TrÖÔØng ÑaÏi HoÏc ÑaØ LaÏt

TRÖÔØNG ÑAÏI HOÏC ÑAØ LAÏT
F7G
GIAÙO TRÌNH
ENGLISH GRAMMAR 4
LEÂ THÒ THIEÄP

English Grammar 4 -2-
CONTENT
CHAPTER I: NON- FINITE & VERBLESS CLAUSES......................................... 4

I. NON-FINITE CLAUSES .................................................................................. 4
II- VERBLESS CLAUSES ................................................................................... 4
III- OMISSION IN NON – FINITE AND VERBLESS CLAUSES...................... 5
EXERCISES ......................................................................................................... 6
CHAPTER II: ANALYSIS OF SENTENCES ......................................................... 9
I- ANALYSIS OF SIMPLE SENTENCES ........................................................... 9
II- ANALYSIS OF COMPOUND SENTENCES................................................ 10
III- ANALYSIS OF COMPLEX SENTENCES.................................................. 10
EXERCISES ....................................................................................................... 11
CHAPTER III: MULTI–WORD VERBS ............................................................... 13
I- PREPOSITIONS AND ADVERB PARTICLES ............................................. 13
II- PHRASAL VERBS........................................................................................ 13
III- PREPOSITIONAL VERBS .......................................................................... 15
IV- PHRASAL-PREPOSITIONAL VERBS....................................................... 16
EXERCISES ....................................................................................................... 18
CHAPTER IV: THE VERB AND ITS COMPLEMENTATION............................ 29
I. INTRANSITIVE VERBS ................................................................................ 29
II. INTENSIVE COMPLEMENTATION........................................................... 29
1. Copulas ....................................................................................................... 29
2. Complementation of adjective phrase as subject complement................... 31
III- TRANSITIVE COMPLEMENTATION....................................................... 33
1.Noun phrases as direct object ...................................................................... 34
2. Finite clauses as direct object ..................................................................... 35
3. Non-finite clauses as direct object.............................................................. 36
IV- COMPLEX TRANSITIVE COMPLEMENTATION................................... 39
1. Non-finite and verbless clauses with subject.............................................. 39
2. To-infinitive clauses with subject ............................................................... 39
4. Bare infinitive clauses with subject ............................................................ 40
5. –ing participle clauses with subject ............................................................ 41
6. -ed participle clauses with subject .............................................................. 42
7. Verbless clauses with subject ..................................................................... 43
V- DITRANSITIVE COMPLEMENTATION.................................................... 44
1. Noun phrase as both indirect object and direct object ................................ 44
2. Ditransitive prepositional verbs.................................................................. 46
3. Idiomatic expressions consisting of verb + noun phrase + preposition ...... 46
4. Noun phrases as indirect object + finite clauses as a direct object............. 47
5. Noun phrases as indirect object + non-finite clauses as direct object ....... 47
EXERCISES ....................................................................................................... 48
CHAPTER V TEXT ANALYSIS ........................................................................... 64
I. WATCHING CHILDREN............................................................................... 64
II. FIRST IMPRESSIONS .................................................................................. 64
Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

III. THE THOUGHTS OF HENRY WILT ......................................................... 65

IV. AN ENGLISH LESSON............................................................................... 66
REVISION TEST ................................................................................................... 68
BOOKS FOR REFERENCE.................................................................................. 72

CHAPTER I:
NON- FINITE & VERBLESS CLAUSES
I. NON-FINITE CLAUSES
None – finite clauses are clauses whose verb element is a non-finite verb phrase,
i.e. consists of non-finite elements such as an –ING participle (a), an –ED participle
(b), or an infinitive (c and d). Non- finite clauses can be constructed with or without
a subject.
(a) –ING participle clauses:
Without a subject: Feeling rather tired, I telephoned and said I couldn’t come.
With a subject: All the money having been spent, we started looking for work.
(b) –ED participle clauses:
Without a subject: Covered with confusion, she hurriedly left the room.
With a subject: The job finished, we went home straight away.
(c) TO- infinitive clauses:
Without a subject: The best thing would be to tell everybody.
With a subject: The best thing would be for you to tell everybody.
(The subject of an infinitive clause is often introduced by FOR.)
(d) Bare infinitive:
Without a subject: All I did was tell her the truth.
With a subject: Rather than John do it, I’d prefer to do the job myself.
II- VERBLESS CLAUSES

Verbless clauses are clauses which contain no verb element, and often also no subject.
They are regarded as clauses because they function in ways, which make them
equivalent to finite and non- finite clauses, and because they can be analyzed in terms
of one or more clause elements. We can usually assume that a form of the verb BE has
been omitted:
Dozens of tourists were stranded, many of them children.
(= many of tourists were children)
A sleeping bag under each arm, Mr. Johnson tramped off on his vacation.
(= There was a sleeping bag under each of his arms)
The subject, when omitted, can usually be understood as equivalent to the subject of the
main clause:
The oranges, when ripe, are picked and sorted. (= when they are ripe)
Whether right or wrong, Michael always comes off worst in an argument.
(= Whether he is right or wrong…)
An adjective (or adjective phrase) can function as a verbless clause:
By then nervous, the man opened the letter.
The man, by then nervous, opened the letter.

Long and untidy, his hair waved in the breeze.

An adverb may sometimes replace an adjective functioning as a verbless clause with
little difference in meaning:
Nervously/ Nervous, the man opened the letter.
III- OMISSION IN NON – FINITE AND VERBLESS CLAUSES

Non- finite and verbless clauses are mostly used in formal or written styles of
English because they are more economical and avoid repetition in comparison with
finite subclauses.
*TO- infinitive clauses: I hope to be present. (= I hope that I shall be present.)
*-ING clauses: Living in the country, we had few social visits.
(= Since we lived in the country …)
*-ED clauses: The man injured by the bullet was taken to the hospital.
(= The man who was injured by the bullet …)
Though defeated, he remained a popular leader.
(with subordinator ‘though’)
(= Though he had been defeated …)
• Verbless clauses:
A man of few words, Uncle George declined to express an opinion.
(= As he was a man of few words …)
************************************

EXERCISES
NON- FINITE AND VERBLESS CLAUSES
I/ Underline and classify the function of the non- finite and verbless clauses in the
following sentences:
1. My favourite thing to do is collecting actors’ photographs.
....................................................................................................................................
2. You must learn to work hard and to deal with difficulties.
....................................................................................................................................
3. She sang when allowed to do so.
....................................................................................................................................
4. The long journey over, we relaxed in the warm sunshine.
....................................................................................................................................
5. He was a delightful companion, always cheerful and considerate.
....................................................................................................................................
6. Having been invited to speak, and then being told to keep silent, I shall never
come here again as long as I live.
....................................................................................................................................
7. Since I have been especially invited to speak, for you now to tell me I can not do
so is quite unpardonable.
....................................................................................................................................
8. Standing here all day, I see many strange faces.
....................................................................................................................................
9. Standing here all day is extremely tiring.
....................................................................................................................................
10. My greatest pleasure is to listen to chamber music.
....................................................................................................................................
11. To listen to chamber music is my greatest pleasure.
....................................................................................................................................
12. To speak in public for the first time can be a terrifying experience.
....................................................................................................................................
13. His greatest pleasure, climbing mountains, had to be abandoned.
....................................................................................................................................
14. While in the army, he learnt a great deal about electricity.
....................................................................................................................................
15. I expect everyone to be punctual this evening.
....................................................................................................................................
16. Not feeling very well, I decided to stay at home.
....................................................................................................................................
17. They pump waste into the water, killing all the fish.
....................................................................................................................................
18. Taken daily, vitamin pills can improve your health.

....................................................................................................................................
19. To turn down the invitation seems rude.
....................................................................................................................................
20. The important thing is not to panic.
....................................................................................................................................
21. Not very happy with the result, he said nothing to his girlfriend.
....................................................................................................................................
22. His ambition, to be a straight actor, was never fulfilled.
....................................................................................................................................
23. Whether busy or not, you have to come to our party next Sunday.
....................................................................................................................................
24. Although a very pretty girl, she agreed to marry an ugly man.
....................................................................................................................................
25. Walking quickly is difficult for her now.
....................................................................................................................................
26. The child crying over there always helps me with my housework.
....................................................................................................................................
27. The concert given by the Philharmonic Orchestra was a great success.
....................................................................................................................................
28. I will never let you use my bicycle again.
....................................................................................................................................
29. In the next berth, she could hear her stepmother breathing heavily.
....................................................................................................................................
30. This duty completed, he had three months’ leave.

....................................................................................................................................
II/ The non- finite clauses in the sentences below are open to more than one
interpretation. Illustrate this by expanding each dependent clause in two different
ways:
1. I ran over a dog crossing the square.
....................................................................................................................................
2. To see her alone would be very indiscreet.
....................................................................................................................................
3. Though shouting as loudly as possible, the rescuers could not hear us.
....................................................................................................................................
4. Dressed in white robes, we thought the visitors looked like priests in some
strange ceremony.
....................................................................................................................................
5. I regret speaking to you so bluntly.
....................................................................................................................................
6. Walking fast after breakfast could be fatal.
....................................................................................................................................
7. He was so ill as to be obliged to give up work altogether.

....................................................................................................................................
8. It will take several hours to finish this.
....................................................................................................................................
9. Whether here or not, his application will have to be considered.
....................................................................................................................................
10. Always afraid of snakes, we shut every door and window at night.
....................................................................................................................................

CHAPTER II:
ANALYSIS OF SENTENCES
To analyse a sentence is to break it up into its component parts and to show the
mutual relations of those parts. Each clause contains one finite verb, so if we know the
number of finite verbs we know the number of clauses in a complex sentence or a
passage.
There are three kinds of sentences:
+ Simple sentences: -The baby cried loudly.
-I wrote a letter to my cousin.
+ Compound sentences: The baby cried and shouted his mother’s name.
I wrote a letter to my cousin, but he didn’t reply it.
+ Complex sentences: Although the baby cried loudly, nobody heard him.
I wrote a letter to my cousin so that I could tell him about my
conclusion.
I- ANALYSIS OF SIMPLE SENTENCES
• A simple sentence is one that has only one finite verb. Every sentence can be
divided in two main parts: the subject and the predicate.
- SUBJECT: the part of the sentence which names what we speak about.
The chief part of the subject may be a noun or a noun equivalent.
- PREDICATE: the part of the sentence which makes a statement about
the subject. The chief part of the predicate is a finite verb including its
complementation or not.
Ex: These roses smell sweet.
Walking can help improve your health.
• Seven sentence patterns of the simple sentence:

1. S – V We / were dancing.
2. S – V – C We / were / tired.
3. S – V – A We / were dancing / at Queen discotheque.
4. S – V – O Who / knows / the answer ?
5. S – V – O – C The director / made / us / disappointed.
6. S – V – O – A Please put / this box / under the cupboard.
7. S – V – O – O My sister / showed / me / her boyfriend’s photo.

English Grammar 4 - 10 -
II- ANALYSIS OF COMPOUND SENTENCES
A compound sentence is made up of two (or more) co-ordinate clauses joining by

conjunction(s). These clauses are of equal importance.
Ex: Bring your book here and open it at page 4; but don’t begin reading.
In compound sentences the subject or the auxiliary verb, or both, may be omitted in
the second sentence if they are the same as those in the first sentence.
Ex: You must come tomorrow and (you must) bring your book with you.
- Number of clauses: 2 * you must come tomorrow
(Both are main clauses) * (you must) bring your book with you
- Connecting word: but
III- ANALYSIS OF COMPLEX SENTENCES
- A complex sentence normally has one independent clause (principle clause) and
one or more dependent clauses (subordinate clauses).
E.g.: Although she was tired, she walked up to the third floor because she wanted the
exercise.
1 2 3
1,3: dependent clauses
2: independent clause.
- To analyse a complex sentence is:
1) To find out the number of clauses.
2) To identity the principal clause and all the subordinate clause(s), then indicate
their functions in the sentence.
3) To make remarks on the connecting words in order to determine the nature of
clauses.
E.g:
1- The boy, who was crying as if his heart would break, when I spoke to him, said
that he was hungry because he had had nothing to eat for two days.
Clause Kind of Function Connecting

clause words
The boy said Principle Makes a statement
who was crying Adjective Qualifies ‘boy’ who
as if his heart would break Adverb Modifies ‘was crying’ as if
when I spoke to him Adverb Modifies ‘said’ when
that he was hungry Noun Object of ‘said’ that
to eat Non finite Postmodifies ‘nothing’
To-

infinitive
Branch diagram: Principle clause
Noun cl. Adverb cl. Adjective cl.

