Analysing Language Flashcards

Question

What is the difference between an auxiliary verb and a lexical verb?

Answer 1

An auxiliary verb (also called a helping verb) is any verb that is used with a main verb to form tenses, voices, aspects, or questions/negatives, e.g. be, have. A sub-category of the auxiliary verb is the modal auxiliary which expresses ability, possibility, permission, necessity, or obligation. (e.g. can). A lexical verb functions as the main verb in a sentence. It carries meaning (i.e. the semantic content of the action, state, or process).

Answer 2

Participles are -ing forms (present) and - ed (past). They can function as adjectives, reduced clauses or part of the verb phrase in a sentence. Infinitives can be full infinitives (We have to go), or base infinitive (go).

Answer 3

Transitive verbs must take an object. e.g. She reads a book. Intransitive verbs does need to take an object, e.g. She sleeps.

Answer 4

A static verb describes mental states and conditions, e.g. believe. They typically: are not used in the present continuous tense are about being, having, feeling, or thinking A dynamic verb describes actions, events, or processes — things that can start and stop, e.g. walk. They: Can appear in progressive tenses (e.g. present continuous) Express activity or change

Answer 5

A finite verb is a verb that is marked for tense, and often agrees with the subject in number and person. It functions as the main verb of a clause. She eats apples. A non-finite verb is not marked for tense and does not show subject agreement. It cannot function as the main verb in an independent clause on its own. She is eating apples. (The participle eating does not show tense or agreement).

Answer 6

A verb marked for tense refers to when an action happens: past or present. It is shown by changes in the finite verb form. Example: She walks to school. → present tense A verb marked for aspect refers to the nature or structure of the action — whether it’s completed, ongoing, or repetitive, etc. Shown using auxiliary verbs (be, have) + non-finite verb forms (like participles). She is walking to school. → progressive aspect (ongoing action) She has walked to school. → perfect aspect (completed action with relevance to the present)

Answer 7

When a situation is being presented as in progress in the present (can also be used to discuss future and past) To provide background information Future arrangements Intentions see present evidence for a prediction.

Answer 8

Perfect of persistent situation: An event or state is viewed as occurring in a period of time up to and including the point of orientation (present, past, future) Perfect of recent past: the past is recent Experiential perfect: where a situation has occurred at least once during some time in the past leading up to the present.

Answer 9

Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that function as an indicator of the speakers/writer's judgement about the likelihood or desirability of a situation. This can happen.

Answer 10

Pure modals adhere to the major characteristics of modals, e.g. it takes the infinitive without to There is no special third person form. The negative is formed simply by adding "not". The question is formed by inversion. It cannot be preceded by other auxiliaries. There is a past form, e.g. can fits all of them.

Answer 11

Every modal verb expresses at least two meanings: extrinsic: all modals talk about probability and possibility. intrinsic: each modal has a particular meaning relating to wishes, abilities and obligations, e.g. should is about obligation. will is about strong or weak volition.

Answer 12

A conditional clause states the condition on which a possible hypothetical event takes place. 1. Zero conditional: Expresses general truths. If+ present tense, present tense. If you want to change money on Sunday, you have to go to a cash machine. 2. Type 1: Future conditional, used to express persuasion, negotiation and warnings. If+ present tense, future form or may, might, could If it gets colder tonight, I'll turn on the heater. 3. Type 2: hypothetical, the action is seen as impossible. If+ past tense, would/could/ might, If I won a million dollars, I would buy a big house. 4. Type 3: (speculation about past events) If+ past perfect (had+ past participle), would+ present perfect If we hadn't missed the bus, we wouldn't have been late.

Answer 13

This, These, Those... ourselves, themselves we, I, you who/which

Answer 14

A proper noun is a name of a specific person or place, e.g. London. A common noun is any noun which is not a proper noun. Often divided between a concrete (physical) and an abstract noun. ,e.g. a car

Answer 15

A countable noun is a noun that refers to an object than can be counted, therefore, allowed a plural form and takes a plural verb. , e.g. a car A non-countable noun cannot be counted and only takes singular verb, e.g. hair

Answer 16

It refers to a group of people or things It is considered as a single unit and may take either singular or plural, e.g. the press.

Answer 17

It functions like an adjective and modifies the meaning of the noun that follows, e.g. motor industry.

Answer 18

The rich, the poor, the unexpected...

Answer 19

yours, his, someone, anyone

Answer 20

Determiners are a class of words that are used with nouns and have the function of defining the reference of the noun in some way, e.g. a, the, a few, any, no, zero article. Their is an example of a possessive determiner.

Answer 21

This is boring (present participle). I am bored (past participle). They come from the verb to bore.

Answer 22

They are adjectives made up of two parts, often hyphenated. well-liked, people-orientated.

Answer 23

General before specific: a large French car Opinion before description: A wonderful blue jacket

Answer 24

Gradable adjectives describe qualities we can measure or grade, e.g. wet, cold. Intensifiers can be used, e.g. very or downtowners, e.g. fairly. Ungradable adjectives can describe extreme qualities, e.g. terrifying, starving or absolute qualities, e.g. alive, dead. With these extreme adjectives we use only intensifiers. She is completely dead.

