Syntax - handout 2

CLAUSE PATTERNS

VALENCY = the potential of the individual verb (Biber et al. 1999: 141); the capacity of a verb to occur in a variety of
sentence structures (Allerton 1982: 2)

3 main verb classes:

I. INTRANSITIVE VERBS
S-V
S-V-A
II. TRANSITIVE VERBS
▪ monotransitive: S-V-O

▪ ditransitive verbs: S-V-O-O

a. S-V-Oi-Od

b. S-V-O-Oprep

▪ complextransitive: S-V-O-Co

S-V-O-A

III. COPULAR VERBS S-V-Cs

Types of verbonominal predication:

a. qualifying
b. classifying
c. qualification by false classification
d. identifying
e. actional

CLASSIFICATION OF COPULAR VERBS:

I. BE / CURRENT copulas

a) look, feel, smell, taste, sound

b) seem, appear, prove, turn out

c) remain, stay, keep, go, continue, stand, rest

II. BECOME / RESULTING copulas - become, turn, grow, get, go, come, fall

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 Syntax - handout 2

clause pattern example

SV My cat died.

SVA I went home.

SVCs The cat was happy.

SVO I love my cat.

SVOO I gave the cat some milk.

SVOA I put the milk in the fridge.

SVOCo I consider my cat intelligent.

1. Determine the clause pattern of the following sentences:

1. She placed the baby on the changing table.

2. They accused him of crimes against humanity.
3. Her parents named her Sophia.
4. He remained anxious about the surgery and its outcome.
5. Both her children still live at home.
6. She slept well last night.
7. Britain won five gold medals in the last Olympic games.
8. Can you send me a link to the website?

2. Determine the clause pattern of the following sentences. In the case of copular predication, determine also
its semantic type:

1. a. Most of us are working this evening.

b. Most of us are dreading this evening.

2. Her cousin is an acclaimed author known for her storytelling.

3. The building on your left is the Museum of Medieval Art; the lower building on your right is a former market hall,
turned into exhibition rooms.

4. His mother is a remarkable woman.

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5. Theirs was a hard life.

6. I am a light sleeper, and sometimes I don't fall asleep easily.

7. a. Susan sounds a most interesting girl.

b. Susan knows a most interesting girl.

8. Have you really lent your sister £500?

9. Some business analysts blame the problem on tough competition in the insurance market.

10. I sent the report to my manager yesterday.

11. They declared the festival a great success.

12. A strange man was lurking in the dark.

13. The flight to London takes two hours.

14. I left my phone at home.

15. He will yield if you put pressure on him.

16. You don't want technicalities, so I'll spare you them.

17. If I never saw them again, I would not consider it a loss.

18. Aren’t children awful when they try to be witty?

3. Identify the valency of the verb in the following examples and determine the clause pattern:

1. a. Then he tasted the brandy: it was rough but he needed it.

b. This kombucha tastes delicious.
c. This meal tastes like summer vacation to me!

2. a. He appears a perfectly normal person.

b. When will your new novel appear?
c. The train appeared fast.

3. a. Why does he look so odd? / Why does he look so oddly?

b. The child looked backward. / The child looked backwards.
c. We looked but saw nothing.
d. I happened to be looking another way.
e. I look a perfect fright in this hat.

4. a. Mankind has made unprecedented progress during the 20th century, but something has seriously gone wrong.
b. He went in fear of his life.
c. The children went wild with excitement.
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5. a. He feels confident of success.

b. Please feel free to call on us whenever you like.
c. She doesn't feel quite herself today.
d. I don't feel like a big meal.
e. He felt insulted.
f. He felt the insult keenly.
g. He felt his heart beating violently.

6. a. A stork flew slowly past.

b. Tom Parker had successfully flown both aircraft.
c. During the Easter weekend, airlines flew five thousand passengers to Paris.
d. He has flown into black rage.
f. He watched the children flying kites.
g. They had to fly the country.

7. a. He rarely fails to keep his appointments.

b. Can't you keep the children quiet for a while?
c. Inclement weather kept us indoors.
d. I hope you are keeping well.
e. Traffic in Britain keeps to the left.
f. Will the meat keep till tomorrow?
g. This news will keep.

PASSIVE SENTENCES

1. The prime minister is criticized by many people.

2. My mother was left these rings by her elder sisters.
3. The accident was first denied, then made light of, then finally reported in some detail.
4. During the Easter weekend five thousand passengers were flown to Paris.

Existential there-constructions

Determine the semantic type and clause pattern of the following there-constructions:

1. a. There are no easy answers.

b. There must be some perfectly simple explanation.
2. There were a lot of people in the town centre.
3. There was a knock on the door.
4. There was nothing to do.
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