Topic 3: Complementation of verbs and adjectives - Handout  

- grammatical patterns that follow a verb or adjective and complete the specification of a meaning relationship which that word implies

multi-word verbs:     1. phrasal verbs (e.g. to find out, put off, break down)

2. prepositional verbs (e.g. to look at, care for, cope with)

3. phrasal-prepositional verbs (e.g. to put up with, look forward to, do away with)

 

1. phrasal verbs:       a/ intransitive phrasal verbs (a verb + an adverb particle)

                                   When will they give in? - the meaning of idiomatic combinations cannot be predicted from the meaning of the individual parts

                                   The sun came out. - with free combinations, where the adverb has an intensifying (e.g. to chatter away) or aspectual force (e.g. to drink up), the meaning can be predicted, and, moreover, substitution (walk past x walk by, in, through, over), fronting of the adverb (Out came the sun.) and separation (Go straight on.) are possible.                

b/ transitive phrasal verbs (a verb +an adverb particle + an object)         They turned on the light.         or         They turned the light on.

                                   but with pronouns only:                     They turned it on.

2. prepositional verbs:                      a/ type I prepositional verbs

                                   Can you cope with the work? - prepositional object

the distinction between prepositional verbs and free combinations:

We called on the dean.                                   We called after lunch.

The dean was called on.                                O (no passive)

John called on her.                                        John called from the office.

- Who(m) did John call on?                           - Where did John call from?

the distinction between prepositional verbs and phrasal verbs:

She called on her friends.       She called up her friends./She called her friends up.

She called on them.                                        She called them up.

She called angrily on her friends.                  O (an adverb cannot be inserted)

the friends on whom she called                      O (a particle cannot precede a pronoun)

Which friends did she CALL on?                   Which friends did she call UP?

                                                           b/ type II prepositional verbs

                                   May I remind you of our agreement? - ditransitive verbs, followed by two NPs, normally separated by the preposition (prepositional object)

Note: two minor groups in which the direct object is part of the idiomatic combination:        (1) make a mess of, make allowance for, take care of, pay attention to, take advantage of: (e.g. two passive structures possible: A terrible mess has been made of the house. or The house has been made a terrible mess of.)

                        (2) catch sight of, keep pace with, give way to, lose touch with, cross swords with, keep tabs on, give rise to (e.g. only the prepositional object can become the subject of the passive structure: The lifeboat was suddenly caught sight of.)

3. phrasal-prepositional verbs:        a/ type I verbs have only a prepositional object

                                   He thinks he can get away with everything.

                                                           b/ type II verbs are ditransitive, i.e. require two objects:                 We put our success down to hard work.

There are other multi-word verb combinations:

a/ verb-adjective combinations: e.g. to cut short, rub dry,

b/ verb-verb combinations: e.g. to make do with, get rid of, have done with, get going,

c/ verbs with two prepositions: e.g. to develop from N into N, to talk to N about N.

Verb complementation

when no complementation is required - intransitive verbs (e.g. John has arrived.)

some verbs can be either intransitive or transitive with a slightly different meaning (e.g. John drinks {heavily} x John drinks tea.)

when a subject complement or a predication adjunct is required - copular (linking) verbs: according to whether the subject complement has the role of current attribute or resulting attribute two main classes are distinguished:

current copulas: appear, be, feel, look, smell (A), sound, taste (A),

resulting copulas: become, get (A), grow (A), prove, turn,

e.g. The girl seemed/became very restless. (A=followed only by an adjective phrase)

adverbial complementation - above all space adjuncts and time adjuncts with eventive subject (e.g. My room is upstairs. The party starts at 7.)

typical copula verbs: be, get, keep (e.g. They kept out of trouble.)

 

Notes on monotransitive verbs: They require a direct object, which may be:

1/ a noun phrase: as direct object (especially with verbs such as to believe, bring, call, close, do, enjoy, feel, find, get, hear, help, keep, know, lose, make, need, receive, remember, see, take, use, win) or prepositional object (all type I verbs, see above). The passive is possible except for middle verbs such as to have, fit, suit, resemble, equal, mean, contain, hold, comprise, lack (e.g. They have a large house.)

2/ a finite clause: there are four categories of verbs complemented by a that-clause:

(a) factual verbs        public factual verbs (introducing indirect statements) such as admit, announce, complain, explain, insist, mention, predict, report, say, state, warn.

                                   private factual verbs (expressing intellectual states) such as

believe, doubt, fear, feel, hope, know, recognize, remember, see, suppose, understand.

(b) suasive verbs        followed by a that-clause with putative should or with the subjunctive, e.g. agree, ask, command, demand, intend, order, recommend, request.

