Underline copula verbs:

John had always thought that an autobiography really amounted to (state verb) a whole
explanation of yourself.
The chairman had proved capable of extraordinary resilience. The economic downturn had
made (ima objekat, nije) him cautious. It was as if the world was going crazy; his colleagues found the
change quite frightening and began to get into a panic. The quarrels of the past seemed forgotten, and
everyone’s fear was turning into an unreasonable stupor. But Jones’s fascination was so strong that it
turned into an obsession. Wood made up 65% of the country’s exports, which constituted (was a way
out) a way out of most difficulties. Indeed, the impression the country gave was a rural one (nominal
predicate).
It’d make a good colony one day, he thought, exiting the building.The lights had made him
sleepy, and the air outside was turning into a light breeze. The four young men comprising the TV crew
were still at the door. There was no avoiding an interview. Promises given by people in power remained
just promises, after all.

Break the following sentences into the subject and the predicate, and analyse the predicate:

A couple /were having (were having-predicator) /a drink-direct object/ at a table by the

window-adverbial modifier of place, at-head of the phrase, prepositional phrase, by the window – post-
modifier of “table”, prepositional phrase
Her sudden death/ had surprised- predicator/everyone familiar with the affair-direct object,
familiar with the affair- post-modifier of “everyone”, with the affair – adjectival complement, a
prepositional phrase
I / have- predicator/ a tendency/to tease my siblings on occasion- post-modifier, my siblings-
direct object, on occasion- adverbial modifier of frequency, noun-phrase - object
I/ had decided-predicator/ to give her the envelope.-direct object, her-indirect object, the
envelope-direct object
He/gave-predicator/ her hand- indirect object/ a squeeze that made her laugh.- direct object,
that made her laugh- adjectival relative clause, post-modifier
Lord Young /will be giving-predicator/ a first-hand- pre-modifuer account of the economic
situation.- direct object, of … post-modifier, prepositional phrase, the economic situation – prepositional
complement
One candidate/ resigned-predicator/, deciding that banking was not for her.- subordinate
clause, adverbial modifier of reason; deciding- predicator, that banking was not for her- direct object,
nominal that-clause
He/ made-predicator/ an attempt to calm down.-direct object; to calm down – post-modifier
Harvard/ allowed-predicator/ him- indirect object/ to have a peep into the laboratory- direct
object; into the laboratory – post-modifier (what sort of peep?)
The whole incident/ had moved-predicator, verb phrase/ her-direct object/ profoundly.-
adverbial modifier (how?)
No one /could predict-predicator/ his going to bed early last night.-direct object; his going to
bed ; early last night – adverbial modifier
The unknown addressee of the telegram /was – predicator / afraid of what might happen. –
nominal predicate, adjectival complement – of what might happen, prepositional phrase, what might
happen – prepositional complement
The long journey home/ took up- predicator/ the longest time in the world. – direct object; in
the world- post-modifier (refers to time); longest- pre-modifier
 The Moroccans that arrived yesterday /are- predicator/ too big to fight.; to fight- adjectival
complement/ post-modifier/ too big to fight- nominal predicate
What I am thinking of /is – predicator/ giving her another chance. – nominal predicate; her-
indirect object; another chance; direct object
A number of reasons/ can account for- predicator/ this change.- direct object
They/ consider-predicator/ the gallery-direct object/ successful in many ways.- object
complement; in many ways- adjectival post-modifier/complement
Gretchen/ found -predicator/speaking -direft object/difficult.- object complement
Ramsay Macdonald/ appointed- predicator /him-direct object/ Secretary of State.- object
complement
People who did not like him/ called- predicator/ him-direct object/ dull.- object complement
I / was-predicator/ reluctant to involve myself in this private fight.- nominal predicate; to involve
myself in this private fight – adjectival complement ; myself – direct object; this private fight- object of a
preposition
Their refusal to withdraw/ is -predicator/ a very foolish attitude to take.- nominal predicate;
very foolish- pre-modifier; to take – post-modifier
They were willing to risk losing their jobs.
Some men often remain unrecognized in their lifetime.
They attempted to drum up support from the students.
I waited until he had filled it up.
The authorities have turned down the request by Brazil to examine the wreckage of the ship.
My lively offspring had cut out some photographs from a magazine.

I saw her leaving the apartment / participle

She spent the holiday lying on the beach / participle

She stood there thinking of him / participle

It’s no use crying over spilt milk / gerund

There is no point waiting / gerund

His head was spinning / participle

He was busy studying / participle

While working abroad, I learnt of an alternative technique participle

/ I like sawing wood / gerund

He is a visiting relative /participle

That set me reminiscing of the past / participle

Mary Smith calling for help went unnoticed / participle

I recall her singing that tune / gerund

Give me some writing paper / gerund

What a relaxing memory / participle

He is a promising engineer / participle

The scheme is lacking in method / participle

I think we shall succeed supposing we are there first / participle

He asked me regarding my future plans / participle

He contemplated leaving / gerund

All the work having been done, the board members departed / participle

, I could not avoid describing the situation in detail / gerund

The monument is well worth seeing / gerund

I disapprove of John having never properly learnt grammar / gerund

It depends on grammar having been properly learnt by John / gerund

I cannot forget meeting that man / gerund

The rain ceased pouring / gerund

He couldn’t help whistling loudly / gerund

I am used to looking after small children / gerund

Having committed the rules to memory, I left / participle

Enjoying yourself is important / gerund

He had lost weight as well as feeling great / gerund

I am used to him coming home late / gerund

, I disapprove of the market place being closed for the weekend / gerund

, She could not bear not seeing him for longer than a week/ gerund

The rain kept pouring. / gerund

I’ll tell you now, ____________? Won’t I/

Let’s forget it, ___________? Shall we
 Come into the kitchen, ___________? Won’t you/will you/can’t you/could you
Don’t tell Harvard, __________? Will you
There used to be a theatre near here,_________? Didn’t there
That never counts, __________? Does it
He must have told the truth, __________? Mustn’t he
You’d better leave her alone, _________? Hadn’t you
You’d rather she never left the house, ____________? Would you
I am here, __________? Aren’t J
Nothing has mattered as much, ____________? Has it
No one has arrived, _____________? Have they

Identify the non-finite form and give the full paradigm regardless of the context:

In a moment she was close to him, bending over him. - participle

I cannot imagine that anyone should dislike John. – infinitive
Mr Roe has kindled expectations that we must now strive for. – infinitive
I do not enjoy being stung. - gerund
Being praised is his favourite pastime. - gerund
I saw them shoot at him. – infinitive
To be treading uncultivated land must be gratifying. – infinitive , gerund
Having split the treasure, we prepared for our journey. – participle
I’ll just sling together a few things and be ready to go.
I told him where to seek the treasure.
She wished light to be shed on the issue.
Having been sawing/ sewing/ sowing all day, I am very tired.
The circus was all one family performing in the open air.
Mary being disturbed will soon leave the house.
To have been causing so much trouble is disgraceful.
I have read of wine having been spilt as part of a ritual. - gerund
The clock badly wants winding. - gerund
He speaks of having struck it lucky last year. - gerund
His having quit his job is against him.
For seamen to sink a ship containing their own people was unthinkable. – infinitive, gerund
We must not shrink from our responsibilities.