40
ENGLISH GRAMMAR FOR TODAY
SENTENCES AND THEIR PARTS
37
Exercise 2e (answers on p.202)  ^ \
Insert the function labels S (subject), P (predicator), and O (object) as appropriate in front of the phrase brackets in the following sentences. Tip: first identify the predicator, then the subject, and then the object (if any): .rfw-fc**
1. l(MLittle "joanna) (Aux was ^"sleeping)].
2. [(^his^jobH^must^be ^finished)].
3. [(MThe ^poor "girl) C^has Mvseen) (^seven "ghosts)].
4. [("You) (^"*must ^"meet) (Mmy "wife)].
5. KMMy "train) (^is ^leaving)].
(b) Form classes of word: noun (N), verb (V), adjective (Aj), adverb ^v)7and prepositibn (p)
(c) Form classes of phrase: noun phrase (NP), verb phrase (VP), adjective phrase (AjP), adverb phrase (AvP), genitive phrase (GP) and prepositional phrase (PP).......
(d) Function classes within the phrase: modifier (M) and head (//); auxiliary verb (Aux) and main verb (My).
(e) Function classes within the clause: subject (5), object (O), predicator (P) (two further elements, complement (C) and adverbial (A), will be considered later).
(f) The following conventions for brackets:
( ): round brackets enclose a phrase [ ]: square brackets enclose a clause { }: curly brackets enclose an optional constituent.
Figure 2.5
CI Se/Cl
S P C A Ph
r-^n    r1"! r-1-]
M H   Aux   Mv     M       H     M     H Wo
I ill        I        i I."
I III        II       i I
I |       II        I        i       I       i .
Aunt Gladys has seemed rather grumpy just recently
Alternatively, we can represent the same sentence as a bracketing with function labels:
mVUOU (12d) [^Aunt "Gladys) ^'"has ^seemed) ^rather "grumpy) MW*<i. A (MJ«st "recently)].
[Now try Exercises 2d and 2e.]
2.6 Summary
In this chapter we have introduced in a preliminary way:
(a)   A rank scale consisting pLfQM^^^ phrase (Ph), and word (Wo).
Exercises
Exercise 2a
It is a significant point about nonsense words, such as those in Jabberwocky, that we can put these words to work in new sentences which we know to be grammatical. For example:
1. A tove is mimsier than a rath, but a borogove is mimsiest of all.
2. Did you see that slithy tove gimbling and outgribing?
But the following, for example, is not grammatical:
3. * I momed a rath mimsy.
Think up five new examples of (a) sentences which are grammatical, and of (b) sentences which are ungrammatical, using Carroll's nonsense words. Discuss the reasons for the differences between (a) and (b). Also, see how many grammatical forms of the same word (e.g. mimsy/'mimsier/ mimsiest) you can find.
Exercise 2b   **■ (answers on p. 200)
Draw tree diagrams like Figure 2.1 (p. 29) for the following sentences:
1. [(Those students) (have made) (an interesting discovery)].
2. [(Without doubt) (theplay) (has been) (tremendously successful)].
Now reduce these diagrams to (a) abbreviated tree diagrams, and (b) unlabeled tree diagrams. Lastly, translate the tree diagrams shown in Figures 2.6a and 2.6b overleaf into bracketed sentences like 1 and 2:
38
ENGLISH GRAMMAR FOR TODAY
r
Ph _J_
Figure 2.6a
a
-j---f-
Ph Ph
Ph
Wo Wo   Wo     Wo      Wo Wo Wo Wo l       II        l l     li I
I       III l     l    I I
I       I      I        II     II I
Tawny owls were hooting loudly in the wood
Wo I
Figure 2.6b
CI
Ph Ph ' Ph
r^i r1! rh
Wo   Wo    Wo   Wo Wo Wc I
Wo I
Ph
Wo  Wo     Wo Wo
l     li i
III I
I      I       I       I      I     I        I I
The critics have slated his plays without mercy
Exercise 2c
Using expansion and substitution (2.4.1-2.4.2), convert the one-word phrases in the following sentences into units of two or more words (choose your own vocabulary, and make minimal changes to the sentence as it stands):
1. [(Tonight) (we) (leave) (London)].
2. [(Sometimes) (she) (looks) (young)].
Now, using subtraction and substitution (2.4.2-2.4.3), reduce the phrases of the following sentences to one-word phrases, so that each sentence consists of just four words (you may use pronouns such as he, she, it and they as substitutes):
3. [(The paintings in the Ducal Palace) (are considered) (without doubt) (his greatest masterpieces)]. L'
4. [(Her first novel) (had made) (Emily Bronte) (almost as famous as her sister)].
SENTENCES AND THEIR PARTS
39
Exercise 2d      (answers on p. 200) 1.   Translate the tree diagram shown in Figure 2.7 into a sentence with bracketing labelled with form labels, like (12c), p. 33.
Figure 2.7
CI
AvP
Av l
NP _L_
VP
NP
NP
N I
N
i
N l
v      v        V N III I ! I III II .
I I       'I        |      | | III
Typically, Aunt Belinda had been uttering platitudes all evening
2. Translate the following sentence into a labelled tree diagram, like Figure 2.4, p. 33:
CI [NP(N Jane) vp(vis vending) Np(Ajmodern AjFrench Nliterature) AjP(Ajiascinating)].
3. Translate the tree diagram shown in Figure 2.8 into a sentence with bracketing labelled with function labels like (12d), p. 36.
Figure 2.8
CI
H I
S
J_
I
P
M I
H     Awe Mv
I
I
I
0
H I
M M I I
1 1 I
II        I I        I ill
Next the orchestra will perform Brahms's third symphony
4.   Translate the following sentence into a labelled tree diagram like Figure 2.8:
[^"Gertrude) V"*can ^type) ^business "letters) ^(Mvery H rapidly)].