(c) emotive verbs       (the indicative or putative should), e.g. annoy, concern, marvel, rejoice, surprise, wonder, worry (I regret that she worries/should worry about it.)

(d) hypothesis verbs  (the hypothetical past or were-subjunctive), e.g. wish (e.g. I wish she were here.), suppose (in the imperative), the modal idiom would rather/’d rather;

3/ a non-finite clause:           there are five types of non-finite clauses that function as direct object in monotransitive complementation:

(a) wh-infinitive clause (e.g. He knew how to get there.)

(b) subjectless infinitive clause (e.g. I prefer to buy a new version.)

(c) subjectless -ing participle clause (e.g. They like talking about their hobbies.)

(d) to-infinitive clause with subject (e.g. I want you to help me.)

(e) -ing participle clause with subject (e.g. I hate their/them coming late.)

Notes on complex-transitive verbs:

1. in the clausal pattern SVOC, the object complement is an AdjP (=A) or a NP (=N) (e.g. The long walk made us all hungry.) - verbs such as to appoint (N), believe, call, choose (N), consider, declare, elect (N), find, get (A), like (A), make, name (N), prefer (A), think, want (A).

2. in the clausal pattern SVOA, the verb is complemented by a direct object followed by a predication adjunct, usually a PP of direction (e.g. Take your hands out of your pockets. They talked me into it.)

Some other examples of complex-transitive complementation:

1. direct object and to-infinitive clause         2. direct object and bare infinitive clause

3. direct object and -ing participle clause      4. direct object and -ed clause

1. direct object and to-infinitive clause

e.g. The police reported the traffic to be heavy.

some verbs: to believe, consider, expect, feel, find, know, suppose;

2. direct object and bare infinitive clause

e.g. I saw Mary open the window.

The passive normally requires a to-infinitive, e.g. Mary was seen to open the window.

3. direct object and -ing participle clause

e.g. I saw him lying on the beach. The passive: He was seen lying on the beach.

4. direct object and -ed clause

e.g. She had the car cleaned. Three groups of verbs: a/ perceptual verbs (to see, hear, feel, watch); b/ volitional verbs (to like, need, want); c/ causative verbs (to get, have)

 

Notes on ditransitive verbs:

They require in their basic form two objects: an indirect, usually animate, object and a direct, usually inanimate, object (e.g. He gave the girl a doll.)

Most ditransitive verbs can be also monotransitive, with a few verbs (to teach, show, ask, pay, tell,) either object can be omitted. (e.g. She taught us. x She taught physics.)

Some other examples of ditransitive complementation:

1. object and prepositional object (e.g. She reminded him of the agreement.)

only the first passive is possible: He was reminded of the agreement.

some verbs: to accuse of, advise about, congratulate on, inform of, interest in, introduce to, prevent from, protect from, punish for, sentence to, thank for, treat to;

2. indirect object and that-clause object (She convinced him (that) she was well.)

only the first passive is possible: He was convinced (by her) that she was well.

some verbs: to advise, bet, convince, inform, persuade, promise, remind, show, teach, tell, warn, write, ask, beg, command, instruct, order;

3. prepositional object and that-clause object (e.g. Peter recommended (to me) that I buy some malt whisky.) both passives are possible: I was recommended ….. as well as That I buy some malt whisky was recommended (to me) by Peter., more acceptably with extraposition: It was recommended (by Peter) that I buy some malt whisky.

some verbs: to admit, announce, complain, confess, explain, mention, point out, prove, remark, report, say, write, ask, propose, recommend, suggest;

4. indirect object and wh-clause object (e.g. Mary asked me when I would return.)

5. indirect object and to-infinitive clause object (e.g. I persuaded him to leave.)

Some verbs: to advice, ask, beg, command, forbid, instruct, invite, order, persuade;

Adjective complementation

adjectives often form a lexical unit with a following preposition, for some adjectives the complementation being obligatory: e.g. averse to, bent on, conscious of, fond of.

adjective complementation by a finite clause

that-clause following an adjective may have an indicative verb, a subjunctive verb, or putative should, e.g.             We were certain that Peter was still alive.

                                   I am anxious that Peter be/should be permitted to leave.

adjective complementation by a to-infinitive clause

a/ the subject of the main clause is also the subject of the infinitive clause:

e.g. Jane is slow to react. Jane is sorry to hear it.

b/ the subject of the infinitive clause is unspecified, although the context often makes clear which subject is intended:

e.g. Jane is hard to convince. The food is ready to eat.

adjective complementation by an -ing participle clause

e.g. We are used to having a car. I am hopeless at washing up.