chapter 2: practice exercises

The practice exercises on this page are designed to help you understand the concepts in this chapter more fully. These include both interactive exercises and more complex exercises. The table below lists a variety of interactive practice exercises for Chapter 2, covering the key concepts:

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chapter 2: analyzing examples

The English language is messy, and many times analyzing for  grammatical elements is not always as obvious as the simple examples that we use on the content pages. So to assist your ability to analyze  all the different texts you may encounter as you read, we want to offer a  few more sample analyses of more difficult texts.
 
For these more complicated examples, we review some or all  of the key  features discussed in Chapter 2. Please review these  examples closely, trying  to understand the choices made for the analysis. As always, if you have any questions, please ask your instructor  or start a conversation in your work group.
 
Analyzing for Noun Phrases and MVPs – Example #1
Adapted from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen:
 
In the evening Elizabeth joined their party in the drawing-room. The loo-table, however, did not appear. Mr. Darcy was writing, and Miss Bingley, seated near him, was watching the progress of his letter and repeatedly calling off his attention by messages to his sister.
 
For this example, we’ll analyze NPs and MVPs in the passage. Remember to pay attention to context, to who the words are “hanging out with”:
 
Noun Phrases

1. the evening – definite article + noun – nominal slot = object of the preposition IN
2. Elizabeth – proper noun – nominal slot = subject (with JOINED)
3. their party – possessive determiner + noun – nominal slot = direct object of JOINED
4. the drawing-room – definite article + verb functioning adjectivally + noun – nominal slot = object of the preposition IN
5. The loo-table – definite article + noun functioning adjectivally + noun – nominal slot = subject (with DID NOT APPEAR)
6. Mr. Darcy – proper noun – nominal slot = subject (with WAS WRITING)
7. Miss Bingley – proper noun – nominal slot = subject (with WAS WATCHING)
8. him – pronoun – nominal slot = object of the preposition NEAR
9. the progress – definite article + noun – nominal slot = direct object of WAS WATCHING
10. his letter – possessive determiner + noun – nominal slot = object of the preposition OF
11. his attention – possessive determiner + noun – nominal slot = direct object of [WAS] CALLING OFF
12. messages – noun – nominal slot = object of the preposition BY
13. his sister – possessive determiner + noun – nominal slot = object of the preposition TO

Main Verb Phrases

1. joined – past + JOIN = simple past
2. did . . . appear – present + modal (DID) + APPEAR = simple present
3. NOT can be included when listing the main verb phrase, but should not be considered as part of the analysis
4. was writing – past + BE + [-ing] + WRITE = past progressive
5. was watching – past + BE + [-ing] + WATCH = past progressive
6. [was] calling off – past + BE + [-ing] + CALL OFF = past progressive
7. The coordinating conjunction AND signals that this is a compound MVP with a common auxiliary (WAS), so should be identified as a past progressive.

Note on Other Verbs

1. drawing – This is NOT part of a main verb phrase. While it has the [-ing] inflection, it is not preceded by a BE auxiliary. More importantly, it is between a definite article and a noun, so is part of the noun phrase.
2. seated – The paired commas signal that this is not action, so this is a past participle, not a main verb. This past participle phrase is functioning adjectivally to modify MISS BINGLEY.

Analyzing for Noun Phrases and MVPs – Example #2
Adapted from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald:
 
I had talked with him a few times in the past month and found, to my disappointment, that he had little to say. So my first impression, that he was a person of some undefined consequence, had gradually faded and he had become simply the proprietor of an elaborate roadhouse next door.
 
For this example, we’ll analyze NPs and MVPs in the passage. Remember to pay attention to context, to who the words are “hanging out with”:
 
Noun Phrases

1. I – pronoun – nominal slot = subject (with HAD TALKED)
2. him – pronoun – nominal slot = object of the preposition WITH
3. a few times – indefinite article + indefinite determiner + noun – nominal slot = direct object of HAD TALKED
4. the past month – definite article + adjective + noun – nominal slot = object of the preposition IN
5. my disappointment – possessive determiner + noun – nominal slot = object of the preposition TO
6. he – pronoun – nominal slot = subject (with HAD)
7. my first impression – possessive determiner + ordinal determiner + noun – nominal slot = subject (with HAD GRADUALLY FADED)
8. he – pronoun – nominal slot = subject (with WAS)
9. a person – indefinite article + noun – nominal slot = subject complement
   This noun phrase seems to rename the subject, so is best identified as a subject complement; however, BECOME also indicates an action whereby A PERSON could also be identified as the direct object of HAD BECOME
10. some undefined consequence – indefinite determiner + verb functioning adjectivally + noun – nominal slot =  object of the preposition OF
11. he – pronoun – nominal slot = subject (with HAD BECOME)
12. the proprietor – definite article + noun – nominal slot = subject complement
13. an elaborate roadhouse – indefinite article + adjective + noun – nominal slot = object of the preposition OF
14. next door – adjective + noun – nominal slot = appositive

Main Verb Phrases

1. had talked – past + HAVE + [-ed] + TALK = past perfect
2. found – past + FIND = simple past
3. had – past + HAVE = simple past
   Remember, HAVE can also be a main verb.
4. was – past + BE = simple past
   Remember, BE can also be a main verb.
5. had . . . faded – past + HAVE + [-ed] + FADE = past perfect
6. had become – past + HAVE + [-en] + BECOME = past perfect
   BECOME can function as a linking verb or a transitive verb.

Note on Other Verbs

1. undefined – This is NOT part of a main verb phrase. Notice, in particular, that it is between an indefinite determiner and a noun, and that it is modifying the noun, so this is part of the noun phrase.

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chapter 2: main verb phrase forms

As you analyze the main verb phrases of clauses, you can remember the main verb phrase FORMS because they always follow the pattern described by the Main Verb Phrase Formula. In other words, main verb phrase forms name just the main verb phrase irregardless of context. We’ll describe other ways to understand main verb phrases in context in future chapters. You  can look specifically for these common markers in the main verb phrase  forms:

Simple Present or Simple Past

Carol speaks = (Carol) + present + (speak)Carol will speak = (Carol) + present + modal + (speak)Carol spoke = (Carol) + past + (speak) 

Present Perfect or Past Perfect

Carol has spoken = (Carol) + present + HAVE + [-en] + (speak)

Carol will have spoken = (Carol) + present + modal + HAVE + [-en] + (speak)Carol had spoken = (Carol) + past + HAVE + [-en] + (speak)

Present Progressive or Past Progressive

Carol is speaking. = (Carol) + present + BE + [-ing] + (speak)

Carol will be speaking. = (Carol) + present + modal + BE + [-ing] + (speaCarol was speaking. = (Carol) + past + BE + [-ing] + (speak) 

Present Perfect Progressive or Past Perfect Progressive

Carol has been speaking. = (Carol) + present + HAVE + [-en] + BE + [-ing] + (speak)

Carol will have been speaking. = (Carol) + present + modal + HAVE + [-en] + BE + [-ing] + (speak)Carol had been speaking. = (Carol) + past + HAVE + [-en] + BE + [-ing] + (speak) The four forms above are the ACTIVE main verb phrase FORMS, but we also have to account for a final main verb phrase FORM: the passive form. It is important to remember that the passive main verb phrase form is a grammatical structure: BE + [-en] or [-ed]. 

Present Passive or Past Passive

The ball is thrown by Jane.   = (The ball) + present + BE + [-en] + THROW

Old books are sold by the library. = (Old books) + present + BE + [-ed] + SELL
The ball was thrown by Jane. = (The ball) + past + BE + [-en] + THROW
 
The  key to recognizing a passive  structure should start and end at the main verb phrase. In other words, the auxiliary combination BE + [-en] or [-ed] identifies the passive voice,  and this is the only thing that you need to look for.
 
Remember, when BE is an auxiliary, the common (or active) inflection is the progressive form: BE + [-ing]. When analyzing the main verb  phrase, suspect a passive construction whenever BE is an auxiliary and  the progressive form (+ [-ing]) is NOT there.

• Millions of dollars are wasted by defense industries each year.
• Food will be donated by a caterer.
• A new house is being built down the street.
• Our refrigerator has just been repaired.

AN IMPORTANT NOTE: Remember, passives are NOT the same as past  tense. The passive is a main verb phrase that can take either present  tense or past tense. What can be confusing is that the main verb in the  passive structure takes the perfect inflection [-en], which will often  take the irregular [-ed] form. For example,
 
1. The boy is tricked into clucking like a chicken.
2. SOMEONE tricked the boy into clucking like a chicken.
 
The first is a passive construction (BE + [-en]). However, it’s present tense (IS).
The second is past tense (PAST + TRICK).
 
TENSE inflects in the MVP Formula at the beginning of the phrase  and only the first element that follows TENSE. Again, DO NOT look at the  end of the Main Verb Phrase and assume tense. It’s a very bad habit to  get into.
 
Also, keep in mind that although it is the lone exception to the  Main Verb Phrase Formula, the Passive is really just another Main Verb  Phrase Form that you must account for. Besides the Present Passive and  Past Passive that I described above, you can have other variations, as  well.
 
