THE PREDICATE VERB COMPLEMENTATION. Intransitive Verbs.

The predicate is the verbal component of a sentence or clause which expresses a state, an action, or an event. The predicate may consist simply of a verb as in Tom disappeared or of a verb followed by one or more complements, that is words or phrases added to a verb to complete the predicate, without which sentences would be incomplete as in All the men wore* [dark suits], or have a different meaning as in They found the test [difficult].

Every verb or class of verbs can be followed by the particular number and type of objects and complements.

The main types of complementation are:

INTRANSITIVE VERBS

Intransitive verbs denote actions and events which involve only one person or thing, the performer of the action. Intransitive verbs can be divided into two main classes:

1) Pure intransitives, which are almost exclusively intransitive, such as appear, fade, rise, rain.

It is raining. The sun rose.

Many pure intransitives express behavior which is typically involuntary, as blush, cough, faint, smile, scream.

Verbs of position such as be, belong, hang, lie, live, remain, sit, stand, stay and verbs of movement such as come, crawl, creep, drift, flow, gallop, glide, go, plunge, run, soar, spring, stroll, travel, walk require a complement (an obligatory adverbial) denoting place, direction or time.

I used to live here. He strolled towards the bar.

2) Verbs used both transitively and intransitively.

a) Some transitive verbs in very restricted contexts can be

used intransitively. For example, when you are contrasting

two actions: We gave, he took.

— if you use a list of different verbs for emphasis or contrast:

They set out to be rude: to defy, to threaten, to tease. She had ceased to love as she once loved.

— or if the referent of the object is clearly understood: It is dangerous to drive if you have been drinking.

b) Some verbs can be used transitively, followed by the object, or intransitively, without the original performer being mentioned. I opened the door and saw Laura. Suddenly the door opened. These verbs are called ergative verbs. Many ergative verbs relate specifically to certain areas of meaning. For example, there are a number which relate to food and cooking: bake, boil, cook, fry, roast, simmer. The porridge is boiling. The rice is cooking. Some verbs are used ergatively with one or two nouns only: The hat caught on a bolt (with articles of clothing). His happiness showed in his smile (about emotions, fear, anger). There are a small number of ergative verbs which usually have an obligatory adverbial of manner. These verbs are: clean, freeze, handle, polish, sell, stain, wash. Wool washes well.

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 1528