Conjuctions: Coordinating, Subordinating, Conjunctive Adverbs

Conjunctions

Conjunctions connect grammatical structures. We have three – or really 2.5 – types of conjunctions. (2.5 because the conjunctive adverb is a kind of half-and-half case: half conjunction, half adverb.)

Verb Particles (verb plus preposition)

Verb Particles (AKA phrasal verbs, verb-adverb combinations)

In modern standard English we also have an interesting construction whereby a preposition combines with a verb to form a new verb.

                Verb + preposition = new verb

Prepositions and Prepositional Phrases

Prepostions and Prepositional Phrases

So far we have discussed noun phrases and verb phrases.

My brother Ben has rebuilt the kitchen.

Here we have two noun phrases – my brother Ben, the kitchen – and one verb phrase, the main verb phrase in the sentence: has rebuilt.

Structure Class Words: Part II

So far in looking at structure class words, we have looked at

·        Determiners

·        Auxiliaries

·        Qualifiers

·        Pronouns

Now we’re going to look at the rest of the structure class words, which include

·        Prepositions

·        Conjunctions

·        Relatives

·        Interrogatives

As a review, unlike form class words, which can change their form – and sometimes their meaning – by accepting morphemes (so that chair becomes chairs or run becomes runner), structure class words do not usually accept morphemes.

Also, unlike form class words, which carry most of the semantic meaning of the sentence, the main purpose of structure class words is to carry the structural meaning of the sentence.

A final difference is that form class words are an open set. There are countless nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, and we add more almost daily. In contrast, the number of prepositions, conjunctions, and pronouns in the language are relatively limited.

(Semantic: the study of meaning; so, here, what a word means literally, as opposed to its structural or grammatical meaning.)

Pronouns: Personal, reflexive, reciprocal, indefinite

Pronouns

In traditional grammar, pronouns are often classified with nouns. But a little thought shows us that nouns and pronouns have very different forms. Pronouns also function somewhat differently than nouns do.

Qualifiers

A qualifier precedes an adjective or adverb, modifying it by increasing or decreasing its quality. In that respect, a qualifier is a kind of adverb (since it always modifies something other than a noun). However, it is not a true adverb, but a structure class word.

Assignments for January 30 through February 19

Tuesday January 30: Read pages 76-92. Do half of exercises 4.7, 4.9, 4.14

Thursday February 1: Read pages 92-106. Do first two review exercises, and half of exercise 5.1, all of 5.2.