Chapter 3, The Morphology of English
3.2
1. dis / able
{dis} means “not” or negates the word it is attached to; it is also used in disappear and disenchanted
{able} is an adjective meaning “capable of”
2. non /sense
{non} means “not” or negates the word it is attached to; it is also used in noncompliant
{sense} is a noun meaning “intelligibility, understanding, sensibility, etc.”
3. fright / en
{fright} is a noun that means intense fear
{en} changes the noun, fright, to a verb; it is also used in tighten (adj. to verb) and lighten
4. type / write/ r
{type} is a noun meaning printed letter or character
{write} is a verb meaning to form letters or characters
{er} is a morpheme that changes a verb to a noun; it means “one who does”; it is also used in teacher and speaker
5. in / decent
{in} is a morpheme that means “not”; it is also used in incredible and indescribable
{decent} is a word that means “acceptable, appropriate, modest”
6. en / roll / ment
{en} is a morpheme that transforms a word into a verb; it is also used in enslave
{roll} is a noun meaning “roster”
{ment} is a morpheme that creates nouns meaning “state of”; it is also used in excitement and entertainment
7. fever / ish / ly
{fever} is a noun meaning “high body temperature”
{ish} is a morpheme that converts nouns to adjectives; it is also used in nightmarish and foolish
{ly} is a morpheme that converts adjectives to adverbs; it is also used in happily and typically
8. need / less / ness
{need} is a noun meaning “the condition in which something is required”
{less}creates adjectives that mean “free of”; it is also used in careless or heedless
{ness} converts an adjective to a noun; it is also used in shyness and sadness
9. un / ethic / al
{un} negates the meaning of a word; it is also used in unhappy
{ethic}is a noun meaning “principle or right”
{al} is a morpheme that transforms a word into an adjective; it is also used in mythical and hysterical
Exercise 3.7
1. Result
Noun: I didn’t like the results of our last election.
Verb: His mistake resulted in losses for the company.
2. Heavy
Noun: Sometimes, even in a progressive classroom, teachers have to be the heavies.
Adjective: He is heavier than I am, but Paul is the heaviest of all of us.
3. Yellow
Noun: If you add some yellows to that painting, it will change the mood to a cheery one.
Verb: The leather upholstery yellowed with age.
Adjective: Those new post-it notes are yellower than may old, faded ones.
4. Fly
Noun: These flies are driving me crazy.
Verb: She flew on a commuter jet out of Tweed. She usually flies out of Bradley.
5. Seat
Noun: Please take your seats.
Verbs: Please be seated. We seated ourselves in the front row.
6. High
Noun: My life is comprised of many personal highs and lows.
Adjective: You need to move to the highest level of analysis.
Adverb: She flew higher than she ever had before.
7. Finish
Noun: Many car finishes have been ruined by abrasive cleaners.
Verb: We finished dinner in minutes.
Adjective: She crossed the finish line first.
8. Snow
Noun: The spring snows on the mountain can produce treacherous hiking conditions.
Verb: It snowed Thursday night, but not enough to cancel classes on Friday.
9. Fast
Noun: We’re all going on fasts this week to protest American agricultural policies.
Verb: We fasted for three days, but then hunger overcame our spirit.
Adjective: She’s the fastest runner in the county.
Adverb: She ran faster and faster.
Exercise 3.8
act, action, actionless, activate, enact, reenact, active, actively, proactive, inactive, inactivity, hyperactive, react, reactive, reaction, reactionary, deactivate, etc. . .
Exercise 3.9
1. Scanner
{scan} free base
{-er} bound derivational suffix; creates nouns meaning something that performs the action; e.g., processer
2. Antechamber
{ante-} bound derivational prefix; means before; e.g., antebellum (before the war)
{chamber} free base
3. Preview
{pre-} bound derivational prefix; means before in time; preschool
{view} free base
4. Unaffordable
{un} bound derivational prefix; means “not”; unlucky
{afford} free base
{-able} bound derivational suffix; creates adjectives meaning “capable of”; e.g. reasonable
5. Becalm
{be-} bound derivational prefix; creates verbs; e.g. besiege
{calm} free base
6. Internet
{inter-} bound derivational prefix; means “between”; e.g. intercontinental
{net} free base
7. Oboist
{oboe} free base
{-ist} bound derivational suffix meaning “one who plays or does”; e.g. flautist, pianist, soloist
8. Employment
{employ} free base
{-ment} bound derivational noun-making suffix; e.g. government
9. Foreclosure
{fore-} bound derivational prefix meaning “before in time”; e.g. foretaste
{close} free base
{-ure} bound derivatiaonal noun-making morpheme meaning “act of”; e.g. erasure
Review Exercise on Inflectional Morphemes (57-58)
traveled verb past participle
lived verb past tense
days noun plural
was verb past tense
slower adjective comparative
lasting verb present participle (but acting like an adjective)
involving verb present participle (same)
customs noun plural (note how it acts like an adjective, though)
waited verb past tense
boat’s noun possessive
arrived verb past tense
being verb present participle
heading verb present participle
Colonies noun plural
best adverb superlative
encountered veb past tense
Brothers’ noun plural possessive
lasted verb past participle
ship’s noun possessive
later adjective comparative
Chapter 4: Form-Class Words
Exercise 4.1
androokers: noun, based on both form (-s) and function (follows determiner ‘the’ and is at the beginning of the sentence)
plurked, proiled: verb, based on both form (-ed) and function (follows np and completes clause)
gribbly: adjective, based mainly on function (its placement between ‘a’ and ‘flubjin,’ a noun that it must modify). You could say form because of the {-ly} ending (same as friend, friendly), but {-ly} also frequently makes adverbs (easy, easily).
flubjin: noun, based on function (follows determiner ‘a’ and is at beginning of clause
broofled: verb, based on form (-ed) and function (placement)
geesheively: adverb, based on form (-ly) and function (must be modifying broofled)
lumphet: noun, based on function (follows determiner and is object of prep ‘beside’)
Frame Sentence for
Nouns (65):
(The) ________ seems
all right (inevitable/necessary)
Exercise 4.2
1. Dancer: Noun. C-degree of nounness (derived from verb by addition of noun-making morph.
Applicable: all five characteristics: noun-making morpheme (-er), plural morpheme (-s), possesive morpheme (-‘s), preceded by article, can fit in frame sentence.
2. Potato: Noun. A-degree of nounness (names a thing)
Not applicable: has no noun-making morpheme
3. Sheep: Noun. A-degree of nounness.
Not applicable: has no noun-making morpheme and does not use a plural morpheme
4. Greeting: Noun. C-degree of nounness. Although this can still function as a verb, it’s been accepted as a true noun, not just a gerund. It can accept both noun inflections (plural and possessive; “the greeting’s tone rang hollow”).
Not applicable: has no noun-making morpheme (-ing forms a verbal present participle)
5: Refusing: Not a Noun [it’s a gerund, which is officially a verbal ] G-degree.
Applicable: fits the frame sentence
Not Applicable: (1) has no noun-making derivational morpheme; (2) cannot occur with a plural morpheme; (3) cannot occur with possessive morpheme; (4) cannot directly follow an article without a modifier (*the refusing) [but, “This constant refusing to do your work is getting tiresome.”]
6. Diligence: Noun. B-degree (derived from an adjective with a derivational morpheme)
Applicable: fits the frame sentence and has a noun-making morpheme (-ence)
7. Baroness: Noun. A-degree (names a person)
Applicable: all five characteristics
8: Happiness: Noun. B-degree (derived from happy)
Not Applicable: can’t add plural (-s) or possessive (- ‘s) morphemes
9. Glamorous: Not a Noun (fits none of the five tests)
Noun Continuum (67-68)
Exercise 4.3—see insertions above.
Exercise 4.4
1. bacon noncount, common, inanimate
2. Senator count, proper, animate, human
3. citizen count, common, animate, human
4. gravel non-count, common, inanimate
5. coalition count, common, inanimate
6. Socialism noncount, proper, inanimate [but, try Feminisms—countable?]
7. elephant count, common, animate, nonhuman
8. guitarist count, common, animate, human
9. heroine count, common, animate, human, female [do we use this word anymore? what gendered nouns are still accepted?]
Verbs (see p. 73)
- action, state (her head lay on the desk), or condition (the house remained unlocked)
- can be negated (The baby didn’t eat)
- many can be made into commands (Stop!)
- all can follow a modal auxiliary such as “must.”
- check for morphemes that signify verbs (-ed is inflectional; -ify is derivational)
Verb Frame
Sentences: They must ___ (it). They must ____ good.
Exercise 4.5
1. Tell: Verb. Tells, told, telling, told, tell them!, he didn’t tell them, they should tell the truth.
Not applicable: verb-making morpheme
2. Encircle: Verb. All eight tests applicable (En- is a verb-making morpheme)
3. Criticize: Verb. All eight tests applicable (-ize is a verb-making morpheme)
4. Strike: Verb. Not applicable: verb-making morpheme. strikes, struck; has struck; “Strike that from the record!” “They did not strike.” “They must strike soon.”
5. Close: Verb. Not applicable: verb-making morpheme.
6. Sleep: Verb. Not applicable: verb-making morpheme.
7. Cry: Verb. Not applicable: verb-making morpheme.
8. Be: Verb. Not applicable: verb-making morpheme. Is, was, being, been; “Be the ball!”; “Don’t be silly.” “They must be good.”
9. Put: Verb. Not applicable: verb-making morpheme.
4.6
1. Horizon: Noun only.
- takes plural and possessive morphemes
- The horizon seems near.
- Cannot be used as a verb (*They must horizon it.)
2. Tension: Noun only
- takes plural (tensions)
- The tension seems alright.
- has noun-derivational suffix (-ion)
3. Rock: Both Noun and Verb
- takes noun inflections (rocks, rock’s)
- The rock seems ancient.
- also takes verb inflections: rocks, rocking, rocked.
- fits verb frame sentences: They may rock the boat. This party rocks!
4. Pluralize: Verb only
- formed with a verb-making morpheme (-ize)
- takes verb inflections (pluralizes, pluralized, pluralizing)
- fits verb frame sentence (You should pluralize it.)
- cannot be used as a noun (*The pluralize seems all right.)
5. Book: Both Noun and Verb.
- takes noun inflections (books, book’s)
- fits noun-frame sentence (The book seems all right.)
- takes verb inflections (he books, she booked, they were booking)
- fits verb-frame sentence (Someone can book seats for us.)
6. Treatment: Noun only.
- formed by noun-making morpheme (-ment)
- takes noun inflections
- fits noun-frame sentence (The treatment seems all right.)
- cannot be used as a verb (*They must treatment it.)
7. Sob: both Noun and Verb
- takes noun inflections, although “sob’s” would not be used often
- takes verb inflections (sobs, sobbed, sobbing)
- fits both sentence patterns (The sobs seem loud. They may sob all they want.)
8. Decide: Verb only
- takes verb inflections (decides, decided, deciding)
- fits verb-frame sentence (They must decide.)
- cannot be used as a noun (*The decide seems all right)
9. Sufficient: Neither noun or verb
Exercise 4.7
1. shiny: adjective.
- has adjective-making derivational morpheme (-y)
- can be compared using –er and –est
- qualifies (very shiny)
- fits both slots in frame: the shiny coin was very shiny
2. indifferent: adjective
- has adjective-making derivational morpheme (-ent)
- can be compared using more and most
- qualifies
- fits frame sentence
3. judicial: adjective
- has adjective-making derviational morpheme (-al)
- can be compared using more and most
- qualifies
- fits frame sentence
4. fluid: adjective
- can be compared using more and most
- can be qualified
- fits frame sentence
5. master: Not an adjective
- no adjective-making derivational morpheme
- can’t be made comparative or superlative (*more/most master)
- cannot be qualified (*he was very master)
- doesn’t fit frame sentence
What part of speech is “master”? How can you tell?
The ___ is all right.
6. vigilant: adjective
- has adjective-making derivational morpheme (-ant)
- can be made comparative or superlative using more/most
- can be qualified
- fits frame sentence
7. wicker: Not an adjective
- no adjective-making derivational morpheme
- cannot be made comparative or superlative
- cannot be qualified
- does not fit frame
What is it?
8. stable: adjective
- can be made comparative or superlative with more/most
- can be qualified
- fits frame sentence
9. calling: Not an adjective
- no adjective-making derivational morpheme
- cannot be made comparative or superlative
- cannot be qualified
- does not fit frame sentence
What is it?
Exercise 4.8
1. cranky: both
- The cranky old man threw rocks at the kids.
- I am very cranky when I first wake up in the morning.
2. unfair: both
- The teacher gave an unfair test on grammar.
- The grammar test seemed unfair to many students.
3. utter: attributive
- He lived in utter chaos.
- *He was very utter yesterday.
4. financial: just attributive?
- The financial advisor told me to declare bankruptcy.
- The advice she gave was financial.
- *The topic of her conversation was very financial.
5. oval: both?
- The oval office is undergoing renovations.
- *The office was very oval.
- Melinda’s circles are always very oval.
6. awake: predicative
- *The awake baby cried all night.
- The baby was awake for hours.
7. idiotic: both
- His idiotic answer amused us all.
- His behavior is very idiotic.
8. final: both
- The final decision rests with the jury.
- The jury’s decision was final.
9. aghast: predicative
- *The aghast teacher shrieked in terror.
- The teacher was aghast at the preponderence of plagiarism in the student papers.
Exercise 4.11
1. Soberly: Adverb
- has adverb-making suffix (-ly)
- can be compared with more and most
- can be qualified
- has mobility (Barbara answered their questions soberly. Soberly Barbara answered their questions)
- fits frame sentence: The man told his story soberly
2. Soon: Adverb
- can be made comparative (sooner) and superlative (soonest)
- can be qualified (very soon)
- has mobility
- can fit frame sentence: the woman will tell her story soon.
3. sometimes: Adverb
- has mobility
- can fit in frame sentence: the man tells his story sometimes.
