WRI 2550 - Quiz 05

A grammatical sentence must make sense. True or False?

False. Grammaticality concerns syntactic structure, not whether a sentence makes sense.

English sentences always follow SVO order. True or False?

False. SVO is the basic English word order, but other arrangements are possible.

A constituent must contain at least two words. True or False?

False. A single word can be a constituent.

A constituent must pass all three constituency tests. True or False?

False. Not every test works for every constituent.

Words next to each other necessarily form a constituent. True or False?

False. Constituency depends on hierarchical grouping, not just adjacency.

A noun phrase must contain a determiner. True or False?

False. John, she, and dogs can be noun phrases without determiners.

A verb phrase must contain an NP object. True or False?

False. Intransitive verbs such as sleep can form VPs without objects.

Every phrase has a head. True or False?

True. The head determines the phrase's syntactic category.

A complement must always be an NP. True or False?

False. Complements can include NP, PP, and CP.

Every verb requires a direct object. True or False?

False. Intransitive verbs do not require direct objects.

A word can belong to different syntactic categories in different sentences. True or False?

True. Run can be a noun or a verb depending on context.

Recursion permits a sentence to contain another sentence. True or False?

True. Recursion allows structures to be embedded within structures of the same type.

What does C-selection restrict?

The grammatical category of complements that a head permits or requires.

What does S-selection restrict?

The semantic properties or meanings that a head expects.

Does find require an NP object in its ordinary transitive use?

Yes. For example: She found the keys.

Does locate require an NP object?

Yes. For example: She located the keys.

Can sleep take a direct NP object in its ordinary intransitive use?

No. She slept is grammatical; She slept the baby is not in that use.

Can laugh take a direct NP object in its ordinary intransitive use?

No. She laughed at him is grammatical, but She laughed him is not in that use.

Does eat always require a direct object?

No. She ate and She ate lunch are both grammatical.

What preposition does fond normally select?

Of. For example: She is fond of music.

Can hopeful take a that-clause complement?

Yes. For example: She is hopeful that he will return.

If a verb permits an NP object, must it always have one?

No. Permitted does not mean required; eat can occur with or without an object.

The beer drank the student violates which type of selection?

S-selection. The grammatical structure is possible, but the semantic roles are anomalous.

She located violates which type of selection in the intended use?

C-selection. Locate requires a direct object NP.

In She is very happy, what category is very?

Adverb (Adv). It modifies the adjective happy.

In She ran quickly, what category is quickly?

Adverb (Adv). It modifies the verb ran.

In That dog barked, what category is that?

Determiner (Det). It introduces the noun dog.

In I know that he left, what category is that?

Complementizer (Comp). It introduces an embedded clause.

In My dog barked, what category is my?

Determiner (Det). It specifies the noun dog.

In She will leave, what category is will?

Auxiliary (Aux). It expresses future or modal meaning.

In John and Mary left, what category is and?

Conjunction (Conj). It coordinates John and Mary.

In He is proud of her, what category is proud?

Adjective (Adj). It describes a property.

In He walked under the bridge, what category is under?

Preposition (Prep). It introduces the PP under the bridge.

Can an adverb modify an adjective?

Yes. Very modifies happy in very happy.

Can an adverb modify another adverb?

Yes. Very modifies quickly in very quickly.

What is the simplified VP phrase structure rule?

VP → V (NP) (PP) (AdvP) (CP). Parentheses mark optional elements in the general template.

Does an optional NP in the general VP rule mean every verb can omit its object?

No. Individual verbs can still require complements through C-selection.

What is the simplified CP phrase structure rule?

CP → Comp S. A complementizer is followed by an embedded sentence.

What is the simplified PrepP phrase structure rule?

PrepP → Prep NP. A preposition is followed by a noun phrase.

What does NP → NP Conj NP permit?

Two noun phrases joined by a conjunction, such as John and Mary.

What does S → S Conj S permit?

Two sentences coordinated by a conjunction.

Does a phrase structure rule alone guarantee grammaticality?

No. The sentence must also satisfy the selectional requirements of its heads.

What is lexical ambiguity?

One word has multiple possible meanings, such as bat meaning an animal or sports equipment.

What is structural ambiguity?

One sequence of words has different meanings because of different constituent groupings.

Why is The magician touched the child with the wand structurally ambiguous?

The PP with the wand can modify the child or describe the instrument used to touch the child.

Can identical words in identical order have different meanings because of syntax?

Yes. Different hierarchical structures can produce different interpretations.

What is a restrictive relative clause?

A relative clause that identifies or limits which person or thing is being discussed.

What is a non-restrictive relative clause?

A relative clause that adds extra information without identifying or restricting the noun's reference.

Are non-restrictive relative clauses conventionally set off by commas?

Yes. They are normally separated by commas in writing.

What is the traditional grammatical function of whom?

It is the object form of who.

What does whose express?

Possession or association.

Is that normally used to introduce non-restrictive relative clauses?

No. Standard English generally uses who or which instead.

Have the conventions governing that and which always been applied consistently?

No. Their usage and stylistic conventions have varied historically.

Can a grammatical sentence be difficult to understand or process?

Yes. Complex embedding or excessive length can make a grammatical sentence hard to process.

What is linguistic competence?

A speaker's implicit knowledge of their language's grammar.

What is linguistic performance?

The actual use of language, which can be affected by memory, attention, and processing limitations.

What is the goal of generative grammar?

To characterize the grammatical knowledge that lets speakers generate and understand sentences.

Does generative grammar simply memorize a list of sentences?

No. It describes rules and principles capable of generating novel sentences.

What is recursion in syntax?

The ability to embed a structure within another structure of the same type.

What are transformations in syntax?

Operations that relate syntactic structures, such as declarative and interrogative forms.

What is do-support?

The insertion of do, does, or did in certain English questions and negative constructions.

What happens in John ate his lunch → Did John eat his lunch?

Did is inserted for question formation, and ate becomes the base form eat.

What does X-bar theory describe?

A generalized hierarchical organization of phrases around heads and their structural relationships.

What is the difference between grammaticality and acceptability?

Grammaticality concerns conformity to grammar; acceptability concerns how natural or usable a sentence seems to speakers.