Answers to exercises: Chapter 6

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43. Lexical versus auxiliary verbs(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)Bob Dylan has [AUXILIARY VERB, FINITE, THIRD PERSON SINGULAR PRESENTTENSE] at various times revolutionised [LEXICAL VERB, NON-FINITE, PPART] folk,rock, country and gospel music.From the very first, this was [LEXICAL VERB, FINITE, SINGULAR PAST TENSE] anartist who made [LEXICAL VERB, FINITE, PAST TENSE] us look [LEXICAL VERB,NON-FINITE, BARE INFINITIVE] at the familiar with new eyes and ears.Was can be an auxiliary verb as well, but this is the lexical one because it takesan NP complement. When it is an auxiliary, it is followed by a verb. Look at (g)and you’ll see what we mean.We know look is non-finite because it cannot be changed into past tense.Isn’t [LEXICAL VERB, FINITE, THIRD PERSON SINGULAR PRESENT TENSE,NEGATIVE] there enough irreverence in the world?We said that even when it is a lexical verb, is and other forms of be can invert toform a question.The songs don’t [AUXILIARY VERB, FINITE, PLURAL PRESENT TENSE, NEGATIVE]require [LEXICAL, NON-FINITE, BARE INFINITIVAL] much acting.You might also have assumed that acting was a verb. Of course it can be, as i nHe was only acting, but clearly it can also be a noun as in the acting was poor.One way of testing whether it is a verb or a noun is to add some modification.Nouns are modified by adjectives like good and verbs by adverbs like well. In(d), acting would be modified by good rather than well: The songs don’trequire much good/*well acting. We conclude then that acting is a noun here.The inflections would [AUXILIARY VERB, MODAL, FINITE (PAST)] maybe differ[LEXICAL VERB, NON-FINITE, BARE INFINITIVE] if we changed [LEXICAL VERB,FINITE, PAST TENSE] the key and sometimes that might [AUXILIARY VERB,MODAL, FINITE (PAST)] affect [LEXICAL VERB, NON-FINITE, BARE INFINITIVE] theemotional resonance.We have put PAST in brackets here since tense works in a s lightly unusual waywith modals.Did [AUXILIARY VERB, FINITE, PAST TENSE] you have [LEXICAL VERB, NON-FINITE, BARE INFINITIVE] a favourite cowboy singer as a kid?Have is a lexical verb here by the same arguments we used for was in (b).Nothing back there would [AUXILIARY VERB, MODAL, FINITE (PAST)] play[LEXICAL VERB, NON-FINITE, BARE INFINITIVE] any part in where I was[AUXILIARY VERB, FINITE, SINGULAR PAST TENSE] going [LEXICAL VERB, NON-FINITE, ING FORM].4. Categories of lexical verbsIntroducing English Grammar, second edition, published by Routledge © K. Börjars and K. Burridge
5(a)(b)(c)(d)(e)(f)(g)(h)(i)(j)(k)That didn’t stop one of the sons of this unremarkable Cheshire town.MONO-TRANSITIVE: it takes one object.A chance remark gave Warrington the idea of ostrich dealing over the Internet.DI-TRANSITIVE: two objects.I told him to check the Internet.DI-TRANSITIVE: it takes an indirect object and a clausal object, which takes theform of a to-infinitival clause.You might have wondered whether to consider him an object or an unusualsubject. We consider it an object here because if (c) is true, then it is also truethat I told him.Ostriches on line was born.INTENSIVE: it combines with a subject complement.I marketed everything to do with ostriches.MONO-TRANSITIVE: combines with an object.The demand for leather and feathers is especially high.INTENSIVE: combines with a subject complement .The ostrich industry is on the up.INTENSIVE: combines with an adverbial complement .It might become the first ostrich theme park.INTENSIVE: combines with a subject complement .I treat my ostriches very well.This is a tricky one. There are two complements, my ostriches and very well.Very well is a complement, not an optional adverbial, since I treat my ostrichesmeans something else (either that you buy them some ice cream or that you area vet providing them with some medication). My ostriches is an object, sincethere is a corresponding passive my ostriches are treated very well by me. Verywell behaves like an object complement in some ways and we shall then callthis COMPLEX TRANSITIVE. If you argued it differently, check with your tutor,but if you said DI-TRANSITIVE or assumed that there was only one complementfollowing the verb, we don’t think you are right.I don’t agree with battery farming.MONO-TRANSITIVE, but we do assume that the preposition combines with theverb, so that it should be described as a PREPOSITIONAL MONO-TRANSITIVE verb.The reason we say this is that we think (i), where the V and the P are kepttogether, is more natural than (ii), where the P stays with the NP:(i) What I don’t agree with is battery farming.(ii) ?What I don’t agree is with battery farming.I met my girlfriend through a website chatroom.MONO-TRANSITIVE: through a website chatroom is an optional adverbial anddoes not count for the verb classification.Introducing English Grammar, second edition, published by Routledge © K. Börjars and K. Burridge
Page 1 and 2: 1Answers to exercises: Chapter 61.
Page 3: 3Even though it tends to occur with

Answers to exercises: Chapter 6

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