Syntax_2003_assignment 1

ASSIGNMENT 1 (UNIT 3)_ GROUP ……….

Names Tasks %
Phạm Quốc Bảo 1,5,14(a,b) 16.67%
Hoàng Sơn Hùng 2,3,4, 16.67%
Đỗ Vũ Hoàng Duy 6,7,8 16.67%
Ngô Minh Bách 9,10,11 16.67%
Lưu Đỗ Nhất Minh 12,13,14(c,d) 16.67%
Trần Ngọc Xuân Mai 14(e,f,g),15 16.67%

Questions for discussion:

1. Underline the NPs in the following sentences and decide whether they function as subjects or
complements.
(a) Andy (S) broke the window of my room.(C)
(b) Everyone (S) said they (C) wanted a long holiday.
2. Draw phrase markers:
(a) himself
(b) Elizabeth
(c) you

3. Give two examples of Degree adverbs (not mentioned in the T’s notes). Explain why you
think they are Degree adverbs.
Answer:

My class is unusually quiet today.

-Unusually: More than is usual or expected, or in a way that is not usual.
It is extremely hot this time of the year.
-Extremely: Means to a very great degree

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4. Give two examples of General adverbs (not mentioned in the T’s notes). Explain why you
think they are general adverbs.
Answer:

He has done a thing that quite incredibly.

-Incredibly: Used for saying that something is very difficult to believe.
My teacher says I am very potentially to become a teacher.
-Potentially: Used to say that something may develop into something.

5. Draw phrase markers:

(a) slowly
(b) very slowly
(c) quite oddly disturbing (experience)

6. Give two examples of gradable adjectives (not mentioned in the T’s notes). Explain why you
think they are gradable.
Answer:
 Big: This adjective can be modified in terms of degree. For example, you can say
“Wow, your bottle of water is bigger than mine”.

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 Expensive: This adjective can be modified in term of degree. For example, you can
compare two items in different places between marker and shopping center “This blue
shirt in shopping center is more expensive than the one in the market”.

7. Give two examples of non-gradable adjectives (not mentioned in the T’s notes). Explain why
you think they are non-gradable.
Answer:

 Free: This adjective can not be modified in terms of degree. For example, you can not
say “freest” or “less dead”. Something is either dead or not.
 Right: This adjective refers to something that is one of a kind, and therefore, cannot be
compared or modified in terms of degree. For example, you can’t say “more right” or
“less right”.

8. Underline the APs in the following sentences and decide whether they function as modifiers
or complements?
(a) It was quite icy last night and my thin blanket couldn’t help.

 “Quite icy” is an AP and it function as modifier of “last night”

 “Thin” is an AP and it function as modifier of “blanket”

(b) The best-selling book which made me sad was so very touchy.
 “best-selling” is an AP and it function as modifier of book
 “Sad” is an AP and it function as complement of “made me”
 “Very touchy” is an AP and it function as modifier of clause “which made me”

9. Give two examples of Prepositions followed by an NP.

Answer:
 He is very sick because of COVID-19.
 She always studies prior to a test.

10. (a) Give two examples of Prepositions that can stand alone as Prepositional phrases in their
own right (i.e. single-word PPs).
(b) What meanings do these single-word PPs express?
Answer:
(a)
 He sits under the tree.
 She loves to drink coffee after waking up.

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(b)
 (PPs of place)
 (PPs of time)

11. Replace each PP by a single word:

- to/in a foreign country :abroad
- on the upper floor : upstairs
- on the day before today : yesterday
- on the day after today : tomorrow
12. Give examples of five co-ordinate conjunctions.
Note: What does FANBOYS stand for?
Answer:
“FANBOYS” stands for: For, and, nor, but, yet, and so.
Ex:
 For: This boy has been playing this game for 3 hours.
 And: I like playing football and playing games.
 Nor: I don’t like listening to music nor playing sports.
 But: He is not only tall but handsome.
 Yet: I made the decision of going to swimming, yet I still lay on my bed
 So: I didn’t have enough money, so I didn’t buy that house.

13. What is the most important principle about the two constituents linked by a co-ordinator?
Answer:

The most important principle about the two constituents linked by a coordinator is that they
must be syntactically and semantically parallel.

14. Underline the coordinate constituents and state their categories (Note: (d) is ambiguous).

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Answer:
(a) He kept a towel (NP) and his old razor (NP) hidden in one of the lifeboats.
(b) Her brothers (NP)and sisters (NP)came to the graduation ceremony. (d)
(c) The driver stopped the car and offered (NP) them a lift to the castle. (d)
(d) She wouldn’t take John’s dog or any of the pets (NP) from the cage.
(e) They were slowly but surely getting to grips with syntax. (NP) => Adverb Phrase
(f) All the applause during the performance and the following party (NP) made him feel
quite elated.
(g) The water (NP) was icy and her friends refused to go swimming. => Noun Phrase

15. Draw phrase markers:

(a) here and there

(b) now or in the future

(c) very hot but quite pleasant

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(d) in Asia or Africa

(e) fast and very carelessly