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Speak on morphological characteristics of the gerund

The category of voice

P1 of transitive verbs has voice distinctions. The opposition of the active and passive forms reveals the category of voice. Active Ps denote that the action is performed by the subject; passive participles show that the subject is acted upon. /Compare 4 forms/. The subject of the P doesn’t necessarily coincide with the subject of the sentence. A word modified by the participle can act as its subject/I don’t know the man playing the violin./The nominal element of a predicative construction serves as the subject of the participle/I heard the boy playing a wonderful piece./ P2 of transitive verbs are always passive in their meaning: drawned, discussed, done, etc. There are intransitive verbs that can be used to form P2 which are always active in meaning. P2 of an intransitive verb denotes passing into a new state /arrived guests, faded pictures, risen sun etc./ As some verbs can be used both transitively and intransitively, their P2 can have both active and passive meanings/The letter had some hidden meaning. He lay hidden in the leaves./

4. Speak on the syntactic characteristics of the participle and the participle as a parenthesis
Syntactic functions refer to constituents in a sentence – subject, predicates, attributes, adverbials, etc. – and relationships between them. The ways in which Ps function in sentences reflect their verbal, adjectival and adverbial character. Syntactically, the verbal character of the P is expressed in its combinability. Ps have the combinability of verbs. (1)Ps can be modified by adverbials /Smiling heartily; promptly served/; (2) Ps1 of transitive verbs can take direct objects /Grabbing the book, he rushed out/. The adjectival character of Ps is manifested in their syntactic function: -Ps can function as attributes or predicatives. The adverbial character of the P also reveals itself syntactically. Ps can function as adverbials of different types. In sentences participles may form: (1) participle phrases that operate as one syntactic whole. Thus, we find phrasal attributes, phrasal predicatives and phrasal adverbials; (2) predicative complex constructions that operate as one syntactic whole. We find complex subjects, complex objects and complex adverbials.

Non-perfect active P1 or P2can be used within a syntactically independent element – parenthesis.In this function we always find participle phrase never a single participle. A parenthesis is added to a speech r piece of writing: *to give extra information; *to show the way the speaker or writer thinks and feels about somebody or something; *to provide an explanation or comment upon the whole sentence (broadly/generally, legally, properly, roughly, strictly speaking; speaking for myself, personally; speaking/talking of the devil; putting it mildly, crudely; stated curt, sharply, bluntly, crudely; simply stated; as mentioned above.
In writing parentheses are separated from the rest of the text by commas, dashes or brackets.

Speak on morphological characteristics of the gerund



The morphological characteristics of the gerund reveal its verbal nature.

The category of time correlation
Gerund do not have the category of tense and can not refer an action directly to the present, past or future. Their time reference can be understood through the reference of the action expressed by the gerund to the time of the finite verb. The category of time correlation is revealed in the opposition of non-perfect and perfect forms.
The non-perfect gerund may describe:
1. the action that takes place at the same time with the action of the finite verb
He is/was/will be surprised at seeing us.
2. an action that follows the action of the finite verb
She has an odd feeling about going to the party the following day.
3. an action that refers to no particular time
Stretching exercises helped him to relax.
4. an action that precedes the action of the finite verb
Non-perfect gerund can be used to express actions that precedes the action of the finite verb
- after verbs of recollection: recall, recollect, remember
- after verbs/predicative word group of gratitude: appreciate, be grateful for, the thankful for, be glad about, thank for, express gratitude for , show gratitude for
- after verbs/predicative word groups of blame and reproach: accuse, blame, be responsible for
- after verbs of punishment: disciple for, fine for, penalize for
- of reward: admire, approve of, commend for/on
- after the prepositions: on, upon, after and since
Perfect gerunds in these cases emphasize the gap of time between the actions of the finite verb and the gerund.

The category of voice
Gerunds o transitive verbs have voice distinctions.
I prefer reading to being read.
Gerunds are active in form, but passive in meaning after the predicative word group be worth and the verbs of deserve, need, require and want.
The essay was not worth reading.

