Survey of English Grammar Wiki: More on Syntactic Functions

We distinguish four types of syntactic (grammatical) functions:

1. Predicate
2. Subject
3. Complements
   • direct object
   • indirect object
   • predicative complement
   • prepositional complement
4. Modifiers (Adjuncts)

The differences can be accounted for using several criteria

Position in the structure

• The predicate of a clause is the highest VP (or AuxP).
• The subject is external to the predicate.
• Complements and modifiers are both internal to the predicate.
• The complements are sisters to V.
• The modifiers are sisters to VP.
• Modifiers usually do not stand between the V and its complements

Pronominalization

• A pro-VP form such as do so cannot combine with a complement, but it can combine with a modifier.
• Pat put a book [on the shelf], and Mary did so into the drawer. (on the shelf is a complement)
• Pat read a book [in the library], and Mary did so at home. (in the library is a modifier)

Obligatoriness

• Complements are syntactically obligatory. Their form and number is determined by the verb.
  • Note: complements can also be optional (Pat ate (shrimp).)
• Modifiers are syntactically optional. Their form and number is independent of the VP they combine with.

Uniqueness

• Every complement function can occur at most once with a given predicate. Modifiers can occur in arbitrary numbers.

Semantic autonomy

• The interpretation of complements is determined by the verb, the interpretation of modifiers is independent of the verb:
  • Pat relies [on Kim]. (complement, on does not contribute any meaning)
  • Pat lies [on the bed]. (locative modifier, on expresses a relative position)
• The existence or involvement of a complement is semantically implied by the specific verb. E.g. eat implies that some object is involved in the activity.
• The compatibility of a VP with a certain modifier is a property not of the particular verb, but of a larger verb class.

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