ch05.htm
by U Kyaw Tun (UKT), M.S. (I.P.S.T., U.S.A.),
and staff of TIL (Tun Institute of Learning).
Based on Barron’s Educational Series,
Grammar In Plain English, by Diamond, H.
and Dutwin, P., Barron’s Educational Series,
Inc., Woodbury, New York. Copyright 1977. Not for sale. No copyright. Free for
everyone. Prepared for students and
staff of TIL Research Station, Yangon, MYANMAR :
http://www.tuninst.net ,
www.romabama.blogspot.com
Adding Descriptive Phrases
01.
Descriptive Phrases: Adding Meaning
Exercise 0101
02.
Descriptive Phrases: Correct Placement
Exercise 0201
UKT notes
• adverbial
• adverbs (additions to words)
•
dealer
UKT: The dictionary meaning and the origin of the word adverb shows that it simply means an additional word to add more meaning a root word.
Adverbs can be quite complicated as the following shows. The following is
from UseE, which classifies the adverbs into:
1. adverbs of • manner, • place or location, • time, • degree, and
2. adverbs modifying • adjectives, • adverbs, • nouns, • noun phrases, •
determiners, numerals and pronouns.
You have just been working with descriptive words which help to make the sentence much more meaningful and interesting. Frequently, one descriptive word is not enough. We need a group of words (a phrase) to expand the meaning. These words or phrases are known as adverbs of place or location, and they show where the action is done.
• The coffee cup fell on the floor.
The group of words that functions in the same way as an adverb is also known as an adverbial. -- UseE
• Before the play, we met up in a pub near the theatre.
Before the play functions in the same way as an adverb of time such as Yesterday, etc.
Before you look for descriptive phrases, you must be sure that you understand the core of the sentence. Ask yourself these questions:
1. Which is V (the action word) in the sentence? -- (fell)
2. Which is S (performer, N)? -- (cup)
3. What do words <the> and <coffee> describe? -- (cup)
4. Finally, what does adverbial phrase (Adv.) on the floor describe? -- (fell)
Consider another sentence:
• They live locally.
UKT remark: locally modifies where they live.
There can be more than one descriptive word for the performer S, and action word V.
Each of the sentences below contains at least one descriptive phrase (adverbial) which
I’ve underlined. What is the word it describes?
UKT note: Many usages in these questions involve the North American way of life
and need explanations for Myanmar students.
1. The company solved its financial problems through efficiency techniques.
<company> hso thæÑ mha si:pwa:ré: loap-ngan: hpric pri: <financial problems> pa thæÑ. a.twak ngwé-kré: pra.tha.na pau né poän ra. thæÑ// hto loap-ngan: thæÑ <efficiency techniques> to. ko thoän: hkring: hpring. ngwé-kré: a.kyûp a.tæÑ: ko hpré rhing: leik thæÑ//
Ans.: (solved)
2. The fire in the fireplace (1) crackled into the night (2).
<fire> nhing. <fireplace> to. twing <fire> ka. hting:mi: ko hso lo thæÑ// <fireplace> thæÑ a.hkyam: daN ko ka kwèý pé: thæÑ. hting:mi:hpo ko hso lo thæÑ// sa-kraung: rè. a.Daip~pÈý ka. {hting:mi:hpo ka. hting:toän: to. thæÑ tic-Ña. loän: tic-hprauk-hprauk nhing. laung kywam: né thæÑ//}
Ans.: 1. (fire), 2. (crackled)
3. The dentist’s ultrasonic cleaner sped along the surfaces of his patient’s teeth.
thwa: <teeth> than.rhing: ré: a.loap hkän né tè. lu-na rè. thwa: mya: ko , thwa:hsa.ra-wun keing hta: thau <ultrasonic cleaner> ka. lying-mran swa than.rhing: pé: né thæÑ//
Ans.: (sped)
4. Shrubbery grew around the house.
lu-né aim rè. pût wun:kyin twing hkroän-nwè to. pauk lyak rhi. thæÑ//
Ans.: (grew)
5. A contestant with a soprano voice won the talent competition.
tak-þän nhin. þi-hso þau a.þän-shín þæÑ a.hso-preín-pwè: twín a.neín ra. þwa: þæÑ//
Ans.: (contestant)
6. During the training session, the recruits crawled under the fence.
sic-lé.kying. hkam: tic-hku. twing , tûp-tha:laung: mya: thæÑ mha. mi.hkyaung:thwa: twa: thwa: kra. thæÑ//
Ans.: (crawled)
7. A lonely figure waited on the bridge.
Ans.: (waited)
8. Everyone except him cheered.
Ans.: (everyone)
9. The dealer divided the cards among the four players.
Ans.: (divided)
10. An argument raged between the two teams.
ka.sa:preing-pwè: twing a.thing: nhic thing: thæÑ pring:htan swa ngring:hkoän kra. thæÑ//
Ans.: (raged)
A descriptive phrase (adverbial) should be placed next to the word which it describes. Misplacement of a descriptive phrase results in confused meaning. As an example, let’s take an incorrect sentence:
* The congressman made an unfavorable comment at a White House reception about rising prices.
