1 Adjectives, Adverbs, Prepositions Huddleston 8-10 Makk Zsófi
Mar 19, 2016
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Adjectives, Adverbs, PrepositionsHuddleston 8-10
Makk Zsófi
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AdjectivesAdjectives
Two major functions of adjectives:Attributive:
a HOT daysome NEW DVDsthis EXCELLENT playLONELY people
Predicative:
It’s HOT.These look NEW.I found it EXCELLENT.They seem LONELY.
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Restricted to some functions:
Attributive-only:
the MAIN speakera MERE childthe ONLY problemmy OWN car
Never-attributive:
I’m AFRAID.She’s ASLEEP.He looks CONTENT.It’s LIABLE to flood.
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Gradability and grade
The most central adjectives are gradable:
- Modification by adverbs of degree:
V…RY good…U…TE hot…AT…ER youngT…O oldI…CR…DI…LY bad
Degree modification
Inflection for comparative and superlative grade:
? ?? ?? ?
Inflection for grade
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Non-gradable adjectives
Non-gradable:
ALPHABETICAL orderthe CHIEF difficultythe FEDERAL governmenther RIGHT eyeTHIRD place
In two different senses:
Gradable:You should be more
OPEN with us.
Non-gradable:The door is OPEN.
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The Adjective Phrase (structure)Adjective Phrase Head (adjective) + Dependents
Dependents
Complements: good AT CHESSgrateful FOR YOUR HELPeager TO HELP
ModifiersVERY badcautious TO EXCESSA BIT old
?MUCH betterglad THAT YOU LIKED ITTWO DAYS longunsure WHAT HAD HAPPENED
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Adjectives and word order
Certain adjectives mean completely different things with two different word orders:
PROPER1. Suitable for the purpose or situationONLY BEFORE NOUN:You have to have the PROPER tools for the job.That’s not the PROPER way to do it!The problem was they didn’t have a PROPER place to rehearse.
2. Understood in its most exact meaningNEVER BEFORE NOUN:Does he live in Swansea PROPER or in the suburbs?
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AdverbsAdverbsAdverbs in relation to adjectives
The majority of adverbs are derived from adjectives By adding the suffix – ly: common - ?
rare - ?
Being replaceble by ones with the –ly suffix: It’s VERY good. It’s E…TRE…ELY good.She …LW…YS wins. She FREQUENTLY wins.It’ll be over S...ON. It’ll be over SHORTLY:
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Major difference between adverbs and adjectives
FUNCTION!( Remember: adjectives can function attributively or
predicatively)
Adverbs function as Modifier.
Verb: She SPOKE clearly.Adjective: It’s a remarkably GOOD play.Adverb: He spoke virtually INAUDIBLY. Determinative: Nearly ALL copies were sold.Prep phrase: She is completely IN CONTROL.Rest of clause: Surprisingly EVERYONE AGREED.
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The adverb phrase (structure)
- Complements:
Luckily for me, it rained.We handled it similarly to the
others.
- Modifiers:
She sang very well.It won’t end that soon.We left a bit late.
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PrepositionsPrepositionsMeanings concerned with relations in TIME and SPACE
AFTER lunchAT schoolBEFORE the endIN the gardenON the deskOFF the bridge
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Function of prepositions
Prepositions function as HEAD in preposition phrases.
Preposition phrases function as DEPENDENT (Complement or Modifier) to any of the four major parts of speech:
Preposition phrase dependent on:
Verb: She WENT to London. – They ARE in the garden.
Noun: He’s a MAN of principle. – It’s on the WAY to Paris.
Adjective: She’s INTERESTED in politics. – I’m RESPONSIBLE for them.
Adverb: LUCKILY for me, no-one knew. – I saw her LATER in the day.
?
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Complements of prepositions
Preposition phrase:He emerged [from under the bed].
I’ll stay [until after lunch].
Adjective phrase:That strikes me [as unfair].
I took him [for dead].
Adverb phrase:I didn’t know [until recently].
I can’t stay [for long].
Clause:It depends [on what she says].
I told her [before she left].
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Preposition stranding- Characteristic of relatively INFORMAL style- Grammatically CORRECT
What are you looking at?
It’s something [which I can do without].
This is the book [I was referring to].
He went to the same school as [I went to].
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„Pied Piping”• Named after the Pied Piper of Hamelin-More formal register-Most visible in cases of WH-fronting of information questions and relative clauses-A given focused expression takes an entire phrase with it when it’s „moved”
She bought the red house. Which house did she buy?
She is ten years old. How old is she?
John left the scene very slowly. ?
Fred spoke with Susan. ?
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Thank you for your kind attention!Have a nice rest of the Friday evening! (: