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The Direct Object | <b>The Direct Object</b><br> | ||
Test for identifying direct objects in English | <b>Test for identifying direct objects in English</b> | ||
Passivization: The direct object of an active sentence appears as the subject in a passive sentence. | <ul> | ||
Active: Pat wrote a letter. | <li><b>Passivization:</b><br> | ||
Passive: A letter was written by Pat. | The direct object of an active sentence appears as the subject in a passive sentence.<br> | ||
<code>Active: Pat wrote a letter.</code><br> | |||
Pat will always remain a good friend. | <code>Passive: A letter was written by Pat.</code><br> | ||
* A good friend will always be remained by Pat. | Post-verbal NPs that are not direct objects do not passivize:<br> | ||
Categories and structural position | <code>Pat will always remain a good friend.<br> | ||
The direct object is an NP in accusative case. It can also be an S'. | * A good friend will always be remained by Pat.</code> | ||
It is a sister of V and dominated by a VP. | </li> | ||
A direct object that is an S' can be identified by the following criteria: | <b>Categories and structural position</b><br> | ||
The S' can be replaced with this, such that this satisfies the criteria for an NP direct object: | <ul> | ||
Pat thinks [S': that Kim is late], and I think this, too. | <li>The direct object is an NP in accusative case. It can also be an S'.</li><br> | ||
Passivization is possible: | <li>It is a sister of V and dominated by a VP.</li><br> | ||
Pat believes [S': that Kim is late]. -> [S':That Kim is late] is believed (by Pat). | <li>A direct object that is an S' can be identified by the following criteria:</li> | ||
The S' can be replaced with this, such that this satisfies the criteria for an NP direct object:<br> | |||
<code>Pat thinks [S': that Kim is late]</code>, and I think this, too. | |||
<li>Passivization is possible:<br> | |||
<code>Pat believes [S': that Kim is late]. -> [S':That Kim is late] is believed (by Pat).</code> | |||
</li> | |||
</ul> | |||
Example: | Example: | ||
_S_ | _S_ | ||
Revision as of 14:01, 16 May 2019
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:
- Passivization is possible:
Pat believes [S': that Kim is late]. -> [S':That Kim is late] is believed (by Pat).
Pat thinks [S': that Kim is late], and I think this, too.
Example:
_S_
/ \
/ AuxP
/ / \
subj / VP
/ / / \
/ / / dir.obj
/ / / \
NP Aux V __NP__
/__\ | | /______\
Pat will write a letter.