{a.htak pa sa-kraung: twing <phrase> nhic-hku. pa né thæÑ ko tha.ti. pru. pa// lÉ-kaung: to. mha
1. <at a White House reception>
2. <about rising prices.>You should note that there are two phrases in the above sentence:
1. <at a White House reception> and
2. <about rising prices>The reception was not about rising prices. However, since phrase is next to <reception>, it appears that the reception was held to discuss the rising prices. The sentence should read:
The congressman made an unfavorable comment about rising prices at a White House reception.
A proper use of commas would have helped, but the modern trend is to use as little of the commas as possible.
The congressman made an unfavorable comment about rising prices, at a White House reception.
The underlined descriptive phrase in each of the following sentences is correctly placed. What is the word which it describes?
1. The American way of life changes constantly.
Ans.: (way)
2. The economy will grow through the 1970’s.
Ans.: (will grow)
3. This course of action is intolerable.
Ans.: (course)
4. The prosecutor spoke to Steve.
Ans.: (spoke)
5. John Canady writes about art.
Ans.: (writes)
6. Several angry commuters walked to the bus stop.
Ans.: (walked)
7. Representatives of the different factions spoke.
Ans.: (representatives)
8. The actors dine after the show.
Ans.: (dine)
9. The panelist at the end (1) of the table (2) spoke decisively.
Ans.: 1. (panelist), 2. (end)
{tha.ti. pru. pa// di-mé:hkwan: ka. nhic peing: pa tèý//
1. The panelist at the end (1) of the table spoke decisively.
{lÉ-kaung: a.hpré ka. <panelist> hpric tèý//}2. The panelist at the end of the table (2) spoke decisivelyy.
{di a.phré ka. tau. <end> hpric tèý//}
10. Mr. Simmons spoke at length.
Ans.: (spoke)
Frequently, a descriptive phrase separates the performer (S, N) and the action (V). You must remember that the action agrees in number with the performer. For example:
1. The man walks .
2. The man in the black boots walks .
3. The man in the black boots walks slowly.
Notice that the performer (S, N) man and the action word walks (V) remain unchanged in each sentence. The number of the action word is not affected by any word in the descriptive phrase. Thus, in the third sentence, the action word does not change to agree with boots .
{sa.ka: prau: tè. né ra mha hpré: hpré: prau: pri: a.þän hprat prau: pa// na.mu-na
• The man in the black boots, walks slowly.
{<boots> nauk twing a.thän hprat pa// <comma> htæÑ. ré: neing: thau læÑ: ma.ré: kra. ta ka. mya: pa tèý//
From: AHTD
adj. Abbr. adv. Grammar 1. Of, relating to, or
being an adverb.
From: LBH
A term sometimes used to describe any word or word group, other than an adverb,
that is used to modify a verb, an adjective, another adverb, or a whole
sentence. Common adverbials include:
• nouns:
This little piggy stayed home.• phrases:
This little piggy went to market.• clauses
This little piggy went wherever he wanted.
From: UseE
An adverbial is a group of words that functions in the same way as an
Adverb:
Before the play, we met up in a pub near the theatre.
'Before the play' functions in the same way as an adverb of time such as
Yesterday, etc.
Go back adverbial-note-b
UKT: It seems that the words "adverb", "adverb phrase", and "adverbial" are used by grammarians interchangeably.
From: AHTD
n. Abbr. adv. Grammar 1. A part of speech comprising
a class of words that modify a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. 2.
A word belonging to this class, such as rapidly in The dog runs
rapidly. [Middle English adverbe from Old French from Latin
adverbium ad- in relation to; See ad- verbum word; See wer-
5 in Indo-European Roots.]
UKT: Adverbs can be quite complicated as the following shows. The following is
from UseE, which classifies the adverbs into:
1. adverbs of • manner, • place or location, • time, • degree, and
2. adverbs modifying • adjectives, • adverbs, • nouns, • noun phrases, •
determiners, numerals and pronouns.
Since, these belong to the realm of experts, which I am not, it is best to
simply make the remark that "adverbs usually ends in -ly."