6. Speak on syntactic characteristics of the gerund
The verbal character of the gerund is expressed in its combinability.
- gerund can be modified by adverbials
I enjoy walking slowly in the park.
- gerund can take prepositional objects
I have no objections to hearing about his travel again.
- gerunds of transitive verbs take direct and indirect objects
His hobby is watching TV.
Thank you for providing us shelter.

The nominal character of the gerund reveals itself in its syntactic functions and combinability.
- gerunds can function as subjects, predicative or object
It’s so nice meeting you.
What pleased him was dancing with the princess.
I like dining out.

- gerunds used as predicatives, objects, attributes or adverbials can take prepositions
The way to achieve success is by joining our effort.
Fear sometimes stops you from doing stupid things.
Robinson never lost hope of leaving an island.
On taking off the plane disappeared in the clouds.

- gerunds can combine with nouns in the possessive case or possessive pronouns
I am proud of my students’ coming first in the tournament.
Excuse my calling so late, Jess.

- gerunds can combine with the determiner NO
There is no avoiding the fight.
Gerunds perform their syntactic functions alone or in combination with other words.

7. Speak on verbals as subjects
Inf subjects follow 2 pattern. In p1 the inf subject if placed 1st.
To compromise appears advisable.
P2 is characteristic of everyday language. The inf subject is introduced by a formal subject IT.
It appears advisable to compromise.
Interrogative sentences follow p2.
any form of the inf can be used o express the subject.
simple
To understand is to forgive.
phrasal
To ask him again was impossible.
complex
For him to earn bread was a problem.

Gerund subjects follow 3 patterns.
p1. Gerund subjects precede the predicates. Any form can be used.
Learning without thought is labour lost.
p2. The introductory IT is placed 1st to emphasise the meaning of the gerund subject. Any form of the gerund can be used. Common predicates in such cases are: be of no use, be no good, be worth, make all the/no difference
It’s no good beating about the bush.
p3. The introductory THERE is used to emphasise gerund subjects preceded by NO. Only non-pergect gerunds follow this pattern.
There is no avoiding the fight.
simple
Studying is important.
phrasal
Studying computers becomes important nowadays.
complex
Irene’s studying foreign languages will do her a world of good.

8. Speak on the inf as a part of a predicate
Predicates are mainly expressed by non-perfect inf, both active and passive.
The inf can be:
simple
His plan was to return.
phrasal
His plan was to keep the affair secret.
complex
His plan was for us to join the group.
The subject of the CNP with an inf predicative can be expressed by:
1. certain nouns – action, advice, aim
2. words all, the most, the least with an attribute clause attached to them
3. a single inf, inf phrase or inf construction
To see is to believe.
4. a clause
What Napoleon wanted to do was to fight the whole world.
Inf can be used as a part of a predicative. It’s mainly the non-pefect active inf.
She is easy to deal with.
The inf used as a part of a predicative follow:
-adj
-nouns
In this function the inf are active in form but passive in meaning.
Japanese is difficult to learn.

9. Speak on the participle as a apt of a predicate
The predicate is the second main part of the sentence and its organizing centre. Structurally, it can be either simple or compound. There are compound nominal and compound verbal predicates.

Ps in simple verbal predicates
Non-perfect P1 active after the auxiliary ‘be’ is used in continuous tense forms.
P2 after the auxiliary ‘be’ is used in passive tense forms.
P2 after the auxiliary verb ‘have’ is used in perfect tense forms.

Ps in compound predicates
The P as a predicative.
A predicative is a notional part of a compound nominal predicate. The structural part of a compound nominal predicate is expressed by a link verb. Non-perfect active P1 and P2 can function as predicatives.
Non-perfect active P1 is used as a predicative after link verbs look, remain, seem.
With the link-verb ‘be’ P1 becomes adjectivized and loses its verbal character.
P2 is used as a predicative after a wider range of link verbs. Besides look, remain., seem we can employ be, become, get, grow, feel, stay and turn.
P2 of a transitive verb denotes a state which is usually the result of a prior action. Occasionally Ps2 of transitive verbs can also be used predicatively. These Ps are passive in form, but active in meaning.


Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1857


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