Adv. cl. Adv. clause …
2- She knew, as she conversed in superstitious whispers with Mrs. Rose, who has
taught her all she knew that she had made the mistake of her life in coming to this
nightmare of a country with her unborn child.
Clause Kind of clause Function Connecting

words
1. She knew Principle Makes a statement
2. as she conversed …Rose Adv. cl. of time Modifies ‘knew’ as
3. who …her all Adj. clause Qualifies ‘Mrs. Rose’ who
4. she knew Adj. clause Qualifies ‘all’
5. that she had made … child Noun clause Object of ‘knew’ that
Or: all … she knew Noun clause Object of ‘knew’
EXERCISES
Analyse the following sentences:
1. An observant person who sees the carcass of a small animal lying on the ground
will probably find, if he returns to the spot the next day, that the object has
disappeared.
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
2. Anxious to finish all the typing that had accumulated, the secretary told the
manager, when he was going to leave the office, that she decided to work
overtime until she completed the work without having lunch and he, a very kind
man, agreed and asked if she had anything to eat.
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
3. She couldn’t remember how many times she had sat her window and said to
herself that although busy Bob would come to meet her.
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
4. When she used the leather trap, she displayed a strength that even the biggest,
most loutish boy dreaded for not only did she fail his hands until they swelled to

red, aching paws, but she tongue-lashed him with a virtuosity that threw her
classes into an ecstasy of silent delight.
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
5. Richard, though he had not previously answered any questions when the teacher
asked him, now said that he knew the answer to this one because it was in the
lesson that he had just read.
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
6. When the teacher asked what part of speech a word was, John said, “I can tell
you the answer, if you will give me a sentence in which the word is used.”
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……
7. James controlled himself, for he did not want to betray his surprise, and his
whole future depended on success at this interview.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……
8. As dawn approached, the sky grew red, the crowds became quieter, the cold was
making itself felt somewhat less acutely, and an atmosphere of steady calm
replaced the extremes of indifference on one hand and uncontrolled abandon on
the other.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……
9. I explained to everyone when being asked for help that I was not a healer and
that I did not know if my roots might help but that if they wished me to try to heal
Bob I would do so.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……
10. The general idea is that a home is at the right temperature if, while indoors, you
can wear clothes which are the exact opposite of those appropriate for the
season.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……

CHAPTER III:
MULTI–WORD VERBS
I- PREPOSITIONS AND ADVERB PARTICLES

Compare the following sentences:
My car started rolling down the hill.
I can dive off the top board.
My car’s just broken down.

We’ll have to put the party off.
In the first two sentences, down and off are prepositions. Like all prepositions, they are
used with objects: down the hill, off the top board. In the last two examples, down and
off are not prepositions. (Down has no object in the third sentence; in the fourth, the
party is the object of put, or of put off together, not of off.) Down and off, in these cases,
are used rather like adverbs, to change the meaning of the verb (broken down = stopped;
put off = postpone), and they are called adverb (or adverbial) particles.
On the whole, the same words can act as both prepositions and adverb particles: up,
down, on, off, through, past, etc. However, the two groups are not exactly the same. For
example, at, for, from, into, of, with are not used as adverb particles; away, back, out are
not used as prepositions.The adverbial particles most commonly used to form part of a
phrasal verb are: up, down, in, out, on, off, away, back.
II- PHRASAL VERBS

When a verb is used with an adverb particle, the combination is called a phrasal verb.
There are a very large of these in English. The meaning of a phrasal verb is often very
different from the meanings of the two words taken separately. In order to understand
the meaning of a phrasal verb, you may have to refer to the dictionary. Phrasal verbs
can be intransitive (not followed by a direct object) or transitive (followed by a direct
object).
Examples of phrasal verbs:
(intransitive)
break down get up sit down turn up (=arrive, appear)
(transitive)
bring something up (= mention it)
kick somebody out (= expel him)
put something off (= postpone it)
put somebody up (= accommodate him)
throw something away
turn something down (= refuse it)
When a phrasal verb has a direct object, the two parts of the verb can usually be
separated: the adverb particle can be put before or after the object.

We’ll have to put off the party / put the party off.
Why don’t you throw away that stupid hat / throw that stupid hat away ?
Could you put up my sister / put my sister up for three nights ?
However, when the object is a pronoun (e.g. her, us, this), the adverb particle can only
go after the object.
We’ll have to put it off (Not: ………… *put off it.)
Could you put her up ? (Not: ……………… *put up her.)
1. Type 1: Intransitive phrasal verbs

One common type of multi-word verb is the intransitive phrasal verb consisting of a
verb plus a particle, as exemplified in
The children were sitting down. He is playing around.
Drink up quickly. Get up at once.
The plane has now taken off. Did he catch on ?
The prisoner finally broke down. He turned up unexpectedly.
When will they give in ? The tank blew up.
Most of particles are place adjuncts or can function as such . Normally, the particle
cannot be separated from its verb (*Drink quickly up), though particles used as
intensifiers or perfectives or referring to direction can be modified by intensifiers (Go
right on).
A subtype of intransitive phrasal verb has a prepositional verb as its particle, the
particle behaving as a preposition with some generalized ellipsis of its complement:
He walked past (the object/place)
In some instances, the particles form the first element in a complex preposition:
Come along (with us/me)
They moved out (of the house)
Phrasal verbs vary in the extent to which the combination preserves the individual
meanings of verb and particle. In instances like give in (‘surrender’) catch
on(‘understand’), and turn up (‘appear’), it is clear that the meaning of the combination
cannot be predicted from the meanings of the verb and particle in isolation.
2.Type 2: Transitive phrasal verbs

Many phrasal verbs can take a direct object:
We will set up a new unit. They are bringing over the whole family.
Find out whether they are coming. She is bringing up her brother’s children.
Drink up your milk quickly. They called off the strike.
They turned on the light. I can’t make out what he means.
They gave in their resignation. He looked up his former friends.
He can’t live down his part.
As we see from the examples here and in intransitive phrasal verb(Type 1), some
combinations (drink up, give in) can be either transitive or intransitive, with or without a
difference of meaning .

With most transitive phrasal verbs, the particle can either precede or follow the
direct object:
They turned on the light. ~ They turned the light on.
although it cannot precede personal pronouns: They turned it on and not *They turned on
it (expect, rarely, with contrastive stress.). The particle tends to precede the object if the
object is long or if the intention is that the object should receive end-focus.
Many transitive phrasal verbs have prepositional adverbs:
They dragged the case along (the road).
They moved the furniture out (of the house).
In these examples the particles have literal meanings. We can contrast
She took in the box (‘brought inside’).
She took in her parents (‘deceived’).
As with the intransitives, transitive phrasal verbs in the extent to which they form
idiomatic combinations. For example, the verb and particle in put out the cat preserve
their individual meanings in that combination and in a wide range of other
combinations (e.g.: put + down/outside/away/aside; take/turn/bring/push/send/drag +
out). There are fewer alternative combinations that the verb and particle in turn out the
light can enter (turn + on/off/down/up; switch + on). Finally, in put off (‘postpone’) the
verb and particle are fused into a new idiomatic combination, which does not allow for
contrasts in the individual elements.
Note.
With put N out we can compare put N straight and other complex transitive
constructions.
III- PREPOSITIONAL VERBS
The preposition in a prepositional verb must precede its complement. Hence, we can
contrast the prepositional verb call on (‘visit’) with the phrasal verb call up (‘summon’):
They called on the man. They called up the man.
They called on him. *They called up him.
*They called the man on. They called the man up.
*They called him on. They called him up.
On the other hand, the prepositional verb allows an inserted adverb after the verb and a
relative pronoun after the preposition:
They called early on the man. *They called early up the man.
The man on whom they called. * The man up whom they called.
In general, prepositional verbs, such as call on or look at, plus their prepositional
complements differ from single-word verbs plus prepositional phrases, as in They called
at the hotel and They called after lunch, in that they allow pronominal questions with

who(m) for personal noun phrases and what for non-personal noun phrases but do not
allow adverbial questions for the whole prepositional phrase:
They called on the man. ~ Who(m) did they call on ?
~ *Where did they call ?
They looked at the picture. ~ What did they look at ?
~*Where did they look ?
They called at the hotel (or after lunch). ~ *What did they call at (or after)?
~ Where (or when) did they call ?
Many prepositional verbs allow the noun phrases to become the subject of a passive
transformation of the sentence:
They called on the man. ~ The man was called on.
They looked at the picture. ~ The picture was looked at.
Other prepositional verbs do not occur in the passive freely, but will do so under certain
conditions, such as the presence of a particular modal:
Visitors didn’t walk over the lawn.
~The lawn wasn’t walked over (by visitors).
Visitors can’t walk over the lawn.
~The lawn can’t be walked over (by visitors).
Other examples of prepositional verbs: ask for, believe in, care for, deal with, live on,
long for, object to, part with, refer to, write about.
Like phrasal verbs, prepositional verbs vary in their idiomaticity. Highly idiomatic
combinations include go into (a problem), ‘investigate’, come by (the book), ‘obtain’.
IV- PHRASAL-PREPOSITIONAL VERBS
Some multi-word verbs consist of a verb followed by two particles:

He puts up with a lot of teasing (‘tolerates’)
As with prepositional verbs, we can analyse these as transitive verbs with the
following noun phrase as direct object. They allow pronominal questions and under
certain conditions can occur in the passive:
He can’t put up with bad temper. ~ What can’t he put up with ?
~ Bad temper can’t be put up with for long.
As with single-word transitives and prepositional verbs, we cannot insert an adverb

immediately before the object:
*He puts up with willingly that secretary of his.
though it is possible to do so between the particles:
He puts up willingly with that secretary of his.
We look forward eagerly to your next party.

In relative clauses and questions, the particles are positioned after the verb:
The party we were looking forward to so eagerly.
Who(m) does he put up with willingly ?
or (less commonly) the final particle can be brought into initial position:
The party to which we were looking forward so eagerly.
With whom does he put up willingly ?
Like phrasal and prepositional verbs, these multi-word verbs vary in their
idiomaticity. Some, like stay away from (‘avoid’), are easily understood from their
individual elements, though often with figurative meaning, e.g.: stand up for (‘support’).
Others are fused combinations, and it is difficult or impossible to assign meaning to any
of the parts: e.g.: put up with (‘tolerate’). There are still others where there is a fusion of
the verb with the first particle or where one or more of the elements may seem to retain
some individual meaning. For example, put up with can also mean ‘stay with’, and in
that sense put up constitutes a unit by itself (cf.: stay with, put up at, and the transitive
phrasal verb put up in I can put you up). Similarly, check up on (his record),
‘investigate’, is analysable as consisting of the prepositional verb check on plus the
intensifying up. We also have the single-word verb check, and therefore three transitive
verbs of similar meaning, together with the intransitive check and check up.
Other examples of phrasal-prepositional verbs: break in on (the

conversation), ‘interrupt ‘; cut down on (expenses), ‘curtail’; get away with
(such behaviour), ‘avoid being reprimanded or punished for’; look down on
(somebody), ‘despise’; look in on (somebody), ‘visit’; look up to (somebody),
‘respect’; walk out on (the project), ‘abandon’.

EXERCISES
CHAPTER 3: Phrasal verbs, prepositional verbs, phrasal–prepositional verbs.
Exercise 1.
The structure of the verb phrase can be analysed in a number of ways, including the
following:
a. Verb + particle eg sat down
b. V + prepositional phrase ,, ran across the road
c. V. + particle + prepositional phrase ,, set off on a journey
d. V. + prepositional adv. ,, ran across
e. V. + prep. adv. + prep. phrase ,, go across to the baker’s
f. Transitive phrasal v. + object ,, find out the truth
g. Prepositional v. + object ,, looked at me
h. Phrasal-prepositional v. + object ,, put up with him
Indicate, by a, b, c, etc., in which the of those eight ways the verb phrase in each of
sentences below can be analysed:
1. I went into the dining room. 18. You must face up to your
2. We went into the matter carefully.
3. We must call in the police. 19. You must come up to my office.
4. The police will call in a car. 20. We must make up for lost time.
5. I rushed out of the house. 21. Will you come up for a cup of tea ?
6. I rushed out. 22. The train has passed over the bridge.
7. I drove out to my friends. 23. It has passed over safely.
8. They all trooped off. 24. The selection committee has
9. They all set off down the road. passed you over.
10. He flew across the Atlantic. 25. My hat has fallen off.
11. We flew across in no time. 26. The plane has taken off.
12. How long can one do without 27. The actor took the President off
water ? beautifully.
13. Has anyone rung up ? 28. Go onto the platform.
14. Has anyone rung me up ? 29. Go on to the next town.
15. Don’t come down. 30. You must cut down on
16. Don’t give up. cigarettes
17. Don’t give me away.
responsibilities.
Exercise 2.
Replace the object in each of these sentences by the corresponding pronoun; then give the whole
new sentence:
1. Back up the hill. 4. Come off my bed.

