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The English Auxiliary

We can begin with the hypothesis that the

phrase structure rules can generate notonly the following sentence, they were

made up to describe but also this whole

range of English sentences as well

S Np +Vp

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Mulitiple sentences

Rules are in adequate William write plays

William wrote plays

William will write plays

William would write plays

William has written plays

William had written plays

William will have written plays

William would have written plays

William is writing plays

William was writing plays

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An Auxiliary Structure

S

Np Vp

N V Np

N

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S Np + ( AUX ) + Vp

{ will , would } + ( Have ) + ( Been)

{ Has , Had } + ( Been)

{ Is, Was }

AUX

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Example

S

Np AUX Vp

N V Np

N

William has been writing plays

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PS rules

S Np + AUX + Vp

Vp V + (Np)

be + { Adj, Np}

Np (Det) + N

AUX TNS + (M) + ( PERF) + ( PROG)

-TNS { -prs, pst }

M {can, may, will, shall, should, must.}

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Transformation on deep and

surface level The structures of sentences that we actully

speak , to which the rules of phonology are

applied are called surface structures.

If no transformations apply then deep

structure and surface structure are the same.

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Note:

According to some transformational theories,

certain obligatory transformations apply to all

deep structures. Thus deep and surface

structure are never identical.

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Application of Transformational

rules Sentence Negation

Contracted Negatives

Imperatives

Yes/No Questions

Question-word Questions

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Structure dependency

Much syntactic knowledge not revealed by

phrase structure rules is accounted for by

transformation, which alter phrase structure

by moving, adding or deleting lements

Structure dependent

The astronomer saw a new glaxy with histelescope

With his telescope, the astronomer saw a new

glaxy

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English Prepositional Phrases

Look at the examples

The girls are studying French with enthusiasm.

Kate had been kind at Harvard.

Richard teaches Russian in the evening.

The Norwegians have invaded Burma for some

reason.

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The girls are studying French how?

The girls are studying French enthusiastically.

Kate had been kind where?

Kate had been kind there.

Richard teaches Russian when?

Richard teaches Russian then.

The Norwegians have invaded Burma why?

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Rule:

S Np +AUX + Vp + (Adverbial)

Adverbial { PP, ADV}

ADV {how, enthusiastically}

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Types of Adverbial phrases

ADVM= Adverbials of manner

ADVP= Adverbials of place

ADVT= Adverbials of time

ADVR= Adverbials of reason

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The girls are studying French enthusiastically

at the pool yesterday for some reason.