Mastering English Syntax: Verbs, Clauses, and Phrases
Constituent Identification Criteria
- Replace pronoun/proform
- Question criterion
- Cleft structures and pseudo-clefts
Adjectives vs. Adverbs in English
Adjective Characteristics
- Attributive position
- Cannot be used predicatively (for some types)
- Verbs are not gradable (when modified by certain adverbs)
Adverb Characteristics
- Typically modify verbs, often as manner adverbs
-ing Adjectives Explained
- Attributive position
- Predicative position
- Intensification
- Gradation
English Phrase Structures
Adjective Phrases
- Modifier +
Spanish Grammar: Complements, Periphrasis, and Uses of ‘Se’
Grammatical Complements in Spanish
Agent Complement
In passive constructions, the agent complement designates the entity that performs the action expressed by the verb and is preceded by a preposition (usually por or de).
- Example: “La luna fue observada por los presentes.” (“The moon was observed by those present.”) Here, “por los presentes” is the agent complement.
Circumstantial Complement
The circumstantial complement provides information about the circumstances (spatial coordinates, time, manner,
Read MoreEnglish Grammar and Sentence Structure Analysis
Repairing Dangling Modifiers
- To become a good photographer, one must use the camera carefully.
- While we were driving up the rock-strewn mountain, the tire went flat.
- When we checked the records, the error became clear.
- When I was only a toddler, Dad took me scuba diving.
Verb Complementation Patterns
Make up sentences using the following verb complementation patterns:
- S + V + NP + NP (ditransitive verb)
She gave her friend a gift. - S + V + PP (prepositional verb)
He looked at the painting for a long time. - S
Fundamental Concepts in Linguistics and Language Study
Words are units that speakers intuitively recognize. For example, Impresentable can be analyzed as im-present-able.
Linguistic Concepts: Word Formation
Monemes and Lexemes
Monemes are minimal units with significance and are classified by their meaning into stems and morphemes. Lexemes make up the core or root of nouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs, providing the basic meaning.
Morphemes
Morphemes are units used to connect lexemes. They are classified as follows:
- Independent Morphemes: These form words
Key Concepts in Spanish Literature and Grammar
Spanish and Latin American Literary Movements
The Postwar Novel
- Camilo José Cela (Nobel Prize in Literature 1989): His works, such as Pascual Duarte’s Family and The Hive (1951), initiated an alarming portrayal of the immediate degradation of postwar Spain.
- Miguel Delibes (1920): Notable works include Diary of a Hunter, An Immigrant’s Day, and Five Hours with Mario (1966), known for its internal monologue, colloquial language, and repetition.
- Gonzalo Torrente Ballester: Author of The Joys and Shadows.
English Grammar: Nouns, Verbs, Mood, and Voice
The English Verb: Grammatical Category of Mood
A verb is one of the main parts of speech that identifies an action or a state of a noun. It has several grammatical categories, and one of them is Mood. Mood expresses the speaker’s attitude toward the verbal activity. There are three types of mood: Indicative, Imperative, and Subjunctive.
Understanding Grammatical Mood
Indicative Mood
The Indicative mood indicates something the speaker considers a fact. For example: She is a doctor; I was ill; She will
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