2. Back up your friends. 5. Get over the wall.
3. Call off the game. 6. Get this meeting over.

7. Swim across the river. 14. I took to John at once.

8. Put across this message. 15. You can take over my job.
9. Run in the race. 16. Don’t turn on the light.
10. Run in the engine. 17. The dog turned on the stranger.
11. Step up this ladder. 18. Turn down this street.
12. Step up production. 19. Turn down his proposal.
13. You take affter your father. 20. Now wind up your watch
Exercise 3.
Say whether the adverb, in brackets, could fit into position a, b, c or d. Note that more than one
position may be possible.
1. They looked a at b the picture c (carefully)

2. They turned a on b the gas c (slowly)
3. They turned a the gas b on c (slowly)
4. He’s catching a up b with c the leaders d (quickly)
5. Go a on b to the end c (right)
6. The negotiations have a broken b down c (completely)
7. The crowd made a for b shelter c (hurriedly)
8. The Spartans brought a their children b up c (strictly)
9. I’ll look a into b your complaint c (immediately)
10. He puts a up b with c any inconvenience d (patiently)
Exercise 4.
Change the position of the word underlined, if it is mobile:
1. The Spartans brought up their children strictly.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Lester gradually caught up with the leaders.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. I don’t want to break up the party.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. The meeting broke up in disorder.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. We must hurry to make up for lost time.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. Please send this telegram off urgently.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
7. Please get that parcel off at once.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. Why don’t you take off your coat?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
9. We must find out the answer somehow.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

Exercise 5.
Put into the passive, supplying the by-phrase only if it contains relevant and essential
information.
1. I will bring up this question at our next meeting.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. We shall then deal with it more fully.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Have you looked into this matter?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
4. The facts do not bear out your argument.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. No one has ever looked after this house properly.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. Is anybody attending to you?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
7. They have turned down my application.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
8. Thieves broke into the National Bank last night.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. The citizens set upon any foreigner, however innocent.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
10. You must get on with this job immediately.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
Exercise 6.
Transform each of the sentences below in the following way:
I was looking for that book ~

That is the book I was looking for.
1. We were just talking about that article.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Queen Elizabeth slept in this bed.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. I want to back out of that agreement.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. I want you to break down those figures.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. I think we should leave this sentence out.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. We have not yet dealt with this paragraph.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

7. We must now see to this matter.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. I was looking forward to that film.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. We must cut down on these expenses.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. You should get on with this job first.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Exercise 7. *Word order after phrasal and prepositional verbs
I. Replace the words in italics by a suitable pronoun, making any necessary changes in
word order.
The applicant filled in the form.
The applicant filled it in. (Phrasal verb)
John takes after his father.
John takes after him. (Prepositional verb)
1. Companies do a great deal of research in order to find out exactly what their customers
want.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. The motorist ruled out one particular route because the road had a poor surface.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. Who’s looking after your house while you’re away?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Employees working in research departments are forbidden to give away confidential

information.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. We might have known he would blurt out the news to everybody!

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. I looked at the problem quite differently

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. His publishers will soon be bringing out his latest collection of essays.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. The Company has put forward several new proposals

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

9. You should put away the medicine where the children can’t get at the medicine.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. The Council has decided to try out new defensive barriers along the centre of the
motorway.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
11. Accountants seem to develop a remarkable facility for adding up a long column of
figures.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
12. If the dog isn’t kept chained up, he goes for everyone who enters the garden.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
13. Don’t come here stirring up trouble!

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
14. I took to your friend as soon as I met him

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
II. Replace the pronoun in italics by the words at the end of the sentences, making any
necessary changes in word order. If you think there are two possibilities, state both.
The applicant filled it in. (the form)

The applicant filled the form in.
or The applicant filled in the form.
The applicant filled it in. (the long and complicated application form)
The applicant filled in the long and complicated application form.
1. The Minister brushed them aside. (all objections)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. The Minister brushed them aside. (objections made by members of the Opposition)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. The Embassy refused to hand him over. (the man who sought political asylum)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. It is not yet clear who will take it on. (the job)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. It is not yet clear who will take it on. (the captaincy of the English touring team)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

6. He always wraps them up in a cloud of obscurity. (his arguments)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. The State should not interfere in matters where it cannot bring it about. (an
improvement).
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. Insurance companies expect clients shortly to be putting them in after the recent floods.
(some very heavy claims).
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. To become competitive in world markets, British manufacturers must keep them down to
the absolute minimum. (their production costs).
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. The industrial spy handed them over. (the confidential papers he had obtained).
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
11. They are trying them out in America. (many new synthetic products).
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
12. No one brought it up (the question).

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
13. No one brought them up. (the questions everyone most wanted to hear asked).
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
14. I read it quickly through. (the letter I had just received).

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Exercise 8. Replacing words with phrasal or prepositional verbs
Replace the words in italics, using the verbs indicated at the head of the exercises
together with an adverbial or prepositional particle, and making any necessary changes in word
order. (NB. In some cases, two particles are required.)
I. TURN:
1. The manager refused his request for a day off.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. I waited half an hour for my friend, but he didn’t come

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. It’s about time we went to bed.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Would you lower the gas when the kettle boils?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. His landlady evicted him for not paying his rent.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. The police told the suspected thief to empty his pockets.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. Crowds of people had to be refused admission to the theatre.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. This popular sport car is now being produced at the rate of a thousand a week.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. Our visit proved to be a waste of time because fog reduced visibility.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. After being hit by a huge wave, the rowing-boat capsized.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
11. Although the dog appeared to be friendly, it would attack anyone who tried to fondle it.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
II. GET:
1. We wondered how he was progressing in his new job.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. I don’t think I shall complete all this work this afternoon.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. She is so upset at her husband’s death that I don’t think she will ever recover from the
shock.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. She put the book in a place where the child couldn’t reach it.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. As it’s got to be done, we may as well have done with it.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. He says that his lack of success is beginning to depress him.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. You must really apply yourself to some serious work.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. I see no way of avoiding the problem.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. The business partnership flourished despite the fact that they didn’t agree well
personally.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. It must be nearly ten o’clock!

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
III. TAKE:
1. The teacher said I ought to start learning French.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. He resembles his father in many ways.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. The son assumed control of the business on the retirement of his father.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. The man looked so respectable and honest that I was completely deceived.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. He undertook so much work that he couldn’t really do it efficiently.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. The secretary wrote the letter in shorthand as the manager dictated it to her.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. When he discovered the truth, he retracted all he had previously said.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. That teacher has a way with children: they seem to like her immediately.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. I don’t wish to occupy too much of your time.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. The shopkeeper agreed to deduct five per cent from the bill.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
IV. PUT:
1. I had to postpone my visit because of the weather.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. He refused to tolerate laziness on the part of his pupils.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. They were very annoyed when they learned that the train had been cancelled without
notice.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. The rebellion was suppressed by the army.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. He had managed to save quite a lot of money over the years.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. He advanced the theory that those who had money always made money.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. His aggressiveness was attributed to the fact that he had had an overbearing father.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. How many hours do you have to work each week?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. Don’t let the fact that I didn’t enjoy the play deter you from seeing it.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. The workers have made a claim for higher wages.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
11. When the teacher asked who had broken the window, all the boys assumed an air of
innocence.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
12. If I visit you at the week-end, will you be able to give me lodging for one night?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
V. STAND:
1. What does this abbreviation mean?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

2. The strikers are maintaining their demand for higher wages and shorter working hours.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. I must make it clear that I refuse to tolerate such behaviour.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. He hoped that when the time came I would keep my promise.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. One man particularly was conspicuous at the meeting.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. When he realized that his nomination would mean competing with his closest friend, he
decided to withdraw.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. Troops were ordered to be in a state of readiness for action.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. The understudy had to take the part of the leading actor, who had fallen ill.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. The employers in this case were obliged to take no part in the dispute, which was purely
the result of inter-union rivalry.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. The machine soon went wrong: it was never intended to withstand the rough treatment it
was given.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
VI. COME:
1. While looking through the books he found an old and valuable map.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. Although he was unconscious when we found him, he soon recovered consciousness.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. When his father died he received a lot of money under his father’s will.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. We never discovered how the accident occurred.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

5. Although it seemed a good idea in theory, in practice it didn’t succeed.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. His new book will be published next week.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. The whole truth became known at the trial.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. The film didn’t equal our expectations.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. No one thought that any good could result from discussing the question further.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. The problem of finance is always raised on such occasions.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
VII. GIVE:
1. He resigned from a secure job in order to devote himself to full-time writing.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Because of difficulties in getting a visa, we had to relinquish the idea of visiting Albania.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. Although he agreed with me on most points, there were one on which he was unwilling
to yield.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. He returned the money to the man who had lost it.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. The bad cheese emitted a very unpleasant smell.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. The man crossing the Sahara found to their horror that their supplies would come to an
end before they reached to safety
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. The English like coal fires even though these don’t always produce much heat.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. Every time cigarettes go up in price, many people try to stop smoking.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. The escaped prisoner had tried to disguise his appearance, but a scar on his
check betrayed him.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. The back entrance of the hotel led straight to a parking area.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

CHAPTER IV:
THE VERB AND ITS COMPLEMENTATION
I. INTRANSITIVE VERBS
There are some verbs that are always intransitive, i.e. can never take an object:
Your friends have arrived.
Other verbs can be either intransitive:
He smokes every day. The tomatoes are growing well.
or transitive, with or without a change in participant role:
He smokes cigars every day. He is growing tomatoes.
In this book we regard verbs that can be either intransitive or transitive as belonging to two
categories. We consider the relation between, for example, the intransitive verbs smoke and
grow and the transitive verbs smoke and grow to be that of conversion.
Note.
[a] The verb live takes an adjunct as an obligatory element. Live in the sense ‘reside’
requires a position adjunct (He lives in China) and in the sense ‘maintain life’ or ‘subsist’ a
process adjunct (He lives very comfortably, They live on rice). For live in the sense “be alive’ a
time adjunct is virtually obligatory (They lived in the nineteenth century). The verb get also has
an obligatory adjunct use; in this case the obligatory adjunct is a direction adjunct (I’ll get into
the car).
[b] Some of the intransitive phrasal verbs could not be used intransitively if the particle
were omitted. Besides get as in get up (‘arise’), the verbs include find (find out, ‘discover’),
keep (keep away, ‘stay away’), set (set off, ‘depart’).
[c] Intransitive verbs with a ‘passive’ sense (converted from transitive verbs) virtually
require an adjunct: The book is selling badly, The door unlocks easily.
[d] Verbs of measure require an adjunct, usually a noun phrase: weigh (five pounds), cost (a
dollar), contain (much).
II. INTENSIVE COMPLEMENTATION
1. Copulas
There is intensive complementation of the verb when a subject complement is present . The
verb in such a sentence is a ‘copula’ or ‘linking verb’. The most common copula is be. Other
copulas fall into two main classes, according to whether the role of the subject complement is
that of current attribute or attribute resulting from the event described in the verb. The most
common of these are listed below. Most of them are used only with a subject complement that
is an adjective phrase or a noun phrase with gradable noun head. Those that are commonly used
with a noun phrase as well are followed by ‘(N)’.

‘Current copulas: appear, feel (N), look (N), remain (N), seem (N), smell, sound,
taste.
‘Resuting’ copulas: become(N), get (chiefly informal), go, grow, turn (N), make
(N only)
a. Noun and adjective phrase as subject complement

S + V(intensive) + NP/ Adjective Phrase
The copulas which allow the widest range as subject complement are be for current attribute
and become for resulting attribute:
⎧was ⎫⎧a doctor
John ⎨ ⎬⎨
⎩became ⎭⎩healthier
Like the other copulas, be is commonly used to introduce a characterization or attribute of the
subject, as in the example just given, but with complement noun phrases it also commonly
introduces an identification of the subject:
John was the doctor (that I mentioned).
The verb feel has two copula uses. In the meaning ‘have a sensation’ the subject must be
personal and the complement an adjective or gradable noun:
He felt foolish/ill/a fool
In the meaning ‘give a sensation’, the subject is concrete but without other restriction, the
complement being adjectival only:
The table felt rough.
Note.
[a] Look requires a visual feature:
The pit looked a danger to health.
⎧* looked ⎫
The smell ⎨ ⎬ a danger to health
⎩seemed ⎭
Turn is used to indicate a change of occupation or allegiance: He turned
plumber/Democrat/traitor/nasty. Go, when its complement is a noun phrase, seems to be
restricted to change in political allegiance: He has gone Democrat/socialist. Adjectival
complementation is restricted to a few items: e.g.: go mad/bald. Both turn and go are normally
disparaging, and with both the indefinite article is omitted before a noun phrase.
[b] Where the subject is a clause, the subject complement must be an adjective phrase or a
generic noun modified by an adjective:
That he didn' t come ⎫ ⎧strange
⎬was⎨
To see him there ⎭ ⎩a strange thing
Usually, of course, this structure has extraposition: It was a strange thing…..
b. Predicative adjuncts
The only copula that allows an adverbial as complement is be The adverbials, termed
predicative adjuncts in this function, are mainly place adjuncts :
The children are at the zoo/… are outside
but time adjuncts are also common with an eventive subject :
The party will be at nine o’clock/… will be tonight

Other types of predicative adjuncts:

The two eggs are for you [‘recipient’ adjunct]
The drinks are for the journey [‘purpose’ adjunct]
The increase in food prices this year was because of the drought [‘cause’
Adjunct]
Transport to the mainland is by ferry [‘means’ adjunct]
2. Complementation of adjective phrase as subject complement
a. Adjective complementation by prepositional phrase

