Unit 14: Quality, Degree and Comparsion

Question 1

Expression of Quality is…

Answer 1

The manifestation of the characteristics of someone or something.

Question 2

Classifications of Adjectives

Answer 2

1. According to their position (attributive, predicative and postpositive)
2. According to their Function (limiter, inherent and non-inherent)
3. According to their Morphology (participles, adjectives as heads of NP, Nouns as premodifiers, compound premodifiers and intensifier adjectives)

Question 3

Attributive Adjectives

Answer 3

Modify the noun by appearing between the determiner and the noun, or in front of the noun in the absence of a determiner

Question 4

Predicative Adjectives

Answer 4

Appear after the verb (copula) They can function as subject or object complement

Question 5

Postpositive Adjectives

Answer 5

They follow the item they modify. They can be considered a reduced relative clause. They may have a temporal implication.

Question 6

Limiter Adjectives

Answer 6

Particularise the reference noun

Question 7

Inherent Adjectives

Answer 7

They are predicative and characterise the noun directly (the snow is white)

Question 8

Non-inherent Adjectives

Answer 8

They are attributive only and do not characterise the noun directly (an old friend)

Question 9

Participles as Adjectives

Answer 9

Present participle is active and means: Having the effect of…
Past participle is pasive and means: affected by…
They can occur predicative and attributive.

Question 10

Adjectives as Heads of Noun Phrases

Answer 10

Take definite determiner, has no genitive case inflection nor plural and makes a general reference. They may be a class of people or an abstract quality

Question 11

Nouns as Premodifiers

Answer 11

Function similar to quality adjective by being positioned in front of the head

Question 12

Compound Premodifiers

Answer 12

Combinations of words functioning as a single noun or adjective

Question 13

Sequence of Premodifiers order

Answer 13

OPSHACOM: opinion+ shape+ age+ colour+ origin+ material

Question 14

Intensifying Adjectives

Answer 14

They have a heightening or lowering effect. Two semantic subclasses can be identified: emphasizers and amplifiers.

Question 15

Emphasizers adjectives

Answer 15

Have a general heightening effect and are attributively only

Question 16

Amplifiers Adjectives

Answer 16

Denote the upper extreme of a scale or high position in it they are central when they are non-inherent, but when they are non-inherent they are attributive.

Question 17

Types of Relative Clauses

Answer 17

Defining, non-defining and conective

Question 18

Defining Relative Clauses

Answer 18

Describe the preceding name in a way so as to distinguish it from the rest of the same class

Question 19

Choosing Relative Pronouns

Answer 19

It is a twofold consideration. First, to their function as subject, object or possessive, and secondly to the type of reference they are making: personal or non personal

Question 20

Non- Defining Clauses

Answer 20

They are placed after nouns that are definite already, they add extra information to the meaning of the noun, but they are not essential; if omitted, the sentence is perfectly comprehensible

Question 21

Expression of Degree

Answer 21

Degree can be applied to gradable words; whose meaning can be understood in terms of a scale

Question 22

Function of degree adverbs

Answer 22

They can act as premodifiers (with nouns and adverbials) or as adverbials (with verbs)

Question 23

Types of Degree Adverbs

Answer 23

Scale: they indicate a relative position in a scale. They can range from extreme position, slightly intensified meaning and decreased degree.
Limit: they indicate the end point of a scale. They can stress the fact that the quality is used to its fullest extent or that it is near the limit.

Question 24

Expression of Comparsion

Answer 24

In grammatical terms, comparsion can be the comparative type (saying that one object has more of the quality in question than other) or superlative type (selecting an object as the one with the highest intensity)