MOULAY ISMAIL UNIVERSITY GRAMMAR 3 Module

ENS- Meknes Prof. Younes ZHIRI

English Studies / Semester 3

Student’s full name: ……Oussama tiab……………/Group: …c………

Assignment N°2 (Category & Function)

Exercise 1: Name the category of the whole phrase and give the category & function of the
phrases in bold.

Category of the Category and function of the

whole phrase selection
The former president of the state Noun Phrase of the state: Prepositional Phrase,
Modifier
Her very young son Noun Phrase very young: Adjective Phrase, Modifier

thirty years old Adjective Phrase thirty years: Noun Phrase, Modifier
by the end of this year Prepositional Phrase the end of this year: Noun Phrase,
Object of the Preposition
American Moors Noun Phrase American: Adjective, Modifier
almost distressingly good-looking Adjective Phrase distressingly: Adverb Phrase, Modifier
before the twentieth of April Prepositional Phrase before: Preposition, Head
Iowa State University Noun Phrase Iowa State: Proper Noun, Modifier
The unemployed Noun Phrase unemployed: Adjective, Head
Extremely demanding Adjective Phrase Extremely: Adverb Phrase, Modifier

Exercise 2: Give the category & function of the phrases written in bold.

1) Leah ate the sandwich as fast as she could.

1. The sandwich: Noun Phrase, Direct Object.
2. as fast as she could: Adverbial Clause, Manner. 2) Toss me some
popcorn.
1. some popcorn: Noun Phrase, Direct Object.
2. some: Determiner, Modifier. 3) Tom bought Mary a book.
1. bought: Verb, Main Verb.
2. Mary: Noun Phrase, Indirect Object.
3. A book: Noun Phrase, Direct Object. 4) Wrap me up a kilo of Salmon.
1. me: Pronoun, Indirect Object.
2. a kilo: Noun Phrase, Direct Object.
3. of Salmon: Prepositional Phrase, Modifier. 5) They met him around nine in the city club.
1. They: Pronoun, Subject.
2. him: Pronoun, Direct Object.
3. In the city club : Prepositional Phrase, Adverbial of Place.
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6) They have already built the elderly a new house.

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1. have already built: Verb Phrase, Main Verb (Present Perfect).
2. the elderly: Noun Phrase, Indirect Object.
3. a new house: Noun Phrase, Direct Object. 7) I have sent them an email last week.
1. them: Pronoun, Indirect Object.
2. an email: Noun Phrase, Direct Object.
3. last week: Adverbial Phrase, Time.

Exercise 3: Are the adverbial phrases written in bold adjuncts, conjuncts, or disjuncts?

1) John writes more clearly than his brother does. Adjunct (Manner)

2) They arrived, to my surprise, before I did. Disjunct (Comment on

the speaker’s reaction)
3) I go to school by car. Adjunct (Means)

4) Obviously, nobody expected us to be here today. Disjunct (Speaker's

opinion or judgment)
5) I met him in the park when; however, we had no time to speak. Conjunct (Contrast)

6) He doesn’t need any money from us. On the contrary, we should Conjunct (Contrast)
be going to him for a loan.

7) Will you be there after lunch? Adjunct (Place)

8) I have been in Singapore once. Adjunct (Place)

9) You should take the medicine twice. Adjunct (Frequency)

10) There are 12 people present, to be precise. Disjunct (Clarification)

11) I was in New York last year and now living in Baltimore. Adjunct (Time)

12) Strictly speaking, nobody is allowed in here. Disjunct (Speaker’s

perspective)
13) The house you want is on the other side of the street. Adjunct (Place)

Exercise 4: Circle/underline the adverb phrases in each of the sentences below and indicate
their function

1) I can well understand your problem. Manner (Modifies the verb understand).
2) I very much would prefer to see you tomorrow. Degree (Modifies prefer).
3) He will definitely judge us. Certainty (Modifies will judge).
4) I almost resigned. Degree (Modifies resigned).
5) We don’t like it a bit. Degree (Modifies don’t like).
6) I like them a lot. Degree (Modifies like).

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7) I slept a lot last night. Time (Modifies slept).

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Exercise 5: Are the clauses in italics finite or non-finite? Indicate mood, tense, aspect, and
voice for each.
N.B. Mood: indicative / subjunctive / imperative
Tense: present / past
Aspect: Simple / progressive / perfective
Voice : active / passive
Use (X) in case one or some of these features is absent.

Finite/ Mood Tense Aspect Voice

Non-fini
te
1. Finish your work on time! Finite X X Active

2. Your performance should Finite Indicative Present Simple

not be compared to mine.

3. Realizing that there was Non-Finite X X X Active

no other way out, I
asked for help.

4. We insist that she stay for a Finite Present Simple Active

week.

5. Helped by local Non-Finite X X X Passive

volunteers, staff at the
museum have spent
many years sorting more
than 100.000
photographs.
6. The medals have been Finite Indicative Present Perfect Passive
given to the brave
soldiers.

7. She has been there for Finite Indicative Present Perfect Active
almost six years now.

8. I would go if I were younger Finite Past Past Active

9. I am curious what color you Finite Indicative Past Past Active

picked.

10. To interview him is a Non- X X X Active

dream. Finite

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11. Seeing no Non- X X X Active
employment prospect, Finite
he became self-
employed.
12. He is thoroughly spoilt Non-Finite X X X Active
child being the only one
in the family.

13. Look at that man Non-Finite X X X Active

swimming in the river.

14. We were asked to sit in Finite (1st Indicative Past Simple Passive
the front seats. verb)

15. We are all afraid that the Finite Indicative Future Simple Active
storm will be severe.

Exercise 6: Give the category and function of the structures in bold.

1) Finish your work on time!

- Category: Noun phrase
- Function: Direct object of the verb "Finish."

2) Your performance should not be compared to mine. - Category: Modal

verb phrase (with passive voice) - Function: Main verb of the clause.
3) Realizing that there was no other way out, I asked for help.
- Category: Present participial phrase -
Function: Adverbial clause, expressing reason.
4) We insist that she stay for a week. -
Category: Subjunctive clause
- Function: Object of the verb "insist."
5) Helped by local volunteers, staff at the museum have spent many years sorting more than
100.000 photographs.
- Category: Past participial phrase
- Function: Adjectival modifier for "staff."
6) The medals have been given to the brave soldiers.
- Category: Noun phrase
- Function: Indirect object of the verb "have been given." 7) She has been there for
almost six years now.
- Category: Prepositional phrase
- Function: Adverbial modifier, indicating time.
8) I would go if I were younger.
- Category: Adjective

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 - Function: Subject complement of "I would be." 9) I am curious what color you
picked.
- Category: Noun clause
- Function: Object of the adjective "curious." 10) To interview him is a dream.
- Category: Infinitive phrase
- Function: Subject of the sentence.
11) Seeing no employment prospect, he became self-employed.
- Category: Adjective
- Function: Subject complement of "he became."
12) He is thoroughly spoilt child being the only one in the family.
- Category: Adjective phrase
- Function: Modifier of "child."
13) Look at that man swimming in the river.
- Category: Present participial phrase
- Function: Adjectival modifier for "man.
14) We were asked to sit in the front seats.
- Category: Infinitive phrase
- Function: Object of "asked."
15) We are all afraid that the storm will be severe.
- Category: Noun clause
- Function: Object of "are afraid."

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