Basic English Grammar with Exercises

Exercise 13

f Jane broke the vase.

The verb break in this sentence is a two-place predicate; the subject (agent) causes the

object (theme) to undergo a change of state. Its complement is a nominal phrase.

break category:[–F, –N, +V]


-grid: <agent, theme>

subcat: nominal

g The vase broke.

The verb break in this sentence is a one-place predicate, whose meaning is very similar

to the verb break in sentence (1f). The subject (theme) undergoes the same change of

state as the object in sentence (1f), but as opposed to sentence (1f), in sentence (1g) the

causer is not specified. There is no agent only a theme that is nominal.

break category:[–F, –N, +V]


-grid: <theme>

subcat: nominal

h Everybody got a letter from the Prime Minister.

get is a three-place predicate, which expresses movement of some entity, the object

(theme) of the clause that undergoes some change of place. The source of movement is

expressed with prepositional phrase (source). The target of movement is the subject

(goal). The verb has two complements, the nominal theme and the prepositional

source. The subject argument has the role of beneficiary.

get category:[–F, –N, +V]


-grid: <beneficiary, theme, source>

subcat: nominal, prepositional

Exercise 13

a realise category: [–N, +V]


-grid: <experiencer, proposition>

subcat: [sentence]

open category: [–N, +V]


-grid: <instrument, theme>

subcat: [nominal]

b crawl category: [–N, +V]


-grid: <agent, source, goal>

subcat: [prepositional, prepositional]

c think category: [–N, +V]


-grid: <experiencer, proposition>

subcat: [sentence]

break category: [–N, +V]


-grid: <source, patient>

subcat: [nominal]