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Verbs in Relation to Verb Complementation 11-69 1168 Complementation of verbs and adjectives Verbs in relation to verb complementation 11-69 They may be either copular (clause pattern SVC), or complex transitive verbs, or monotransitive verbs with a noun phrase object), we can give only (clause pattern SVOC): a sample of common verbs. In any case, it should be borne in mind that the list of verbs conforming to a given pattern is difficult to specífy exactly: there SVC: break even, plead guilty, Iie 101V are many differences between one variety of English and another in respect SVOC: cut N short, work N loose, rub N dry of individual verbs, and many cases of marginal acceptability. Sometimes the idiom contains additional elements, such as an infinitive (play hard to gel) or a preposition (ride roughshod over ...). Note The term 'valency' (or 'valencc') is sometimes used, instead of complementation, ror the way in (The 'N' aboye indicates a direct object in the case oftransitive examples.) which a verb determines the kinds and number of elements that can accompany it in the clause. Valency, however, incIudes the subject 01' the clause, which is excluded (unless extraposed) from (b) VERB-VERB COMBINATIONS complementation. In these idiomatic constructions (ef 3.49-51, 16.52), the second verb is nonfinite, and may be either an infinitive: Verbs in intransitive function 16.19 Where no eomplementation oecurs, the verb is said to have an INTRANSITIVE make do with, make (N) do, let (N) go, let (N) be use. Three types of verb may be mentioned in this category: or a participle, with or without a following preposition: (l) 'PURE' INTRANSITIVE VERas, which do not take an object at aH (or at put paid to, get rid oJ, have done with least do so only very rarely): leave N standing, send N paeking, knock N fiying, get going John has arrived. Your views do not matter. (c) VBRBS GOVERNlNG TWO PREPOSITIONS Examples: These are a further varíant on prepositional verbs: appear die fall happen rise It developedfrom a small club into a mass organization in three years. come digress go líe wait (11) VBRBS WHICH CAN ALSO BE TRANSITIVE Wlm THE SAME MBANING, and Similarly: strugg/e with N for N, compete with Nfor N, apply to Nfor N, ta/k without a change in the subject-verb relationship. Informally, such to N about N. Normally either one or both prepositional phrases can be verbs can be described as having an 'understood object' (efApp 1.54): omitted; eg: He smokes (a pipe). I am reading (a book). It developed into a mass organization in three years. But in sorne cases the intransitive verb acquires a more specific Note To end Ihis survey of verb idiorns and their grammatical characteristics, mentíon may be made meaning, so that a particular kind of object is 'understood'; eg: John of rare patterns such as make surelcerrain followed by a rhar·c1ause; see jir followed by a ro· drinlrs !u'(1/,i!y ['drinh alcoholT infinitive; and verb + noun combinations such as (urn rurlle and rurn ¡rairor. Examples: approaeh drive help pass win drink enter leave play write Verbs in relation to verb complementation (111) VBRBS WHICH CAN ALSO BE TRANSITIVE, but where the semantic connection between subject and verb is different in the two cases; eg the intransitive use has an affected participant as subject (ef 1O.21f), 16.18 In 16.20-67 we survey types of verb complementation, before turning to whereas the transitive use has an agentive as subject (ef App 1.54): adjective complementation (16.68-83), and (more briefiy) to noun comple­ mentation (16.84-5). Many verbs are versatile enough to allow several The door opened slowly. ef: Mary opened the door. complementation types (ef the discussion, for example, of get in lO.3). It is The car stopped. el: He stopped the caro therefore likely to bemisleading to talkof'intransitive verbs', 'monotransitive Examples: verbs', 'complex transitive verbs', etc. Rather, it ís often better to say that begin close inerease turn walk verbs have 'monotransitive use', 'monotransitive complementation', etc. ehange drop move unite work Although one verb may belong to a number of different complementation Type (111) also includes intransitive verbs with MuTUAL PARTICIPATION types, it is usually possible to observe a common ground of meaning in tbe (efI3.60), as in: various uses. For each type of complementation, we give a list of verbs belonging to that 1 have metyou. '" We have meto pattern. No claim of completeness i5 made for these lists; when the The bus eollided with the caro - The bus and car collided. membership of a type is smaH, a fairly exhaustive list of verbs is given, Intransitive verbs are numerous, particularIy in categories (JI) and whereas when the membership is very large (as in the case of intransitive (III). 