The Object. Ways of expressing. Types of objects and complements.

Objects: direct(He wrote the article)

indirect(I'll show you the garden)

prepositional(You can rely on Tom)

Complement: subject(Bill is a policeman)

object(I found the map helpful)

predicate(The fare costs $150.I wish you success)

How to distinguish between Ob. & Compl.

· Ob. refer to participants in the event different from the Sub.(I wrote a letter)

Sub. and Object Complements predicate smth about the Sub. or the Obj.

· Singular or plural,the Obj. is independant of The Sub(I wrote a letter/two letters)

There's number agreement between the Sub. or Obj. and its Complement(He is a policeman.- They are policemen)

· Objects can become Sub. in a passive clause ( I wrote a letter- The letter was written by me)

Complements do not become Sub. in Passive Clauses( I wish you success- *You are wished success)

· Objects can be expressed by pronouns( I wrote it(them))

Many Complements cannot be replaced by a personal pronoun( He is a student- *He is he)

THE DIRECT OBJECT is the single prepositional object of a monotransitive verb ( I wrote a poem) or one of the two objects of a ditransitive verb that has no prepositional paraphrase (They sent me a telegram). It can become subject in a passive clause (The poem was written. A telegram was sent to me)

THE INDIRECT OBJECT is one of two objects of a ditransitive verb that has a prepositional paraphrase (They sent me a telegram. They sent a telegram to me). It become subject in a passive clause (I was sent a telegram). Indirect objects denoting recipient of the action directly involved in the process can be replaced by a to-phrase (We paid them the money.We paid the money to them)

It's a list of verbs which take recipient indirect objects with alternative to-phrase. They are verbs of transferring goods, services or information from one person to another: bring,give,grant,hand,lend,offer,owe,pass,pay,post,promise,read,sell,send,show,teach,tell,write

Indirect objects denoting beneficiaries(for whose sake the action is carried out) correspond to a phrase with the preposition for ( I'll get you some coffee.I'll get some coffee for you)

The following verbs take beneficiary indirect object with an alternative for-construction. They denote actions carried out on smb's behalf or for smb's benefit:book,bring,build,buy,cash,cook,cut,fetch,find,fix,get, guarantee,keep,leave,make,mix,play,pour,prepare,reserve,save,spare,win,write

Two possible sequences of the direct and the ind. objects.

1) verb- non-prepositional ind. object- direct object

2) verb- direct object- prepositional object

The direct obj.: usually goes immediately after the predicate verb (He wrote the article a day ago)

The ind. obj.: a) after the verb of inducement has a fixed position- just before Od (He ordered me to get up)

b) after a verb of benefaction (to buy,to offer) two possible positions:1) before the Od (without the preposition to)- (She offered him a sandwich. He bought her a bunch of roses); 2)after the Od (always with the preposition to/for*)- (She offered a sandwich to him. He bought a bunch of roses for her)

* this position makes the ind.obj. a little more emphatic

** this position is obligatory when: 1)both objects are personal pronouns (Give him to me); 2) the direct obj. is a personal pronoun, while the indirect object is a noun (Show it to John)

THE PREPOSITIONAL OBJECT is an object introduced by a preposition. The nominal element following the preposition can become subject in a passive clause (We agreed on the plan)

THE COGNATE OBJECT is a special type of obj. which is the only non-prepositional object of an otherwise intransitive verb and is always expressed by nouns derived from, or semantically related to, the root of the verb (The child smiled the smile and laughed the laugh of contentment)

THE SUBJECT COMPLEMENT is the obligatory constituent which follows a link verb (be,seem,feel,get,become,go,grow,turn,sound,smell,look,etc.) and cannot be made subject in a passive clause.The subject compl. denotes:1)the attribute of the subject (She is 22 years old.He is a very lucky man);

2)its identity (The Rolsinsons are our neighbours)

3)a circumstance (The exam is next Tuesday.He is in a doog mood)

THE OBJECT COMPLEMENT refers to the direct object and denotes:

1) its identity (They appointed him Manager)

2)attribute (We found the secretary helpful)

3)circumstances (I like them on toast. Do you take me for a genuis?)

The object compl. cannot become subject of a passive clause

THE PREDICATE COMPLEMENT is the obligatory constituent of the clause which refers to the predicate and become the subject of the passive clause.Predicate compl. can follow:

1)relation verbs (have,possess,lack,suit,marry,resembel,contain,fit):Will 5 o'clock suit you? We have plenty of time.

2)verbs of measure (measure,cost,take,weigh): Each ticket costs 2 dollars.

3)verbs which denote a manner of movement (creep,slide,slip,steal): H stole out of the lecture room

4)miscellaneous verbs like: complain,wish,wonder,fancy,bother ( I wish you success)

Predicate compl. can be both prepositional and non-prep. (Joe resembles his father. This kind of landscape remains me of Zimbabue)

The formal Object It

Some verbs cannot take an infinitive object or a clausal object. In this case the formal object it precedes the notional object. It's called INTRODUCTORY IT .The sentence thus has two objects, the formal object IT and a notional object, which is an infinitive or a clause.

The verbs believe,consider,find,hold,judge,presume,reckon,think with IT as their object followed by a complement and an infinitive are used to show the speaker's opinion of an action (Margaret found it difficult to speak)

Formal IT can introduce the notional object expressed by a claused after the verbs adore,dislike,enjoy,hold,like,loath,love,prefer showing the speaker's feeling about a place or situation (He knew that he would hate it if they said no)

The same patterns can also be used after the verbs leave,make,owe,take ( I leave it to you to decide)

The formalobject IT can also be used, rather informally, as a semantically empty or dummy (impersonal) object to allow certain verbs,transitive and intransitive, to form complete predicates: They ran for it (=tried to escape) You're in for it (=you're going to be in trouble) Go it alone (=do smth by oneself)

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 2195