PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT 2 – SYNTAX

SEMINAR, 2nd YEAR ENGLISH MAJORS

NEGATION

1. Do the following clauses contain clausal or subclausal negation? Justify your

answer. (Hint: clauses with subclausal negation will pattern as positive clauses in
tests for polarity. Try adding not even... (indicating negative polarity and hence
clausal negation) or and so... (indicating positive polarity and hence subclausal
negation) to these examples.) Try rephrasing them as well to see if the negative
applies to the predication.
Patrick never pretended to be something else than what he was.
Jonathan was disloyal to his team.
This plan is fruitless.
They sacrificed so much for nothing.
I hardly ever eat chocolate.

2. Do the following clauses contain verbal or non-verbal negation?

Therese didn’t particularly like the newbies.
There is no salvation here.
We haven’t had any lunch as of now.
There is nothing you could add that would change my mind.
They seldom get to leave home to go abroad.

3. Is the polarity of these sentences positive or negative? Use the tag-question test.
a. Rowena informed the students that she disapproved of their behavior.
b. I will never make that mistake again.
c. There’s insufficient evidence to bring the case to trial.

4. The following examples have either non-verbal or verbal clausal negation;

construct equivalent examples with the opposite type of negation.
a. They were impressed by none of the candidates.
b. There is no milk in the fridge.
c. We didn't know either of them.
d. The police found no clues as to his whereabouts.
e. He doesn't know anything about the activities of his wife.
f. She had never done that before.
 5. Are the following clauses grammatically positive or negative? Give evidence for
your answers by applying the 3 tests.

He did nothing but get in our way.

Never again will I make that foolish mistake.

That’s absolute nonsense, you brainless ninny.

We finished the job in no time.

6. Identify the polarity item and say whether they’re PPI or NPI.
He helped to some extent.
They’ve arrived already.
The New England Patriots’ plane hasn’t arrived yet.
If you bought any pumpkins, then put them on the counter.
Nobody ever told me that Santa wasn’t real.

7. Identify the scope of negation (highlight or underline the part of the sentence that
the scope of NEG applies to).
a. Terrence didn’t trust his best friend completely.
b. Jorah absolutely mustn’t wander into his neighbor’s back yard
uninvited.
c. The twins may not have listened to the instructions they were given
beforehand.
d. Tara’s daughter Jane hasn’t performed too poorly in the talent show.