Some adjectives (at least when used in a particular sense) require complementation by a
prepositional phrase, the preposition being specific to a particular adjective:
Joan is fond of them.
They are conscious of their responsibility.
We are bent on a vacation in Mexico.
Other adjectives that must be complemented by a prepositional phrase include the following,
which are listed together with the required preposition: intent on, reliant on, averse to, liable to,
subject to, inclined to,(un) familiar with.
Many adjectives can take such complementation but are not obliged to. Usually, the
prepositions are specific to a given adjective or to a given kind of complementation:
⎧of him (' They feared him' )
⎪
They were afraid ⎨for him (' They were anxious about him' )
⎪of leaving the house
⎩
⎧at Mary(' s) getting married
⎧angry ⎫ ⎪
He was ⎨ ⎬ ⎨with Mary for getting married
⎩pleased ⎭ ⎪
⎩about the wedding
As these examples show, the complement of the preposition can be an –ing participle clause ,
whose subject, if introduced, may or may not be a genitive . As well as the stylistic choice there
can be differences in semantic implication. Thus,
I am angry at Mary getting married
could imply anger at Mary because she has got married (cf.: I am angry at Mary for getting
married) rather than merely anger at the marriage (cf.: I am angry at the fact that Mary got
married), which would be the obvious interpretation of … angry at Mary’s …
When –ed participial adjectives are used, the constructions have active analogues:
John is interested in English grammar ~ English grammar interests John
We were worried about the situation ~ The situation worried us
He was surprised at her behaviour ~ Her behaviour surprised him
The verbs in the active have a causative feature, e.g.: The situation worried us ~ The situation
caused us to worry.
b. Adjective complementation by finite clause

Finite clauses as complementation may have

(a) indicative verb: I am sure that he is here now

(b) putative should: I was angry that he should ignore me
(c) subjunctive verb : I was adamant that he be appointed
An indicative verb is used if the adjective is ‘factual’, i.e. concerned with the truth-value of
the complementation. An indicative verb or putative should ) is used I the adjective is
‘emotive’, i.e. concerned with attitude. A subjunctive verb or should (sometimes putative, but
often obligational) is used if the adjective is ‘volitional’, i.e. expressing indirectly some
command. The subjunctive is more usual in AmE in such cases, while BrE prefers should.
The finite clause is commonly a that-clause, but factual adjectives admid wh-clauses as
well: I’m not sure why he came, I’m not clear where she went. Clauses introduced by whether or
(less commonly) if are used with factual adjectives if the adjective is negative or has a negative
sense:
⎧I' m not sure ⎫ ⎧whether⎫
⎨ ⎬⎨ ⎬ he is here yet.
⎩I' m doubtful⎭ ⎩if ⎭
Personal subject + copula + adjective phrase + finite clause:
*factual adjective: I am aware that he was late

⎧they should be late
*emotive adjective: He is angry that ⎨
⎩they are late
I am amazed that{ he should have got the post
He got the post
⎧keen ⎫ ⎧they be present (formal in BrE)
*volitional adjective: He was that ⎨ ⎬⎨
⎩insistent ⎭ ⎩they should be present
With emotive adjectives, the complementation expresses cause. This can be shown by a variant
construction in which the complementation is the subject of the sentence. It is particularly
evident when the emotive adjective is participial, in which case there is a corresponding active :
He is angry that they should be late ~ That they should be late has made him angry
I am amazed that he got the post ~ That he got the post amazes me
Participial adjectives in this construction are commonly emotive adjectives.

c. Adjective complementation by to-infinitive clauses
We distinguish five main types of construction in which the adjective phrase is followed by a to-
infinitive clause. They are exemplified in the following five sentences, which are superficially
similar, though, as we shall see, only 2,3 and 4 are wholly concerned with adjective
complementation:
(1) Bob is splendid to wait
(2) Bob is slow to react
(3) Bob is furious to hear it
(4) Bob is hesitant to agree with you
(5) Bob is hard to convince

In Types 1-4, the subject of the sentence (Bob) is also the subject of the infinitive clause.
We can therefore always have a direct object in the infinitive clause in these four types if the
verb is transitive. For example, for Type 1 if we replace intransitive wait by transitive make we
can have
Bob is splendid to make that for you.
Type 1 (Bob is splendid to wait) has an analogue with a construction involving extraposition
: It is splendid of Bob to wait. As alternatives to the adjective phrase, we can use a noun phrase
that has as its head a degree noun or a generic noun modified by an adjective: David must be
(quite) a magician to make so much money, Bob is a splendid man to wait.
In Type 2 (Bob is slow to react), the sentence has an analogue in which the adjective is
transformed into an adverbial:
Bob is slow to react ~ Bob reacts slowly
In Type 3 (Bob is furious to hear it), the head of the adjective phrase is an emotive adjective
(commonly a participial adjective) and the infinitive clause expresses causation:
Bob is furious to hear it ~ To hear it has made Bob furious
~ It has made Bob furious to hear it
I was excited to be there ~ To be there excited me ~ It excited me to be there
In Type 4 (Bob is hesitant to agree with you), the head of the adjective phrase is a volitional
adjective. Common adjectives in this type are eager, keen, willing, reluctant. Along with Type
3, this type often admits feel as the copula.
In Type 5 (Bob is hard to convince), the subject of the sentence is the object of the infinitive
clause, which must therefore have a transitive verb (*Bob is hard to arrive). We distinguish two
subtypes:
(a) There is an analogue with a construction in which the adjective is complement to the
infinitive clause:
Bob is hard to convince ~ To convince Bob is hard ~ It is hard to convince Bob
The adjectives used in this subtype are chiefly hard, difficult, impossible, easy, convenient.
Unless there is ellipsis, we cannot omit the infinitive clause, and hence there is no semantic
relation between the sentences Bricks are hard to make and Bricks are hard.
(b) There are no analogues of the kind that we have exemplified: The food is ready to eat
(*To eat the food is ready), and we can generally omit the infinitive clause: The food is
ready.
As with Type 1, we can use a noun phrase as an alternative to the adjective phrase: Bob is a
hard man to convince; Bob is a pleasure to teach. In both (5a) and (5b), the subject of the
sentence can be the complement of a preposition in the infinitive clause: He is easy to talk to,
The paper is flimsy to write on.
III- TRANSITIVE COMPLEMENTATION

Monotransitive verbs require a direct object, which may be a noun phrase, a finite clause, or a
non-finite clause (infinitive or participle clause). Prepositional verbs and phrasal-

prepositional verbs do not admit as direct object that-clauses (whether that is retained or
omitted) or infinitive clauses. We illustrate the possibilities and restrictions with the
prepositional verb approve of:
⎧the meeting
⎪
⎪⎪what had been decided
Tom approved of ⎨meeting her
⎪* (that) they should meet
⎪
⎩⎪* to meet her
However, the restriction involving that-clauses applies only if the that-clause is direct object,
and hence the preposition can be retained in the passive (That they should meet was approved
of), even in extraposition, where the preposition immediately follows the passive verb phrase
(It was agreed to eventually that they should meet again soon).
Note.
Certain transitive verbs expressing causation of movement have an adverbial following the
direct object, normally an adjunct of place:
The hostess showed me to the door
He saw Mary home
John put the car into the garage
Mary placed/set a vase on the table
We kept them out of trouble
With the above verbs (in the senses exemplified) where the adverbial is obligatory, there is a
similarity with complex transitive complementation.
1.Noun phrases as direct object S + Vtr + NP(Od)
Direct objects are typically noun phrases. It is usually possible for the direct object of an active
sentence to become the subject of a passive sentence, with the subject of the active sentence as
the prepositional complement in an optional by-phrase :
The boy caught the ball ~ The ball was caught (by the boy)
It is, however, usual to omit the by-phrase, often because it is irrelevant or unknown, as in
Order has been restored without bloodshed and without concessions
The Prime Minister was attacked last night during the debate
or because it is redundant in the context, as in
Jack fought Michael last night and Jack was beaten
The passive transformation is blocked when there is co-reference between subject and object,
i.e. when there are reflexive, reciprocal, or possessive pronouns in the noun phrase as object:
⎧Paul ⎫
John could see ⎨ ⎬ in the mirror
⎩himself ⎭
⎧Paul ⎫
~ ⎨ ⎬ could be seen in the mirror
⎩* Himself ⎭
We could hardly see each other in the fog
~ *Each other could hardly be seen in the fog

⎧the tables
The other waitress wiped ⎨
⎩her hands
⎧The tables ⎫
~ ⎨ ⎬ were wiped by the other waitress
⎩* Her hands ⎭
Note.
[a] A shift of meaning may accompany shift of voice in verb phrases containing auxiliaries
that have more than one meaning, e.g.: shall, will, and can:
John cannot do it ~ It cannot be done (by John)
In the active sentence can would normally be interpreted as expressing ability, whereas in
the passive sentence it is interpreted as expressing possibility.
[b] With dynamic verbs we can distinguish between ‘actional’ passives, illustrated above in
this section, and ‘statal’ passives. The latter express a state:
The house is already sold
Corresponding actives require an aspectual shift to the perfect:
Someone has already sold the house (*Someone already sells the house)
A sentence such as They were married is ambiguous between an actional interpretation
(They were married in church yesterday) and a statal interpretation (They were married when I
last heard about them).
A small group of transitive verbs, the most common of which is have, normally do not allow a
passive transformation of the sentence:
They have a nice house Will this suit you ?
He lacks confidence John resembles his father
The coat does not fit you
These verbs are sometimes considered to form a separate category of non-transitive verbs
taking noun phrases as their complementation (cf. also verbs of measure). They include
‘reciprocal’ verbs such as resemble, look like, equal (Two times three equals six), agree with,
mean (‘Oculist’ means ‘eye-doctor’); verbs of ‘containing’ or their opposite, such as contain (The
library contains a million books), hold (The auditorium holds over a thousand people), comprise,
lack; and verbs of ‘suiting’, such as suit, fit, become (This dress becomes her). Contain and hold
occur in a similar sense in the passive but without a by-phrase: A million books are contained in
that library.
2. Finite clauses as direct object
Like finite clauses as complementation of adjective phrases , finite clauses as direct object may
have an indicative verb, putative should, or a subjunctive verb, depending on the class of the
superordinate verb:
(a) factual superordinate verb, with indicative subordinate verb:
They agree that she is pretty
I know how he did it
He forgot why they complained
(b) emotive verb, with indicative verb or putative should:
⎧she should worry about it
I regret that ⎨
⎩she worries about it

(c) volitional verb, with subjunctive verbs orhould (not clearly differentiated between its
putative and obligational uses):
⎧admit all applicants
I proposed that he ⎨
⎩should admit all applicants
Factual verbs that are used to convey an indirect question are followed by clauses with whether
or (less common) if:
He asked ⎫
⎪ ⎧whether⎫
He doubted ⎬⎨ ⎬ they had arrived
⎩ if ⎭
He didn' t know⎪⎭
A verb may belong to more than one class: For example, He suggested that she went is
ambiguous: if suggested is a factual verb, she went is a factual report, whereas if it is a volitional
verb, she went is a suggested action. Similarly, within the class of factual verbs, say may be
used with both a that-clause and (more commonly in the negative or in a question) a whether/if
clause: I didn’t say that/whether they had arrived.
Examples of the three classes of verbs are listed.
(a) factual verbs: admit, agree, answer, believe, declare, deny, expect, hope,
insist, know, report, say, see, suggest, suppose, think, understand
factual verbs commonly followed by whether/if: ask, discuss, doubt, find
out, forget, (not) know, (not) notice, (not) say, wonder
(b) emotive verbs: deplore, prefer, regret
Finite
(c) clauses as direct
volitional verbs:object can become
command, the insist,
demand, subjectorder,
of a corresponding passive sentence:
Everybody admitted that she sang well
~ That she sang well was admitted (by everybody)
However, it is far more usual for the passive to have extraposition with anticipatory it
~ It was admitted (by everybody) that she sang well
3. Non-finite clauses as direct object

Among non-finite clauses as direct object, we distinguish between those with a subject and
those without a subject, and within each type between infinitive and participle clauses:
Non-finite
clause object
⎡ ⎡to - infinitive He likes to talk
⎢ without subject ⎢
⎢ ⎣- ing participle He likes talking
⎢
⎢
⎡ ⎡to - infinitive He wants her to come
⎢infinitive ⎢
⎢ ⎢ ⎣bare infinitive He saw her come
⎢ with subject ⎢
⎢ ⎡- ing participle He saw her coming
⎢ participle ⎢
⎢
⎣ ⎢⎣ ⎣ ed participle He found the seats taken
a. Non-finite clauses without subject

In non-finite clauses without an overt subject the verb is either an infinitive preceded by to
or an -ing participle (but cf. Note c). The implied subject is normally the subject of the
superordinate clause. There are verbs which take
(1) only an infinitive clause:
⎧to do ⎫
John longed ⎨ ⎬ homework
⎩* doing ⎭
(2) only a participle clause:
⎧having stolen ⎫
John denied ⎨ ⎬ the money
⎩* to have stolen ⎭
(3) either an infinitive or a participle clause:
⎧to write⎫
John began ⎨ ⎬ a letter
⎩writing ⎭
Where both constructions are admitted, there is usually felt to be an aspectual difference
that influences the choice. The participle construction generally implies ‘fulfillment’ and the
infinitive construction ‘potentiality’:
⎧speaking and kept on for more than an hour
He started ⎨
⎩to speak but stopped because she objected
Another factor influencing the choice is that the participle tends to express the progressive
aspect:
⎧slamming all night long
I heard the door ⎨
⎩slam just after midnight
The progressive aspect may also influence a preference for the participle after verbs of
beginning, continuing, and ending, when multiple activities are involved:
⎧opening all the cupboards
He began ⎨
⎩to open the cupboards
While some verbs in this semantic group allow both constructions (begin, continue, cease, start),
others allow only the participle construction (finish, go on, keep (on), stop).
For the three verbs forget, remember and regret, there is a temporal (and perhaps also
modal) difference between the two constructions. The infinitive construction indicates that the
action or event takes place after the mental process denoted by the verb has begun, while the
reverse is true for the participle construction:

