Transcript Grammar Log #3

Grammar Log #3
Cornell
Notes
Out!
Today’s Agenda
Infinitive verbs
Transitive verbs
Intransitive verbs
Copular verbs
Prepositional Phrases
Adverbial Prepositional Phrases
Adjectival Prepositional Phrases
Appositive Phrases
Active and Passive Voice
Infinitive Verbs
Infinitive verbs use the word
“to” before them.
Example: “to go” “to shop”
It’s hard to study on a
Saturday night.
Usually, the word “to” is a
preposition meaning “toward”
I’m going to the store.
Transitive Verbs
Transitive Verbs are followed by at
least one “Free Noun Phrase”
This “Free NP” is affected by the
verb itself. It is the “Direct Object”
of the sentence.
It may be a reflexive pronoun
ending in “-self”…himself, herself,
ourselves…NEVER “hisself”!!!
Intransitive Verbs
Intransitive Verbs-are NOT
followed by free NPs in the
predicate phrase
A subject whose verb is intransitive
indicates that a subject NP is doing
something that directly affects only
itself:
Horatio slept.
Horatio slept restlessly on the sofa
for a long time.
Copular Verbs
Copular Verbs-assign a subject to a
class. Usually, it’s easy to see
because it uses “be” form verbs.
Subject
Horatio
John
They
Copular Verb
is
is
are
Classification
a baker.
a mortician.
Wiccans.
Copular Verbs
In order to see the verb as
copular, you must see if it classifies
something.
Example:
The tomatoes grew ripe in the sunshine.
noun
verb
adjective
Notice the adjective “ripe” after the verb
“grew”…it describes tomatoes…if you see
this…you have a classification of what type
of tomatoes.
Prepositional Phrases
What is a preposition?
Prepositions show place in
space (spatial) and in time
(temporal).
The squirrel ran UP the tree.
Ere, the night goes slowly.
I will not rest until we meet
again.
Prepositional Phrases
Common prepositions that START
prepositional phrases:
Aboard, between about, betwixt, of, off,
above, beyond, below, against, by virtue
of, by way of, by means of, in opposition
to, inside, into, via, to, past, out of, on
behalf of, with, barring, beneath, apart
from, aslant, in spite of, like, onto,
considering, concerning, for the sake of,
despite, athwart, and many, many more!
Prepositional Phrases
Prepositional Phrases include:
1 preposition + 1 noun phrase
(P)
(NP)
Over
the river
Through
the woods
To
Grandmother’s house
Prepositional Phrases
Let’s use a Prepositional Phrase Tree
PP
P
PP
NP
D
Over the
P
N
river
NP
D
N
to Grandmother’s house
Adverbial Prepositional
Phrases
If the prepositional phrase
modifies the verb…it’s an
adverbial prepositional phrase.
Example:
We live in a housing project.
“in a housing project” modifies
where they “live”…so, it is
acting like an adverb.
Adverbial Prepositional
Phrases
My kid is lying on the rug half
asleep.
She was quiet for a long time.
In a moment someone will get
up and turn on the lights.
She stood up from the window
and came over to me.
Adverbial Prepositional
Phrases
My kid is lying on the rug half asleep.
How is she lying?
She was quiet for a long time.
In a moment, someone will get up
and turn on the lights. “the lights” is
a “free NP”…so, “on” is not a
preposition…it’s a “verb particle”
When will someone get up? Remember
prepositions also indicate time!
She stood up from the window and
came over to me. Where?
Adjectival Prepositional
Phrases
They are prepositional phrases not
necessarily adjectives.
They “act” like adjectives that
modify the NOUN
The barn swallow on the porch
flew straight into Grandma’s hair.
“on the porch” describes “where”
the barn swallow’s position.
“into Grandma’s hair” is adverbial.
That shows “how”
Adjectival Prepositional
Phrases
We went to the only nightclub
on a short, dark street near
downtown.
Where’s the adjectival
prepositional phrase?
Adjectival Prepositional
Phrases
We went to the only nightclub on a
short, dark street near downtown.
“On a short, dark street” describes
“where” the noun “nightclub” is
located.
“near downtown” describes where
the “street” in the first
prepositional phrase is located.
Appositive Phrases
It’s “a” “positive” identification!
It’s a noun phrase that renames
the noun phrase before it.
Example:
Ms. Richards, my English teacher,
is a crazy lady.
“Ms. Richards” is your “English
teacher”
Appositive Phrases
This is what the phrase structure tree looks like:
S
NP
NP
N
PredP
NP
D
A
N
Ms. Richards my English teacher
VP
NP
V D A N
is
a crazy lady.
Appositive Phrases
Two types of appositive phrases:
Restrictive-is NOT set off by
commas (,)
The band Cypress Hill has been around forever!
Non-restrictive-DOES have
commas:
 Ramen Noodles, my Miniature
Rottoodle, is insane.
Active and Passive
Voice
Active voice “shows” the
reader.
Passive voice “tells” the
reader.
Active Voice
The chicken crossed the road.

NP
D
N
The chicken
Subject
S
PredP.
VP
NP
V
D
N
crossed
the road.
action
object
Passive Voice
The road was crossed by the chicken.


S
NP
D
The road
N
VP
aux. v
was crossed by
PredP.
PP
P
NP
D
N
the chicken.