COPULATIVE PREDICATIONS, LINK VERBS IN ENGLISH

I. Discuss the properties of ergative and unergative verbs using the following examples: Thematic properties. The bells were clanging. A cluster of stars glowed above us. They quarrell ed quite often. We sneezed a lot because of the dust. She was weeping with joy. Aspect. At times she would weep for hours. He has been working in the same office all his life. *He grumbled in five minutes. The glass accidentally broke. *She arrived for ten hours. Syntactic properties. Adjectival use of the participle: a recently arrived letter; *a laughed child; There-sentences: There remained three men in the room. *There laughed a child in the room. The lake froze solid. *He ate sick. He ate himself sick, II.a) Identify the link verbs below. b) Say whether the predications are basic or derived. Analyse the predicative. c) derive one sentence in each set. BE. The book is mine. Olivier is Hamlet tonight. / The meeting was last night. He is upstairs. Whatever is is right. / The first person I met was my father. GET. I am getting old and shaky. Eggs are getting scarcer. Its getting near tea-time. My father is getting an old man. Youre getting a man now. It is getting to be a positive nuisance. She had got to be fond of me. I got to be tolerably intimate with him. / They got to words and then to blows. BECOME. His descendants in the male line became extinct. He became literally ill from homesickness. I became her friend. Later in the day she became more at peace with him. (rare: become of age, become out of order) COME. When he comes of age, he wont have a shilling. / The womans soul isnt fully awake in her; but it may come awake any day. He may be thinking of that bill which is coming due on Monday. Ill see if I can come square with you. It will come true. The brown-paper parcel had come untied. My shoe laces have come undone. His board neednt come very expensive. When he comes to be a little stronger, who knows what a year or two of Latin may do for him? When her will came to be known, it was seen that scandal had not been so far wrong as usual in giving her out for an arrant miser. / Things have come to a stand-still / to a pretty pass / to no good. Hell come to pieces / to grief. The hinge has come loose. The seam came unstiched / unsewn. The streets have come to be used as parking places. GO. Dictionaries are like watches: the worst is better than none, and the best cannot be expected to go quite true. To hurt anybody went directly contrary to her nature. Their language goes current along most of the sea-cost. You shall not go unrewarded when I am king of this country. Not long can such obstinacy go unpunished. Their real grievances have gone unaddressed, and even unexamined. He was like some strange tropical fruit, gone bad at the core. Men often go bald / blind. Cruel memories made her blood go cold. It had gone dark. I shall go distracted. It would be a sin and a shame if we let her go dirty now shes ill. Her hair had gone grey. By noon the sea went very high indeed. Those who will not work go hungry. Was she going insane? She went very pale. The house went instantly silent. If the milk is not taken proper care of it soon goes sour in hot weather. They have gone stone-deaf with the noise. Margaret then went very white. Im not the only American that has gone Canadian. / She could go out of her mind. I must do something or I shall go off my head. She went in fear of her life. He has some new clerk that he goes into ecstasies over. / I was too old to go apprentice to a trade. Youll spend your money like a man of spirit, Ill go bail for that. RUN. Mr. Squeers had but one eye, and the popular prejudice runs in favour of two. I shall run mad next. Let me know when you run out of money. My pocket-money was run-out. This garden is running to seed. Prices are running high. Supplies are running low. (run dry) GROW. He grew more and more intractable every day. My time grows short. The air had suddenly grown chill. That will help us to understand how the love of accumulating money grows an absorbing passion. Laura had grown to be a fine young stripling by this time. (grow into a man / woman, grow into / out of a habit) Figs grew to be a name of kindness and endearment. Hes growing too big for his boots / shoes / breeches. TURN. The trees were just turning a faint tint of yellow. Ill turn valiant out of fear. It has turned abominably cold. I hope you have no intent to turn husband? You wont have a friend left in the world if you turn poet. I little knew why, and that I should turn engineer. Youve turned politician and ceased to be a mere member of Parliament. He turned Catholic. The Signora Colonna has

taken up my old calling and turned a wit. He said this and turned of a deadly colour. What if he turns a good fellow? He was but just turns of thirty. A boy turning four years of age. / When it freezes water turns to ice. The snow soon turned to rain. FALL. It fell dead calm. At last the gale fell calm. I am a dangerous fellow to fall foul of. His only child fell ill. My horse fell lame. At his entry all fell silent. Then his voice fell beautifully soft. The position will fall vacant. Her husband had fallen a victim to his zeal for public safety. I have fallen behind the time. He has fallen out of favour with the Queen. He fell a prey to their criticism. They fell to blows / to loggerheads. LIE, SIT, STAND. To sit high is to be lied about. Clara noticed that the cap sat even more crooked than usual. Ill stand her friend. He stood mute with rage and wonder. He stands high with Bulstrode. He stood firm. He stands a head taller than most of his age. The russet woods stood ripe to be stript. He stands conspicuous as the most effective speaker we have. He stood in dread of his cousin (in awe, in terror). They all had dinner of which they all stood sadly in need. To stand godmother to smb. They stood to each other in the relation of cause and effect. I stand astonished at my own moderation. He stood transfixed to the spot. The only article of ornament of which she stands possessed is her wedding ring. I stand committed to that policy. The clause was still under consideration when the debate stood adjourned. You must stand guard tomorrow. He stands in need of help. / One of my near relations lies buried here. You did that when I lay at your mercy. The book lay open on the table. It will lie heavy on his stomach. / He stands high in her favour. He stood convicted of treachery / rebuked / I advised him to lie low for a while. REMAIN, REST, CONTINUE, STAY, KEEP . I knew I would remain hungry all night. I remained silent, nor did he speak a single word. She remained a prisoner in the house. / The signora may rest assured (certain, content, satisfied, secure) that I shall do my best to please him. He may rest perfectly certain that he is right. / We kept aloof from them. He kept silent. / He rests well content that all is well. The account determined her not to rest satisfied till she saw them. He might rest secure of her affection. The evils will rest unknown. Tell my lady to rest tranquil. Rest easy! / If youll take my advice, youll stay as you are. She stayed silent a full five minutes. If you stay quiet you will not get another drop. / At least you will stay rich all your life. Maybe you wont stay rich all your life, but at least youll stay tall all your life. When we wake up, he still stays asleep. My father continued obstinate. He continued poor. Remember I am to continue still a stranger to my benefactor. I continued with him nearly a year. My relations with them continue to be friendly. LOOK, SOUND, RING, LOOM. He looks ill and paining. We shall look such fools after this. You dont look yourself. He does not look his age. Pen looked to be a lad of much more consequence than he was really. You are looking as black as a funeral. The voice sounded harsh. The rose smells nice. It rings true to my ear. I feel sure of success. I felt confident (assured, certain) that they would succeed. He had felt attracted by Pens superior looks. He felt compelled to retire. I feel bound to accept. She felt a queen stepping down from her throne. He felt a man of the world. I feel out of sorts with all things. He felt in a false position. He felt to be a hundred years old. The castle loomed menacing in the distance. SEEM, APPEAR. He seems tired. He seems to be interested. Other verbs: MAKE, HOLD, WEAR, PASS. He had made free with my guineas. The books engrossing refund. The carpet is wearing thin. He will make a speaker who would live in history. Mr. Supple made one of the company. I wanted to make sure that it was you. / Words like men pass current for a while with men. She passes for a beauty. Editors of journals held aloof from him. His lordship held impressively mute. This law holds good for all living beings. She held close to him. / She hung aloof from the new comers. II. Use all the link verbs above in sentences of your own. Autorul a rmas pe poziie.(The author stood/stuck to his guns) N-ai nici o ans s ctigi. (You stand no chance to win/You are out of the running)) Argumentul i pstreaz validitatea. (The argument stands pat/holds good) i s-a desfcut iretul.(The shoelace has come undone) S-au stricat oule. Lucrurile au ajuns ntr-o situaie critic.(come to nothing/to a standstill/to a pretty pass) Curnd cei doi s-au luat la btaie.(Soon, the two men came to blows/to fall/to get/to come to loggerheads) Grdina asta s-a slbticit.(the garden has run wild/to seed) De dou luni duce o via cinstit.(He has kept on the course for two months) Se ine departe de noi toi.(He keeps/holds aloof from us) n cercurile noastre trece drept un mare savant.(In our circles he passes for a learned man/scholar) Ironia devine dureroas. Busuioc ajunsese

bisericos. I s-a rrit prul.(His hair has got thin/has been thinning out) Aceste reforme i se prur anacronice.(These reforms looked/seemed anachronistic) Negoul a ajuns o calamitate. (Trade has become a disaster) S-a tocit covorul.(the carpet has worn thin) Fii sigur c am s ncerc.(You may rest assured that I will try again) GO. Prul i ncrunise. (His hair went/grew/turned gray) Pn la prnz valurile mrii crescuser foarte mult(By noon the sea had gone high. By noon the sea went very high indeed). Publicul se ddea n vnt dup filmele de aventuri.(The public went mad/was mad/went off their head/nuts about adventure movies) A devenit sentimental.(She has grown mellow with age) La cldur laptele se acrete repede. (Milk goes sour in hot weather) Trebuie s fac ceva n problema asta neaprat, altminteri simt c-mi ies din mini.(Ive got to do smth about it or Ill go berserk/. I must do something or I shall go off my head) O asemenea ncpnare nu va rmne nepedepsit.(Such obstinacy cant go unpunished) N-ai s rmi nerspltit, dac ajung preedinte.(You wont go unrewarded if you become president) Se fcu alb la fa de furie (He went white with rage). LIE. SIT. STAND. Pentru o vreme trebuie s te dai la fund / s stai ascuns.(For a while you must lie low). E cu un cap mai nalt dect cei de vrsta lui (He stands a head taller than most of his age). Timp de cteva secunde rmase tcut.For a few moments she stood mute). Cine va fi mama fetiei?( To stand mother to smb) Conferina a fost amnat, din lips de participani.( the conference stood adjourned for lack of participants) i era groaz de fratele lui.( He stood in dread of his brother (in awe, in terror)) / Stai nemicat pn vin eu (You stand stockstill/firm until I come). Cartea sttea deschis pe mas. (The book lay open on the table) Tom e cel mai bun dintre colegii lui.(stand head and shoulder above his schoolmates) Mncarea i czuse greu la stomac. (the meal lay heavy on his stomach) Se bucura de mare favoare din partea ei. (He stands high in her favour). Tu vei sta de paz mine sear.( You must stand guard/ tomorrow. ) Are mare nevoie de ajutor.( He stands in need of help). LOOK.SOUND.RING. Eti palid astzi.(look pale) Vocea i suna cam strident.(sounded harsh/shrill; rings false/hollow/true) Azi nu ari bine / nu ari tu nsui.(You are looking blue today) Nu arat de vrsta lui.(doesnt look his age) Trandafirii miros frumos. (smell nice) FALL. n cele din urm rafalele de vnt s-au potolit.( At last the gale fell calm) Copilul s-a imbolnvit de la ngheata aceea. The child child fell ill.) Chiria trebuie pltit pn la sfritul lunii.(We have fallen behind with the rent/the rent is coming due at the end of the month) Glumele lui subtile n-au prins (His jokes fell flat). Au ajuns s-i spun vorbe grele i chiar s se loveasc.(they fell to loggerheads and even to blows) Artistul bnuia c a czut n dizgraie.(the artist assumed that he has fallen from grace/out of favour). S-a eliberat un post n comitetul executiv.( A position on the committee has fallen vacant. A czut prad antajului.(He fell prey to blackmail) GET. A ajuns la o vrst naintat (he has reached old age/has lived to reach a great age). Am ajuns suficient de intim cu el ca s-mi permit s-i pun aceast ntrebare.( I got to be tolerably intimate with him to ask him this question). Ai devenit brbat n toat puterea cuvntului. (Youre getting a man now.) S-a fcut aproape ora prnzului.(its getting on for noon) Buctarii buni se gsesc din ce n ce mai greu.(Good cooks are getting scarcer) A ajuns s fie un excelent scamator.(He grew into a excellent juggler/conjuror). A ajuns s fie complet stul de ea. TURN. Cnd i pleac nevasta de acas se face buctar. (turns cook) Toti locuitorii insulei s-au crestinat.(The men on the island turned Christian) Copacii cptaser o nuant palid de galben. S-a fcut soldat n cele din urm.(He turned soldier at last) Cnd nghea apa se preface n zpad. (When it freezes water turns to ice.).Ninsoarea s-a prefcut curnd n ploaie.( The snow soon turned to rain) S-a fcut biat cumsecade.( He turned a good fellow) Tocmai mplinise treizeci de ani. (He has just turned 30) GROW. Copilul s-a obrznicit.(The child has grown/got cheeky/fresh) . Ajunsese s-l iubeasc.(He has grown to love him) S-a fcut o fat foarte drgu. (She has grown into a fine lady) Nu-i mai ajungi nici cu prjina la nas. (grow too big for his boots / breeches/shoes/trousers). RUN. Proviziile noastre s-au cam mpuinat. (Supplies are running low). Mi s-au mpuinat i banii.(Money is running low/short) Grdina s-a slbticit. (This garden is running to seed.) Marea s-a dezlnuit. (the sea is running high).Ni s-au terminat rezervele de iut.(We are running short of jute supplies). HOLD. Redactorii revistelor se ineau departe de el.( Editors of journals held aloof from him). Povestea lui rmne adevrat. Se inea aproape de mine.( She held close to me). KEEP. Toi au pstrat tcerea.All kept silent) REST. Fii ncredinat c te voi ajuta.Rest assured I shall help you). Frana poate fi linitit c nu avem nici o intenie de a ncerca s punem capt acestei situaii.(France may rest well content that we no intention of trying to put an end to this situation) CONTINUE. A continuat s fie ncpnat. (She continued obstinate.) MAKE. Ne vom nveseli la petrecere.(We shall make good cheer at the party) Asigur-te c vor veni toi invitaii ( Make sure all the guests are coming). mi iau libertatea (I make free to invite you all ) de a v pofti pe toi la mine la mas. Dan fcea i el

parte din grup. (Dan also made one of the company). Niciodat n-are s fie un bun clre.(He will never make a good rider/horseman III. The copulative verb BE. Analyse the predicative. Learn the idioms. He is a button short. This student has always been as good as his word. when I saw him, he was as cross as two sticks. He was even better than his word. When he finished the assignment he was dead beat / dead broke. He is dead gone on her. / He is a bad hand at drawing. This actor is a quick / slow study. This continues to be a moot point. This really seems to be a tall order. John might be persuaded to lend you money, as he is easy game / easy meat. This venture proved to be good money. The Browns were the talk of the town. The islands were the haunt of the pirates. Waterfalls are a familiar sight to American travelers. The only way out is a reduction of the personnel. His aim was higher social position. If you are not careful, therell be the devil / the deuce to pay. Even when he does not play the leading role, Olivier is the whole show. He is Secretary of State. I couldnt tell whether the fellow was he / him or not. This is Johns wife. White hats are the thing today. He was not blunderer enough to betray his thoughts. He was fool enough to marry her. He was master of the situation. / The book is mine / Johns. / He is after no good. / You cant depend on him, he is all at sea / all aboard. He was among the missing. Im quite at a loss for an answer. I am at loose ends tonight. He is now at the top of the ladder. Whos been at my jewels again? The team was already hard at it when the inspector arrived. The candidate was at great pains to justify the revision of the programme. The soldiers were at attention, while the officers passed through the ranks. The speaker managed finally be at one with the audience. IV. Translate into English: 1. Totui, calmat de scurta plimbare, am mers dup cin, ca de obicei, amndoi n salona s mutm steguleele pe hart i, oftnd, am lsat inamicului Petroanii cucerii. Oprirea n faa Sibiului continu i este la fel de nefireasc. Singura presupunere logic ce o pot face este c s-ar fi trimis o parte din trupele necesare n sud. 2. Picioarele mi se nmuiaser i m-am sprijinit de un biet pom vetejit, a fi plecat, dar nu eram n stare, i cu minile ce s mi astup mai nti: Ochii? Urechile? 3. Dac nainte prea interesat a afla ceva de la mine, acum, am avut impresia c mi servea el informaiile, pentru ca eu s le difuzez toate fiind demoralizante i catastrofice. 4. Cu ct ziarele au devenit mai laconice, cu att zvonurile nfloresc: unele se dovedesc a fi adevrate, pe altele eu le-a suspecta c ar fi puse dinadins n circulaie, pentru a crea anumite reacii i stri colective: de panic, de ngrijorare excesiv etc. 5. Asta eu n ruptul capului nu cred eu! Pi uit-te la madam Ivona, uit-te la taic-su, slab, chel i cu nasul lung! Uit-te, vezi! Bucic rupt! - Da, seamn ... nu pot s neg ... Ioaniu avea alt fason ... Ei, poi s tii? 6. Oh, dac a avea un suflet apropiat ca s m plng! Cel puin de situaia ce devine insuportabil pe zi ce trece, venice vicreli i capricii cnd se rmne ntre patru ochi, apoi intervenii grosolane n public, replici care trdeaz proasta dispoziie i lipsa de curtenie. 7. ncepea s-i fie fric de omul acesta, n care se puteau petrece de la un minut la altul schimbri att de adnci. 8. Team mi-e s nu se fi petrecut chiar ceva ireparabil: pentru c dup ntmplri prea grave (sufletul meu le cntrete gravitatea!), voina i logica mea nu mai au nici o putere asupra sentimentelor modificate. 9. n ultimele minute dinainte s plece, Marie-Liliane a devenit tot mai tcut. Dup plecarea ei i-am fcut Sofiei reproul ce i-l pregtisem: c, tiindu-se culpabil de ntrziere, s-a ntors acas cu o amic. 10. O trstur specific a firii tale este deci c totdeauna te temi de cursele femeilor, viclenia lor fiind unamim recunoscut. 11. Dar cnd eu v spun c nicieri pe lumea asta nu te poi simi aprat i n siguran ... da, da, tiu eu c vorbele mele nu au cine tie ce efect, m-am convins c toate poliiile secrete nu ar putea face nimic cu dumneavoastr. 12. Dup rzboi, Alexandru Geblescu, cel mai tnr deputat din Camer, reprezenta o partid mult mai convenabil dect domnul Ialomieanu, cruia i se crease n jur o atmosfer

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destul de proast! Imediat dup rzboi cariera domnului Ialomieanu ajunsese la un punct mort din cauz c fusese filogerman. Tcu, jenat de aceast familiaritate, care i se prea c bruscheaz lucrurile. Se uit la ceas i fcu repede o socoteal: l cunosc de 37 de ore. Era singur cu el n acest camion care i ducea prin pdure de diminea, era singur cu el i nici mcar nu tia dac are dreptul s se rezeme de braul lui. Biatul era calm. Desena, fr prea mare atenie, un profil de femeie pe care-l lsa mereu neterminat i-l ncepea din nou pe alt col al hrtiei. Domnul Ioachim spunea astzi c Brtianu ar fi att de nemulumit de pasivitatea i dezinteresul ruilor, nct ar fi ameninat cu pace separat dac nu i se trimit ajutoare. Nenea Sandu Geblescu era un perfect om de lume, dar avea rbdarea s se joace i cu mine! Cnd i auzeam motorul automobilului alergam s-i sar de gt! Ce frumos mirosea obrazul lui, neted i mngietor, proaspt ras ntotdeauna. Din pricina genelor lungi ochii i par nlcrimai totdeauna i ea, desigur, tie ce farmec special i dau, pentru c des, i mai mult c sigur fr motiv, clipete. Niciodat cu tine nu m-am simit n largul meu, i-a spus atunci cnd s-a stins ultima explozie de lumin alb. A fost att de ocat nct a rmas fr glas! i dintr-o dat nverunarea pe care proasta lui comportare o crease n ea de atia ani, s-a topit ... . Dar mai ales inuse s se despart de Paul i s rmn cteva clipe singur pentru ca s poat cumpra n tain cteva surprize pentru pomul de Crciun, mici fleacuri pe care abia disear le va scoate din rucsac, la aprinsul lumnrilor. Se simea trdat, minit pn departe, n cele mai vechi amintiri. i totui, n seara aceea, privind cnd n camer, cnd pe geam fusese fericit ca alt dat ca atunci cnd era copil, cnd tria Papa, cnd mtua Margot era nelipsit la toate Crciunurile.