Answer 25

Adverbs of manner describe how something is done, e.g. carefully or slowly. Adverbs of frequency describe how often something happens, e.g. always, often, never. Adverbs of time and place describe when something happens, e.g. here, now. Adverbs of relative time describe when something happens in relation to some other point in time, e.g. already, recently, soon. Adverbs of degree are used with downtowners or intensifiers. e.g. extremely, rather or very. Adverbs of quantity describe the quantity of an event, e.g. a lot, a little. Focusing adverbs are used to single out information (e.g. especially, even, particularly), to express some kind of restriction (just, merely, only), refer back to something (e.g. also, either, too). Attitude markers are used to interpret the events we describe or to convey our attitude to them. Usually refer to a whole or longer stretch speech or writing, e.g. naturally, clearly.

Answer 26

Prepositions show a relationship betwen the objects and another part of the sentence, e.g. time. It is followed by a noun phrase, gerund. Before can be a preposition. I met him before joining the navy. Prepositions are classified by place (e.g. at) time (in) accompaniment (with) belonging (of)

Answer 27

The language which is the focus of the lesson or a part of the lesson. It could be grammar, lexis, functions or pronunciation, e.g. the present perfect, or vocabulary for parts of the body, or giving advice. The language being studied (often called the L2). If learners are studying English then English is the target language

Answer 28

The study of meaning at the level of words, phrases, and sentences, without considering context. Focuses on literal meaning (dictionary definitions, word relations). Example: "I’m cold" → Semantically, this means the speaker feels a low temperature.

Answer 29

Phrases which are used for a particular communicative purpose or function, e.g. Let’s ..., Shall we …, How about ... These phrases are used to make a suggestion and are functional exponents of the function of suggesting.

Answer 30

A sentence which contains only one clause. It is a complete thought. It consists of a subject and a verb and if it is a transitive verb, it must take an object.

Answer 31

It is used for pre-arrangements and that events occur as a matter of course (without anything unusual or surprising). We'll be landing shortly.

Answer 32

to talk about habits in the past past willingness report what was said to talk about the future in the past

Answer 33

present and timeless states repeated events in the present (habit) instantaneous events in the present, She puts her head down and she bangs it straight across the line. past events, e.g. Police discovers crack in Australia. future scheduled events, e.g. The concert finishes at 8pm. adverbial clauses of time and conditional clauses, e.g. I'll never play at this place again unless I play there again.

Answer 34

A compound-complex sentence is a type of sentence that combines elements of both compound and complex sentences. A compound-complex sentence has: At least two independent clauses (like a compound sentence), and At least one dependent (subordinate) clause (like a complex sentence). I like her because she is nice and she likes her because she is pretty.

Answer 35

A binominal phrase is a pair of words, usually linked by "and" or "or", that are often used together in a fixed or semi-fixed way. e.g. Fish and chips

Answer 36

Some adjectives beginning with the letter 'a-' are used mainly in predicative position. Examples are: afraid, afloat, alight, alike, alive, alone, asleep, awake etc. The baby fell asleep. The deer saw a sleeping tiger. (NOT... saw an asleep tiger.) He is afraid. He is a frightened man. (NOT...an afraid man.)

Answer 37

Attributive adjectives appear before the noun they describe, and they are directly attached to the noun. For example: "The blue sky is beautiful."

Answer 38

Relative clauses are used to give more information about a noun in the main clause, and they often start with a relative pronoun like who, which, that, etc. There are a few types: Defining Relative Clauses (Restrictive Clauses): These provide essential information that defines the noun and cannot be omitted without changing the meaning of the sentence. Example: "The book that you gave me is amazing." Here, the clause "that you gave me" is necessary to specify which book is being talked about. Non-Defining Relative Clauses (Non-Restrictive Clauses): CANNOT USE THAT These add extra information about the noun but do not change the core meaning of the sentence. Non-defining clauses are usually separated by commas. Example: "My brother, who lives in New York, is coming to visit." The clause "who lives in New York" adds extra information but is not crucial to understanding which brother is meant. Reduced Relative Clauses: These occur when a relative clause has been shortened or simplified. They are often used in informal speech or writing. Example (with the full clause): "The woman who is standing over there is my teacher." Example (reduced): "The woman standing over there is my teacher." Here, the relative pronoun ("who") and the verb ("is") are dropped. Relative Clauses with "Where," "When," or "Why": These introduce a place, time, or reason. Example (with where): "This is the house where I grew up." Example (with when): "The year when we met was unforgettable." Example (with why): "This is the reason why I left."

Answer 39

Then it means that something has happened unexpectedly, suddenly and/or unpleasantly.

Answer 40

A type of verb that consists of a verb Example: look after, run out of and one or two particles (prepositions or adverbs).

Answer 41

The formation of new words through the truncation of existing ones, e.g. ad (from advertisement) or burger (from hamburger)

Answer 42

A counting number (shows quantity), e.g. five students, 870 miles In contrast, an ordinal number asks "which order"?, e.g. first, second, second student

Answer 43

It is a linking verb, acts like an = between a subject and a description/identity, not an action verb She is nice (is the copular verb) She seems nice. She appears to be nice. She looks nice.

Answer 44

A lexicalised compound is a compound that has become a fixed expression in the language — you don’t interpret it word-by-word each time, it functions as a single lexical item with a recognised meaning. e.g. mother-in-law, blackbird

Answer 45

A verb that indicates that a subject either causes someone or something else, e.g. the verb "make" John made her understand.

Analysing Language Flashcards

(69 cards)