You can have a Present Perfect Passive:
 
The girl has been seen by her friends.
Present + HAVE + [-en] + BE + [-en] + see
 
You can have a Past Perfect Passive:
 
The girl had been seen by her friends.
Past + HAVE + [-en] + BE + [-en] + see
 
You can even have a Present and Past Progressive Passive (although it begins to get a bit clunky):
 
The girl is being seen by her friends.
Present + BE + [-ing] + BE + [-en} + see
 
The girl was being seen by her friends.
Past + BE + [-ing] + BE + [-en} + see
 
Technically, you can go right down the list through the Perfect Progressive, but it really grates on the ears.
 
You can use the following flowcharts to guide your analysis. Take your time learning all of these flowcharts. This is a skill you will need to master because recognizing Main Verb Phrases is the key to success for the rest of the semester.
 

Finally, while we will discuss non-finite verb phrases in more detail in Chapter 3, you need to be able to distinguish the difference between a Main Verb Phrase and a Non-Finite Verb Phrase. You can use this flowchart as a starting point for recognizing the differences:

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Chapter 2: main verb phrases

The predicate makes up the second required element for all clauses. The Main Verb Phrase is required for all predicates. Like the noun phrase, the main verb phrase is best understood by its required and optional elements. The main verb phrase consists of the main verb of the  clause plus its auxiliary or helping verbs in an unchanging order. We  can represent the main verb phrase linguistically as the Main Verb Phrase Formula:

The main verb phrase formula, also know as the verb expansion rule, is a descriptive analytical tool, designed to help you distinguish between the main verb phrase and other, especially, non-finite verb phrases. Once you identify a main verb phrase, you can understand in the context of a particular clause because it will always follow a predictable pattern. We can think of this pattern as the function slots for the main verb phrase.

The main verb phrase has two required elements and three optional elements, but, like the noun phrase, the main verb phrase can be one word or multiple words. This is because the two required elements are tense and the main verb:

In other words, TENSE and MAIN  VERB will exist in every Main Verb Phrase. If both are not present, the  structure is NOT a main verb phrase.

In English, TENSE is actually at the beginning of  the main verb phrase, which may seem antithetical to how you have always  thought about the main verb. So when analyzing, you always start with the first verb in the main verb phrase (whether that’s a single word or multiple words). In English, TENSE can only be  PRESENT or PAST. (While some argue that the use of MODALS creates a  FUTURE tense, for our purposes, and simplicity, we are sticking with  only PRESENT or PAST.) For example:

1. John yells. (present tense)
2. John yelled. (past tense)
3. John has yelled. (present tense – notice TENSE is on the first verb, the auxiliary)
4. John could have yelled. (present tense – the modal comes first; since modals do not take tense markers, modals are ALWAYS present tense)
5. John was yelling. (past tense – notice TENSE is on the first verb, the auxiliary)
6. John could be yelling. (present tense – the modal comes firsst, but modals do not take tense markers, so modals are ALWAYS present tense))
7. John had been yelling. (past tense – notice TENSE is on the first verb, the auxiliary)

In these seven examples, you can see that TENSE appears on the first verb in the main verb phrase, even if it’s only a single verb. Another way to think about this is that the TENSE inflectional morpheme will always be added to the first verb in the main verb phrase, whether that first verb element is an auxiliary or the main verb.  NOTE:  obviously, there are exceptions to the tense inflection rule and the first  verb seems to maintain its base form (present tense for  first-person singular, for example). The most common exception is the  MODAL auxiliary, which never takes an inflection, but is ALWAYS understood as present tense.  The three optional elements in the main verb phrase are known as AUXILIARIES. If an auxiliary is present, it must appear in a specific order and it will always inflect on verb  that follows it in the same way. Recall the Main Verb Phrase Formula:

If the auxiliary does not precede an  inflected verb, then it is NOT a main verb phrase. For example:

1. John has yelled. (PRESENT + HAVE + [-ed] + yell) NOTE: Oftentimes, the PARTICIPLE form is irregular, which, in this case, adds the -ed inflection, rather than -en.
2. John could have yelled. (PRESENT + MODAL + HAVE + [-ed] + yell)NOTE: There is no inflection associated with the MODAL auxiliaries, instead requiring that the verb that follows it appear in its base form.
3. John was yelling. (PAST + BE + [-ing] + yell)
4. John could be yelling. (PRESENT + MODAL + BE + [-ing] + yell)
5. John had been yelling. (PAST + HAVE + [-en] + BE + [-ing] + yell)
6. Yelling, John was stomping his feet, as well. (PAST + BE + [-ing] + STOMP NOTE: the first word, YELLING, is NOT a main verb because it is not preceded by a BE auxiliary and -ing is not tense.

NOTE: one other important thing to remember is that while modals, HAVE, and BE are all auxiliaries, as discussed in Chapter 1, they all can be main verbs, as well, which means that they are the last (or only) verb in the main verb phrase. So keep this in mind when analyzing for main verb phrases. 

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