11-70 Complementation of verbs and adjectives Types of verb complementation 1171 Note [a] The folIowing are examples of intransitive (ie Type l) phrasal verbs(cfI6.3): Table 16.20 Verb complementation types }al! out ['quarrel'] make ojlfescape'] pas.. away['die'] blowover [of a storm. etc] Jali back ['retrcal'] catch on ['understand'] Variants Example Section Come ogrsuccecd'] make up {'cnd a quarrel'] pul! up estop'] look up ['improve'] fal! Ihrough ['fail'] crop up ['occur'] COPULAR (Types S VC and S VA) corneour ['bloom'] passour['faint'] opt out [of a choice] (A 1] Adjectival Cs The girl seemed restless. (16.21) come lO ['become conscious'] fall off['decline'] [A2j Nominal C, William is myfriendo (16.22) Further examples are to be found in 16.3. [A3] Adverbial complementation The kitchen is downstairs. (16.24) [b] Category (1) includes the íntransiti ve verbs líe <tnd rise, which are sometimes confused by native speakers with the;r transitive counterpartsü,y and raise, becauseoftheir formal simíladty. MONOTRANSITIVE (Type SVO) A similar correspondence exists betweenfall (intransitive) andfell (transitive); eg: They fe/led a [BI] NounphraseasO Tom caught the ball. (16.26) Iree. (with passi ve) [B2] Noun phrase as O Paullacks confidence. (16.27) (without passive) ~A01TIC/f J~C{éfli . 0v// t [B3] That-clause as O I think that we have meto 06.30) [B4] Wh-clause as O Can you guess what she said? (16.35) [B5J Wh-infinitive as O Ileamed how to sail a boato (16.37) [86) To-infinitive ( - 8) as O We've decided to move house. (16.38) [87] -Ing clause (-8) as O She enjoys playing squash. (16.39) Types of verb complementation [B8] To-infinitive ( +8) as O They want us to help. (16.41) [89J -Ing clause (+8) as O I hate the children quarrellíng. (16.42) 16.20 There are four main types of complementation to consider: COMPLEX TRANSITIVE (Types SVOCand SVOA) [CIJ AdjectívalCo Thatmusicdrivesmemad. (16.44) [A] Copular, eg: John is only a boyo [C2] Nominal Co They named the ship 'Zeus'. {16.46) [B] Monotransitive, eg: 1have eaught a bigfish. [C3J O + adverbial lleftthe key al home. (16.48) [C] Complex transitive, eg: She called him a hero. [C4J 0+ to-infinitive They knew him to be a spy. (16.50) [D] Ditransitive, eg: He gave Mary a doll. [C5] 0+ bare infinitive 1 saw her leave the room. (16.52) [C6] O + -ing clause 1 heard someone shouting. (16.53) Although these complementation types have already been generally discussed [C7J O + -ed clause I gol the watch repaired. (16.54) in 2.16 and elsewhere, it is necessary now to list the verbs of each type in DITRANsrnvE (Type SVOO) more detail, paying particular attention to the active-passive relatíon (el [D 11 Noun phrases as Oí & Od Théy u;}ered her some/ood. (16.55) 3.69fJ). In this survey, we shaIl also list variants on the aboye patterns; for [D21 W:th prepositional O Plcas~ s.:zy SiJ:;;cthing lo USo (1&.56, example, cases where the verb is foIlowed by a finite or nonfinite clause. Such [D3] Oí + that-c1ause They told me that I was ill. (16.59) variants will be distinguished by numbers: [Al], [B2], etc. The various sub­ [D4J O, + wh-cIause He asked me what time it was. (16.61) (16.62) types of complementation under these headings are illustrated in Table 16.20. [05] Oí + wh-infinitive c1ause Mary showed us what to do. [D6J O, + lo-infinitive 1 advised Mark to see a doctor. (16.63) In addition, we shall use where necessary the suffixes 'ph' (for phrasal verbs), 'pr' (for prepositional verbs), and 'ph-pr' (for phrasal-prepositional Within the sub-types [A lj, [A2], etc it is sometimes valuable to distinguish verbs). For example, [B4ph-pr] will refer to a class of phrasal-prepositional additional semantic sub-types, for which the roman numeraIs (i), (ii), etc will verbs taking a wh-clause as prepositional object (eg:'jind out about whether be used. Otherdistinguishing marks applied to verbs in the following sections ...). It is not always necessary to recognize such detailed classifications, but will be explained where they occut. it is use fui to be able to do so when the occasion arises. Two points may be noted about complementation of multi-word verbs. First, a phrasal verb cannot normaIly be interrupted by a clause as object: Copular complementation He left off driving a ear. ""' *He left driving a ear off. Second, a Type 1prepositional or phrasal-prepositional verb is appropriately [Al) Adjecnve phrase as subject complement classified, for the purposes of complementation, as monotransitive, since the 16.21 A verb is said to have COPULAR complementation when it is followed by a prepositional object is analogous (eg with respect to the active-passive subject complement (C.) or a predication adjunct (ef2.16, 2.22, 8.26jJ), and relation) to a direct object (efI6.14).
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