A New Approach to English Grammar, on Semantic Principles

Download or read book A New Approach to English Grammar, on Semantic Principles written by Robert M. W. Dixon and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 1991 with total page 424 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In the first part of the book there is a review of some of the main points of English syntax, followed by a discussion of English verbs in terms of 'semantic types'. About thirty of these types are examined, including verbs of Motion, of Giving, of Thinking, of Speaking, of Liking, and of Trying. In the last part of the book the author looks in detail at five grammatical topics: complement clauses, which can fill subject or object slot in a main clause; the question of transitivity and causatives; passives of all kinds; promotion of a non-subject to subject slot, as in Dictionaries sell well; and the relation between constructions such as They walked and They had a walk, She punched him and She gave him a punch, and He looked and He took a look." -- Back cover.