⎧I remembered to fill out the form (' I remembered that I was to fill out the form
⎪
⎨ and then did so' )
⎪I remembered filling out the form (' I remembered that I had filled out the form' )
⎩
⎧I forgot to go to the bank (' I forgot that I was to go to the bank and therefore did not
⎪
⎪ do so' )
⎨
⎪I forgot (about) going to the bank (rare without about : ' I forgot that I went to
⎪⎩ the bank' )
⎧I regret to tell you that John stole it (' I regret that I am about to tell you
⎪
⎨ that John stole it' )
⎪I regret telling you that John stole it (' I regret that I told you that John stole it' )
⎩
For one small group of verbs (deserve, need, require, and, less commonly, want), the choice
involves a difference in voice, the participle construction corresponding to a passive infinitive
construction:
⎧cleaning
Your shoes need ⎨
⎩to be cleaned
We list some common verbs according to the non-finite clauses that they allow, omitting the
three small groups that we discussed above:
verbs with infinitive only: agree, arrange, ask (see Note d), choose, decide, demand,
deserve, expect, hope, learn, long, manage, mean, offer, pretend, promise, refuse,
threaten, want, wish
verbs with participle only: deny, dislike, enjoy, fancy, finish, (cannot) help, keep
(on), don’t mind, miss, put off, risk, cannot stand, stop, suggest
verbs with infinitive or participle (mainly emotive verbs or verbs expressing
striving or lack of striving): cannot bear, delay, hate, intend, like, love, neglect,
omit, plan, prefer, try
There is in general no passive for sentences whose object is a non-finite clause without a
subject. The exceptions are with a few verbs (notably agree, arrange, decide) and then only if
there is extraposition:
They decided to meet in London ~ It was decided to meet in London
Note.
[a] With verbs like need, the subject of the superordinate clause is not the implied subject of
the participle clause, but rather its implied direct object: Your shoes need cleaning implies that
you or someone needs to clean the shoes.
[b] We might consider here also several verbs with infinitive clauses, which are not direct
objects. With appear, happen, and seem, the infinitive clause is more plausibly seen as part of
the subject: He appears to like the show ~ That he likes the show appears (true). The quasi-
adverbial function of the main verb can be shown by the paraphrase He apparently likes the
show. There are analogies with such adjectives as sure, certain, bound in relation to infinitive
clauses: He is certain to like the show ~ That he will like the show is certain ~ He will certainly
like the show.

[c] The verb help can be followed by a construction with the bare infinitive: I helped her (to)
do it. Otherwise, the bare infinitive is found only in a few set phrases: e.g.: make do, make
believe, (live and) let live, let go.
[d] Some factual verbs will permit as direct object a non-finite indirect question, but not of
the yes-no type: He asked/inquired how to get there. Cf.: He arranged/forgot when to do it.
IV- COMPLEX TRANSITIVE COMPLEMENTATION
1. Non-finite and verbless clauses with subject

When a clause as object in a monotransitive sentence (a) is non-finite or verbless, and (b) has
its subject expressed, this subject behaves as though it alone were the direct object of the
superordinate verb; it can therefore be the subject in a passive transformation. Compare (1a)
and (2a) with (1b) and (2b):
(1a) Everyone expected that Mary would marry John

That Mary would marry John was expected by everyone
(*Mary was expected by everyone would marry John)
(1b) Everyone expected Mary to marry John
Mary was expected by everyone to marry John
(*Mary to marry John was expected by everyone)
(2a) John thought that Mary was exceptionally clever
(2b) John thought Mary exceptionally clever
Mary was thought exceptionally clever
It is divisibility of an essentially clausal object that is outstanding characteristic of complex
transitive complementation.
2. To-infinitive clauses with subject
Two classes of verb have to be distinguished as taking complex transitive complementation:
factual and non-factual. With factual verbs the subordinate clause normally has a stative verb
and (especially when the subordinate verb is other than be) a finite construction is prefered in
ordinary usage to the non-finite, except that the latter provides a convenient passive form. The
attribute of be in this construction is required to be ‘current’:
⎧ John believed that the stranger was a policeman
⎪
⎨ John believed the stranger to be a policeman
⎪The stranger was believed to be a policeman
⎩
⎧The professor assumed that the student knew some French

⎪
⎨The professor assumed the student to know some French (formal)
⎪The student was assumed to know some French
⎩
Other common factual verbs: feel, find, imagine, know, suppose, think.

The non-factual verbs with this non-finite construction express a causative, volitional or
attitudinal relationship with the subordinate clause. There is no restriction on the class of verbs
in the non-finite clause and no stylistic restriction on its use:
John intended that Mary should sing an aria
John intended Mary to sing an aria
Mary was intended to sing an aria
With some of the superordinate verbs no finite- clause construction of this type is possible:
notably, get, want, like:
John wanted Mary to play the piano
(but that Mary (should) play the piano occurs in AmE)
Other common non-factual verbs: cause, expect, hate, mean.
When the subject of the subordinate clause is identical with that of the superordinate one,
the non-finite construction is possible with factual and causative verbs only if the reflexive is
expressed (as it commonly is with get):
I believed that I had won
I believed myself to have won (rare)
*I believed to have won
With volitional and attitudinal verbs, however, co-referential subjects are readily allowed but
the subordinate subject cannot be expressed in the non-finite clause :
I intended that I should go
I intended to go
Note.
A few verbs, get, hate, like, want, do not have a corresponding passive, while a few others, in
particular say, occur only in the passive form of the construction:
He was said to come from Ireland ~ *They said him to come from Ireland
3. Prepositional verbs with for use for to introduce a to-infinitive clause:

He arranged for/Mary to come at once
The infinitive construction is therefore a direct object of the prepositional verb, which may be
emotive or volitional. Some common verbs with this construction: ask, call, long, plan, wait.
Note.
Prepositional verbs that are ditransitive allow another object (perhaps also introduced by a
preposition) to precede the infinitive clause:
⎧telephoned ⎫
He ⎨ ⎬ John for Mary to come at once
⎩arranged with ⎭
Cf. He telephoned John/He arranged with John for another meeting.
4. Bare infinitive clauses with subject

Three causative verbs take a bare infinitive in their infinitive clause: have (‘cause’), let, make:
They had/let/made Bob teach Mary

Some verbs of perception take the bare infinitive in the active: feel, hear, notice, observe, see,
smell, watch. The verbs of perception also occur with the –ing participle clause:
I watched Bob teach(ing) Mary
In the passive, the bare infinitive is replaced by the to-infinitive: Bob was made to clean his
room, They were heard to shout something. This does not apply to have and let, which have no
passive, except for perhaps as in He was let go. Only let has a passive of the infinitive clause:
They let Mary be taught (by Bob). With the verbs of perception, there is a passive with being: I
watched Mary being taught (by Bob). For the passive corresponding to the infinitive clause after
have and see as in I had Bob teach Mary ~ I had Mary taught (by Bob).
5. –ing participle clauses with subject

Verbs taking an –ing participle clause fall into two classes: those, which permit the subordinate
subject to be genitive (predominantly emotive verbs with personal nouns or pronouns) and
those, which disallow the genitive:
• Genitive optional :
I dislike him/his driving my car
With this type, the subject of the subordinate clause cannot be the subject of the superordinate
clause in the passive: *He is disliked (by me) driving my car. When the superordinate and
subordinate subjects are co-referential, the subordinate subject is not expressed: I dislike
driving my car.
• Genitive disallowed:
⎧him ⎫
I found ⎨ ⎬ driving my car
⎩* his⎭
With this type, the subject of the subordinate clause can be the subject of the superordinate
clause in the passive: He was found driving my car. When the superordinate and subordinate
subjects are co-referential, the subordinate subject is expressed by the reflexive: I found myself
driving my car.
Where there is a choice between –ing participle and infinitive (whether bare or to-
infinitive), there is usually felt to be an aspectual difference that influences the choice
⎧slamming all night long
I hate the door ⎨
⎩to slam just after midnight
Verbs taking a non-finite clause with subject may have

(1) only an –ing participle clause:
I started Bob cleaning the car
(2) either an –ing participle or a bare infinitive clause:

⎧doing his homework
I watched Bob ⎨
⎩do his homework
(3) either an –ing participle or a to-infinitive clause:
⎧working in the garden
I hate Bob ⎨
⎩to work in the garden

We list common verbs according to whether they permit or disallow the genitive, and within
each class, we note the verbs which, in addition to the –ing construction, permit the infinitive
construction, with or without to:
• Genitive optional: (1) –ing participle only: (cannot) afford, enjoy, forget, (not)
mind, regret, remember, resent, risk, (cannot) stand;
• (2) –ing participle or to-infinitive: dislike, hate, like, love,
prefer
• Genitive disallowed: (1) –ing participle only: catch, find, keep, leave, start,
stop; (2)-ing participle or bare infinitive: have(“cause”); verbs of perception-
feel, hear,
(2) –ing participle or bare infinitive: have (‘cause’); verbs of perception – feel,
hear, notice, observe, see, smell, watch; -ing participle or to-infinitive: get,
informal (I got Bob cleaning/to clean his room)
feel, hear, notice, observe, see, smell, watch
- ing participle or to-infinitive: get, informal( I got Bob cleaning / to clean his
room)
6. -ed participle clauses with subject

We can distinguish between three types of construction involving –ed participle with subject:
causative/volitional verb: He got the watch repaired
factual verb expressing an event: He saw the watch stolen
factual verb expressing a current state: He found the watch stolen
Some of the causative/volitional verbs have analogous finite clauses with a subjunctive verb or
should : He ordered that the watch (should) be repaired. Similarly, the factual verbs have
analogous finite clauses with an indicative verb: He saw the watch stolen ~ He saw that the
watch was being stolen, He found the watch stolen ~ He found that the watch was stolen. Have
can be either causative or factual: thus He had a watch stolen is ambiguous between ‘He caused
the watch to be stolen’ and ‘He suffered the loss of a watch’.
In the passive,the verb is generally actional rather than statal: My friend had his watch stolen
implies”Someone stole my friend’s watch” rather than”My friend was without a watch because
it was stolen”.
Common verbs of the three types are:
causative/volitional: get, order, have (‘cause’), want

factual, expressing event: see, have (‘suffer’)
Factual, expressing state: find, keep, leave
The factual verbs allow passivization:

The tourists found the chairs occupied
~ The chairs were found occupied (by the tourists)

7. Verbless clauses with subject

In both the –ing and –ed clauses just considered, it is reasonable to see the non-finite clauses in
many cases as resulting from ellipsis of infinitival be:
I hate him (to be) driving my car
They found the chairs (to be) occupied
With complementation by verbless clauses, we can also see underlying be clauses:
⎧that John is a good driver
⎪
I consider ⎨ John to be a good driver
⎪ John a good driver
⎩
The two elements of such verbless clauses are thus in an intensive subject complement relation,
but since the whole construction is itself the object in the superordinate clause, we do not depart
from the tradition of describing them as object and object complement respectively. As with
other transitive sentences, the ‘object’ can be the subject in a passive transformation (John is
considered a good driver), and as with other intensive clauses, the complement element can
usually be realized by either a noun phrase or an adjective phrase:
⎧his secretary
He made the girl ⎨
⎩much happier
When the object complement is an adjective it may be a ‘current’ or a ‘resulting’ attribute .
Verbs taking a current attribute include: call, consider, declare, find, have, keep, leave, like,
prefer, think, want:
I called him stupid
I always have my coffee hot
Verbs taking a resulting attribute: get, make, paint, as well as call, declare, etc, in their formal
‘performative’ use:
I made her very angry
I declare the meeting open
Some combinations of verb and adjective resemble transitive phrasal verbs in that the
adjective can precede or follow the noun phrase and (like the particle) cannot precede a
personal pronoun:
She put the tablecloth straight She put the tablecloth out
She put it straight She put it out
She put straight the tablecloth She put out the tablecloth
*She put straight it *She put out it
Likewise, the adjective cannot be separated from the verb by an adverb as adjunct:
She quickly put the tablecloth straight She quickly put the tablecloth out
*She put quickly the tablecloth straight *She put quickly the tablecloth out
*She put the tablecloth quickly straight *She put the tablecloth quickly out
Make is commonly the verb in such combinations: make clear (the reason), make possible
(the meeting), make plain (the difference). Among adjectives, open, loose, free, and clear are
particularly common: push open, keep loose, shake free, leave clear. In many cases, there is a

close meaning relationship between verb and adjective: cut short, wash clean, drain dry, pack
tight.
The adjective retains its potentialities for modification:
He pushed the door wide open
She didn’t wash the shirts as clean as Mary did
Many of the verbs mentioned in (6) as taking adjectives phrases as object complement will also
admit noun phrases (exceptions include get, have and put). When the object complement is a
noun phrase it can, as with the adjective phrase, be ‘current’ or ‘resulting’. In general, however,
the noun phrase as current attribute is uncommon and somewhat formal (unless it is indefinite
with a gradable noun head and hence with an adjectival quality):
They thought John the leader (rather uncommon)
They thought John a fool
As resulting attribute, on the other hand, the noun phrase is freely used:
⎧elected ⎫
⎪made ⎪
⎪ ⎪ ⎧(the) chairman
They ⎨ ⎬ John ⎨
⎪appo int ed ⎪ ⎩(the) ambassador to Peru
⎪⎩named ⎪⎭
They made John a useful mechanic
The verbs appoint, crown, elect, and consider are commonly used with an alternative as
construction:
They elected him (as) their leader
The following verbs are among those that can have complex complementation only with as or
(less commonly) for: accept as, class as, describe as, intend as, interpret as, know as, mistake
for, recognize as, regard as, take as/for, treat as, use as, for example: They recognized John as
intelligent/their spokesman.
Most verbs taking a noun phrase as object complement will also admit an adjective phrase;
outstanding exceptions include verbs of appointing such as appoint, choose, elect, name.
Note.
The object complement may precede the ‘direct object’ when the latter is lengthy or requires
special emphasis:
They will elect chairman anyone willing to serve
He thought desirable most of women in the room
Limitedly, an analogous inversion can occur with the –ing and –ed clauses of (4). cf. also (.3).
V- DITRANSITIVE COMPLEMENTATION
1. Noun phrase as both indirect object and direct object
Ditransitive complementation involves two objects that are not intensive relationship: an
indirect object (normally animate), which is positioned first, and a direct object (normally
concrete):
He gave the girl a12 doll
3
1424 3
S V Oi Od

