Spring 2001 * English 110J * Tanaka 

E/M QUESTIONS FROM GROUP DISCUSSION

Chapter 1 

 

SET 1/2: Can WISDOM OF CIVILIZATION be a DIRECT OBJECT even though it is not receiving the action of the verb? 

ANSWER: According to EM, it is a DO because it 'receives the action' of CONTAIN. This is one of the problem with trying to define all TRANSITIVE verbs as 'action' verbs. In our Analysis group, we now say that TRANSITIVE verbs are those that need a NOUN to complete them. Hence, CONTAINS is

A CONTAINS B, where B has to be a NOUN.  

Also, DO objects answer the question What? or Whom? when asked of a Transitive Verb.

So, we can ask: 'Libraries contain WHAT?'

Answer: 'THE WISDOM OF CIVILIZATION.'

This analysis has nothing to do with the idea of ACTION, but rather with a NOUN or NOUN SUBSTITUTE that is NECESSARY TO COMPLETE THE MEANING OF THE VERB. 

 

SET 1/4: Why isn't LARGEST a COMPLEMENT? 

ANSWER: It is an ADJECTIVE that modifies the NOUN that is the COMPLEMENT. 

 

SET 1/6: Why isn't PROPHETS a DO? 

ANSWER: Because the verb <WERE> is a LINKING VERB. That makes PROPHETS a COMPLEMENT. Only Transitive Verbs take DOs. 

 

SET 1/7: Can PRODUCED be a COMPLEMENT? 

ANSWER: No. It is the main verb of the sentence. COMPLEMENTS have to be Nouns, Adjectives or Adverbs of Time or Place. They cannot be Verbs. 

<HAVE PRODUCED> is a TRANSITIVE VERB <A PRODUCES B>. It takes a DO. You can only have a COMPLEMENT if there is a LINKING VERB. 

 

SET 1/18: Why can't LIST be a DIRECT OBJECT? 

ANSWER: There is no Transitive Verb. The main verb of the sentence is a LINKING VERB so it takes a COMPLEMENT. 

SET 1/23: Why is AIR CONDITIONED considered a part of the verb? 

ANSWER: In this case, TO AIR CONDITION is the TRANSITIVE verb:

[A AIR CONDITIONS B].  

The sentence in Question 23 is in the PASSIVE VOICE. 

PASSIVE: [B WAS AIR CONDITIONED BY A], where the Prepositional Phrase containing the Subject[BY + A] is understood. 

 

SET 1/25: Why is ENGLISH a DIRECT OBJECT?  

ANSWER: EM doesn't call it a DO. Check your answer key again. ENGLISH is the OBJECT of the PREPOSITION <IN>. 

 

SET 3/16: Why is HERMAN'S considered a MODIFIER? Isn't it a POSSESSIVE? 

ANSWER: In EM, all POSSESSIVES are types of modifiers. They are ADJECTIVAL. 

 

SET 3/20: Why is PLEASE a MODIFIER? 

ANSWER: PLEASE is short for an ADVERBIAL clause, e.g., IF IT PLEASE YOU, WOULD YOU PLEASE DO X? It is a politeness form that functions like an idiom. It is usually not taken literally. 

 

SET 4/15: Why is WE PLANTED not a MULTIPLE-WORD MODIFIER?  

ANSWER: This is an error in EM that has not been corrected over the past three or four revisions. This is a RELATIVE (adjective) CLAUSE, [(that) we planted] and should be classified as a MULTIPLE-WORD MODIFIER. Good question. 

 

SET 5/4: Why is STUDENT a COMPLEMENT in MICHAEL IS THE WORST STUDENT? 

ANSWER: <IS> is a LINKING VERB (BE-verb). STUDENT is a COMPLEMENT that refers back to the SUBJECT, MICHAEL.

Use our "Tarzan" test.

"MICHAEL STUDENT" or 'MICHAEL THE WORST STUDENT." 

 

SET 5/5: Why isn't RADIO an INDIRECT OBJECT? 

ANSWER: An INDIRECT OBJECT is associated with the preposition <TO> and  completes the meaning of the VERB. ON THE RADIO does not do that. It is a  Prepositional Phrase that tells the INSTRUMENT with which the speech was given. 

An example of an INDIRECT OBJECT would be: 

<The candidate gave a speech TO HER CONSTITUENTS on the radio.>

A SPEECH is the Direct Object.

TO HER CONSTITUENTS is the Indirect Object.

ON THE RADIO is a Prepositional Phrase acting as an Adverbial. 

 

SET 7/6: Why isn't FROM HER JOB AT SCHOOL a DEPENDENT CLAUSE? 

ANSWER: Look at the difference in definition between CLAUSES and PHRASES. It is a PHRASE, since it does not contain both a SUBJECT and a PREDICATE. 

 

SET 7/7: Why isn't THE MAYOR TOLD HER CONSTITUENTS a DEPENDENT

CLAUSE? 

ANSWER: This is the MAIN CLAUSE of the sentence. 

[THE MAYOR] = SUBJECT 

[TOLD] = TRANSITIVE VERB <MAIN VERB> 

[HER CONSTITUENTS] = INDIRECT OBJECT  

[SHE WOULD SURELY MEET ... NEEDS] = DIRECT OBJECT <DEPENDENT CLAUSE> 

 

SET 8/4: Doesn't SOON TO BE RELEASED BY THE TOWING AIRPLANE have more than one PHRASE in it? 

ANSWER: Well, speaking from a linguistics point of view, TO BE RELEASED BY THE TOWING AIRPLANE is a VERB PHRASE and BY THE TOWING AIRPLANE is an adverbial PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE that includes the NOUN PHRASE, 'THE TOWING AIRPLANE.'  

However, EM does not consider what we would call Verb Phrases and Noun Phrases as PHRASES at all even though it defines a PHRASE as a logical grouping of words that does not contain a Subject and a Predicate.  

The fact that EM does not apply its own definition of PHRASE to these constructions can be seen as a logical inconsistency according to our CT model. 

 

SET 8/6: Why isn't A SIMPLE COUNTRY DOCTOR a PHRASE? Also, what about HIS BEST FRIENDS? 

ANSWER: See the answer for [8/4]. Both are NOUN PHRASES. 

 

SET 8/9: Why isn't FOUND PEACE AND QUIET a PHRASE? 

ANSWER: See the answer for [8/4]. In a linguistics model, it would be the VERB PHRASE.