TASK 4 (Unit 2: The phrase)

1. Identify all the verb phrases in the following passage. For each verb phrase, indicate
whether the verbs of which it is composed (there may be only one!) are auxiliary or lexical.

A hundred years from now, we’ll look back at this period and wonder how we got sidetracked

en route to sexual equality - that is, if there’s anyone around to do so. For if the present trend

continues, we are going to reach the point where no sane woman would ever consider having

a baby, nor any sensitive man dream of inflicting pregnancy upon her. The trend seems to be

growing most rapidly among those women with the most education. And since more and

more women are seeking higher education these days, we may be looking forward to a future

in which having babies will be considered as dumb as sponsoring debutante balls, giving tea

parties, doing volunteer work and other traditionally female enterprises.

2. Identify all the prepositional and phrasal verbs in the following sentences and classify each
as one or the other:

a. Anna and her mother got off PREPOSITIONAL VERB the bus at Kensington Street and
went straight to the shop.

b. Thomas picked up PHRASAL VERB his novel again but could not read for more than ten
minutes.

c. I have been thinking about PREPOSITIONAL VERBthings to do, like painting the cellar.

d. He blew out PHRASAL VERB all fifty candles on his birthday cake.

e. Who was Mary talking to PHRASAL VERB for half an hour?

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3. Supply the most appropriate form for each capitalised verb in the following sentences. For
each form indicate whether it is:

* past or present
* perfect or non-perfect
* progressive or non-progressive

Example: The team not BE BEATEN in 40 years

Answer: The team has not been beaten in 40 years
past, perfect, non-progressive

a. Last year I VISIT I visited Scotland. I LOOK FORWARDwas looking forward to the

trip for months, but I never HAVE had such a disappointment: whenever I LOOK

LOOKED out of the hotel window, there BE WEREgrey skies.

b. Every time I WALK WALKED home from school, Tony forever PESTER pested me to go

out with him.

c. Now that my hearing aid BE FIXED has been fixed by that charming young man, I

HEAR can hear much better.

d. [as said in June:] My Australian cousin ARRIVE arrived in Barcelona in March. She’s

travelling round Europe for three months. She VISIThas visited three countries so far.

e. Kate LIVE has been living in Birmingham ever since she BE was born.

f. Albert Einstein, one of the greatest physicists the world ever has ever known KNOW,

DEVELOP developed the theory of relativity.

g. As everyone knows, the Nile FLOW flows into the Mediterranean.

h. A disaster has been averted: she was drowing DROWN but that young man dived

DIVE in to save her, just in time.

i. It’s too late: nothing matters MATTER any more.

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j. Shortly thereafter, while the train still was moving MOVE, a great many men suddenly

JUMP junped out. I REALISE that something terrible HAPPEN.

4. Attempt to change each of the following clauses into an equivalent passive clause. [Where
more than one possibility is available, indicate both.]

a. Someone has referred to my dissertation in an academic article.

My dissertation has been referred in an academic article

b. The police will have arrested the hijackers.

The hijackers will have been arrested by the police

c. Someone knocked on the door.

the door was knocked on

d. An old aunt of mine gave me a gold ring.

I was given a gold ring by an old aunt of mine

e. Someone wounded me in the trenches.

I was woundedin the trenches

f. Everybody dances at Brian’s parties.

NO, the verb dance is transitive

g. Someone has seen you climbing into the neighbour’s garden.

You have been seen climbing into the neighbours garden

h. Someone walked into the class.

NO, the verb walk is transitive

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i. Can you rely on him?

j. We are attending to the matter.

The matter is been attended to

k. They offered me a reward for finding their cat.

I was offered a reward for finding their cat

l. The monkey was climbing in the tree.

m. They had informed us that the train would be late.

We had been informed that the train would be late

n. People talk too easily about going to war.

o. We have asked you repeatedly to contact our office.

p. Anne is definitely the best student in the class.

The best student in the class is definitely Anne

5. Rewrite the following sentences, choosing the right form of the personal pronoun where
you are asked to make a choice:

a. Although that mountain seems very near, he/she/it is in fact twenty miles away.

b. Who is there? It is I/me.

c. Come and sit here between him and I/me.

d. What a fine ship! When was he/she/it built?

e. Come over here! Who, I/me?

f. The cat came up to me and I started to pet it/her.

g. Who did that? It was we/us.

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h. She and I/Her and me went to the cinema together.

i. Can anyone answer this question? I/me, miss!

j. Even before a baby is born, he/she/it is aware of the mother tongue.

6. Choose which of the possessive determiners is appropriate in the following sentences:

a. He is looking for a birthday present for his/her mother.

b. Nora told me she’s not very happy with his/her supervisor.

c. This afternoon my son will be playing with his/her/their friends.

d. My wife’s character is similar to that of his/her father.

7. There are four demonstrative pronouns in English: this esta, that esa, these estas , and those
aquellas . Choose which of the pronouns should be used to replace TH in the following
sentences:

a. I really don’t like THAT people!

b. Norman has lost his favourite watch. THAT is a real pity.

c. I was born just after the Second World War. THIS was a long time ago.

d. Have one of THESE delicious chocolates!

e. Me getting divorced? Not at all! Who told you THAT?

f. We have finally made a profit. THIS is what we’ve been working for.

g. My daughter is having a baby. I’ve been waiting years for THESE6 news!

h. Which trousers shall I wear today? THESE or THOSE?

8. Choose between some and any in the following contexts:

a. Jim is staying with some friends.

b. Do you have any money on you?

c. We seldom go anywhere.

d. I wonder if somebody has seen him.

e. She embraced him without any hesitation.

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f. Are there any letters for me?

g. You can come anyday you like!

h. It must be hidden somewhere near here.

i. If you see anyone, do not say a word.

j. I’m starving. Is there anything to eat?

9. Identify the following phrases as one of the five types seen in class, group them together by
type of phrase and analyse them into their functional constituents (i.e. indicate their structure
in each case):

a. Napoleon’s army NP

subj

b. (I arrived) later than Monica AdvP

modifier head postm

c. until he came back PreP

mod head complement

d. should have been driven VP

auxiliary verb

e. army officers NP

subj

f. with regard to your first question PreP

mod head compl

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g. more slowly than necessary Adv P

mod head postm

h. only by studying hard

i. something exciting AdjP

j. (she married) too hastily for a girl of her age AdvP

modifier head postm

l. sure that he is innocent AdjP

modifier head postmodfier

m. according to my information VP

n. the fact that inflation is going up NP

determiner modifier head postm

o. shortly afterwards AdvP

modifier head

p. just at that moment PrepP

modifier head coplement

q. absolute rubbish AdjP

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modifier head

r. a pop concert with music at pain-producing intensity NP

determiner modifier head postm

s. very kind of you AdjP

modifier head complement

t. more comfortably than travelling by air AdvP

modifier head post

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