Indirect objects can be omitted without affecting the meaning or function of the rest of the
sentence:
⎧~ He gave a doll
He gave the girl a doll ⎨
⎩≠ He gave the girl
⎧~ He bought a white hat
He bought the girl a white hat ⎨
⎩≠ He bought the girl
They can usually be replaced by a corresponding prepositional phrase, which normally follows
the direct object:
He gave a doll to the girl
He bought a white hat for the girl
We list some common verbs, which allow the indirect object to be replaced by a prepositional
phrase, the preposition concerned being indicated:
Ask (a question) of (John), bring to, do (a favour) for, do (a disservice) to, find for, give
to, leave for/to, lend to, make for, offer to, owe to, pay for, pray for, promise to, read
to, save for, show to, teach to, tell to, throw to
A few verbs disallow the variant with a prepositional phrase: allow, refuse, wish. With allow
and wish, it would be exceptional to have either of the noun phrases omitted.
One group of verbs (chiefly ask, owe, pay, teach, tell, show) taking ditransitive
complementation allow either object to be omitted:
⎧I paid John
⎪
I paid John the money ~ ⎨I paid the money
⎪I paid the money to John
⎩
Note.
[a] The verb give allows considerable flexibility: the direct object can be abstract and the
indirect object inanimate, though in such cases the latter has no variant with a prepositional
phrase:
He gave the car a wash (‘He washed the car’)
~ *He gave a wash to the car
Sentences with some ditransitive verbs have two passives:
⎧~ The girl was given a doll
He gave the girl a doll ⎨
⎩~ A doll was given the girl
Of these two passives, the first is the more common. The second is usually replaced by
the corresponding prepositional phrase:
A doll was given to the girl
[b] The verb make admits several different constructions:
monotrans: She made a cake
ditrans: She made him a cake (~ a cake for him)
complex trans: She made him a good husband (~ him into a good husband)
intensive: She made a good wife

intensive with ‘indirect object’: She made him a good wife

(~turned out to be a good wife to/for him)
2. Ditransitive prepositional verbs

Ditransitive verbs whose direct object must be introduced by a preposition (i.e. ditransitive
prepositional verbs) normally allow only one passive, with the indirect object as subject:
We reminded him of the agreement
~ He was reminded of the agreement
They differ from the most ditransitive verbs in frequently allowing the indirect object to be
expressed alone: We reminded him (of the agreement).
Common verbs of this type enter into constructions of the form accuse X of Y, where with the
most of the verbs X is usually a person and Y is usually a thing:
charge with, compare to, congratulate on, convince of, deprive of, inform of, introduce
to, punish for, refer to, remind of, rob of, sentence to, treat to
But there are notable exceptions, such as explain X to Y, where X would normally be a thing
and Y a person.
With several verbs (e.g. blame, provide, supply), either of the noun phrases in the
complementation can follow the verb immediately, the other requiring a preposition:
She blamed John for the damage ~ She blamed the damage on John
They provided the homeless with blankets ~ They provided blankets for the homeless
They supplied the terrorists with guns ~ They supplied guns for/to the terrorists
3. Idiomatic expressions consisting of verb + noun phrase + preposition

Some verbs form an idiomatic unit when combined with certain noun phrases followed by
certain prepositions and in this respect resemble many prepositional verbs . There are two
passive forms of the sentence, since either of two noun phrases can become the subject of a
passive sentence;
They had made good use of the house
~ Good use had been made of the house
~ The house had been made good use of (informal)
Other examples of the latter kind of passive (chiefly informal) are:
Mary realized she was being made fun of
Her beauty was made much of
Pretty girls will always be taken notice of
The children were taken good care of
The following list includes some common idioms consisting of V + NP + prep.

catch sight of make allowance for put a stop to

give place to make fun of set fire to
give way to make a fuss over/about take account of
keep pace with make room for take advantage of
lose sight of make use of take care of
lose touch with pay attention to take note of
lose track of put an end to take notice of
With some verbs the indirect object is obligatory:

4. Noun phrases as indirect object + finite clauses as a direct object
With some verbs the indirect object is obligatory:
John convinced me that he was right
~ *John convinced that he was right
With other verbs, it can be omitted:
John showed me that he was honest
~ John showed that he was honest
Common verbs in this type of construction are listed according to whether the indirect object is
obligatory or optional.
indirect object obligatory: advise, assure, convince, inform, persuade, remind, tell
indirect object optional: ask (+ indirect question), promise, show, teach, warn
The indirect object often occurs without the direct.

The sentence can be passivized, with the indirect object as subject of the passive sentence: I
was convinced that he was right. The verbs show and tell allow also the direct object to become
subject of the passive sentence, though normally there is extraposition: That he was an honest
man was shown (to me) ~ It was shown (to me) that he was an honest man.
Some verbs require a prepositional phrase introduced by to instead of the indirect object.
They all allow the omission of the prepositional phrase:
John mentioned (to me) that they were sick
They allow a passive form with the direct object becoming subject of the sentence, though
normally there is extraposition: That they were sick was mentioned (to me) (by John) ~ It was
mentioned (to me) (by John) that they were sick. Common verbs used in this construction include
admit, announce, confess, declare, explain, mention, point out, remark, report, say, state, suggest.
5. Noun phrases as indirect object + non-finite clauses as direct object

Many of the superordinate verbs will allow the clausal direct object to be a to-infinitive clause:
⎧that he should see me
They persuaded John ⎨
⎩to see me
This is possible only when the indirect object is identical with the subject of the direct object
clause: thus, They persuaded John that Mary should see me has no corresponding form with a

non-finite clause as direct object. The subject of the non-finite clause can become the subject of
the passive superordinate clause:
John was persuaded to see me
Not all verbs taking a finite clause allow the non-finite clause as direct object but among the
common verbs that permit both constructions we should mention ask (with wh-indirect
questions), persuade, remind, teach, tell and warn. There are several verbs which permit the
non-finite clause but which do not (or do not freely) admit the finite clause; for example, ask (=
‘request’), encourage, force, help, and order.
Mary helped John to carry the bag
(*Mary helped John that he might carry the bag)
There is a superficial similarity between certain complex transitive and ditransitive
examples:
complex trans: He wanted Mary to teach Bob [1]
ditrans: He persuaded Mary to teach Bob [2]
The difference can be seen when the subordinate clause is made passive:
He wanted Bob to be taught by Mary [3, =1] He
persuaded Bob to be taught by Mary [4, ≠2]
This difference depends on the fact that, with complex transitive verbs, the infinitive clause
(Mary to teach Bob) is direct object and Mary is not itself a constituent of the superordinate
clause. With the ditransitive verb persuade, however, Mary as indirect object is indeed a
separate constituent (the subject of the infinitive clause in this instance being only implied). In
[4], this indirect object function is taken over by Bob, and hence the radically changed meaning.
Note.
When a wh-clause is object to a verb of stating, the subject is identical with the indirect object;
with verbs of asking, however, it is identical with the superordinate subject:
He told them where to go (= where they should go)
He asked them where to go (= where he should go)
Bibliographical note.
On types and problems of complementation, see Aijmer (1972); Allen (1966); Bald (1972);
Halliday (1967-68); Huddleston (1971), Ch.3, 4; Machaùček (1965); Poldauf (1972); Rosenbaum
(1967); van Ek (1966); Stockwell et al (1973), Ch. 8.
EXERCISES
CHAPTER 4: The verb and its complementation.

• ‘Current” and “resulting” copulas.
Exercise 1.

Indicate, by a, b, c, etc., which of the following copulas could fill the gap in each of the
sentences below:
a. appear f. go k. seem
b. be g. grow l. smell
c. become h. look m. sound
d. feel i. make n. taste
e. get j. remain o. turn
1. Marie Curie a famous scientist.

2. She devoted to her work.
3. The work more and more interesting.
4. This chair comfortable.
5. The milk sour.
6. My coffee father sweet.
7. John a very good husband.
8. The weather much warmer.
9. The poor old woman mad.
10. She thin and wizened.
11. These four books for you.
12. The concert at six o’clock.
13. He rather a fool.
14. Everyone in the garden.
15. That he crossed the desert alone unbelievable.
• Complementation of the adjective phrase

Exercise 2.
Supply an acceptable preposition to fill each of the gaps. If an adjectival complement is
structurally optional in the context, put brackets round it, thus:
Most people are afraid (of snakes)
If the complement is structurally obligatory in the context, omit the brackets:
1. We’re accustomed ………… noise. 14. John is concerned ………… Mary.
2. George is ahead ………… me. 15. Who is concerned …………… this
3. Are you angry ………….. us? project?
4. I’m not answerable …… anyone 16. We’re conscious……… the danger.
5. John is anxious ………… Mary. 17. Jane is crazy ………… dancing.
6. Aren’t you ashamed …… yourself? 18. The judge was deaf ………… our
7. Jack is averse ………. hard work. appeal.
8. I’m well aware ……… that. 19. Mary is very dear ………… us.
9. Now we’re bound …… home. 20. She is so dependent …………… us.
10. I’m busy ……… my accounts. 21. Chalk is different ………… cheese.
11. George is capable ……… anything. 22. When is John due …… promotion?
12. Are you certain ………… success? 23. He is eager …… more responsibility.
13. We’re not clear …………… this 24. Don’t be envious ……… anyone.
sentence. 25. He is not equal …………… the task.

26. He’s not expert …………. anything. 39. Be independent ………… others.
27. Have you been faithful ……… me? 40. Don’t feel inferior ………… anyone.
28. I’m not familiar ………… this town. 41. John is intent …………… his work.
29. Fred is not fit ………… this job. 42. Are you jealous …………… her?
30. Joint is fond ……… Mary. 43. I’m not keen ………… swimming.
31. I’m glad ………… your prize. 44. Be loyal ………… your friends.
32. I’d be glad …………… a rest. 45. That story is new …………… me.
33. John is good …………… chemistry. 46. We’re very proud ……………. you.
34. We’re grateful………… your help. 47. Are you ready ………… a meal?
35. We’re grateful ………… you. 48. You’re safe ………… danger now.
36. Don’t be too hard ………… me. 49. John is not strong …… languages.
37. He’s hungry ………….. knowledge. 50. We’re tired …………… this exercise.
38. I’m ignorant …………. those facts.
• Participial adjectives + complement

Exercise 3.
Transform each of the sentences below so as to produce a subject complement consisting of a
participial adjective + prepositional phrase, avoiding by whenever possible:
1. The young man’s discomfiture amused the Countess.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. The way she treated her servants annoyed him.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. The young man’s outburst astonished everybody.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Etiquette obviously did not bother him.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. The reception they gave him did not content him.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. His presents, however, delighted the Countess.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. You do not appoint me.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. Do not let your coming adventures excite you.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. Roger found everything around him fascinating.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. Hunting had already interested him.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
11. The Countess found his answer very pleasing.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
12. His progress completely satisfied her.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
13. At first, his rudeness had shocked her.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

14. His conduct would have surprised his old father.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
15. Now, his behaviour would not have worried his father at all
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
• Adjective + finite clauses
Exercise 4.
Combine each of the pairs of sentences below so as to produce one single sentence containing an
adjective complemented by a finite clause, omitting what is in brackets:
1. You must resign. We are adamant (on that point).

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. You have made a serious error. We are afraid that (that is so).
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. Why did you behave in that way? I’m ashamed.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. There will be a public inquiry. I am certain (of it).

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Why do you feel so offended? We are concerned (about that).

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. You will understand. We are fully confident (of it).

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. Why do you say that? It is curious.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
8. You see our point of view at last. We’re delighted.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. You must have complete trust in us. It is essential.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. You revealed the secret. The Captain is furious.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
11. You have received us so magnificently. We feel greatly honoured.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
12. We are happy. You feel at home in our country.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
13. You must prolong your stay. Everyone insists (on it).
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
14. We shall have no more travelling. That is a great relief to us.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
15. You were kept waiting at the gate. I am deeply shocked.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

16. My husband will not be able to attend your meeting. He is very sorry.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
17. I may not be able to come with you. I’m not sure yet.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
18. Did you really say that? Is it true?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
19. Don’t you know your programme? I’m surprised.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
20. Everyone should vote on Thursday. It is vital.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
• Adjective + to-infinitive clause
Exercise 5.
Indicate, by a, b, c, etc., to which of the following types of construction each of the sentences
below could be assigned:
a He is splendid to wait. d He is hesitant to agree.
b He is sloe to react. e He is hard to convince.
c He is furious to hear it.
1. I am very anxious to meet you.