However, for curiosity sake, I will give below what UseE has given (with
remarks by a non-expert).
UVic explained in other words. "An adverb may be a single
word, such as quickly, here or yesterday. However, adverbs
can also be phrases, some made with prepositions, others made with infinitives.
This page will explain the basic types of adverb phrases (sometimes called "adverbial
phrases") and how to recognize them."
The examples given below are from UseE and UVic .
Adverb of manner: -- UseE
Adverbs of manner modify a verb to describe the way the action is done.
• She did the work carefully. -- UseE
Remark: Carefully modifies the verb to describe the way the work was done, as opposed to quickly, carelessly, etc.• It rained hard yesterday. -- UVic
• The woman stared at me with an angry expression. -- UVic
Adverb of place or location: -- UseE
Adverbs of place show where the action is done.
• They live locally. -- UseE
UKT remark: Locally modifies where they live.• Janice placed the chair next to the window. -- Adv. of place -- UVic
• Elephants are found in Africa and India. -- Adv. of place -- UVic
Adverb of time: -- UseE
Adverbs of time show when an action is done, or the duration or frequency.
• He did it yesterday. (When) -- UseE
• They are permanently busy. (Duration) -- UseE
• She never does it. (Frequency) -- UseE• Mika usually gets up early. -- Adv. of frequency -- UVic
• Joe buys flowers for his wife every week. -- Adv. of frequency -- UVic
• We hardly ever use the microwave. -- Adv. of frequency -- UVic• Surfing is a popular sport in the summer. -- Adv. of time -- UVic
• I'll meet you on Friday. -- Adv. of time -- UVic
Adverb of degree: -- UseE
Adverbs of degree increase or decrease the effect of the verb.
• I completely agree with you. -- UseE
Remark: Completely increases the effect of the verb, whereas partially would decrease it.
Adverbs modifying adjectives: -- UseE
An adjective can be modified by an adverb, which precedes the adjective, except
'enough' which comes after.
• That's really good. -- UseE
UKT remark: In 'That's good.', good is the adjective. Really is the adverb that is modifying the adjective good.
Again, consider the following sentences:
1. That's good.
2. That's really good.
3. That is good.
4. That is really good.
Though these sentences mean almost the same, they had different 'shades' of meanings. The difference between the first two, and the second is in the emphasis on is .• It was a terribly difficult time for all of us. -- UseE
• It wasn't good enough. ('Enough' comes after the adjective.) -- UseE
Adverbs modifying adverbs: -- UseE
An adverb can modify another. As with adjectives, the adverb precedes the one it
is modifying with 'enough' being the exception again.
• She did it really well. -- UseE
UKT remark: The sentence 'She did it well.' would have shown how she had done it as opposed to 'She did it badly.' Here well and badly are adverbs. These adverbs can be further modified by really, sort of, etc.• He didn't come last night, funnily enough. -- UseE
Adverbs modifying nouns: -- UseE
Adverbs can modify nouns to indicate time or place.
• *The concert tomorrow. -- UseE
• *The room upstairs. -- UseE
UKT: These two phrases from UseE are not complete sentences and I have shown that they are so with an *.
Adverbs modifying noun phrases: -- UseE
Some adverbs of degree can modify noun phrases.
• We had quite a good time. -- UseE
• They're such good friends. -- UseE
• What a day! -- UseE
Remark: quite, rather, such can be used similar to what (What a day!).
Adverbs of purpose: -- UVic
UKT: Those marked out as "Adv. phrase" these are described Adverb phrases
made with infinitives
• I write computer programs for fun. -- Adv. of purpose -- UVic
• I bought the glue to fix my broken lamp. -- Adv. of purpose -- UVic
• I wear wooly socks to keep my feet warm. -- Adv. of purpose -- UVic
• Jack bought the flowers for his mother. -- Adv. phrase of purpose -- UVic
• I'm saving my money to buy a car. -- Adv. phrase of purpose
• The students all showed up to support the team. -- Adv. phrase of purpose
• Sally bought a painting home from school to show to her mother. -- Adv. phrase of purpose.
Adverbs modifying determiners, numerals and pronouns: -- UseE
Adverbs such as almost; nearly; hardly; about, etc., can be used:
• Almost everybody came in the end. -- UseE
Go back adverb-addn-to-words-note-b
From: AHTD
n. Abbr. dlr. 1. One that is engaged in buying and selling: a
used-car dealer; a drug dealer. 2. Games The one who
distributes cards.
From: UKT
{hpè: deing //}
Go back dealer-note-b
End of TIL file