE 31: Decide whether the utterances below are performative (P) or
constative (C). The first one is done as example.

31