2. We were delighted to receive your telegram.
3. You were sensible to stay indoors.
4. The clerk was prompt to answer the call.
5. This rule is easy to remember.
6. We are reluctant to leave this neighbourhood.
7. Our house is not difficult to heat.
8. Unfortunately, it isn’t easy to find.
9. Are you ready to leave?
10. You would be foolish to go out in this weather.
11. John is quick to see the point.
12. He is very keen to get on.
13. We are proud to have him as a friend.
14. I was rude not to answer your letter.
15. Wee are happy to have you with us this evening.
Exercise 6.
Rephrase each of the fifteen sentences in Ecercise 5 so as to illustrate the underlying difference
between the five types of construction.
• Transitive complementation
Exercise 7.
A direct object may be
a a noun phrase d a finite wh-clause
b a noun phrase + obligatory adverbial e an infinitive clause

c a finite that-clause f a participle clause

Indicate, by a, b, c, etc., and with examples, which of those forms of direct object could occur
after the following verbs:
ask explain lay remember

believe feel mind approve of
consider gather need depend on
deny hope owe make up
enjoy keep place point out
• Passive transform of monotransitive verb + direct object

Exercise 8.
Give the passive transformation, if one is possible, of the following sentences, supplying the by-
phrase only if it contains relevant and essential information:
1. Builders built this house in 1968.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. King Khufu built the Great Pyramid.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. The Great pyramid contains over two million blocks of stone.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Each block weighs over two tons.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Has anyone weighed them recently?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. People usually oppose new opinions.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. A man with a scar across his face held my attention.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. He hid himself behind one of the pillars.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. Someone had admitted him by accident.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. He must have dyed his hair.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
11. His coat did not fit him properly.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
12. This picture resembles the one in your drawing room.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
13. I have a picture like it in my house, too.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
14. Six time nine equals fifty-four.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

15. No one has ever equalled your record.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
16. I would like you to measure me for a suit.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
17. Would this material suit you?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
18. This piece of cloth measures just two metres.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
19. Robert Boyle discovered the principle known as Boyle’s Law.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
20. The vendor has already sold property.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
• Finite clause as direct object

Exercise 9.
Combine each of the following pairs of sentences so as to produce one single.
Sentence with a finite clause as object, omitting what is in brackets:
1. I have made a mistake. I admit (it)

……………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Have I made a mistake? I wonder.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. Have I given you the right figures? I doubt (it)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. You have checked the figures carefully. I don’t doubt (it).
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. You wrote me a cheque. I agree.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. You pay me next week. I agree (to that)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. You were going to pay me half the money today. We agreed (on that)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. We decided (on one thing). We had gone far enough.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. Should we continue next day or not? We could not decide.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. How could we find the way? We had to decide (that) quickly.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
11. You go ahead to get help. We have all decided (on that course of action).
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
12. Help will arrive at any moment. (At least), I expect (so).
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
13. What do you intend to do next? May I ask (that)?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

14. Are we to stay here all night? May I ask (that)?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
15. Please tell us the truth. All I ask is that.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
16. Why not divide ourselves into two groups? (That is what) I suggest.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
17. This is where we were two days ago. I remember.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
18. Did we take the upper path or the lower one? Do you remember?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
19. Where did we go wrong? Ah, now I know.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
20. You no longer trust your leader. I sincerely regret that.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
• Non-finite clauses a direct object
Exercise 10.
If to talk in he likes to talk is a non- finite infinitive clause, without a subject, acting as object
of like, give a corresponding explanation of the italicized part of the following sentences:
a. We wanted to go home. d. I heard them leave.
b. We enjoyed walking. e. I saw them waiting.
c. I expected you to be here. f. I found my seat occupied
Exercise 11.
Indicate by a, b, c, etc., which of the finite verbs in the six sentences in Exercise 10 could be
replaced by
1 Ask 6 Finish 11 keep 16 suggest
2 Avoid 7 Have 12 prefer 17 tell
3 Begin 8 Help 13 promise 18 threaten
4 Dare 9 Hope 14 refuse 19 watch
5 discover 10 Imagine 15 stop 20 wish
Exercise 12.
Expand the following sentences so as to clarify the difference in meaning between the two
members of each pair:
1 a I remembered to fill up the form.

b I remembered filling up the form .
2 a I forgot to wake you this morning.

b I forgot about waking you.
3 a I regret to tell you this story.

b I regret telling you that story.

4 a I tried to turn the key another way.

b I tried turning the key another way.
5 a My father taught me to ride.

b He taught me riding.
6 a He had us all empty our pockets.

b He had us all emptying our pockets.
7 a You deserve to shoot first.

b You deserve shooting first.
8 a That boy wants to watch.

b That boy wants watching.
• Complex transitive complementation

Exercise 13.
Say whether each of these sentences is (a) monotransitive or (b) complex transitive. Then put
each main clause into the passive:
1. We admitted that a mistake had been made.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. Everyone considered the mistake to be very serious.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. We consider you to be one of our most loyal supporters.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. We fully recognized that you have had great difficulties.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. We find you innocent of all the charges.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. We know your companion to be a troublemaker.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. You have proved your story completely accurate.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. However, we think you, at times, indiscreet.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. We expect you to show a little more tact.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. We regret that we must make this criticism.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
11. The Air Force has reported two planes missing.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
12. The authorities meant you to complete this form, and return the Town Hall.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
• Genitive before –ing

Exercise 14.
Say which of the underlined items can be replaced by the genitive variant:
1. The police caught Wilson climbing the wall.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. I don’t approve of you climbing cliffs.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. Do you mind me opening the window?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Don’t let me find you opening this door again.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
5. How can I stop you biting your nails?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. I remember John telling me that story.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. I often find myself repeating it.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. Do you ever remember that happening to you?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. You won’t keep us waiting, will you?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. We object to them being given preferential treatment.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
• -ed participle clauses with subject
Exercise 15.
He got the watch repaired can be paraphrased as He got someone to repair the watch. Paraphrase
the following:
1. I want this work done at once.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. I want to see this work done properly.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. We found the work done already.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. I have heard this story repeated too often.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Can you have these notes copied before tomorrow?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. I’m afraid we must have those trees cut down.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

7. I’m afraid George has had his leg broken.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. I think I’ll have my egg fried, please.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. Six thousand pounds was reported stolen.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. Didn’t you hear your name called?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
• Object complements
Exercise 16.
Indicate, by a, b, c, etc., which of the following verbs could fill the gaps in the sentences below:
a accept g elect m push
b appoint h find n put
c call i hold o recognize
d consider j intend p regard
e declare k make q take
f describe l mistake r treat
1. They _________ John chairman. 7. We _________ the door open.

2. They _________ John as their leader. 8. We _________ your room for
3. They _________ him as a true friend. the library.
4. They _________ him reliable. 9. We _________ the pole straight.
5. They _________ him very happy. 10. We _______the incident closed. .
6. They _________ his appointment to be
permanent.
Exercise 17.
Indicate, by a, b, c, etc., which of the 18 verbs in Exercise 16 could fill the gaps in the following:
1. John was _________ chairman.

2. John was _________ (chairman).
3. He was _________ as reliable.
4. Your room was _________ for the library.
5. The incident was _________ closed.
Exercise 18.
a Move the object complement, if it is mobile.
b Replace the object by the corresponding pronoun, then write out the new sentence:

1. George’s conduct made Mary very angry.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. He had broken open her wardrobe.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. Let us free all the prisoners.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Will this agreement make the end of all the fighting possible?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Can you have ready for tomorrow the minutes of our last two meetings?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. I would like you to leave clear those two cupboards over by the window.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. We shall not appoint officers of the society those members who do not attend regularly.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
• Ditransitive complementation
Exercise 19.
Rephrase each of the following sentences using the pattern
(Subject) + verb + direct object + prepositional phrase,
but only when such rephrasing is admissible:
1. The townsfolk accorded us a warm welcome.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. I have asked you a great favour.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. We booked you a double room with bath.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Bring me your essay this afternoon.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Someone has brought us some grapes.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. Call me a taxi right away.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. Can anyone cash me a cheque?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. We have caused you so much trouble.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. This suit only cost me forty dollars.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. These pills haven’t done me much good.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
11. I will give you all the necessary information.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
12. Someone has just handed me the message.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

13. I’ll leave you your dinner in the oven.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
14. An uncle left her a small fortune.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
15. Do we owe the milkman anything?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
16. I have paid George the whole sum.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
17. You must show me your ticket.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
18. I have told you the truth.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
19. Throw me that towel, will you?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
20. I wish you good luck.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Exercise 20.
a Read the 20 sentences in Exercise 19, omitting the indirect object whenever such omission
can be made without detriment to the sense.
b In which of those 20 sentences could the direct object be ellipted?
Exercise 21.
Give two different passive transformations for the following sentences in Exercise 19: 2, 3, 8, 11,
12, 14, 16, 17, 18.
Exercise 22.
a Supply the missing prepositions.
b Read the sentence, ellipting the prepositional phrase where possible.
c Give the passive transformation of the whole original sentence.
d Form a question for each sentence, on the following model:
What example can this one be compared with?
1. They accused Barlow _________ a certain crime.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. People admired Asquith _________ certain qualities.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. We have assigned you _________ a particular task.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Everyone blames you _________ a certain mistake.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Everyone blames the mistake _________ somebody.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. The police charged Manson _________ the murder.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. We can compare this writer _________ a well-known novelist.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
8. I am confining you _________ certain limits.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. They congratulated Henry _________ his medal.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. They will consult us _________ the plan.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
11. We have credited you _________ a fixed amount.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
12. The guards deprived the visitors _________ certain weapons.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
13. This card entitled us _________ certain privileges.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
14. I shall exempt them _________ certain duties.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
15. We have freed you _________ a great anxiety.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
16. We have already informed them _________ the decision.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
17. The treasurer has invested our money _________ stocks.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
18. I have only mentioned this matter _________ one of the professors.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
19. They have provided blankets _________ some of the refugees.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
20. They have provided some of the refugees _________ blankets.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
21. We have supplied food _________ certain families.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
22. We have supplied those families _________ food.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
23. I am thanking you _________ your kindness.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Exercise 23.
a Supply the missing verbs. Then,
b put each sentence into the passive, as follows:
We took care of it ~ It was taken care of.
1. You must not _________ sight of your main objective.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. I don’t like people _________ fun of me.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

3. It is time you _________ a stop to this nonsense.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. The raiders _________ fire to three haystacks.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. We have not _________ pace with the latest research.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Exercise 24.
a Supply the missing verbs. Then,
b put each sentence into the passive in two different ways:
1. Have you _________ proper care of this equipment?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. I hope you will not _________ advantage of my absence.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. We have _________ good use of the laboratory.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. We have _________ careful note of your complaint.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. The students have _________ no notice of these instructions.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Exercise 25.
Indicate, by a, b, c, etc., into which of the following three sentences the verbs below could fit:
a John said that there would be trouble.
b John told me that there would be trouble.
c John explained to me that he had been ill.
1. admit 5. convince 9. mention 13. remark 17. state

2. announce 6. declare 10. persuade 14. remind 18. suggest
3. assure 7. explain 11. point out 15. report 19. tell
4. confess 8. inform 12. promise 16. say 20. warn
Exercise 26.
Rephrase the sentences below, where possible, by using the pattern:
I persuaded John to see a doctor.
1. I persuaded John that he should see a doctor.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2. I persuaded him that his wife should take a holiday.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. I convinced him that he should be more careful.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. I advised him that he should stay in bed.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. I warned him that he should not go out.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. I assured him that he would get pneumonia.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. I reminded him that he should take his medicine.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. I reminded him that he had been overworking.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. I requested him that he should keep me informed of his condition.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. I assured him that he would have proper care.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Exercise 27.
Note the following two-fold analysis:
a He wanted Mary to teach Bob.
He wanted Mary to.
b He persuaded Mary to teach Bob.
He persuaded Mary (to)
In which of those two ways could the following sentences be analysed?
1 I would love Mary to teach me.

2 I would hate Joan to drive my car.
3 I advise you to be more careful.
4 May I invite you to join us?
5 We expect you to be here by eight.
6 I beseech you to come to our aid.
7 We wish you to help us.
8 Can you help us to regain our liberty?
9 We would allow you to live here for ever.
10 We beg you not to leave us.

