The syntax of inflection(27) IP
– I'
I XP
-ed X'
X VP
not DP V'
the glass V
shatter
We know that the inflectional element takes a v/VP complement and therefore that
the negative must be either V or v. As the complement of the negation is a v/VP it
follows that the negative must be v, a light verb, as main verbs do not have verbal
complements. Thus the analysis is:
(28) IP
- I'
I vP
-ed v'
v VP
not DP V'
the glass V
shatter
Accepting this, we can account for the insertion of dummy do. The verb will not be
able to move to inflection without violating the HMC. Apparently in English, the
negative is not the sort of verbal element that can support tense and hence the only
option available is to insert an auxiliary. As there is no aspectual morpheme to deem
otherwise, the inserted auxiliary will be do: