Exercises Complement Options

Applied English for Linguistics
Summer 2010- J. E. Seibert -- Tokyo International University of America

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Syntax exercises: Complement Options

Lexical categories are divided into subcategories based on their complements (subcategorization)
Use your dictionary and your knowledge of English and CIRCLE the correct complement option.
Write a sentence using the word and underline the complement. Remember to inflect the verb!
Write an original sentence. Don't copy sentences from your friends or your dictionary.

devour (V)	(a) NP or (b) Ø	She devoured the chocolate cake.
destroy (V)	(a) NP or (b) Ø
discuss (V)	(a) NP or (b) Ø
observe (V)	(a) NP or (b) PP_toPP_about
debate (N) (we often use the verb have with the noun debate)	(a) PP_ofPP_to or (b) PP_withPP_about
conversation (N)	(a) PP_withPP_about or (b) PP_toPP_about
curious (A)	(a) PP_to or (b) PP_about
by (P)	(a) Ø or (b) NP

Adapted from: O'Grady, William et al. Contemporary Linguistics: An Introduction. Bedford/St. Martins, 2005.