Grammar I

LV/JVG

Graciela Palacio
2012 (Revised 2015)

LESSON 14
SYNTACTIC CLASSIFICATION OF VERBS
INTRANSITIVE VERBS OF INCOMPLETE PREDICATION
In the previous lesson we said that two types of intransitive verbs can be distinguished:
a. Intransitive verbs of complete predication (or unergative verbs) and
b. Intransitive verbs of complete predication (or unaccusative verbs)
In the first group, syntactic structure can still be viewed as a more or less direct reflection of
predicate/argument structure. However, with the second group things are not so simple.
INTRANSITIVE VERBS OF INCOMPLETE PREDICATION:
There are two types of IVs of IP:
1. The first group is known as the group of Copular or linking verbs. These verbs can
be:
Stative verbs:
John is happy.
The bridge seems safe. (seem: modality verb expressing cognition)
You look tired. (look: cognitive modality + perception)
That perfume smells terrific.
The cake tastes delicious.
This material feels soft.
His voice sounded strange.
Dynamic or Process verbs:
She became a lawyer.
She grew tired.
John is getting angry.
These verbs are intransitive. We cannot use them in the passive voice. They are not followed
by a determiner phrase argument. They are called of incomplete predication because they
must be followed by an obligatory element, a complement.
If the complement is an adjectival phrase or a determiner phrase with a predicative function it
is called a Predicative Complement. For example:
Sugar is sweet.
This is a book.
John is tired.
If the complement is a prepositional phrase that expresses location, time or duration it is
called an Adverbial complement. For example:
John is in the garden. (locative)
The party was yesterday. (temporal)

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The film lasted two hours. (durative)

2. The second group of IVs of IP is made up of four subgroups:
a. Verbs of directed motion such as come, go, arrive, leave, fall, rise, etc
b. Verbs of manner of motion when they combine with a directional phrase such as
Martha walked to the station.
c. Verbs of existence and appearance such as exist, appear, flourish, thrive, emerge
d. Verbs of spatial configuration in the simple position and assume position sense
such as sit, stand, lie, hang, lean, etc.
These are all intransitive verbs that cannot occur on their own. They must be followed by
something. They are two-place verbs but their two arguments are internal arguments. One
is a theme and the other a locative. They do not have agentive subjects.
These verbs are also known as unaccusative verbs.
Let us discuss each type in turn:
1. Verbs of directed motion: come, go, arrive, leave, fall, rise, etc.
Consider the following example:
John went to the cinema yesterday.
These verbs are intransitive because the argument that follows the verb is not a determiner
phrase but a prepositional phrase, and that prepositional phrase cannot become the subject of
the passive, e.g. *To the cinema was gone by John. They are of incomplete predication
because these verbs need a complement, they cannot occur on their own, e.g. *John went.
Which other verbs are like go?
Sue came here (yesterday).
Julia arrived in New York (last week).
The books had fallen onto the floor.
Verbs of directed motion (or of direction of motion) imply a change of location because the
entity that undergoes motion (i.e. the theme subject) ends up in a different place.
Come may occur without an expression of location in the syntax (e.g. John came yesterday)
but the expression of location (here, the place where the speaker is) is understood. Arrive is a
similar case. John has arrived is a grammatical sentence but the place is understood. For
practical purposes, if the expression of location is absent in the syntax but understood
conceptually, we will provide it, so that they can all be grouped together.
2. Verbs of manner of motion when they combine with a directional phrase:
Martha walked to the station.

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Lucy danced into the room.

The people ran into the street.
When we say Martha walked to the station we are not just describing a manner of motion as
in She is walking. What we are saying is that she went to the station and that she walked
there. (cf. in Spanish Marta fue a la estacin caminando). We will analyse to the station, into
the room, etc as (locative) adverbial complements. They are required to describe a type of
event that ends with the subject being at that place.
3. Verbs of existence and appearance: exist, appear, flourish, thrive, emerge, arise.
Life doesnt exist on other planets.
Smoke appeared1 in the horizon.
A ghostly face appeared at the window.
These plants flourish2in a damp climate.
These animals rarely thrive3 in captivity.
She finally emerged from her room at noon.
Several new industries arose4 in the town.
The constituent that follows these verbs is also called a (locative) adverbial complement.
5.Verbs of spatial configuration in the simple position and assume position sense
a.

Verbs of simple position: sit, stand, lie, hang, lean, etc. They may be considered a
subtype of verbs of existence because they describe the existence of an entity at a
particular location or at a particular time.
The man was lying on the floor.
The papers lay on the desk.
The statue stood in the corner.
The sun remained behind the clouds.
My brother lives in New York.
He lived in the 19th century.
a. Assume position sense:
He leaned against the cupboard.
Mary sat (down) and started reading.

These verbs are intransitive. They cannot be turned into the passive, e.g. *In New York is
lived by my brother. They also need a complement, they cannot occur on their own either, e.g.
*The statue stood. Because these complements can express a location (in New York) or a
temporal notion (in the 19th century) they are also called (locative) or (temporal) adverbial
complements. The verb live may occur on its own but to express a very specific meaning:
She lives is equivalent to She is alive.
TO SUM UP:
1

Appear: start to be seen.

Flourish: to develop or grow well. (cf. in Spanish: prosperar o crecer)
3
Thrive: to become and continue to be successful, strong, healthy. (cf. in Spanish: desarrollarse)
4
Arise: to begin to exist or develop.
2

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Intransitive verbs of incomplete predication can be:

1. Linking verbs (stative or dynamic) followed by:
A.
B.

A Predicative Complement
An Adverbial Complement

2. Verbs of directed motion

Verbs of manner of motion + a directional locative
Verbs of existence and appearance
Verbs of spatial configuration in the simple position and asssume position sense
These four subgroups are followed by Adverbial Complements
THE

PICTURE SO FAR:
Subject

1.

Verb
Mono TV

+ C/DO

2.

Bi TV

+ C/IO

+ C/DO

(Adjunct)

3.

Bi TV

+ C/DO

+ Preposition to +C/IO

(Adjunct)

4.

IVCP

5.

IVIP

+ C/Predicative C

(Adjunct)

6.

IVIP

+ C/Adverbial C

(adjunct)

(Adjunct)

(Adjunct)

Examples which correspond to the patterns presented above:

1. The man painted the wall (yesterday).
2. The man gave Mary the book (this morning).
3. The man gave the book to Mary (this morning).
4. The woman laughed (loudly).
5. The boy was very nervous (that morning).
6. John went to the cinema (yesterday).
Lesson 14 Activity 1 (to be discussed in class)
Analyse the following sentences semantically and syntactically:
1. The man looked very tired.
2. I walk to the station every day.
3. The National Bank was robbed last week.
Lesson 14 Activity 2 (to be handed in as Assignment 14)
1. The sun remained behind the clouds.
2. The woman was very pretty.
3. My sister lives in the suburbs.

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