CALT Syntax and Sentence Structure 5

Question 1

In transformational grammar, what is the deep structure of a sentence?

Accepted Answer

The abstract underlying representation that captures basic grammatical relations

Answer

The phonological form of the sentence as spoken

Answer

The surface word order visible in the written sentence

Answer

The pragmatic meaning intended by the speaker

Question 2

Which construction is an example of right-branching syntax?

Accepted Answer

The man saw the dog that chased the cat that caught the mouse.

Answer

The cat the dog the man owned chased escaped.

Answer

Old men and women left.

Answer

The quickly running children laughed.

Question 3

What does the term 'argument structure' refer to in syntax?

Accepted Answer

The number and type of noun phrase arguments a verb requires

Answer

The logical relationship between premises and conclusions

Answer

The arrangement of clauses in a persuasive paragraph

Answer

The phonological weight of syllables in a sentence

Question 4

A child produces: 'Him goed to school.' Which two syntactic errors are present?

Accepted Answer

Incorrect pronoun case and irregular past tense overgeneralization

Answer

Incorrect determiner and tense marker

Answer

Subject omission and verb omission

Answer

Incorrect word order and article use

Question 5

What is a 'center-embedded' clause, and why is it difficult to process?

Accepted Answer

A relative clause inserted within the main clause, creating nested dependencies

Answer

A clause placed at the end of a sentence, causing right-attachment ambiguity

Answer

A clause beginning with a subordinating conjunction at the sentence start

Answer

A clause coordinated with 'and' or 'but' between two main clauses

Question 6

Which structural property distinguishes a phrasal verb from a prepositional verb in English?

Accepted Answer

The particle in a phrasal verb can be separated from the verb by its object

Answer

Phrasal verbs take indirect objects; prepositional verbs do not

Answer

Prepositional verbs always occur in passive constructions

Answer

Phrasal verbs require an infinitival complement

Question 7

In systemic functional linguistics, which metafunction describes how clauses express actions, events, and participants?

Accepted Answer

Experiential (ideational) metafunction

Answer

Interpersonal metafunction

Answer

Textual metafunction

Answer

Logical metafunction