CHAPTER V
TEXT ANALYSIS
I. WATCHING CHILDREN
Watching children, particularly when they don’t know you are doing so, is a particular pleasure.
Those quick changes of mood, for instance. Small boys who dribble an imaginary football down
the street and then get more interested in trying to balance on the edge of the kerb. And then
stand quite still to think for a few seconds before jumping up and down with their feet together
for no special reason, except that they feel like jumping up and down. Maybe the fact that I no
longer feel in the least like jumping up and down adds to the interest.
I once watched a child of about two-and-a-half trying to stamp on little waves breaking
across a wide Cornish beach. She stretched her hands out in pleasure with every little stamp and
her bathing pants fell lower and lower, till she jumped them off altogether but didn’t notice it, so
intent was she on the important job of stamping on those waves. She sang to herself a sort of
monotone running commentary on what she was doing and the sound of it, mingled with soft sea
noises, made a most pleasing music.
Some time ago my housekeeper had to go away for a while, and her place was taken by an
Austrian friend with a five-year-old daughter. Liesl couldn’t be left at home, so she came to
work too. She was very fair, nicely rounded, with fierce blue eyes and more curiosity than any
human being I have ever met. In her it was an energy that if harnessed could have run an entire
electrical plant. There was nothing idle about it, she wanted to know, and nothing short of
picking her up bodily and removing her from the room could stop her knowing.
Small Fry by Joyce Grenfell (Br
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II. FIRST IMPRESSIONS

When I first met Nina, I disliked her at once. She was wearing skintight pedal pushers, a flashy,
floppy top, and sneakers with no socks – bizarrely in appropriate even at our very informal

company. Soon, Nina was doggedly pumping me for information about the new department I
was running, where she hoped to get a permanent job. Not a chance, I thought. Not if I have
anything to say about it.
However, I didn’t. Within a few days she was ‘trying out’ for me. I gave her a moderately
difficult, uninteresting, and unimportant project that I didn’t need for months. It took that long
for her successor to untangle the mess she had made out it. Although I couldn’t have predicted
exactly what Nina would do, in three minutes flat I had assessed her as someone who could not
be relied upon to get a job done.
We all make snap judgments about strangers. Within seconds after we meet someone, we
take in a host of details and draw rather large conclusions from them. We may decide in an
instant whether it is someone’s nature to be warm or cold, friendly or hostile, anxious or calm,
happy or troubled. Unconsciously, we often ask and quickly answer certain questions: Will I
enjoy talking to him at this party? Will she make an interesting friend? Will he / she make a good
boss/sales manager/secretary/ spouse/ lover – for me? If we get to know the person better, we
may change our minds. But we may not have the chance.
From Nina’s inappropriate dress and aggressive behavior toward me, I’d decided she was
pushy, insensitive, and had poor judgment. I also had a lot of vague impressions I couldn’t
explain. It was as if a warning bell went off in my head. Its message: this person was not to be
trusted; her behavior would be unpredictable; she was motivated by an idiosyncratic agenda of
her own that I would never understand.
I was using a combination of observation, inference and intuition.
New Woman
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III. THE THOUGHTS OF HENRY WILT
Whenever Henry Wilt took the dog for a walk, or, to be more accurate, when the dog took him,
or, to be exact, when Mrs Wilt told them both to go and take themselves out of the house so that
she could do her yoga exercises, he always took the same route. In fact the dog followed the

route and Wilt followed the dog. They went down past the Post Office, across the playground,
under the railway bridge and out on to the footpath by the river. A mile along the river and then
under the railway line again and back through streets where the houses were bigger than Wilt’s
semi and where there were large trees and gardens and the cars were all Rovers and Mercedes.
It was here that Clem, a pedigree Labrador, evidently feeling more at home, did his business
while Wilt stood looking around rather uneasily, conscious that this was not his sort of
neighbourhood and wishing it was. It was about the only time during their walk that he was at all
aware of his surroundings. For the rest of the way Wilt’s walk was an interior one and followed
an itinerary completely at variance with his own appearance and that of his route. It was in fact a
journey of wishful thinking, a pilgrimage along trails of remote possibility involving the
irrevocable disappearance of Mrs Wilt, the sudden acquisition of wealth, power, what he would
do if he has appointed Minister of Education or, better still, Prime Minister. It was partly
concocted of a series of desperate expedients and partly in an unspoken dialogue so that anyone
noticing Wilt (and most people didn’t) might have seen his lips move occasionally and his mouth
curl into what he fondly imagined was a sardonic smile as he dealt with questions or parried
arguments with devastating repartee. It was on one of these walks taken in the rain after a
particularly trying day at the Tech that Wilt first conceived the notion that he would only be able
to fulfil his latent promise and call his life his own if some not entirely fortuitous disaster
overtook his wife.
Wilt by Tom Sharpe (BrE)
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IV. AN ENGLISH LESSON

I sat in on an English lesson at the Gamal Abdel Nasser Secondary School. The Scottisk instructor
– one of three Britons employed in the Yemeni school system – was driling the class in the
difference between the ‘present simple’ and the ‘present continuous’. There were twenty very
thin, very eager boys aged between about fourteen and twenty-two. They were part of that tiny
educated leaven in a country which has an illiteracy rate of ninety per cent, and they had tense,
ambitious faces. They had been trained to complete continually against each other, so that the
lesson turned into a kind of noisy grey hound race. The moment that the instructor was half-way

through a question, his voice was drowned by shouts of ‘Teacher! Teacher! Teacher!’ and I lost
sight of him behind the thicket of urgently raised hands. If a student began to stumble over an
answer, the other fought to grab the question for themselves, bellowing for Teacher’s attention. I
once taught for a term at a comprehensive school in England: had the children in my class ever
shown a small fraction of the enthusiasm displayed by these Yemeni students, I might have
stayed in the job a great deal longer. They were ravenous for the good marks and certificates
which would take them out of their villages and tenements, and they behaved as if every minute
spent in the classroom could make or break them.
Arabie Through the Looking Glass by Jonathan Raban (BrE)
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REVISION TEST
I. Read the following passage, then label the types and explain the meanings of the
underlined phrasal verbs :
Iris is like my former wife in that when she sleeps she sometimes has violent dreams. She
thrashes around in bed during the night and wakes in the morning drenched with sweat, the
nihgtgown sticking to her body. And like my former wife , she wants to tell me her dreams in
great detail and speculate as to what this stands for or that portends. My former wife used to
kick the covers off in the night and cry out in her sleep, as if someone were laying hands on her.
Once,in a particularly violent dream,she hit me on the ear with her fist I was in a dreamless
sleep ,but I struck out in the dark and hit her on the forehead.Then we began yelling.We both
yelled and yelled.We’d hurt each other,but we were mainly scared.We had no idea what had
happened until I turned the lamp on ; then we sorted it out . Afterwards, we joked about it-
fistfighting in our sleep.
II/A- Underline the multi-word verbs in the letter and try to work out what they mean,
what kind of multi-word verbs they are.
“ I’m having problems with my studies at school. I find it difficult to get down to work in
the evening and I can’t concentrate on anything at the moment. I spend most of my time
listening to music or watching TV instead of doing my homework . The other students in my
class are much better than I am and I have difficulty in keeping up with them . I sometimes
have problems with following the lessons as well. I can’t always take down the important
things my teachers says because I write so slowly. She has told me that I’m falling behind with
my studies. I’m not good at writing essays and I usually hand in my homework late because I
put off doing it until the last minute. So I often have to invent silly excuses to explain why I
haven’t done the work . I’m sure I’m not going to get through my final exam in January. I
scraped through the mock exams last June with 54% - All the other students passed with flying
colours. I’m now so far behind that I don’t know how I’m going to catch up with them . My
teacher spent some time going through my homework with me but she found so many mistakes
that I felt even more depressed . What do you suggest I do ? ”
B- Using the multi- word verbs in the text above to replace the verbs in the following
sentences :
1. Can I give you my homework tomorrow?

..........................................................................................................................................
2. Can you check my homework to see if there are mistakes ?
....................................................................................................................................
3. Could we postpone our meeting until tomorrow ?
....................................................................................................................................
4. I must begin work.
...................................................................................................................................

5. I didn’t pass the exam.

....................................................................................................................................
6. I passed my history exams with only 52% .
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7. Can I write down your name and address?
...................................................................................................................................
8. She’s remaining at the making progress with their studies, but I’m getting
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9. I must try to reach the same level as the other students in my class.
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III. Analyse the following sentences:

1.Anxious to finish all the typing that had accummulated, the secretary told the manager,
when he was going to leave the office, that she decided to work overtime until she completed
the work without having lunch and he, a very kind man, agreed and asked if she had anything to
eat.
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2. Watching children, particularly when they don’t know you are doing so, is a particular
pleasure.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…
IV. Replace the underlined words, using the verbs indicated at the head of the sentence
together with an adverbial or prepositional particle, making any necessary changes in
word order,and identifying their kinds:
Example:
TAKE: He resembles his father in many ways.
> He takes after his father in many ways. ( Type 3- prepositional verb)
1. TURN : The manager refused his request for two days off.
………………………………………………………………………………….
2. GET : She is so upset at her husband’s death that I don’t think she will ever
recover from the shock.
………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………….

3. TAKE: That teacher has a way with students: they seem to like her immediately.
……………………………………………………………………………………
4. PUT : I had to postpone my visit because of the weather.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
5. PUT : He refused to tolerate laziness on the part of his students.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
6. STAND: What does this abbreviation mean?
…………………………………………………………………………………..
7. COME: While looking through the books he found an old and valuable map.
……………………………………………………………………………………
8. GIVE : Although he agreed with me on most points, there was one on which he was
unwilling to yield.
……………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
V. Identify the non-finite and verbless clauses in the following sentences, then denote their
names and functions:
1. Having received their final medical check, the astronauts boarded their spacecraft.
……………………………………………………………………………………………
2. The thieves took two mail-bags containing registered letters.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. Closing the factory means putting people out of work.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Not very happy with the result, she said nothing to her classmates.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
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5. The long journey over, we relax in the warm sunshine.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
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6. He likes being invited to parties.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. The worst thing at University is retaking examinations.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. We are happy having you with us today.
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
9. Used economically, one tin can last for at least 4 weeks.
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
10. Her ambition, to be a teacher, was never fulfilled.
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
11. To be honest, I’m not sure what to do.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
12. All he did was hit his son on the head.

……………………………………………………………………………………………..
13. We come to see you .
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
14. Cleared, the site will be very valuable.
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
VI. Say whether the complementation in each of the following sentences is intensive,
monotransitive, ditransitive or complex transitive:
1. Transportation to the mainland is by ferry.
……………………………………………………………………………………………
2. They blamed him for the damage.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
3. They had made good use of the language lab.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
4. I am not familiar with this town.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
5. We are proud to have her as a friend.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
6. Ah,now I know where we went wrong.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
7. I would love John to teach me.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
8. We wish you to help us.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
9. We admitted that a mistake had been made.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
10. We expect you to show a little more tact.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
11. Everyone considered the mistake to be very serious.
……………………………………………………………………………………………..
12.We have not kept pace with the latest research.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
13. I advise you to be more careful.
……………………………………………………………………………………………
14. I am sure that she is here now.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
15. John put the car into the garage.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….

BOOKS FOR REFERENCE
1. A Comprehensive English Grammar for foreign students.

( C. E ECKERSLEY and J. M ECKERSLEY)
2. A University Grammar of English.

(RANDOLPH QUIRK and SIDNEY GREENBAUM)
3. Advanced English Practice.

( B.D. GRAVER)
4. A Communicative Grammar of English.

(GEOFFREY LEECH & JAN SVARTVIK)

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LEÂ THÒ THIEÄP

CHAPTER I: NON- FINITE & VERBLESS CLAUSES......................................... 4

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

III. THE THOUGHTS OF HENRY WILT ......................................................... 65

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

II- VERBLESS CLAUSES

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

Long and untidy, his hair waved in the breeze.

III- OMISSION IN NON – FINITE AND VERBLESS CLAUSES

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

NON- FINITE AND VERBLESS CLAUSES

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

30. This duty completed, he had three months’ leave.

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

I- ANALYSIS OF SIMPLE SENTENCES

Walking can help improve your health.

• Seven sentence patterns of the simple sentence:

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

II- ANALYSIS OF COMPOUND SENTENCES

A compound sentence is made up of two (or more) co-ordinate clauses joining by

III- ANALYSIS OF COMPLEX SENTENCES

Clause Kind of Function Connecting

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

Branch diagram: Principle clause

Noun cl. Adverb cl. Adjective cl.

Clause Kind of clause Function Connecting

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

I- PREPOSITIONS AND ADVERB PARTICLES

My car’s just broken down.

II- PHRASAL VERBS

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

1. Type 1: Intransitive phrasal verbs

2.Type 2: Transitive phrasal verbs

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

III- PREPOSITIONAL VERBS

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

IV- PHRASAL-PREPOSITIONAL VERBS

Some multi-word verbs consist of a verb followed by two particles:

As with single-word transitives and prepositional verbs, we cannot insert an adverb

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

Other examples of phrasal-prepositional verbs: break in on (the

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

1. Back up the hill. 4. Come off my bed.

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

7. Swim across the river. 14. I took to John at once.

1. They looked a at b the picture c (carefully)

1. The Spartans brought up their children strictly.

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

I was looking for that book ~

1. We were just talking about that article.

5. I think we should leave this sentence out.

6. We have not yet dealt with this paragraph.

Leâ Thò Thieäp Khoa Ngoaïi Ngöõ

7. We must now see to this matter.

8. I was looking forward to that film.

10. You should get on with this job first.

Exercise 7. *Word order after phrasal and prepositional verbs

3. Who’s looking after your house while you’re away?

4. Employees working in research departments are forbidden to give away confidential

5. We might have known he would blurt out the news to everybody!

6. I looked at the problem quite differently