Gert: Created page with "The Direct Object Test for identifying direct objects in English Passivization: The direct object of an active sentence appears as the subject in a passive sentence. Active: P..."

2017-04-25T13:50:17Z

Created page with "The Direct Object Test for identifying direct objects in English Passivization: The direct object of an active sentence appears as the subject in a passive sentence. Active: P..."

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The Direct Object
Test for identifying direct objects in English
Passivization: The direct object of an active sentence appears as the subject in a passive sentence.
Active: Pat wrote a letter.
Passive: A letter was written by Pat.
post-verbal NPs that are not direct objects do not passivize:
Pat will always remain a good friend.
* A good friend will always be remained by Pat.
Categories and structural position
The direct object is an NP in accusative case. It can also be an S'.
It is a sister of V and dominated by a VP.
A direct object that is an S' can be identified by the following criteria:
The S' can be replaced with this, such that this satisfies the criteria for an NP direct object:
Pat thinks [S': that Kim is late], and I think this, too.
Passivization is possible:
Pat believes [S': that Kim is late]. -> [S':That Kim is late] is believed (by Pat).
Example:
_S_
/ \
/ AuxP
/ / \
subj / VP
/ / / \
/ / / dir.obj
/ / / \
NP Aux V __NP__
/__\ | | /______\
Pat will write a letter.

The Direct Object - Revision history

Gert: Created page with "The Direct Object Test for identifying direct objects in English Passivization: The direct object of an active sentence appears as the subject in a passive sentence. Active: P..."