Suggested Answers and Hints - Chapter 8sentence. It is obvious that in this sentence the problem is not that the movement of the
DP I is not local. I moves from the Spec,IP position of the embedded sentence to the
Spec,IP position of the matrix sentence. Still the sentence is ungrammatical. Notice
though that the verb believe is an ECM verb that can assign Case to the subject of its
infinitival complement, so no movement is necessary.
In sentence (1d) the DP John is the thematic object of the passive verb killed.
Passive verbs cannot assign case. The object DP must move to a case position where it
can get case. It moves to Spec,IP of the embedded sentence where it cannot get
nominative case because I is non-finite. Notice that the verb believe is an ECM verb,
that is it can assign case to the item in the Spec,IP position of its complement clause.
The problem is that the verb believe is in its passive form therefore it cannot assign
accusative case. Hence the DP John has no case. The Case Filter is violated.Exercise 7
(1) a. Johni seems ti to be clever.
b. Johni tries PROi to be clever.
c. Johni appeared ti to be clever.
d. Johni was believed ti to be clever.
e. Johni wanted PROi to come.
f. Johni was likely ti to come.
g. Johni was too tired PROi to come.
h. Johni was unable PROi to come.
i. Johni was certain ti to come.
j. Johni was happy PROi to come.Exercise 8
a Jack wondered whether [PRO] to trust Jill.
subject controlb. The electrician promised the owner of the flat [PRO] to do a good job.
subject controlc The teacher told the student [PRO] to register for the course next semester.
object controld It is important [PRO] to keep your word.
ambiguous between arbitrary and subject control interpretation: it can mean
that it is important for the listener to keep their word or the clause can be
understood to have a generic interpretation, it is important for people in
general to keep their word.e I am glad [PRO] to be back home.
subject control