verbs (PASSIVE IS MISSING)

Question 1

classes of verbs

Answer 1

1. according to formal characteristics: simplex vs multi-word, regular vs irregular
2. according to syntactic class: intransitive vs. transitive, copular
3. according to word class: full/lexical vs primary (be, have, do) vs modal auxiliary
4. according to function: main verb vs auxiliary verb

Question 2

kinds of multi-word verbs

Answer 2

• phrasal verbs: full verb + prepositional adverb
  => intransitive & monotransitive
• prepositional verbs: full verb + preposition
  => mono- & ditransitive
• phrasal-prepositional verbs: full verb + prepositional adverb + preposition
  => mono- & ditransitive

Question 3

monotransitive multi-word verb with one particle: phrasal or prepositional?

Answer 3

substitute the O with a pronoun; what happens?
- verb and particle are seperated by the pronoun => phrasal verb (He asked to put off the meeting => He asked to put if off)
- verb and particle stay together => prepositional verb (She has taken to windsurfing => She’s taken to it)

Question 4

transitivity of ‘wash’ in
This blouse washes very well.

Answer 4

pseudo-intransitive
=> active in form, but passive in meaning

verbs involved in these constructions are normally transitive (“I’m washing the blouse”) but occur here intransitively, while the subject is not the agent but the recipient of the action or event

Question 5

transitivity of ‘fail’ in
The examiners failed some candidates.

Answer 5

causative-transitive

Usually intransitive verbs can sometimes be used transitively. When transitive, they express the idea of causing s.th. to happen (=causative meaning)
=> a passive voice is possible.

Question 6

types of reflexive verbs

Answer 6

• semi-reflexive
  => may be used intransitively or with a reflexive pronoun
  => meaning changes can occur when the verb is reflexive
  => no passive voice
  she dressed with care (SVA) vs. he dressed himself hurriedly (SVOA); prepare, hide, surrender, …
• purely reflexive
  => used only with reflexive pronoun
  => are rare in English
  to pride oneself, to avail oneself of sth, …

Question 7

characteristics of ditransitive verbs

Answer 7

SVOiOd

• usually: Oindir (animate) before Odir (inanimate)
• Oind can be placed in end focus with a preposition: He gave the boy a doll (SVOiOd) => He gave a doll to the boy (SVOA)

Question 8

transitivity of ‘consider’ in
She considered her mother a sensible woman.

Answer 8

complex transitive
verbs that require an object AND a complement/adverbial
=> SVOCo / SVOA