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Ch01 Identifying Verb Types

The document discusses different types of verbs in English syntax: intransitive verbs (VI), linking verbs (VL), transitive verbs (VT), two-place transitive verbs that take an indirect object (Vg) or object complement (Vc), and 'be' verbs. It provides examples and formulas to illustrate the structure of sentences for each verb type. Key points covered include how each verb type is defined based on what elements can follow it in a sentence and whether it can be used in the passive voice.

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Hanis Omar
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191 views

Ch01 Identifying Verb Types

The document discusses different types of verbs in English syntax: intransitive verbs (VI), linking verbs (VL), transitive verbs (VT), two-place transitive verbs that take an indirect object (Vg) or object complement (Vc), and 'be' verbs. It provides examples and formulas to illustrate the structure of sentences for each verb type. Key points covered include how each verb type is defined based on what elements can follow it in a sentence and whether it can be used in the passive voice.

Uploaded by

Hanis Omar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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VERB TYPES

EPC 423: DESCRIPTION OF ENGLISH SYNTAX

DR LIM PECK CHOO

TOPIC OUTLINE
1. Intransitive verbs

2. Linking verbs

3. Transitive verbs

4. Two-place transitive (Vg) verbs

5. Two-place transitive (Vc) verbs

1. ‘BE’ verbs

GRAMMAR
• Grammar is a system that puts words together into
meaningful units.
• Studying these units and their relationship is called
parsing- to understand how sentences are
constructed out of words, phrases and clauses.

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SYNTAX DEFINITION
What is a syntax in English language?

• Syntax is a form of grammar.


• It is concerned primarily with word order in a
sentence and with the agreement of words when
they are used together.

In linguistics, syntax is the set of rules, principles, and


processes that govern the structure of sentences in a
given language, specifically word order and
punctuation. The term syntax is also used to refer to
the study of such principles and processes.

PARTS OF SPEECH
A sentence comprises parts of speech.

1. Noun
2. Pronoun
3. Proper Noun
4. Verb
5. Adverb
6. Adjective
7. Preposition
8. Conjunction
9. Interjection

VERB
• A verb is a word used to describe an action, state,
or occurrence, and forming the main part of the
predicate of a sentence, such as hear, become,
happen.
• A verb is important because sentences are put
around verbs.
• There are 6 verb types which define the core
sentences.
• Identify a verb by the constituent that follows
immediately to the right and its relationship to
that constituent.

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INTRANSITIVE VERB (VI)


• An intransitive verb does not have an object.
Examples: cry, work, laugh, and talk
• It can end a sentence. or can be followed by a adverb.
Example:
 The Dean spoke (VI).
 The earthquake occurred (VI)..

• It can be followed by a adverb.


Example:
 The Dean spoke (VI) convincingly.
 The earthquake occurred (VI) at 10 am this morning.

LINKING VERB (VL)


• Linking verbs connect the subject of a sentence to nouns or
adjectives that renames or describes the subject. The
nouns or adjectives are called subject complement.
Example:

 Nina became a famous chef (PredN).


The verb became links the subject, Nina, to its
complement, a famous chef.

 The students seem happy (PredAdj).


The verb seem links the subject, The students, to its
complement, happy (describing The students)

LINKING VERB (VL)


Common linking verbs:
• Other verbs may be linking verbs in some cases and
action verbs in others:
appear feel look turn stay taste
seem grow prove sound smell remain

LINKING: Liza appear depressed. (Appear links Liza to the


subject complement depressed)
ACTION: The guard suddenly appeared. (Appeared is an
intransitive action verb.)

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TRANSITIVE VERB (VT)


• A transitive verb always has a noun, phrase or a
pronoun that receives the action of the verb, called the
direct object.
Example:

Maryam wrote the report.

Verb direct object


(VT) (NP: DObj)

TRANSITIVE VERB (VT)


• Sentences with transitive verb can be turned into passive
sentences.

Example:

Active: Maryam wrote the report.

Passive: The report was written by Maryam.

TWO-PLACE TRANSITIVES (Vg)


• Transitive verb sometimes have indirect objects, which
name the object to whom or for whom the action was
done.
Example:
Maryam gave Siti the report.
Verb Indirect object Direct object
(Vg) (NP:IObj) (NP:DObj)

-The direct object is the report. (What did she give? The report)
-The indirect object is Siti (To whom did she gave the report?
To Siti).
Vg verbs are followed by both direct and indirect object.

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TWO-PLACE TRANSITIVES (Vg)


• Sentences with Vg verbs have an alternate form.
Example:
Sentence: Maryam gave Siti the report.
Alternative: Maryam gave the report to Siti.

Formula for Vg verb sentence.

NP Vg NP: IObj NP:DO


bj
NP Vg NP:DObj to NP:
for IObj

TWO-PLACE TRANSITIVES (Vc)


• Sentences with Vc verbs are followed first by a noun phrase
that functions as a direct object, then by another noun
phrase, an adjective, or an infinitive phrase (function as
object complements)
Example:
The Dean found Amira a responsible student.
Formula for Vc verb sentence.
The Dean found Amira a responsible student.
The Dean found Amira to be a responsible student.
NP Vc NP: DObj InfPh:ObjComp

Example Vc: consider, think, found, believe

‘BE’ VERB
• The ‘be’ verb has 8 forms (be, am, is, are, was, were, been and
being)
• ‘Be’ verb can be followed by an adjective, a noun or an adverb
of place.
Formula:
The plants are healthy.
NP ‘be’ Adj: PredAdj
Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world.
NP ‘be’ NP:PredN

My office was in that building.


NP be’ PrepPh:Adv-place
(Adv: PredAdv)

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