4. worldly: Not an Adverb
- can take comparative and superlative inflections (worldlier, worldiest)
- can be qualified (very worldly)
But these are also adjective tests!
- has no adverb-making morpheme
- does have an adjective-making morpheme on a noun base
- no mobility
- does not fit frame sentence
What is it?
5. homely: Not an Adverb
- has an adjective making morpheme on a noun base (-ly)
- same as above
6. backwards: Adverb
- has an adverb-making suffix (-wards)
- can fit in frame sentence: The woman walked her dog backwards.
- cannot be compared
- cannot be qualified
- does not have mobility
[Note: “backward” without the –s can be an adjective or adverb]
7. seaward: Adverb
- adverb-making suffix
- mobility
- fits frame sentence
8. girlishly: Adverb
- has adverb-making suffix (-ly) attached to adjective base
- can be made comparative/superlative with more/most
- qualifies
- mobility
- fits frame sentence
9. Monday: Adverb? It acts like a noun frequently (Monday is the worst day of the week.)
- mobility
- fits frame sentence: The woman told her story Monday.
Exercise 4.13
1. alone: Adverb functioning adverbially (frame sentence: the man walked his dog alone)
2. today: Noun functioning adverbially (note moveability)
3. lightweight: Adjective functioning adjectivally (comparison, qualified, frame sentence)
4. leather: Noun functioning adjectivally.
5. matched: Verb past participle functioning adjectivally.
6. Matt Damon: Noun functioning nominally.
7. Buying: Verb functioning nominally.
8. Electronic: Adjective functioning adjectivally.
9. Parking: Verb present participle functioning adjectivally.
10. Theater: Noun functioning adjectivally.
1. color: Noun functioning adjectivally. Fails the adjective tests but can take noun inflections (s, ‘s). It can also, by the way, take verb inflections (colored, coloring).
2. perceive: Verb functioning as a verb. Fits verb frame sentence (They must perceive it) and takes verb inflections (perceives, perceived, perceiving).
3. speech: Noun functioning adjectivally. Fails adjective tests but takes noun inflections.
4. human: Noun functioning adjectivally. Fails adjective tests but takes noun inflections.
5. physical: Adjective functioning adjectivally. Has adjective-making suffix and can be compared and qualified.
6. visible: Adjective functioning adjectivally. Has adjective-making suffix, can be compared and qualified, fits frame sentence (The visible man is very visible).
7. imperceptibly: Adverb functioning adverbially. Has adverb-making suffix, mobility, can be compared and qualified, fits frame sentence (The woman walked her dog imperceptibly).
8. European: Adjective, but also very noun-like: a community of Europeans.
Ch. 5—Structure-Class Words
98-99: Matching determiners with count and non-count nouns.
Exercise 5.1
1. The (definite article), enough (indefinite), more (indefinite), this (demonstrative)
2. The (definite article), third (ordinal number), someone’s (possessive), the (definite article), the (definite article), his (possessive)
3. After eating three[d1] of those[d2] Monsterburgers, Joey needed some[d3] antacid pills.
5. The most money we were offered for our used Volkswagon was fifteen hundred dollars.
Exercises 5.2 and 5.3 (Groups do on Board)
Tree Diagrams (103, ff)—also called “phrase markers”
Auxiliaries (104-109)
Exercise 5.4
1. Did [say]; should be [leaving]
2. Does [believe]; may have [flown]
3. has been [barking]
4. have [had]; didn’t [enjoy]
5. has [given]; was [won]—passive voice
6. must [be]
7. will [do]
Qualifiers—how do you explain these to someone who doesn’t have English as a first language?
You can also call these intensifiers, but that doesn’t apply to the whole list.
Exercise 5.6
1. Although he had already seen The Producers three times, George rather reluctantly agreed that he would go with Janice to see its last performance.
had [seen]—auxiliary
The—determiner (definite article)
three—determiner (cardinal number)
rather—qualifier
that--__________
would [go]—modal auxiliary
its—determiner (possessive)
last—determiner (indefinite)
2. Perhaps if you had not killed off the hero so quickly in the first chapter, you would have found it easier to continue with your novel.
Exercise 5.7
1. bitterly—adverb;
up—particle;
for—preposition
2. up—particle
to—preposition
of—preposition
on—preposition
3. slowly—adverb
over—preposition
out—adverb
of—preposition
into—preposition
off—particle
for—preposition
in—preposition
after—preposition
4. Instead of waiting for a promised pay raise, William told off his boss and walked out. Later, he was somewhat disappointed to find out that he was not eligible for unemployment insurance.
Exercise 5.9
1. None of the kindergartners remembered to have their parents sign the measles vaccination form.
2. When players [rather than “anyone”] cry “Bingo,” check their cards against the numbers that have been called.