Complementation of verbs and adjectives – cont.

Verb complementation

Intransitive verbs

- no complementation is required, e.g. John has arrived.

- some verbs can be either intransitive or transitive with a slightly different meaning, e.g. John drinks. = drinks alcohol x John drinks tea.

 

Copular verbs

- when a subject complement or a predication adjunct is required

- 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 (Adj), sound, taste (Adj),

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

e.g. The girl seemed / became very restless. (seemed = current; became = resulting)

(Adj) = followed only by an adjective phrase

 

Complementation by adverbials

- above all space adjuncts and time adjuncts with an eventive subject, e.g.

My room is upstairs.

The party starts at 7.

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

 

Monotransitive verbs

- 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, sections 16.5 and 16.9 in Greenbaum & Quirk 1990). 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.) – these are stative monotransitive verbs. 

 

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 intelectual 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 (I wish she were here.), suppose (in the imperative), the modal idiom would rather / ’d rather;

3. a nonfinite clause: there are five types of nonfinite 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.)

 

Complex-transitive verbs

1. in the clausal pattern SVOC, the object complement is an AdjP (=Adj) 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 (Adj), like (Adj), make, name (N), prefer (Adj), think, want (Adj)

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

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)

 

Ditransitive verbs

- 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 (e.g. 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,

e.g. 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. David recommended (to me) that I buy some Irish whiskey.

- both passives are possible:

I was recommended … as well as That I buy some Irish whiskey was recommended (to me) by David., more acceptably with extraposition: It was recommended (by David) that I buy some Irish whiskey.

- 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

1. adjective complementation by a prepositional phrase

- 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

- some adjectives take a choice of prepositions, e.g. angry about, angry at, angry with

2. 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 Tom was still alive.

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

3. 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.

4. adjective complementation by an -ing participle clause

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

References:

Greenbaum, S., & Quirk, R. (1990). A Student’s Grammar of the English Language. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited, pp. 343-362.

Chalker, S. (1992). A Student’s English Grammar Workbook. Harlow: Addison Wesley Longman Limited, exercises 160-168.